African Nationhood

Chapter 18 Rand Gold Mine
  "This lighter is very beautiful and exquisite!"

Shi Jintang finished lighting the cigar and then handed the lighter to Governor Freire.

"This is a new lighter invented by me and named Zhibao. We have already set up factories in the United States and France.

I will have a batch of goods shipped here in a while, and now I will give this one to you, Sir. "

Sir Freyr took the lighter and tried it a few times before nodding.

"It's a very good gadget. You said you had a shipment coming. What is it?"

"Oh, there are 5000 medical and health kits produced by Johnson & Johnson, as well as 1000 Zippo lighters and 10000 boxes of cigarettes."

"When will Johnson & Johnson's health care package arrive?"

"In the near future, I can't be sure. I notified New York a month ago that the shipment will be delivered. It should be very soon."

"How do you plan to sell those 5000 sets of medical and health kits?"

Medical and health kits are very important strategic materials, and the war between the British and the Zulus has reached a critical moment.

Shi Jintang also came to Cape Dun at this time after calculating the value of these medical and health kits.

“Each medical and hygiene package contains 10 rolls of sterile gauze, 1 bottle of disinfectant (iodophor), 1 painkiller (mafei), and 10 band-aids.

In the United States, each health and medical kit costs US$50, which should be 10 pounds when converted into pounds.

In addition, you have to pay taxes when transporting it here, so..."

"I can exempt you from taxes on this batch of goods. How about selling them all to the Cape Colony Government?"

Shi Jintang took a puff of his cigar and said calmly: "Is that so? I need to think about it.

After all, these medical kits are in short supply, and I shipped them from the United States, so the price is still a bit low. "

Sir Freyr's eyelids twitched. This damn yellow-skinned monkey is indeed greedy, regardless of race or skin color.

"£12 each, 5000 for a total of £60000."

Governor Freire clenched his teeth as he negotiated the price, emphasizing every word he spoke.

Shi Jintang took another long puff of cigar, stretched out his hand and said: "Happy cooperation!
  By the way, my lighter and cigarettes, Sir, do you have any ideas? "

Sir Freire reached out and shook Shi Jintang's hand. He let go and asked curiously: "What are cigarettes?"

Shi Jintang took out the metal cigarette box from his pocket and handed it to the other party.

"These are machine-rolled cigarettes. Smoking this is much more convenient than using a pipe, and it's not expensive either."

Sir Freire put the cigar in his hand aside, took the cigarette case, opened it, looked at it, and casually asked: "How much is it not expensive?"

“When I was in the United States, I had an idea that these cigarettes would be divided into different grades based on packaging.

There is one brand for each level. For example, Lucky Strike takes the high-end route, Camel takes the mid-range route, and Pirates takes the low-end route.

So high-end Lucky Strikes and Camels are packed in this metal box, while Pirates are just packed in paper. "

Freir picked up a cigarette and put it to his nose and smelled it, "You added spices to this?"

"Well, yes, Lucky Strike has spices in it for flavoring, while Camel is just tobacco and packaged in a metal box."

"I have to say that your idea is very good. I can see that you are very talented in business, but you haven't told me the specific price yet?"

"Well, high-end ones cost 1 shilling a bag, camels cost 10 pence, and pirates cost 3 pence."

After listening to Shi Jintang's quotation, Governor Freire frowned slightly, "I have to say that this price is still a bit expensive. 3 pence is enough for an ordinary person to eat a meal."

“New things always have to be more expensive, otherwise who would go out of their way to invent new things?

Ordinary people go to a restaurant to buy a regular pot of black tea for 2 pence. How long can a pot of tea last?

This pack of cigarettes can last you at least one day. "

Governor Freier waved his hand, "Okay, you convinced me, but where's the lighter?"

"Lighters are more expensive, £1 each.

I will also develop gold-inlaid, gold-plated and carved styles in the future, but the production capacity is temporarily limited. "

Governor Freire put down the cigarette box, picked up the cigar again and took a puff, "Well, according to what you said, a lighter doesn't cost much. What's the ratio of low to medium to high in cigarettes?"

"The ratio of those cigarettes is 6:3:1, with less expensive ones and the largest quantity of cheap ones."

"How much do these total?"

When Shi Jintang heard what Governor Frere said, he chuckled: "Sir, are you willing to eat all of my goods?"

"Well, I plan to give it to some stores to sell.

If sales are good, we can continue to cooperate in the future. "

"The total price is 61700 pounds. This is our first cooperation. How about 61000 pounds?" Sir Frere nodded, "Okay, we will sign a contract of intent later.

By the way, are you here for anything else besides trading? "

"Sir Freir, you are really wise. I am here to purchase some supplies, food, horses, and iron tools.

My Nanhua company has just opened. Except for a port, there is only a pile of sand on the site. "

After hearing Shi Jintang's words, Governor Freire curved his lips slightly and smiled.

"When I got the notification from the mainland, I was still thinking that the unlucky guy would get a piece of desert land. It turned out to be you."

Shi Jintang suppressed a bitter smile and said miserably: "I didn't expect that I would be such an unlucky guy!"

After saying that, both of them laughed.

Then the two of them had a lively conversation, and the Cape Colony government sold 40000 quarters of wheat and 40000 quarters of corn to the South China Company (Note 1).

(1 quarter ≈ 11 kilograms. This is not true. Some of the information I checked said 9.5 and some said 12. Here is the middle value.)
  It cost £0.8 (including shipping to Walvis Bay).

Shi Jintang also wanted to buy some pack horses and military horses, but was rejected by Sir Freire.

When Shi Jintang thought about it carefully, it was true that the British were currently fighting the Zulus, and both war horses and ordinary horses were in short supply.

So he stopped insisting, and then he said to Sir Frere: "I plan to buy more land, is that okay?"

"Yes, of course. Where do you want to buy the land?"

Sir Freyr didn't expect that this yellow man was actually a boy who gave away money.

I just made a fortune from him, and then I spent all my money here again. This kind of business is worth doing.

"Is there a map?
  I plan to buy more, after all, Southwest Africa is so deserted. "

"Okay, the map is here, you can make your choice."

In 1877, the Transvaal Republic established by the Boers was forced to merge with the Cape Colony due to military and financial pressure.

Therefore, today's Cape Colony includes the entire Transvaal Republic.

The Rand Gold Mine is just an ordinary basin at the moment and has not been noticed by anyone.

Shi Jintang happened to make up the time difference and bought part of it first. Even if a gold mine was discovered in the future, he would still have a share.

So he made a circle on the map according to the location of later Johannesburg.

"It's right here. What's the approximate price?"

Sir Freyr looked at the map and then at Shijin Hall.

I don’t understand why this Huangpi chose such a remote place. Although the land there is more fertile, it is still too far.

"It's a bit too inland over there. Why don't you choose a place near the harbor?"

Shi Jintang secretly laughed in his heart, because this is the main vein of the Rand Gold Mine.

“Well, here’s what I thought, north of the Orange River and south of the Kalahari Desert, this area is fertile.

I want to start colonizing there, so I first accumulate manpower and food in the territory of civilized people in this area.

I'll wait until the time is right to seize it, otherwise my Nanhua Company will never be able to get ahead. "

After hearing Shi Jintang's words, Governor Freire immediately became vigilant. This yellow-skinned monkey actually wanted to plot the outer lands of the Cape Colony.

In 1895, in the original time and space, the Cape Colony government brought this land totaling 12 square kilometers under its management.

Although Governor Freire is vigilant, the business in front of him still needs to be done.

Earn the money you got first, then talk about it later.

Maybe this yellow-skinned monkey will be killed by a nigger tomorrow.

"Well, I understand. According to your area, it's about 2 to 3 acres.

Since you just gave me a discount, I will be more generous and give you 2.8 pounds for this land. "

Hearing this, Shi Jintang almost jumped up with joy. The underground gold mine had not been completely mined before he traveled through.

So no matter how much money it is, it is earned.

"Okay, let's sign the contract together later. There are some tools I need to purchase more. Here is a list. Sir, please arrange for someone to contact the merchant for me."

After some discussions, Shi Jintang spent 3.6 pounds.

"Sir Freyr, I also want to discuss another business with you."

Note 1: According to the data provided by a book friend, it is tentatively determined: 1 pound = 10 quarters of wheat. I have not found the price of corn. Europeans do not like to eat corn very much and use it to feed livestock, so the price of corn is based on wheat. The price is half the price. If anyone knows anything, please let me know.

(End of this chapter)