1850 American Gold Baron

Chapter 255 They know, but they won’t change

"California is really a promising place. It is full of vitality. Being with these young people makes me, an old timer from the last century, feel a lot younger."

After chatting with several young inventors for a while, Blanchard couldn't help but sigh.

Blanchard was deeply impressed by these young talents.

It seems that he has been working behind closed doors for too long. There are so many outstanding young inventors in the United States that he has never heard of before.

"I plan to set up a machinery company in California. According to my inspection in California, there is still a big gap in machinery in California. If possible, I hope to obtain a loan from Bank of America."

Blanchard, who is also an inventor and businessman, also sees potential business opportunities in California.

There was a lot of construction going on everywhere, and the tacks produced by his tack-making machine would be very popular here.

There is also his wood bending machine. Liang Yao has great market prospects whether it is used to bend wood for ships, farm tools, or building materials.

Of course, California's three-year tax exemption policy for industrial and mining companies is also very attractive to Blanchard.

Currently, the only state in the United States that has a tax-free policy for industrial and mining enterprises is California. I heard that California also has a tax-free policy for agriculture, which has also attracted many farmers from the east to immigrate.

The original destinations of many eastern immigrant farmers were Wisconsin and Missouri, but they changed their destination after hearing that California had a three-year tax exemption policy for agriculture and provided agricultural tools, seeds, and even interest-free loans.

Came to California.

"California welcomes all aspiring entrepreneurs to open factories in California."

Blanchard wanted to open a factory in California, and Liang Yao naturally welcomed it. Blanchard manufactures machine tools, and such high-precision industries are rare in any state.

"For questions about opening a factory, you can submit your plan to the Ministry of Industry and consult with the staff of the Ministry of Industry. There is also an office of the Ministry of Industry in the San Francisco Industrial Zone. As for the loan, I can get a lower loan for you.

Interest."

"Thank you very much."

Blanchard thanked Liang Yao and then asked Liang Yao.

"Do you have any new inventions recently? I heard that you just applied for a patent called a hinge. Can I take a look?"

Liang Yao nodded and asked Kony to bring the hinge.

Blanchard took the hinge from Coney's hand, inspected it carefully, and praised it.

"It's really an ingenious design. If paired with the right gears, it can make a very good transmission device. But this thing is so sophisticated, isn't it expensive?"

"It is indeed a bit expensive, and there is still a long way to go before it can be used commercially," Liang Yao said.

This hinge was prepared for him to build a chain-driven bicycle, but it was not as simple as he thought.

Hinge, a mechanical component that seems very common in later generations, was an out-and-out high-tech product in the mid-19th century. With the current machining capabilities of California, there is definitely no way to mass-produce hinges that can be put into commercial use.

The idea of ​​making a chain-driven bicycle can only be put aside for the time being. It is more realistic to just stick to the existing pedal-driven bicycle and make some improvements to the details and materials of this bicycle.

The driving method of a pedal-driven bicycle is a pedal-driven bicycle on the pedal wheel. The efficiency is definitely not as good as that of a chain-type bicycle.

This is why before the invention of the chain, bicycles had strange shapes and the driving wheels were developing in an increasingly larger direction. This was all to save labor and increase power output.

Pan Zhengwei and Wu Yuanhua who came to see Liang Yao were very surprised to see the smoke billowing and the machines roaring in Tingtaoyuan these days.

If it were in the Qing Dynasty, this would definitely be a typical example of losing one's ambition while playing with things.

But both Pan Zhengwei and Wu Yuanhua knew that Liang Yao was not a person who lost his ambition by playing with things. Not only did he not lose his ambition by playing with things, he could also make money.

Looking at the various roaring machines in Tingtao Garden, and thinking of the pastoral scenery of the Qing Dynasty, the two of them felt as if they were in another world.

"I want to go back to Guangzhou in person this time. Regarding the "Qingming-U.S. Free Immigration Treaty," I'm afraid the people below can't explain it clearly to De She (Pan Shicheng). It's best for me to go back in person to talk to De She about the matter. "

Pan Zhengwei said to Liang Yao.

Although the Pan family is now favored by the court, not everyone in the Pan family has the opportunity to meet the Manchu Emperor in person. Only Pan Shicheng, a second-rank official and a highly regarded imperial businessman, has the opportunity to meet the Manchu Emperor.

"Then please bear with the fatigue of the journey and take a trip." Liang Yao said to Pan Zhengwei, "Take the steam ship of the Global Shipping Company back to Guangzhou. The steam ship is faster."

"But before I leave, I want to ask you for something to give as a gift to the Holy One." Pan Zhengwei said.

"What do you want?"

As long as the Manchus and Qing dynasties could fool around and let the "Qing-U.S. Free Immigration Treaty" pass in a daze, Liang Yao wouldn't mind giving some small gifts.

"I bought some guns and cannons in the east. There is no shortage of these things. I would like to ask you for some machines." Pan Zhengwei said.

During the year he came to the United States, what he saw and heard opened his eyes.

He had witnessed the speed of foreign ships and the power of foreign guns and cannons in the Qing Dynasty, but this was the first time he had seen foreign machines.

He was astonished by the high efficiency of foreign machines. He hoped to bring some machines back to open the eyes of Qing officials.

If things go on like this, given the current situation of the Qing Dynasty, sooner or later it will become a piece of meat on the chopping block of foreigners.

Twelve years ago, the British invaded the Qing Dynasty's territorial waters, leaving the entire Qing Dynasty helpless. After the British troops landed at the mouth of the Yangtze River, they felt as if they were in an uninhabited country, and easily captured Zhenjiang in one go.

Twelve years ago, the British were able to land in Zhenjiang. The coastal defenses of the Qing Dynasty were in name only. If the coastal defenses of the Qing Dynasty were not preserved, they could land in Tianjin decades later. Pan Zhengwei did not dare to think about the consequences of the foreigners landing in Tianjin.

"It's useless." Liang Yao knew what Pan Zhengwei was thinking about writing.

"The shortcoming of the Qing Dynasty is not that the utensils are not as good as those of Western countries. The Manchu dignitaries in the capital will not be interested in these machines, and the Han officials dare not be interested in anything that the Manchu dignitaries are not interested in.

You can wake up a sleeping person, but you can never wake up a person who is pretending to be asleep."

It’s not like foreigners never gave these things to the Qing emperor. It’s not like the Manchu dignitaries didn’t know about the power of foreign guns and cannons and the speed of foreign ships.

It is precisely because they know that they have to ban these things.

The Manchus were not the main ethnic group in the Qing Dynasty. They only had a few million people, and they ruled a large empire with a population of 400 million.

What they fear most is not the foreigners with strong ships and powerful guns, but the 400 million people who are being ruled.

By the end of the Qing dynasty, the Manchu aristocrats pursued the rule of defending against the Han rather than against foreign countries.

When foreigners come, they can sign a contract to cede land and pay compensation. These are all negotiable matters. As long as they please the foreign masters, they will still be the rulers.

They can still ride on the heads of 40 million oxen and horses and continue to live a luxurious life of drunkenness and debauchery.

When the Han people raised their heads, what was shaken was the foundation of the rule of the Qing Dynasty. This was something that could not be discussed or discussed.

Only such a reactionary ruling class can say such stupid things as preferring friendship to friends rather than domestic slaves.

The Qing government launched the Westernization Movement to save itself, but that was when the Hunan Army rose. The Manchu and Qing ruling classes had to use Han officials to continue to maintain their rule, and Han officials began to gradually take over military and political power.

Liang Yao was not stupid enough to count on the Qing Dynasty. It would be better to count on the Qing Dynasty than to count on Hong Xiuquan, that evil cult leader.

Of course, Hong Xiuquan, the leader of the cult, could not count on him either.

Now he only hopes to continuously transport the young and strong labor force of the Qing Dynasty to California and attract the businessmen of the Qing Dynasty to California to strengthen his foundation.

"I still want to give it a try. If I can wake up one, I'll do it one by one."

Pan Zhengwei said after a moment of silence.

"I also want to ask your help to help me find some people to pretend to be American missionaries to pay tribute. As long as the bosses in the capital are happy, this "Qingdao-US Free Immigration Treaty" will be a sure thing."

"I'll have someone get you a steam engine later. From the California Railroad Company, I'll also have Ward make a model train and send it to the capital as a gift for you."

Liang Yao agreed and said to Pan Zhengwei.

"Global Shipping Company's small dock in Guangzhou, I want to expand it into a ship repair yard. Last time Sven and I reported that the James Day broke down and had to be towed to Hong Kong for repair. Could you two please say hello to the Guangzhou authorities?

Give it a try."

Global Shipping Company has been running the route between Guangzhou and San Francisco for a long time, and vessel breakdowns are common.

If nothing else happens, he will go on an expedition to Japan this summer. If there is a problem with the ship, it will be a big trouble.

Civilian ships can also be towed to Hong Kong or Shanghai for repair. If something goes wrong with a warship, it is not that easy to repair.

"It's just a trivial matter, I'll take care of it." Pan Zhengwei was very happy to see Liang Yao agree.

"Ye Mingchen, the governor of Guangdong, and Xu Guangjin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, have a good relationship with both our families."

"When I went back this time, I also prepared some gifts for Governor Ye and Governor Xu. When Ting Yu went back this time, I also asked Ting Yu to hand over my gifts to the two adults to express my feelings to the two adults." Liang Yao

He nodded and said.

The current Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, Xu Guangjin, will step down in September this year. After Xu Guangjin steps down, the former Governor of Guangdong, Ye Mingchen, will succeed him as Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi and Minister of Commerce.

From then on, Ye Mingchen would serve as the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi and the Minister of Commerce until the outbreak of the Second Opium War in 1858 when Guangzhou was captured and detained in India until he died on a hunger strike.

As long as the relationship with these two people was settled, at least before 1858, Liang Yao would not have to worry about how to deal with the Guangdong authorities.

Seventy percent of Chinese immigrants in California depart from Guangzhou.

It is very important for Liang Yao to handle the relationship with Guangdong properly.

(End of chapter)