Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 922 The Unexpected Visitor

On June 1652, 6, the just-concluded Fifth Qingdao Autumn Commodity Fair was a complete success.The participating merchants from all over the world gathered in the expo hall, signed a total of 1 million yuan in procurement contracts, and directly created a profit of 161.3 yuan, which made the officials of the Ministry of Trade laugh from ear to ear—the negative effect on the economy after losing the French market The impact has been greatly weakened after the Peruvian smuggling market and local fairs were traded, and the people on the east coast have passed the most difficult time by adjusting the economic structure.

Among the turnover of more than 160 million yuan, the largest volume is still textiles, but its proportion has dropped a lot compared to previous years, accounting for less than 40%; It is steel bars, metal farm tools, hardware products, machine parts and other commodities; military products rank third in sales, followed by dyed leather goods, crude leather, refined flour, etc.There are many other products besides these, but they are scattered, and the proportion of each item is not very large, and the total is only a little over 20%.

All in all, after these years of continuous adjustment of the industrial structure, the economic transformation of the East Coast has achieved initial results, and the deformed economy that relied heavily on textiles (it seems that it is still very dependent on textile exports...) has been greatly improved.The number of domestic factories and handicraft workshops has almost increased by more than 60% compared with a few years ago, and the industrial population has accounted for [-]% of the total population of the whole society (only formal workers are counted, and a large number of laborers who are active in construction material factories and mines are not counted. On the left and right, the posture of a primary industrialized country is becoming clearer and clearer.

"According to the latest statistics, the total population of the country has reached a historic 33.8 people (Ming people accounted for about 45%, and mixed-race East Coast people accounted for about 19%). If non-national laborers are included, the total population has exceeded 40. The country has developed to this day, and it is really interesting. As long as our actions do not make major mistakes, and the external environment can give us a period of ten to 20 years of strategic opportunities, our East Coast Republic of China Only then can the national fortune be truly stabilized.” In the magnificent expo hall, Xu Xin, the Central Executive Committee member in charge of trade, was temporarily excited by the prosperity of trade, and expressed the above sentiments to the representatives of the manufacturers on the east coast attending the meeting.

Before the representatives woke up from the memories of hard work, Xu Xin was invited to the next room by the secretary.Here, the representative of the Dutch, Governor Haimer Dejan from Cape Town, has been waiting for Xu Xin for a long time-Xu Xin is also in charge of the diplomatic work of the East Coast Republic.

Governor De Yang's purpose of coming, Xu Xin, had been reported by the secretary in advance, so he knew more or less about it.That is, he was entrusted by the Hague government of the Netherlands to come to the east coast to ask the people on the east coast to use their own transport ships to protect Cape Town, Dutch Brazil and the West Indies, Dutch West African strongholds, The supply of materials in Dutch overseas colonies such as Tulare Commercial Station will not be cut off. For this reason, the Dutch will give East Coast merchants a purchase price that is [-]% to [-]% higher than the market price.

"I really have no sincerity at all." Xu Xin lit a pipe for himself, and then said something to himself in Chinese.Do the Dutch think we are fools?Do you have the nerve to say such a condition?Xu Xin suddenly felt that he should slap the Dutchman in the face, lest they always be so defiant?

"The English are really amazing..." Xu Xin took a puff on his cigarette and said leisurely.

"What?" Governor De Yang was a little stunned.

"Since 1649, Cromwell has been determined to overcome financial difficulties and expand the size of the English navy. By 1650, they had already expanded the size of the navy several times by building new ships and transforming merchant ships, reaching the The astonishing scale of more than 70 professional warships. I heard that last year, 20 new ships were under construction in major shipyards along the Thames River and were about to be completed. In addition, they also ordered a batch of new ships in Portugal and Spain. There are also 10 or 12 ships. If you don’t hesitate to throw your blood into the navy, Cromwell will always want to get something back, or an idiot will do it.” Xu Xin didn’t answer Governor De Yang’s question, but brought up It seems that Howe has nothing to do with the "gossip", just listen to him continue: "Most British people believe that only if the Netherlands is damaged, British trade will usher in prosperity. And they did the same, and they want to continue Listen, Your Excellency De Young, the British captains who came to Qingdao Port to trade boasted that from October last year to the end of the year, the English Navy had captured more than ten Dutch merchant ships in North America, and in the Strait of Dover, the British said that Dozens of Dutch transport ships have been captured, and in one raid last December alone, they intercepted and confiscated as many as 16 Dutch transport ships laden with high value merchandise for not adhering to the trade regulations of the Navigation Act. Regulations, while also refusing to pay 'flag-raising' salute to the Brits..."

"What exactly do you want to say?" Governor De Yang's face was already a little ugly, very pale.

"What I mean is very simple, that is, the determination of the British is very strong this time. They have also invested huge sums of money in the construction of the navy in the past two years. Now, they are looking for faults everywhere to break your commercial hegemony in Europe." Xu Xin said bluntly, "Facing such a furious Britain, anyone who confronts them will be under a lot of pressure. Your country wants our country to help maintain you Maintaining the operation of some overseas colonies, to be honest, the pressure is very high, the British will hate us, and it is hard to say whether we will be involved in the war..."

Xu Xin's worries were not unreasonable. The British Parliament held grudges. During the British Civil War, they all remembered clearly who supported the Royalists and who sheltered the Royalists.Not counting now, but it doesn't mean that you won't settle in the future.You see, the Dutch strongly supported the Royalist Party during the war, and they also assisted the Scottish and Irish rebels after the war. Didn’t the English just settle their old scores and new enmities with them?

What's more, in this regard, the people on the east bank are also faintly worried.Because of the previous immature and changeable policies (in the opinion of the white shirts), the navy not only privately plundered English merchant ships in the Caribbean, off the coast of Virginia, etc. - even during the period, it even cooperated with the British East India Company, the Guyana Company, the Massachusetts Bay Company, etc. There was a mild war in the colonial institutions—some time-travelers with strong historical plots also encouraged the government to give a certain degree of assistance to the British Royalist Party, helping them train a small new-style army.This kind of "black history" is something that the rulers of the time travel who have matured a lot now want to get rid of it and forget it, but it's not easy!If you do it, you do it. As long as the British want to, they can use this to attack the East Bank at any time!

"What do you want?" Governor De Yang didn't go around and asked directly.

"A lot." Xu Xin glanced at Governor De Yang with a smile, and said, "First, your country must promise to limit the actions of the East India Company, and immediately stop all commercial and political ties with the Qing government in the Far East. See results within the year; [-]. Your country will sell the Tulare Commercial Station in Xinhuaxia Island, the Cape Town Colony in South Africa, and the Formosa Island in the Far East to the Chinese government as a whole, and the Chinese government will give a reasonable consideration for this. Please rest assured on this point; [-]. Open the Strait of Malacca, allowing our ships to navigate and berth freely, and allow two ships from the east coast to purchase spices on Ambon Island every year; [-]. Allow our government and commercial companies authorized by the government to do business and colonize in India. The East India Company shall not make things difficult for any reason; [-]. Further open up the Swedish, Danish and North German markets, allowing Chinese merchants to do business, and at the same time allowing Chinese banks to open branches; [-]. For various materials on the Amsterdam market, if so For those urgently needed by our country, our government or businessmen have the priority to purchase them.”

"Just these few points for the time being, and I'll add them later when I think of them." Xu Xin said with a smile on Governor De Yang, whose facial muscles were already extremely stiff.

"These conditions are too harsh and unacceptable to the Hague government." Governor Dejan stood up abruptly, and said in great disappointment: "The great inter-provincial republic has its own pride, and you can't imagine how powerful our fleet is." Huge, and our sailors are so experienced. It is wishful thinking for the English to step on our corpses to rise, and it is also wishful thinking for those who want to take advantage of the fire to gain benefits from the Federal Republic!"

"The overall strength of the British at sea may not be as good as yours, but their naval strength has undoubtedly left you behind. The British now have at least 14 ships-there may be more in the future-the number of artillery equipped on large warships exceeds You killed your flagship 'Braderode', didn't you? Let's face the reality, Dutchman." Xu Xin also got up, and said in a leisurely manner.

Governor De Young, who was putting on his clothes and hat, paused for a while, and then retorted: "Our sailors are experienced and high-spirited, far from those of the British bandits. We will win in the end, there is no doubt about it."

"Maybe." Xu Xin shrugged, then stretched out his right hand to shake the hand of Governor De Yang, and said, "We also cherish the friendship with your country, please report our conditions to your government, I think They will have a full assessment of this. My door is open to you at any time, and you are welcome to come back here at any time. Until then, our port will be fully open to Dutch ships, where you can shop, resupply, and even seek asylum."

"Thank you for being able to do this." Governor De Yang shook Xu Xin's hand firmly, and said, "But I still don't think the Hague government will accept your conditions unless you can make major changes to it."

(End of this chapter)