1850 American Gold Tycoon

The people who greeted Liang Yao and the Qing envoy at the New York port were mainly divided into two categories.

One category is President Fillmore's cabinet ministers, that is, ministers of certain departments.

The other type is the New York rich and powerful.

In 1784, the American merchant ship Empress of China set sail from New York for the first time to China.

At the beginning of the founding of the United States, the United States was in a very difficult situation. Both the federal government and the states owed huge war debts.

Compared with war debts, what makes Americans feel more uncomfortable is that they have no friends in the international community, and naturally have no trading partners. Therefore, the new United States is eager to have a trading partner to alleviate its financial crisis through trade.

After all, during the colonial period, Britain had always used its North American colonies as a production and supply base for raw materials for the British Empire.

Without the British economic system, the American economy inevitably fell into crisis.

Britain and Spain were both hostile to the new United States, and America's neighbors were colonies of these two countries.

To the north was British Canada, to the south was Spanish Florida, and to the west was French Louisiana.

Unfortunately, after the founding of the United States, Spain and France, two wartime allies, fell out of favor faster than they could flip a book and imposed a trade blockade against the United States.

Spain was worried that the United States would threaten Spain's colonies in North America, and after France's emperor who loved unlocking was guillotined, France's assistance to the United States was not as good as before, and it was only reluctantly open to American merchant ships. France in Spain Several ports in the Indies.

Although France opened these ports to the United States, it had strict restrictions on the tonnage of American merchant ships entering and leaving the ports: no more than 60 tons.

In desperation, the United States turned its attention to the East beyond the European continent to seek business opportunities, hoping to survive the economic crisis through trade with China.

Six years after the Empress of China sailed to China, that is, from the 1790s, the United States quickly surpassed the Netherlands and France and became the second largest trading country with China, second only to the United Kingdom.

Until now, the United States is still the second largest trading country with China.

Relying on furs and American ginseng, many early American businessmen made fortunes in trade with China, of which the Astor family was a typical representative.

Only later, as fur supplies became increasingly difficult to obtain and American merchants became greedy, the main commodities traded by the United States with China changed from furs and American ginseng to Turkish opium.

The trade with China at the beginning of the founding of the United States not only alleviated the economic crisis of the United States to a certain extent and passed the most difficult period in the history of the United States, but more importantly, the success of the trade with China gave the United States a new faith in America.

"The United States and the Qing Dynasty have a very happy history of trade cooperation. Increasing trade cooperation between the two countries is very beneficial to the governments and people of both countries.

The treasury of your government can become full, and the people can also benefit and benefit from the trade between the two countries. "

Webster said after introducing the dignitaries of the federal government and New York dignitaries to the Qing envoy.

The federal government's fiscal revenue mainly relies on tariffs. The United States has repeatedly suffered setbacks in its trade with continental European countries. If it can conduct more in-depth trade with the Qing Dynasty, it may be able to alleviate the federal government's financial problems and improve the American economy.

"We heard that British businessmen have the right to negotiate your country's tariffs. Your country's move is too unfavorable and is not conducive to trade between China and the United States. It is also very unfair to American businessmen.

We sincerely hope that American businessmen can also gain the same status as British businessmen in your country and deepen the friendship between the two countries. "

Webster's appetite was not small, and he immediately asked for tariff agreement rights.

Real officials of the Qing Dynasty may not understand how harmful the tariff agreement power was to the import and export trade of the Qing Dynasty, but for merchants such as Pan Zhengwei and Wu Yuanhua who have directly dealt with foreign trade, they have personally experienced the "Treaty of Nanjing" After the signing, British businessmen had the right to negotiate how much harm the tariffs would cause to the interests of Chinese businessmen.

Pan Zhengwei had a sullen face and spat: "Damn! The ghosts are all the same!"

But Webster couldn't understand Chinese, so he turned to Liang Yao and asked, "Your Excellency, Shangshu, seems a little unhappy. What did he just say?"

"Your Excellency, Shangshu, believes that you are not only trampling on his personal dignity, but also trampling on the sovereignty of a country. If the United States wants to obtain the same rights as the United Kingdom, just like the British, it must first fight a war with the Qing Dynasty's million-strong army. "Liang Yao said in a very tough tone.

"Contains so much meaning in just one sentence?"

Webster was very surprised. He was indeed frightened by the million-strong Qing army mentioned by Liang Yao.

The politicians in power in the United States are very ambitious, but they still know their own strength. There is a huge gap between the national strength of the United States and the United Kingdom.

"Because Chinese is very concise." Liang Yao replied.

"Your Excellency, Shangshu, is tired. He needs to go to Mr. Vanderbilt's house to have a rest first. The purpose of the Qing Dynasty's visit to the United States is that Your Excellency, Shangshu, will only interview the president of your country." Wu Yuanhua said to Webers impatiently. Te said.

Dozens of beautiful and exquisite manors are dotted on both sides of the Hudson River. This is the wealthy area of ​​New York State.

Rich locals from New York and from other states live here.

It seems that there is a tradition in America that wealthy people like to live in the suburbs.

Everyone arrived at Vanderbilt's new estate in a gorgeous carriage.

"This is my largest and newest property in New York State. I spent a total of $350,000 to buy this manor."

Vanderbilt proudly showed off to Liang Yao.

He has properties in Staten Island, New York's Fifth Avenue, and even the Washington area.

What surprised Liang Yao was that there seemed to be black slaves in Vanderbilt's manor.

The reason why Liang Yao is so sure that these black people are slaves and not free people is because the black people who are busy in the manor have the marks of being slaves on their backs: whip marks.

The price of a black slave depended not only on physical health and age, but also on the whip marks on his back.

The more whip marks, it means that the black slave is difficult to tame, and buyers will often lower the price.

"Hasn't slavery been banned in the north? Why are there still so many black slaves in your manor?"

Liang Yao couldn't restrain his curiosity. The number of black slaves owned by Vanderbilt was no less than those of the plantation owners in Texas.

"Black slaves are a symbol of wealth. I am one of the richest people in New York. What's so strange about some black slaves? The number of black slaves I own is relatively small compared to Backhouse and Fish. .”

Vanderbilt said matter-of-factly.

“Although the Compromise Act of 1850 prohibited slave-holding in free states, it was for after the bill was signed. The government still recognized black slaves in free states before the bill was signed.

And in the black slave market in the Washington area, as long as you have enough money, you can still buy some good black slaves. "

"Mr. Liang, I have written you many letters, but why don't you reply to any of them?"

While Liang Yaozheng was talking to Vanderbilt, Elizabeth came out of the manor and asked Liang Yaoxing for his crime.

"Miss Elizabeth, I'm afraid you have to ask your father about this matter."

Liang Yao spread his hands helplessly, with an innocent expression.

He didn't receive any of the letters Elizabeth sent him.

"Father, what is going on?" Elizabeth looked at Vanderbilt in confusion.

"Ahem."

Vanderbilt coughed twice and lowered his voice.

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry, I threw all your letters into the sea."

After learning the truth of the matter, Elizabeth was furious and turned back to the manor angrily: "Father, you have gone too far!"

After sitting down in the living room of the manor, the newspaper president Henry, who came all the way from Washington, gave Liang Yao the latest issues of the newspaper.

These newspapers include newspapers from his own newspaper and newspapers from other newspapers.

"What is the current exchange rate between U.S. dollars and gold in the market?"

Liang Yao casually flipped through a copy of the New York Post and asked Henry.

"117:100."

Liang Yao specifically told Henry to pay attention to the recent price of gold in the gold futures market. Henry knew the price of gold well.

It's just that Henry doesn't understand why Liang Yao pays so much attention to the price of gold futures and has a special liking for gold futures.

New York's finance is very developed. Compared with the immature gold futures, which have just appeared and are not optimistic, there are still a lot of financial games to play.

"Kony, go to Barings Bank to withdraw US$100,000, and then find me two reliable and experienced brokers from Wall Street."

Liang Yao took out a check from Bahrain Bank from his pocket and filled in the amount.

The leverage ratio of up to 1% is a major loophole in the New York gold futures market. As long as it is used properly, the entire New York gold market can be leveraged at a very small cost.

After raising the price of gold, all we have to do is wait for the Treasury Department to step in to rescue the market and harvest the gold from the federal treasury.

Kony nodded, took the check Liang Yao gave him and left the manor, heading to the Bahrain Bank in the city.

After Kony left, Liang Yao took advantage of the gap before the dinner started to read the newspapers carefully. He was attracted by the list of America's richest people in the New York Post.

Liang Yao ranks first on this latest rich list with a net worth of US$30 million.

Liang Yao had also seen this so-called list of America's richest people when he was in California. In California, he had the habit of buying big magazines from the eastern region and flipping through them.

Although the cost of ordering major Eastern magazines in California is high, Liang Yao feels that the expense is worth it. What he buys is not these newspapers and periodicals, but the information in them.

Liang Yao has always been ranked third in the previous list of America's richest people.

The reason why Liang Yao was attracted by this latest list was not because it placed him at the top of the list.

It's because this list is relatively accurate in estimating the wealth of the rich.

Even in California, Liang Yao has never disclosed his assets to the public. It is remarkable that his assets can be estimated at US$30 million from very limited information.

Although Liang Yao's assets are actually higher than the US$30 million figure, the estimate on the rich list is already quite accurate.

Liang Yao remembers the name of Moses Yale Bichi, the maker of this list. This Bichi does have two brushes.

In addition to Liang Yao, Bichi also estimated the assets of Vanderbilt, Jeremiah, Theodore, and Van Daze, the wealthy New Yorkers known to Liang Yao, relatively accurately without much deviation.

In addition to the people Liang Yao knew, Liang Yao also noticed two names on the list.

One is Charlie, whose assets are as high as 2 million US dollars. Logically speaking, a mere 2 million US dollars is not enough to catch Liang Yao's eyes.

Liang Yao pays attention to the name Charlie because of Bichi's evaluation of Charlie, which is the main business of the rich people on the list.

Liang Yao is rated as the number one gold tycoon and the king of California on this list, followed closely by Vanderbilt and Backhouse as the shipping tycoon and the largest landowner in the United States.

Charlie is rated as a mysterious Wall Street robber on this list, and this person has just been on the list, which shows that this person has harvested at least more than 1 million US dollars in wealth on Wall Street in a very short period of time.

Liang Yao still knows a thing or two about the history of Wall Street.

Historically, there were not many people who could be called robbers and devils on Wall Street. In Liang Yao's impression, Charlie was not among the robbers and devils on Wall Street.

Could it be Jay Gould, the Wall Street devil who makes Wall Street investors avoid him?

This idea was quickly rejected by Liang Yao. Although Gould had shown considerable talent in financial speculation since he was a child, Gould's real reputation came after the Civil War in 1851. De was only fifteen or sixteen years old, so it was unlikely that he would cause such a big disturbance on Wall Street.

Another name that caught Liang Yao's attention was Alexander Turney Stewart.

Stewart is on the list as a retail giant, and its representative asset is the new favorite of New York consumers: the New York Mall, also known as New York's supermarket.

Liang Yaoyou and Fan Daze partnered to open a supermarket in New York. New York's population and market could support large shopping malls.

Unexpectedly, someone has already taken the lead in this industry. It seems that Liang Yao needs to carefully reconsider and evaluate the issue of opening a supermarket in New York.

Vanderbilt sat at the walnut table, looking over the papers in his hands.

The documents in his hand were information about railroad companies gleaned from Wall Street and other sources.

Thanks to the incentives provided by governments at all levels in the United States for the construction of railways, such as building railways, they can automatically obtain the land along the railway line and the priority development rights of minerals along the line, as well as some tax exemptions.

Since 1835, American railroad companies have ushered in a stage of barbaric growth. In 1835, there were only three railroad companies listed on Wall Street. In 1840, there were 10. Now the number is more than 100.

Vanderbilt, now flush with cash, had an idea for these railroads.

Direct acquisition of existing railway companies is undoubtedly a shortcut to rapidly expand one's own railway company in a short period of time.

However, in Vanderbilt's view, the securities prices of these railway companies were too high and not worth the price. He planned to short the stocks of some railway companies and then annex them at a relatively low price.

He already had a plan in mind.

"If you were to annex several high-quality railway companies, which railway companies would you choose to annex?"

Vanderbilt walked to Liang Yao and handed the railway company information he collected to Liang Yao.

"Except for California Railroad, are there any high-quality railway companies in the United States today?" Liang Yao said with a smile.

Liang Yao has also done his homework and learned about these railway companies in the United States.

To be honest, Liang Yao is quite disappointed with American railway companies in general. They need technology but not technology, they need credit but not trust, they need conscience but not conscience, and they need capital, but they still have capital.

There will always be people flocking to industries that can make money in the United States, and there will be no shortage of capital.

The most valuable asset of American railroad companies is the land on both sides of their tracks.

The railroad industry in the United States has been spoiled by the federal and state governments. It is time for a disruptor to emerge and disrupt the U.S. railroad transportation industry that has been in decline for a long time.

"Just think of it as picking the taller one from the short one."

Vanderbilt said somewhat helplessly.

He is also aware of this situation in the American rail transportation industry.

Liang Yao's eyes lingered on the document handed to him by Vanderbilt for a while, and he said without hesitation.

"Erie Railroad Company."

This is not a difficult choice.

More than 30 years ago, the construction of the Erie Canal connecting the Great Lakes and New York saved the American financial market, saved Wall Street, and revitalized the American economy.

Today, more than 30 years later, the railway, a new mode of transportation, can naturally do the same.

The Erie Railway really grew up after the Civil War. Before the war, the Erie Railway Company was in the right place at the right time and failed to accumulate the technology and strength to match the resources it had. In the final analysis, the Erie Railway was too prosperous.

The Erie Railroad connects cities in the Great Lakes region with New York. The most famous and most promising railway line under the Erie Railroad Company is the railway line between Chicago and New York.

This is also a railway line that Liang Yao is very coveted.

The nature of capital is to pursue profits and avoid disadvantages. Founded in 1832, the Erie Railroad Company was one of the earliest railroad companies in the United States. It took the lead in the industry and obtained the railway between New York and the Great Lakes. Authorization.

This means that the shareholders of the Yili Railway Company can make money while lying down. Although the quality of the railways is poor, there are serious safety hazards, and the locomotive technology has lagged behind the times, it is not unusable.

In the event of a safety accident, as long as the person who dies is not the president or a highly respected and influential congressman, the Erie Railway only needs to spend some money on public relations to offset the negative impression caused by the accident.

Spending money on public relations is far cheaper than rebuilding railways.

However, Liang Yao is not very interested in the Erie Railway Company. The reason is very simple. As the current leading railway company in the United States, the price of more than 10 million US dollars for the Erie Railway Company is too high.

In Liang Yao's view, it is not worth spending more than 10 million US dollars to acquire such a railway company that is not enterprising and has complicated interests.

"The members of the board of directors of the Erie Railroad Company are too complex and have a lot of energy. It is very troublesome to eat them. I'm afraid I will be involved in a lawsuit before I eat the Erie Railroad Company." Vanderbilt frowned.

“As a second best option, the New York Central Railroad and the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad are also good options.”

Liang Yao held his chin, thought carefully and then said.

If the existing rail lines of the New York Central Railroad Company and the Lake Shore \u0026 Michigan Southern Railroad Company could be connected, they could also open up the rail network from New York to the Great Lakes region and compete with the Erie Railroad Company.

If he were Vanderbilt, he would choose to annex these two railroad companies.

Although the combined strength of these two railroad companies was still not as strong as the Erie Railroad, Vanderbilt now also had the Stonington Railroad Company and the New York \u0026 Harlem Railroad Company in his hands.

The combined strength of the four railway companies is still considerable.

What's more, Vanderbilt also has the patent authorization for Liang Yao's new rails, Pioneer locomotives and related carriages. This is also Vanderbilt's current advantage in the railway industry.