1850 American Gold Tycoon.

Chapter 139 A Good Brother I Just Met (750 Orders Plus Updates!)
"Your Excellency the Deputy Governor, Hey, Your Excellency the Governor is here, that's great. I heard that the shipyard of the Deputy Governor has the ability to repair large steamships?"

Hu Jinchen led Legoff 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. At present, my shipyard has not repaired warships."

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

Liang Yao silently calculated the time. According to the news provided by Sven, the British fleet had already arrived in Hawaii, and it was time for the French navy fleet to leave.

After the introduction of shipbuilders and machines from the eastern shipyard, the San Francisco factory's maintenance and shipbuilding capabilities have been greatly improved. Now it can not only repair large steam ships, but is now trying to build small civilian steam ships independently.

As for the maintenance of warships, it is not impossible. Liang Yao remembered that the shipyard also took in many flexible workers from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard in New York.

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

"The hateful British damaged two of our warships. Your shipyard is the only shipyard nearby that is capable of repairing steamships. I hope you can help.

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

"Didn't you fire a cannon to warn?" Liang Yao teased.

"A total of five shots were fired, and two hit! This is not a warning shot, but a naked provocation!" Legoff said angrily, "One of the shots just hit the steam engine of our Roland!"

"It's worth it to get the gold and silver treasures of the Kingdom of Hawaii after being shot twice. I heard that General Tromelan robbed 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 King Kamehameha III's private yacht was robbed by the French to transport supplies.

No matter how you say it, this wave of French people has made money. 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, but 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 damaged warships, but my price for repairing ships is very high." Liang Yao rubbed his chin, and already had a new idea in his heart .

"The price is easy to talk about. The French Republic will remember your help to the French Navy." Legoff continued immediately, "General Tromeland hopes that he and his soldiers can go ashore to rest."

"impossible."

Without even thinking about it, Liang Yao directly rejected this unreasonable request.

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

"Le Goff, 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 persuaded Legoff to give up this idea as soon as possible.

Seeing Liang Yao's firm attitude, Legoff knew that there was no room for negotiation on this matter. After thinking for a while, he asked in a soliciting tone, "Can General Tromeland and the officers of the fleet be accommodating?"

"The United States does not welcome the French fleet into San Francisco, but I still welcome General Tromeland to visit my manor." Liang Yao's face softened a little. "I will send a ship to pick up General Tromeland ashore, and the damaged ship will be towed by my tugboat to the shipyard."

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

General Tromeland's fleet is loaded with gold and silver treasures looted from the Kingdom of Hawaii. In order to avoid long nights and dreams, both Legoff and Tromeland hope that the fleet can return to France as soon as possible.

And the speed of the entire fleet with a damaged ship will be dragged down.

It is a big taboo to let one's own ships be repaired in a foreign country, but now Tromeland does not have many choices. France is no better than Britain, which has very good ports all over the world.

The only good thing is that the two damaged warships are not cutting-edge advanced warships, and the loss of the fleet is still within the range he can accept.

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

Liang Yao's promise to the French to help them repair the damaged ship was a ulterior motive, and it was not the British's turn to dictate to him on the land of California.

In front of Legoff, Liang Yao justly rejected Gibson's unreasonable request.

Claiming that the French fleet is in trouble, the United States, as a friendly country, should 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 pier and the soldiers on the coastal defense battery to strengthen their vigilance to prevent the French fleet from entering the port.

After the two damaged French ships were dragged into the shipyard by tugboats, Tromeland also got off the damaged Roland.

Liang Yao carefully observed the Roland, which was a steam-powered wooden frigate, with a layer of iron covering the sides of the ship to strengthen its defense.The tonnage is estimated to be around 2000 tons.

Major General Tromeland was born in a noble family on the French coast. He is 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 and shiny.

However, it was such a man who ordered the looting of Hawaii, and his glamorous appearance could not conceal his robber nature.

"Your Excellency, Deputy Governor, I heard that you are willing to help the French fleet. On behalf of the French Navy, I would like to thank you."

Tromelan said to Liang Yao with a straight posture.

Liang Yao didn't know French well, so he couldn't understand what Tromeland was saying, and Tromeland couldn't speak English either.Obviously, the two of them cannot communicate directly through language.

Although Le Goff's English is good enough to be an interpreter, Liang Yao still hopes to communicate with General Tromeland through his own interpreter. There is no shortage of French-speaking people under Liang Yao's command, and the Loyalty Society also has a small number of French congregants.

Liang Yao recruited a congregation proficient in English from the Loyalty Church to act as an interpreter.

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

"Your Excellency General, I prefer you to call me Colonel rather than the title of Deputy Governor. I think this will shorten the distance between us."

Tromelan laughed heartily when he heard the words, and Liang Yao welcomed Tromelan into Tingtao Garden.

Liang Yao was already familiar with such things as socializing, and while drinking and drinking, Tromelan and Legoff were half-drunk by Liang Yao.

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

He drank different wine from Legoff and Tromelan, and when they were a little drunk, he simply switched to water.

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

"General Tromeland, I'm very sorry, I have to tell you a very regrettable news." Liang Yao had a very helpless expression on his face.

"I've heard it all, Colonel Liang, I don't know how to thank you for your willingness to help." Tromeland said drunkenly.

"I think there must be other ways. We are good friends and brothers we just met. I must try my best to help you." Liang Yao blamed himself very much.

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

"Yes! It's all the damn Brit's fault!" Liang Yao and Tromelan clinked their wine glasses, and then drank the water in the glasses.

"Colonel Liang is a good drinker!" Tromelan couldn't help but admire.

He was very confident in his drinking capacity, but he did not expect that the young American colonel in front of him could drink so well.

"General, may I ask, how much does 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 no secret.

"214 million francs." Tromeland asked without hesitation. "What are you asking for? You are a colonel in the army, not a colonel in the navy."

"It's only 214 million francs. General, our friendship is more than 214 million francs." Liang Yao poured himself another glass and said, "Your Excellency, I have a solution to your troubles."

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

A pound contains 7.32227 grams of pure gold, a franc 0.29032 grams, and a dollar 1.504603 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 the early paper credit currency is very metaphysical.

The exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the franc is about 5.1826, which means that the cost of the Roland is about 41 U.S. dollars.

"How?" asked the drunken Tromeland expectantly.

"Isn't it fine if I just buy the Roland number?" Liang Yao said happily.

"Buy the Roland? Colonel Liang, are you kidding me? This is a warship worth 214 million francs!" Tromeland looked incredible.

He didn't know much about California, not to mention one Roland, even ten Liang Yao could afford it.

Legoff believed in Liang Yao's words, he knew that Liang Yao was not joking.

"Counting depreciation, it's not worth 214 million, and now the power cabin is damaged, and it will cost a lot of money to repair the power cabin." Liang Yao said, "We are friends, and I suffer a bit. I use it worth 200 million yuan. The franc's gold solves your troubles."

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

As for how to explain to the Admiralty after returning, although he is a little confused now, he still has a good idea.

His family is relatively wealthy, but that doesn't mean he can resist the temptation to live on 200 million francs, let alone gold.

This is gold worth 200 million francs, and the oil and water in it must be very rich.

Thinking of this, Tromeland and Legoff couldn't help but feel agitated.

(End of this chapter)