1850 American Gold Baron

Chapter 387 There is Oil in Borneo

“The Dutch and Indian authorities did carry out inhumane massacres against the Chinese on Borneo Island, and many Chinese Americans were brutally murdered, but I think we can adopt a gentler approach to support the Chinese on Borneo Island, such as

Provide them with material assistance."

Robinson was not in favor of directly sending troops to Borneo Island, especially mobilizing California’s civilian armed forces to directly send troops to Borneo Island.

"Rubber trees can be planted on the island of Borneo, which is a tropical cash crop that we cannot currently grow in California. Rubber is also an indispensable raw material for our industrialization in California. If we want to break the Brazilian monopoly on rubber, we can only grow it ourselves! And growing rubber requires

Plantation in the tropics!

We send troops not only to save our compatriots on the island of Borneo, but also to industrialize our California!"

As a Chinese, Wu Yuanhua firmly supports sending troops to Borneo Island. He has personally contributed two Baltimore clippers, which are also commonly known as clipper ships.

These clippers have been sent to the San Francisco Shipyard to be equipped with Sacramento guns. The armed clippers will be used as maritime support forces for this military operation.

The entire Huaxia Chamber of Commerce directly contributed 8 clipper ships for modification.

The clipper ship originated during the American Revolutionary War. It was a top-sail schooner with extreme performance designed and manufactured by the United States during the war based on the Bermuda sailing ship in order to break through the blockade of British maritime power.

This type of ship sacrificed cargo space in pursuit of ultimate speed, and was used to break through the blockade of British ships for material transportation and limited commercial trade.

This type of ship mainly operated offshore in the early days, so its tonnage was also very small, generally no more than 200 tons. It had a long and narrow hull, a high mast, and a large sail area.

Due to its extreme speed, it can easily reach speeds of 11 knots or even higher under low wind conditions. This fast ship can easily escape the pursuit of conventional sail warships and even privateers.

Moreover, its hull is small and low, and it is often difficult for the naval guns on British warships to hit such small, high-speed moving targets.

During the Revolutionary War, the Baltimore Shipyard mass-produced this small and nimble clipper, so the ship was also called the Baltimore Clipper.

After the war, various countries also took a fancy to the commercial value of this kind of clipper ship, which was used to carry high-value goods, such as Chinese tea and British East India Company's medicinal ointments.

In order to meet commercial needs, businessmen from various countries modified and upgraded clipper ships, and their tonnage soon exceeded 200 tons. The displacement of the Lynx in the early 19th century reached 223 tons.

Currently, the main force of merchant ships traveling from San Francisco to and from New York is clipper ships.

However, its ship type is an improved ship type in the 1830s and 1940s, and its representative is the Rainbow clipper ship with a displacement of 757 tons.

Although the Rainbow's speed is not as good as that of the early Baltimore Clipper, which was less than 200 tons, it can still easily run a speed of more than 10 knots in moderate wind conditions.

This speed is already amazing for a sailboat of this size.

The ship once set a sailing record of 88 days from Guangzhou to New York, and its speed is evident.

It is worth mentioning that the first true clipper ship Haoguan was named after the business name of Wu Bingjian, the general merchant of Guangzhou Thirteenth Bank. Many designs of Rainbow were improved on the basis of Haoguan.

.

The reason why Liang Yao chose to recruit a clipper ship with a better ship condition is also very simple. One is that the clipper ship has fast speed and flexible steering. When paired with the extremely fast-shooting Sacramento gun, it can more fully utilize its advantages as a clipper ship.

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As for another reason, clipper ships are cheap and it doesn’t hurt to lose a few.

Although San Francisco also has many sailing merchant ships and even steam paddle steamers with a displacement of one to two thousand tons, or even three to four thousand tons.

For example, Liang Yao's own global shipping company had many steam paddle steamers with a displacement of two to three thousand tons.

However, these ships were too bulky and not flexible enough. They were not specialized warships and had limited protection. Using these modified merchant ships to participate in naval battles was tantamount to serving as targets for the warships of the Dutch East India Company.

Moreover, the cost of these ships was higher than that of clippers, especially the large steam paddle steamers, which were expensive to build. Liang Yao also used these ships to transport immigrants from Guangdong and Fujian, and he could not afford to lose the steam paddle steamers.

"I don't care whether transplanting rubber from Brazil to Borneo is successful or not, but even if it is successful, as far as I know it will take at least 8 years for the rubber trees to mature!" Robinson retorted.

"Before the rubber trees become useful, we can plant Fushou jelly. Planting Fushou jelly can make profits in a short period of time. Fushou jelly is also very popular in European countries!" Pan Zhengwei said.

"Fushou jelly can also be grown in the closer countries of Mexico and Central America! Moreover, the British East India Company can also grow fushou jelly itself. They have more experience in growing and selling it than we do! We can completely produce and sell it by ourselves. Ours is in Borneo.

There is no advantage over the Fu Shou jelly grown on the island compared to the Fu Shou jelly produced by the British East India Company!" Robinson said.

"It can be sold to Japan, which is closer. Japan is poor as hell, but if you want to scrape it off, you can still scrape off some oil and water." Wu Yuanhua said.

The debate between the two sides was deadlocked, and each had its own reasons.

Liang Yao smiled slightly and said lightly: "There is oil in Borneo Island."

Is there oil in Borneo?

This sentence was like a bombshell, and the California upper echelons who were debating in the living room instantly exploded, and everyone took a breath of cold air.

After witnessing the oil boom in Los Angeles, they knew what oil meant.

Oil is liquid gold!

As long as the by-products of petroleum are produced, there will be no worries about lack of sales!

"real?"

Robinson looked at Liang Yao in disbelief.

"I have deceived you before, the oil on the island of Borneo is in Brunei. As long as we take care of the Dutch East India Company and then take care of Brunei, the oil on the island of Borneo will be ours!" Liang Yao smiled brightly.

said.

"The Dutch not only massacred the Chinese, they also massacred my American compatriots. They committed a heinous crime. They must be punished! They must be punished! California must show them some color! Let them remember!"

After confirming that there was oil on the island of Borneo, Robinson's attitude suddenly turned 180 degrees and he no longer opposed Liang Yao's organization of California civilian armed forces to intervene in the Dutch-Chinese War on the island of Borneo.

Robinson's eyes when looking at Liang Yao also turned a bit resentful. If I had not told him about the oil earlier, I would have said no earlier. I don't have to argue with the Chinese businessmen over this issue.

Oil has allowed California's top leaders to reach a consensus and no longer debate the issue of whether to send troops or whether to mobilize civilian armed forces.

"To save our compatriots, cheers!" Liang Yao raised the wine glass in his hand and said to everyone.

"For our compatriots! Cheers!" The Californian upper class in the living room raised their wine glasses and teacups to clink their glasses.

After the upper-level officials in California reached an agreement and shared common interests, Liang Yao made the final preparations.

Before the troops and horses are moved, food and fodder go first. In expeditionary operations, the most important thing is the logistics supply capability.

The combat effectiveness of Liang Yao's army relies heavily on logistical ammunition supplies. Whether the logistics can keep up can even determine the success or failure of this war.

After the order was issued, a large amount of war materials arrived in Xiangshan, Guangdong via merchant ships.

Before acquiring the port on Borneo Island, Xiangshan Port was Liang Yao's closest and most important logistics supply base.

Xiangshan is the territory of the Qing Dynasty. No matter how courageous the Dutch are, they currently do not dare to go to war with the Qing Dynasty and attack Xiangshan Port. Therefore, the logistics base of Xiangshan is still safe.

At the same time, Liang Yao wrote to Hong Mingxiang with the attitude of giving it a try. If Hong Mingxiang was willing to help, it would be best. If not, it would be better to ask him to help transport some supplies to the local Chinese resistance company on Borneo Island first.

More than half a month later in Guangzhou, after Wu Yuanhua transported a batch of cans and sugar cubes, as well as some cotton cloth and gauze to Xiangshan, he took Liang Yao's letter to visit Hong Mingxiang at the Admiral's Mansion.

Hong Mingxiang's bidding battalion has been equipped with Walter M1851E rifles, and the soldiers have a Sacramento version Colt revolver on their waist.

Hong Mingxiang himself is now engaged in the gold mining business in Australia, and his soldiers have also benefited from it, and they have become fat and strong.

"Liangyi, you are a rare visitor. I heard that you are very prosperous in America."

Hearing that Wu Yuanhua was visiting, Hong Mingxiang personally came out to greet Wu Yuanhua.

"Thanks to Mr. Liang, without Mr. Liang, our Wu family's business would not be able to reach the United States and Europe." Wu Yuanhua said with a smile.

"Master Liang is such a strange person, and the Liang family is really full of talents." Hong Mingxiang said with emotion.

"Except Mr. Liang, is there anyone else in the Liang family who is capable?" Wu Yuanhua asked curiously.

"Liang Gongzi's fifth uncle, Liang Shaoqiong, led a battalion of Yue Yong in the first battle outside Yangzhou City and defeated the attack of tens of thousands of long-haired soldiers, and took advantage of the siege of Yangzhou City. Although the Tang newspaper wrote that the Eight Banners soldiers from the Jiangbei camp joined forces with the Yue Yong

We worked together to defeat Chang Mao, but anyone with a discerning eye knows where the Eight Banners dared to attack Chang Mao." Hong Mingxiang lowered his voice and said.

"With a thousand people defeating ten thousand, it is indeed an unprecedented victory since the Changmao Rebellion." Wu Yuanhua nodded and said.

Wu Yuanhua still knew how many men there were in the Guangdong Yong battalion. The Yue Yong formed an army, and Yihe Bank also donated a lot of money to purchase arms and recruit local Yongs.

"This is just the beginning. More than two months ago, Guangdong Yong made another journey, going out of the city to fight with Changmao in the field. This time he also captured the Changmao bandit leader Wei Jun alive. His Majesty Long Xin was very happy, and he overturned the case for the Liang family and granted him

Liang Shaoqiong was born as a Jinshi." Hong Mingxiang sighed while leading Wu Yuanhua to the main room.

"Liang Shaoqiong's future is limitless."

"In this way, the Liang family is indeed full of talented people." Wu Yuanhua said with emotion.

After entering the main room, Hong Mingxiang and Wu Yuanhua sat down, and then they picked up the tea brought by the maid.

After taking a sip of tea, Wu Yuanhua explained his purpose of coming, took out the letter from his sleeve and handed it to Hong Mingxiang.

"Master Liang wants to save the Chinese on Borneo Island, and hopes that Hong Junmen can come out to help."

Hong Mingxiang opened the letter and read it.

After reading, he put down the letter in his hand and said very cheerfully: "Mr. Liang's matter is Hong's matter. Hong has no reason to stand by and watch."

Hong Mingxiang's straightforward attitude surprised Wu Yuanhua. Even if Liang Yao promised to give Hong Mingxiang US$100,000 as a reward for sending troops to help, Hong Mingxiang's promise was too cheerful.

Wu Yuanhua felt a little unbelievable that things went smoothly.

(End of chapter)