1850 American Gold Tycoon

"His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, eh, Your Excellency the Governor is here too, that's great. I heard that His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor's shipyard has the ability to repair large steamships?"

Hu Jinchen led Le Goff into Liang Yao's study and saw Liang Yao and Robinson in the study.

"It does have the ability to repair large steamships, but warships are not ordinary steamships. My shipyard has not repaired warships yet."

After listening to Legoff's words, Liang Yao had already guessed Legoff's intention.

Liang Yao calculated the time silently in his mind. According to the information provided to him by Sven, the British fleet had already arrived in Hawaii, and it was time for the French navy's fleet to leave.

After the introduction of shipbuilders and machines from the Eastern Shipyard, the maintenance and shipbuilding capabilities of the San Francisco plant have been greatly improved. Now it is not only able to repair large steam ships, but is now trying to independently build small civilian steam ships.

As for repairing warships, it is not impossible. Liang Yao remembered that the shipyard also accepted many flexible employment workers from the Philadelphia Navy Yard and the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York.

"You are really well-informed." Legoff was a little surprised.

"The abominable British have damaged two of our warships. Your shipyard is the only one nearby that is capable of repairing steam ships. I hope you can help.

General Tromelan wants the damaged ships to be repaired at your shipyard before returning to mainland France. "

"Isn't it a warning shot?" Liang Yao teased.

"A total of five shots were fired, two hits! This is not a warning shot, this is a naked provocation!" Le Goff said angrily, "One of the shots just hit the steam turbine of our Roland!"

"It's worth taking two shots in exchange for the gold and silver treasures of the Kingdom of Hawaii. I heard that General Tromolan stole a lot of good things in Hawaii."

Liang Yao crossed his legs and said.

The Kingdom of Hawaii was completely looted by the French army. Even the private yacht of King Kamehameha III of the Kingdom of Hawaii was robbed by the French to transport supplies.

This wave of French people have made a profit no matter what. They must have grabbed a lot of good things, otherwise they would not be in a hurry to return to their homeland.

"It's not robbery! We are here to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Catholics in the Kingdom of Hawaii and help them establish a democratic system. It's a pity that the damn British disrupted our plan!" Legoff said righteously.

"I'm not a Catholic, and I'm not interested in the democratic system you established in Hawaii. We can try to repair the damaged warships, but my price for repairing the ships is very high." Liang Yao touched his chin, already having a new idea in his mind. .

"The price is good, and the French Republic will remember your help to the French Navy." Le Goff then continued, "General Tromolan hopes that he and his soldiers can go ashore to rest."

"impossible."

Liang Yao directly rejected this unreasonable request without giving it a second thought.

Not to mention letting French navy soldiers go ashore to rest, even French warships, Liang Yao did not intend to let them dock.

"LeGoff, I must solemnly warn you that this is the territory of the United States. We will never allow any foreign fleets and their soldiers to dock, including France! The United States of America is not the Kingdom of Hawaii."

Liang Yao advised Le Goff to give up this idea as soon as possible.

Seeing Liang Yao's resolute attitude, Le Goff knew that there was no room for negotiation on this matter. After thinking for a while, he asked in a pleading tone: "Can General Tromolan and the officers of the fleet be accommodating?"

"The United States does not welcome the French fleet to enter San Francisco, but I personally welcome General Tromolan to be a guest in my manor." Liang Yao's face softened slightly. "I will send a ship to pick up General Tromoland ashore, and the damaged ship will be towed to the shipyard by my tugboat."

Legoff was not very satisfied with this result, but he could only accept it.

General Tromolan's fleet was loaded with gold and silver treasures plundered from the Kingdom of Hawaii. In order to avoid long nights, both Le Goff and Tromolan hoped that the fleet could return to the French mainland as soon as possible.

And with a ship with damaged power, the speed of the entire fleet will be slowed down.

It is a taboo to have one's own ships repaired in a foreign country, but now Tromoland does not have many choices. France is not as good as Britain, which has very good ports all over the world.

The only good thing was that the two damaged warships were not cutting-edge and advanced warships, and the fleet's losses were still within the range he could accept.

Gibson also found Liang Yao at this time, hoping that Liang Yao would refuse to provide maintenance services for the French fleet.

Liang Yao's promise to the French to help them repair the damaged ships was just a drunkard's fault. Besides, it was not the British's turn to point fingers at him in California.

Liang Yao righteously rejected Gibson's unreasonable request in front of Le Goff.

Claiming that the French fleet is in trouble, the United States, as a friendly country, should naturally help.

This moved Legoff greatly.

Liang Yao asked the port company to dispatch the largest tugboat to tow the damaged French ship into the shipyard.

At the same time, he did not dare to relax and ordered the guards on the dock and the soldiers on the coastal defense artillery battery to strengthen their vigilance to prevent the French fleet from entering the port.

After the two damaged French ships were towed into the shipyard by tugboats, Tromolan also stepped off the damaged Roland.

Liang Yao carefully observed the Roland, which was a steam-powered wooden-hulled frigate. The sides of the ship were covered with a layer of iron sheets to enhance defense. The tonnage is visually estimated to be around 2,000 tons.

Major General Tromeland was born into a French seaside aristocratic family. He was a meticulous and image-conscious person.

His hair was combed very neatly, and his French rear admiral uniform looked as if it had just been ironed, it was very smooth, and even his military boots were polished to a shiny shine.

However, it was this man who ordered the looting of Hawaii. His glamorous appearance could not hide his true nature as a bandit.

"Your Majesty the Lieutenant Governor, I heard that you are willing to provide help to the French Fleet. On behalf of the French Navy, I would like to thank you."

Tromolan said to Liang Yao with an upright posture.

Liang Yao was not proficient in French and could not understand what Tromolan was saying, and Tromolan did not speak English. Obviously there is no direct communication between the two of them through language.

Although Le Goff's English was competent enough to translate, Liang Yao still hoped to communicate with General Tromolan through his own translator. There was no shortage of people under Liang Yao's command who knew French, and the Loyalty Society also had a small number of French members.

Liang Yao hired a member from the Zhongyi Association who was proficient in English to act as an interpreter.

After the translator relayed Tromolan's words, Liang Yao, who was wearing the uniform of an American Army colonel, said to Tromolan with a smile.

"Your Excellency, General, I prefer you to call me Colonel than Lieutenant Governor. I think this can shorten the distance between us."

Tromolan laughed heartily after hearing this, and Liang Yao welcomed Tromolan into Tingtao Garden.

Liang Yao was already familiar with things like socializing. While they were drinking and drinking, Tromolan and Legoff were half-drunk by Liang Yao.

Liang Yao's drinking capacity cannot be said to be very good, and the reason why he was able to get Tromolan and Legoff drunk is also very simple.

He, Legoff and Tromolan drank different wines, and after the two of them became a little drunk, he simply changed to water.

At this time, Sven, who came from the shipyard, pretended to tell Liang Yao that with the current maintenance capabilities of the San Francisco Shipyard, it could only repair one of the slightly damaged French naval warships. As for Roland, whose power cabin was damaged, No., it will take at least two or three months to repair.

"General Tromolan, I'm very sorry. I have to tell you a very regrettable news." Liang Yao looked very helpless.

"I heard it all, Colonel Liang, you are willing to help, I really don't know how to thank you." Tromolan said drunkenly.

"I think there must be other ways. We are good friends and brothers who have just met. I must do my best to help you." Liang Yao looked very remorseful.

"It's not your fault, it's all the damn Brit's fault!" Tromolan took a sip of wine and added, "The haunting Brit!"

"Yes! It's all the damn British's fault!" Liang Yao and Tromolan clinked their wine glasses and drank all the water in them.

"Colonel Liang has a good drinking capacity!" Tromolan couldn't help but admire.

He was very confident in his ability to drink, but he did not expect that the young American colonel in front of him had such a good ability to drink.

"General, I would like to ask, how much did the Roland cost?" Liang Yao asked casually.

Among the ships of the French Navy, the Roland is not a particularly advanced warship, and its cost is not a secret.

"2.14 million francs." Tromolan asked without hesitation, "What do you ask for? You are an army colonel, not a navy colonel."

"It's only 2.14 million francs, general. The friendship between us is more than 2.14 million francs." Liang Yao filled another glass for himself and said, "General, I have a way to solve your troubles."

The metal coins of the pound, franc and US dollar are all made of gold, and the exchange rate between them is simply determined by the ratio of their gold contents.

Each pound contains 32,227 grams of pure gold, the franc is 29,032 grams, and the dollar is 504,603 grams.

This exchange rate has been maintained for more than a hundred years, almost throughout the entire 19th century.

Of course, this refers to metal coins. The value of early paper credit currencies is very metaphysical.

The exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the franc is about 1826, which means that the cost of the Roland is about 410,000 U.S. dollars.

"What can we do?" Drunk Tromolan asked expectantly.

"Wouldn't it be better if I just bought the burden of the Roland?" Liang Yao said happily.

"Buy the Roland? Colonel Liang, are you kidding me? This is a warship worth 2.14 million francs!" Tromolan looked incredulous.

He knew very little about California, and even ten Liang Yao could afford one Roland.

Legoff firmly believed in Liang Yao's words. He knew that Liang Yao was not joking.

"Including depreciation, it's not worth 2.14 million, and now that the power cabin is damaged, it will cost a lot of money to repair the power cabin." Liang Yao said, "We are friends, I suffer a little loss, and I use the power cabin worth 2 million The gold of the franc will solve your troubles.”

"Gold worth two million francs?" Tromolan's eyes lit up when he heard the gold.

As for how to explain to the Admiralty when he returns, although his mind is a little unclear now, he still has a good explanation.

His family is relatively wealthy, but that doesn't mean he can resist the temptation of 2 million francs, let alone gold.

This is gold worth 2 million francs, and the oil and water in it must be very rich.

Tromeland and Legoff couldn't help but feel excited when they thought of this.