Greece to roman road

After thinking for a while, Constantine decided to agree to Cantoriotis's request.

Although the Greek royal family is not as influential as the German Hohenzollern royal family, it is enough for Kontoriotis, a Greek businessman with a comprador background.

Both sides also get what they need:

Kontoriotis wants the political power of the Greek royal family to stand up for them, so that the Congo market and the Greek mainland market that Constantine mentioned will definitely be subject to all aspects of the market expansion for this new cotton textile company. take care of;

Constantine himself also wanted to use the funds of these overseas Greek businessmen to attract investment and develop Greek industry and commerce. Kontoriotis was a sign chosen by Constantine to attract the attention of overseas Greek businessmen.

For overseas Greeks like Kontoriotis, although their careers are relatively successful, their status as second-class citizens is indeed an unspeakable pain.

For example, there are business groups like Kontoriotis living in Egypt. Although Egypt is still nominally a vassal state of Ottoman Turkey and maintains its status as an independent country, the British actually took control of the country in 1882.

France also has a certain influence in Egypt due to historical reasons (Napoleon once expedition to Egypt, the Suez Canal was built by the French, and it took a full ten years to dig the canal).

Under such circumstances, both British and French businessmen had a special status in Egypt. Contoriotis actually served the British and French businessmen. The British and French businessmen made the lion's share of the money, and middlemen like them took some profit.

Economically dependent on others, Contoriotis and others could not help but bow their heads in front of British and French businessmen, like a dwarf.

This is part of the reason why he decided to invest in Greece.

"Mr. Kontoriotis, I agree to your conditions. As for the specific number of shares held by the royal family, I will ask Butler Capet to discuss it with you later." Constantine responded to Kontoriotis's request. .

After that, he turned his attention to the others.

"The Greek Congo Corporation has planted a lot of palm trees in Congo. The harvest is about to be harvested. In addition to selling part to Western European countries, there will also be a considerable part of the output left. In order to reduce risks, I, on behalf of the Greek Congo Corporation, will Company, build a soap factory in Greece (palm oil is the main raw material for making soap).”

"If there is demand in the Greek power industry, our Greek Congo Corporation can also build a wire factory. Of course, this requires imported copper ore. There are widespread wild rubber forests in the Congo region, and the land currently acquired by the Greek Congo Corporation There is also a certain amount of production, which was previously sold to Western European countries.”

Costebrew said.

"Building a soap factory? That's good. In the future, we don't have to go all the way to Western Europe to import soap." Angelis said happily when he heard that Costebrough planned to build a soap factory.

In the Balkans, along the Black Sea coast and on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, Greek merchants had their own business networks.

Due to the backwardness of light industry, these regions basically imported light industrial products from Western Europe, especially Britain, such as cloth, soap, etc.

If Greece's cotton textile mills and soap factories can be put into production smoothly, then they can import from Greece nearby in the future.

"Well, I will discuss with Prime Minister Trikoupis to open up an industrial zone on the land between Athens and Piraeus Port, close to Piraeus Port, whether it is importing industrial raw materials , or exporting goods, it is more convenient.”

"As for the large-scale AC power station that is about to be built, it will also be as close as possible to this industrial area."

Constantine said to everyone.

Because of their friendship with Constantine, Goldberry and Steve were invited to attend the banquet as representatives of the National Bank of Greece.

Since the last hunting event held by Constantine failed to receive a positive response from the National Bank of Greece, it was Alfa Bank that funded Constantine's expedition to open up the Congo colony.

As a result, Alpha Bank is now quite active in the commercial activities of the Congolese colony with the help of Constantine.

Not only did it obtain part of the strategic railway in the Congolese colony, but also the railway from Matadi to Kinshasa.

Moreover, Costebrough directly became the general manager of the Spanish Congo Corporation. (The controller of Alfa Bank is Costebrew’s father)

The Greek Congo Corporation is the main economic organization for Greece to carry out colonial activities in the Congo region. It has purchased a large amount of land in the Congo and is engaged in the cultivation of cash crops such as rubber, rice, palm oil, and sugar cane.

It is conceivable that through the special relationship with Costeburu, Alfa Bank will inevitably enter a period of rapid development and undertake a large amount of business from the Greek Congo head office when the Congolese colony develops smoothly.

As a competitor, the National Bank of Greece is naturally unwilling to accept the rapid development of Alpha Bank's business.

Therefore, the two of them were much more enthusiastic about Constantine this time.

An entourage from Goldberry and Steve hurried in at this moment, sweating profusely, looking at the two people in the conference room with anxious expressions.

Goldberry and Steve first apologized to Constantine, and then the three of them found a corner and talked quietly for a while.

Seeing Gao Barry and Steve, the entourage said excitedly:

"Two gentlemen, it's on, it's on. On the street near the National Assembly in Athens, hundreds of street lights are on after dark."

"Did you see it with your own eyes?" Steve asked quickly.

"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. Many citizens gathered around those street lights to watch."

After hearing the news, Gao Bairui sent his followers back to the garden to wait.

Steve, on the other hand, quickly came to Constantine.

"Your Majesty the Duke, your AC power station construction financing work can be handed over to the National Bank of Greece. If we get your permission, our National Bank of Greece can subscribe for part of the shares. With the help of our First Bank of Greece and the National Bank of Greece, , your large-scale AC single power station project will enter the construction process quickly and efficiently."

After saying that, he glanced at Costebrough provocatively.

In fact, the National Bank of Greece did its homework before making this decision.

First, Tesla, the main person in charge of alternating current, was invited to the headquarters of the National Bank to conduct science popularization - explaining the knowledge of alternating current to the bank's senior executives.

Although after Tesla's popular science, the top executives of the National Bank of Greece believe that AC has a promising future, but there are risks.

After the construction of the small AC power station was completed, the load was too small to provide electricity for the lighting in Tatoi Palace alone, so Constantine followed suit and decided to build lighting facilities on the streets of Athens.

Let more people feel the charm of alternating current.

After hearing the news, in order to reduce the risk, before coming to Tatoy Palace for the banquet, Gao Bairui appointed his entourage to observe the lighting conditions of the street lights and come to inform him in time.