1850 American Gold Baron

Chapter 138 Oregon Territory and Nevada Territory

"The gold resources in the Sacramento area have been depleted, and it is now difficult to find rich gold mines."

Governor Robinson looked at the map on the wall of Liang Yao's study, and his eyes focused on the Nevada region east of California.

"I heard that someone has discovered several rich minerals in the foothills of the Nevada Mountains in the west. The Boston Company will enter Nevada next week. Do you think the president and Congress will agree to transfer the Nevada area to California?"

Robinson was not only the governor of California, but also the chairman of the Boston Company's board of directors.

Under Robinson's leadership, Boston Company also expanded rapidly and became the second largest gold mining company in California after Xiangshan Gold Mining Company.

Robinson has also become one of the richest people in California. In addition to his status as governor, Robinson is now also a hot figure in California.

It has been proven that there is a huge amount of gold buried in the foothills of the Nevada Mountains. If the Nevada area can be included in California, this will be great news for all California gold diggers.

But will the president and Congress agree? This is the question in Robinson's mind at this time.

"It is impossible for California to acquire the entire Nevada region. With the president's character, I estimate that he will carve out a piece of Nevada and merge it into California." Liang Yao said while sipping tea and looking at the map.

"Of course, the premise is that California can give us enough money. The federal government is currently short of money, and Texas' compensation of US$10 million is not a small amount."

With Fillmore's peacemaker character, it is still possible for California to obtain part of the land in the Nevada area. It is just a matter of how much.

As for Liang Yao's letter to Fillmore, he asked for the entire Nevada area in order to bargain with the government and Congress.

The same is true for Los Angeles' $5 million compensation.

The climate conditions in Nevada are not good. In fact, what Liang Yao wants more is the land in Oregon.

Especially the fertile soil along the western coast of Oregon.

The Oregon region at this time was not equivalent to the later state of Oregon, but included a vast area of ​​land including later Oregon, Washington, Idaho, western Montana, western Wyoming and other areas, with an area of ​​up to seven

More than 100,000 square kilometers.

The ideal is very full, but the reality is always very skinny.

The Oregon Territory is no better than the Nevada Territory. The possibility of California annexing even a small area of ​​the Oregon Territory is almost zero.

After the United States purchased French Louisiana from France in 1803, the territory began to border the Oregon Territory, and the United States developed ideas for the land.

Subsequently, the American authorities sent many expeditions and encouraged American traders and immigrants to enter the Oregon region to build settlements and declare ownership of the area.

Old Astor, who was still in the fur business in his early years, followed the Oregon Trail into the Columbia River Basin and established a trading post to purchase furs, becoming a major contributor to the Oregon border area of ​​the United States.

The United Kingdom did not ignore the United States' move to annex the Oregon Territory. The American-British War of 1812 was the so-called Second War of Independence in the United States.

The United States wanted to take over the British Canadian colonies and attempt to control the entire North American continent.

The well-known incident of this war is that Canadian troops actually entered the capital of the United States and burned down the White House.

In fact, in addition to the eastern battlefield, fighting also broke out in the western Oregon region, but the scale and impact were very small.

The British (Canadian) army occupied the American Fort Astoria in the Oregon region and destroyed a large number of American trading posts and settlements in the Oregon region.

In order to expel American forces from the Oregon region, the British Hudson's Bay Company, which was responsible for controlling the Oregon region at the time, carried out an extermination hunt for all fur-bearing animals in the Oregon region to prevent Americans from obtaining the furs in the area.

The Hudson's Bay Company wanted to use this to make the United States give up on the Oregon region, but the stubborn Americans did not give up. Instead, they continued to immigrate to the Oregon region and build new trading points and settlements, creating a fait accompli for controlling the Oregon region.

fact.

This move was consistent with the later practice of immigrating to Mexican territories such as Texas and annexing local territories.

In the game between Britain and the United States over territorial control of the Oregon region, the United States finally had the last laugh.

But the United States is not satisfied with this. They want to continue northward and push the border to 54 degrees 40 minutes north latitude.

What is this concept? This is almost bordering Russian Alaska. In later years, the border line between the United States and Canada was 49 degrees north latitude. For every one degree difference in latitude, the actual distance is about 111 kilometers.

Therefore, the territorial dispute between Britain and the United States in the Oregon Territory has not yet been resolved.

The situation in Oregon is too complicated, and now is not the best time to openly intervene in Oregon.

In contrast, Nevada, like California, was territory annexed by the United States just after the Mexican-American War.

It is also more reasonable from a legal perspective to submit territorial claims to Nevada as compensation.

There is also less resistance from Congress and the government, making it easier to implement.

"10 million U.S. dollars in compensation?" Robinson frowned, "The California government doesn't have that much money right now. Let alone 10 million U.S. dollars, it's very difficult to come up with 1 million U.S. dollars."

"There is no need for $1,000." Liang Yao said, "Deducting the $5 million to compensate Los Angeles, we only need to pay a maximum of $5 million."

"That still costs 5 million US dollars." Robinson still frowned.

"If California can finally acquire land in the Nevada area, the state government can use the land in the Nevada area as collateral to borrow $5 million from Bank of America, and Bank of America can still get it."

Liang Yao said that 5 million US dollars was not a small amount for him, but he could still get it by gritting his teeth.

Robinson couldn't help but become vigilant. Could it be that Liang Yao also wanted to take over the gold producing areas in Nevada?

But then I thought about it, Liang Yao owes a lot to himself and California for being in this situation.

Even if Liang Yao takes over the gold-producing area of ​​Nevada, he and the Boston Company can follow Liang Yao and get a share of the pie.

"I have just established a Boston bank. Although it is not as strong as Bank of America, it can still undertake some state government loans," Robinson said.

Liang Yao naturally understood what Robinson meant. After becoming governor, this Robinson seemed to be less pure than before.

"Boston Bank is also a local bank in California. As long as you are able to undertake a small part of the state government's loans, I have no objection. However, for the sake of safety, most state government loans should be undertaken by Bank of America, which is safer," Liang Yao said.

.

Robinson is very satisfied with the result.

Just as the conversation between Liang Yao and Robinson ended, Hu Jinchen walked in and reported to Liang Yaohui.

"Your Excellency, Mr. Le Goff wishes to see you."

Legoff? What does this Frenchman want with me now?

"Please come in, Mr. Legoff," Liang Yao said.

(End of chapter)