Reborn South Africa as a police officer

Chapter 766 Competitors

Radiating around the refugee camp, the three areas have three distinct styles.

With the Luxi River in the middle as the boundary, Nyasaland is to the west of the Luxi River, and Tanganyika is to the east of the Luxi River.

Two years ago, Nyasaland's territory had not yet expanded to here. At that time, the Luxi River was the dividing line between Tanganyika and the Congo Free State. Both sides of the river were virgin forests, with almost no traces of human activities. Wild animals in the river There are many, which seriously threaten human safety. Although the land on both sides of the river is very suitable for developing into farms, due to various reasons, the Luxi River still retains its original ecological environment.

The expansion of Nyasaland completely broke the tranquility of the Luxi River. First, the African colonial pioneers opened up a large number of settlements on the west bank of the Luxi River, and then groups of immigrants were resettled, large and small. Immediately, the farms were dotted all over the place, and the changes were almost visible to the naked eye.

Different from all kinds of hot weather on the west bank of the Luxi River, the Tanganyika territory on the east bank of the Luxi River still maintains its original natural features. The Governor of Tanganyika once wanted to lay barbed wire on the east bank of the Luxi River to separate Nyasaland and Tanganika. Gurnicha was split up, but due to funding issues, it was not implemented. The Tanganyika Colonial Servant Army built a lot of military strongholds on the east bank of the Luxi River, which contrasted sharply with the farms on the west bank.

There is a seasonal river about 500 meters north of the refugee camp, which is the dividing line between Nyasaland and the Congo Free State. The Germans have built some blockhouses on the east bank of the Luxi River, and there is nothing on the Congo Free State. , there is no Belgian settlement until about [-] kilometers further north.

This settlement is Bukavu, which has been burned by the rebels. Don’t expect the rebels to plan the future of the Congo Free State. In their eyes, the plantations and settlements opened up by white people are the chief culprits of destroying their lives, so these Plantations and settlements were to be destroyed.

Of course, after looting and burning it all, the economy of the Congo Free State has been set back by at least ten years after this battle.

Following the Kasai company that has announced its gradual withdrawal from the Congo Free State, the Imbi Rubber Company and the Antwerp Company have also announced that they will temporarily leave the Congo Free State. Uncertainty, these companies have suffered heavy losses due to the rebellion. The stock price of the Imbi Rubber Company, which reached 35 pounds five years ago, has now fallen to only 25 shillings, and countless people have lost their fortunes.

The countless here do not include the shareholders of the Imbi Rubber Company. As early as two years ago when the conflict between Nyasaland and the Congo Free State occurred, some shareholders of the Imbi Rubber Company began to gradually sell their stocks, and now they have almost liquidated their positions. In the market, the retail investors who lost their fortunes were the high-ranking retail investors. Some people didn’t even know where the Congo Free State was, but they dared to buy the shares of Imbi Rubber Company. I really don’t know where they got the courage.

Also suffered heavy losses during the rebellion was the Congo Railway Company, which owned 500 million hectares of land in the Congo Free State because of the construction of the railway, which is almost [-] square kilometers in conversion. These lands are all high-quality land along the railway line. Also suffered heavy losses in this rebellion.

The railway, like the river, is the main artery of colonial development. After the rebellion, the railway became the hardest hit area. Even the railway around Leopoldville was blown up by the rebels. Therefore, the counter-insurgency troops could not be deployed quickly and missed the peace. The best time for rebellion.

In fact, the Congo Railway Company deserves what it deserves. The crimes committed by this company in the Congo Free State are too numerous to record. During the construction of the railway between Matadi and Leopoldville, an average of one hundred Africans were killed per kilometer. People were expropriated by the colonial government without compensation, and the remuneration was minimal, and pensions were even more unnecessary.

By the end of January, four of the five largest colonial companies in the Congo Free State announced that they would gradually abandon their business in the Congo Free State. Only one Upper Katanga Mining Consolidated Company was still struggling. This company has 50.00% of the British capital , managing director Isaiah Chamberlain is now in Pretoria.

Rock met Isaiah Chamberlain at a reception at the Rhodesian Hotel.

The rebellion in the Congo Free State did not have any impact on Pretoria, and the horses continued to run and dance. This reception was held by Fawalt Steel Company to celebrate the steel production exceeding 150 million tons. The shareholders of Walter Steel Company are naturally also invited.

150 million tons is not worth mentioning for a big country. The steel output of the United States last year was about 3000 million tons, that of Germany was 700 million tons, and that of the United Kingdom exceeded 700 million tons.

But for the newly established southern Africa, this output is very precious. In fact, 150 million tons is not a lot. The steel output of Italy is less than 100 million tons, and the steel output of Japan is only a pitiful 20 tons. All countries in the world count as one, that is, the United States, Germany, Britain, France and Russia, plus the steel output of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is higher than that of southern Africa.

"Don't be proud, there is still room for improvement. I remember you said last year that this year's steel output will exceed 200 million. Why is it only 150 million now?" Rock was very dissatisfied with this output. The industrialization of southern Africa, the demand for steel Demand is increasing, especially at Edwards Dockyards, which is a big consumer of steel.

"Did I say that? I forgot—" Henry pushed it away, and then poured out his bitterness: "Increasing production is not as easy as you think. It takes a period to build a factory. It's useless even if the factory is built. Technology is needed." There is no technology, there is no talent, and it is getting more and more difficult to hire workers. You are not allowed to hire Chinese. Those Africans are simply mentally retarded. They can’t learn very simple jobs if they are taught a hundred times. I seriously doubt Africans now. They're all retarded—"

Part of what Henry said was the fact that increasing production was indeed difficult.

However, most of them are based on excuses. The reason why Fawalt Steel Company has developed so fast has a lot to do with the large number of cheap African labor.

Brad has a report on the Fawalt Steel Company, but Roque has never read it. One thing is certain, the crimes committed by the Fawalt Steel Company during the development process are estimated to be too numerous to write down, but this is the case in this era. Normally, Roque would not be picky.

To put it bluntly, if the workers are not squeezed, the factory will have no profit, and the cost of the factory is too high, which will directly affect the competitiveness of the products. Southern African industrial products sell well in Europe, except for those high-tech products with relatively high technical content. In addition, the biggest advantage of low-level industrial products is their low prices. Without this, many products in southern Africa will be uncompetitive.

"You can't hire Chinese, you can hire Indians—" Rock misleads the situation. The reason why Britain is holding on to India is because of India's huge population base.

Compared with Africans, the price of Indian workers is actually not that expensive, and because of food shortages in India, an unknown number of people starve to death every year. As long as they are full, many people are willing to travel across the ocean to southern Africa.

"Someone said before that Indians are not allowed to be hired—" Henry looked contemptuous, and there were many things that Rock broke his promise and gained weight. Everyone can see how fierce Rock's attitude towards Indians has been over the years.

"At this time and at another time, the Indian immigrants I oppose are not Indian workers. This must be made clear." Rock is really not inconsistent on this issue, and his attitude towards Indian immigrants will never change.

"It's still not the same." Henry dismissed it. In fact, there is not much difference between the two in many cases.

"How can it be the same? Immigrants are family immigrants. Workers are just working. After finishing their work, they have to go back to India. It is different from immigration." Rock can distinguish clearly, thinking about the experience of Chinese laborers in southern Africa in another time and space, hiring Indian workers It really won't leave any hidden dangers.

In another time and space, there were more than [-] Chinese laborers in southern Africa. However, after the Boer War, these Chinese laborers were sent back to the Qing Dynasty, and only a very small number of them remained in southern Africa.

The same is true in this time and space. When the Boer War just ended, there were more than [-] Indians in southern Africa. Although most Indians lived in Natal, a large number of Indians settled in Orange and Cape.

In recent years, the number of Indians in southern Africa has been decreasing. In the past, there were many Indians in Bloemfontein, but now they have all moved away. Rock has not heard of Gandhi for a long time, and he does not know him. Has he returned to India now and started his campaign of non-violent non-cooperation.

"Sounds good, I'll think about it." Henry was also moved. Compared with Africans, Indians are still smarter, at least people don't often fall into steelmaking furnaces.

Rock is satisfied, as long as he is willing to try. The government of Nyasaland has now hired many Indians. There are roads, railways, river maintenance, and colonization. Workers are needed everywhere. The Chinese in Nyasaland are all farming. Relying on Africans is also short of manpower.

"Lord Nyasaland, Lord Fawalt, good evening." Isaiah Chamberlain took the initiative to greet Rock and Henry.

"Mr. Chamberlain, good evening—" Henry knew Isaiah Chamberlain and took the initiative to introduce Rock.

Rock smiled very politely, not knowing Isaiah Chamberlain's purpose.

"Lord Nyasaland, I wonder if you are interested in investing in the Upper Katanga Mining Consolidated Company." Isaiah Chamberlain did not go around in circles, and there were many people who wanted to chat with Rock and Henry. Chamberlain's time is limited, and there are still people queuing up behind him.

"Your Upper Katanga Mining Company is about to go bankrupt—" Henry knew about the situation of the Upper Katanga Mining Company. The Upper Katanga Mining Company also has an iron ore factory, but there is no steel factory, and the ore mined is all Sold to British smelters.

This is still a competitor.

(End of this chapter)