1850 American Gold Tycoon.

Chapter 191 Sharpening the knife to Wall Street (5K)

The people who greeted Liang Yao and the Qing delegation on the port of New York were mainly divided into two categories.

One is the cabinet members of President Fillmore, that is, the ministers of certain departments.

The other category is the New York dignitaries.

In 1784, the Merchant Ship Empress of China sailed from the United States for the first time to China, which set sail from New York.

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

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

After all, during the colonial period, Britain has always used the North American colonies as a raw material production and supply place for the British Empire to build.

Separated from the British economic system, the American economy inevitably fell into crisis.

Britain and Spain are full of hostility to the nascent United States, and the neighbors around the United States are precisely the colonies of these two countries.

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

Unfortunately, after the founding of the United States, the two wartime allies of Spain and France turned their faces faster than turning the book, and imposed a trade blockade against the United States.

Spain is worried that the United States will threaten Spain's colonies in North America, and after France, after the emperor who loved lockpicking was sent to the guillotine, France's assistance to the United States is not as good as before, but it is barely open to American merchant ships. Several ports in the Indies.

Although France has opened these ports to the United States, it has strict restrictions on the tonnage of American merchant ships entering and leaving the port: 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 overcome the economic crisis through trade with China.

Six years after the Queen of China sailed to China, that is, since the 6s, the United States quickly surpassed the Netherlands and France to become 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 a fortune in trade with China, and the Astor family is a typical representative of them.

Only later, as the source of fur became more and more difficult to obtain and the greed of American businessmen, the main commodities of American trade with China changed from fur and American ginseng to opium produced in Turkey.

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, but also passed the most difficult time in the history of the United States. More importantly, the success of the trade with China gave the newborn United States confidence.

"The United States and the Qing Dynasty have a very pleasant history of trade cooperation, and increasing trade cooperation between the two countries is very beneficial to the governments and peoples of the two countries.

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

After introducing the dignitaries of the federal government and the dignitaries of New York to the Qing Mission, Webster said.

The federal government's fiscal revenue mainly relies on tariffs. The United States has repeatedly suffered setbacks in its trade with European countries. If it can conduct more in-depth trade with the Qing Dynasty, it may 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 partial, which is not conducive to trade between the United States and the United States, and is also very unfair to American businessmen.

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

Webster's appetite is not small, and he asked for the right to a tariff agreement when he came up.

If you were a real official of the Qing Dynasty, you might not know how much harm the right to the tariff agreement would have on the import and export trade of the Qing Dynasty, but for businessmen like Pan Zhengwei and Wu Yuanhua who have directly handled foreign trade, they have personally experienced the "Nanjing Treaty" After the signing, British businessmen have the right to agree on how much harm the tariffs have caused to the interests of Chinese businessmen.

Pan Zhengwei had a gloomy face, and spat in his mouth: "Damn it! Ghosts are all the same!"

It's just that Webster couldn't understand Chinese, so he turned to ask Liang Yao: "Your Excellency Shang Shu seems a little unhappy, what did he say just now?"

"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 will fight the Qing Dynasty's million-strong army first. "Liang Yao said in a very strong tone.

"So much meaning in just one sentence?"

Webster was very surprised, and he was indeed taken aback by Liang Yao's million-dollar Qing army.

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

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

"Your Excellency Shangshu is tired. I'm going to go to Mr. Vanderbilt's house to rest first. This time, the Qing Dynasty is visiting the United States. Your Excellency Shangshu will only interview the president of your country." Wu Yuanhua said to Webbers impatiently. Te said.

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

Rich people from New York and other states live here.

It seems that rich people in the United States have a tradition of living in the suburbs.

The crowd came to Vanderbilt's new estate in a gorgeous carriage.

"This is my largest and newest property in New York State. In order to buy this estate, it cost me a full $35."

Vanderbilt proudly showed off to Liang Yao.

He has properties on Staten Island, Fifth Avenue in New York, 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 was so sure that these blacks were slaves rather than free people was because these blacks who were busy in the manor had traces of being slaves on their backs: whip marks.

The price of a slave depends not only on the health and age of the body, but also on the welts on the back.

The more welts, the more difficult it is to tame the black slave, and the buyer will often lower the price.

"Isn't slavery banned in the north? How come there are so many black slaves in your manor?"

Liang Yao couldn't restrain his curiosity. Vanderbilt owned no fewer black slaves than those plantation owners in Texas.

"Black slaves are a symbol of wealth. I am one of the richest people in New York. What is so strange about some black slaves? Compared with Buckhouse and Fish, I have relatively few black slaves. .”

Vanderbilt said of course.

"Although the 1850 Compromise Act prohibited free states from keeping slaves, that was after the bill was signed, and the government still recognized black slaves kept in free states before the bill was signed.

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

"Mr. Liang, I have written you many letters, but why haven't you answered any of them?"

When Liang Yao was talking with Vanderbilt, Elizabeth came out of the manor and questioned Master Liang Yaoxing.

"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 had not received any of Elizabeth's letters.

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

"Cough cough."

Vanderbilt coughed twice and said in a low voice.

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

After learning the truth of the matter, Elizabeth was so angry that she turned her head back to the manor angrily: "Father, you are too much!"

After coming to the living room in the manor to sit down, Henry, the newspaper president who came all the way from Washington, delivered the latest issues of the newspaper to Liang Yao.

These newspapers include newspapers from his own newspaper office, as well as newspapers from other newspaper offices.

"What is the exchange rate between the US dollar and gold in the market now."

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

"117:100."

Liang Yao specifically told Henry to pay attention to the recent gold price in the gold futures market, and 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 soft spot for gold futures.

New York's finance is very developed. Compared with its immaturity, the gold futures that have just appeared not long ago have a lot of financial games to play.

"Kony, go to Barings Bank and withdraw $10, and find me two reliable and experienced brokers from Wall Street."

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

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

After raising the price of gold, the next thing is to wait for the Ministry of Finance to enter the market to rescue the market and harvest the gold in the federal treasury.

Coney nodded, and left the manor with the check Liang Yao gave him, heading to the Barings Bank in the city.

After Kony left, Liang Yao took advantage of the gap before the dinner to carefully check the newspaper. He was attracted by the list of the richest people in America on the "New York Post".

On this latest rich list, Liang Yao topped the list with a net worth of US$3000 million.

Liang Yao had seen this so-called list of the richest people in the United States when he was in California. He had the habit of buying major magazines in the eastern region and reading them in California.

Although the cost of ordering major eastern publications in California was very high, Liang Yao felt that the cost was worth it. What he bought was not these newspapers, but the information on the newspapers.

In the previous rich list of America, Liang Yao has always been ranked third.

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

It is because this list is relatively accurate in estimating the assets of the rich.

Even in California, Liang Yao has never disclosed his assets to the public. It is remarkable that he can estimate his assets to be 3000 million US dollars from very limited information.

Although in fact Liang Yao's assets are higher than the figure of 3000 million US dollars, the estimation on the rich list is quite accurate.

Moses Yale Bichi, Liang Yao remembered the name of the maker of this list, this Bichi did have two brushes.

In addition to Liang Yao, He Chi's estimation of the assets of Vanderbilt, Jeremiah, Theodore, and Van Daze, the New York rich men that Liang Yao knew, was relatively accurate, without too much deviation.

Besides the people Liang Yao knew, Liang Yao also noticed two names on the list.

One is Charlie, whose assets are as high as 200 million US dollars. Logically speaking, a net worth of 200 million US dollars is not enough to catch Liang Yao's eyes.

Liang Yao's concern about Charlie's name lies in Bichi's evaluation of Charlie, which is the main business of the richest people on the list.

On this list, Liang Yao was evaluated as the number one gold tycoon and the king of California, followed by Vanderbilt and Backhouse as the ship king and the largest landowner in the United States respectively.

And Charlie's evaluation on this list is a mysterious Wall Street robber, and this person has just been on the list not long ago, which shows that this person has harvested at least more than 100 million US dollars of wealth on Wall Street in a very short period of time.

Liang Yao knew 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.

Is it the Wall Street devil Jay Gould who keeps Wall Street investors away?
Soon, this idea was rejected by Liang Yao. Although Gould showed a good talent in financial speculation since he was a child, Gould's real notoriety came after the Civil War. In 1851, Gould Decai was only fifteen or sixteen years old, so it was unlikely that he would cause such a big storm on Wall Street.

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

Stewart makes the list as a retail titan whose asset is a new favorite of New York consumers: the New York Mall, or New York's supermarket.

Liang Yao has the idea of ​​partnering with Fan Daze to open a supermarket in New York. New York's population and market can support a large shopping mall.

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

Vanderbilt sat at his walnut desk, looking through papers in his hands.

The files in his hand were information about the railroads collected from Wall Street and other sources.

Thanks to the incentive measures of governments at all levels in the United States for the construction of railways, such as the construction of railways, the land along the railways and the priority development rights of minerals along the railways can be automatically obtained, and some tax exemptions are granted.

Since 1835, American railroad companies have ushered in a period of barbaric growth. In 1835, only 3 railroad companies were listed on Wall Street. In 1840, there were 10 companies, and now the number is more than 100.

Vanderbilt now had ample cash flow, and he had ideas 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.

It's just that in Vanderbilt's view, the securities prices of these railway companies are too high to be worth the price. He intends to short the stocks of some railway companies and then annex them at a relatively low price.

He already had a plan in his mind.

"If it were you, and wanted to annex several high-quality railway companies, which railway companies would you choose to annex."

Vanderbilt walked up to Liang Yao, and handed over the railway company information he had collected to Liang Yao.

"Is there any high-quality railroad company in the United States besides the California Railroad?" Liang Yao laughed.

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

To be honest, Liang Yao is generally disappointed with American railway companies. They need technology but not technology, credit but not credit, conscience but not conscience, and capital, which is still available.

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 the railroad tracks of these railroad companies.

The U.S. railroad industry has been spoiled by the federal government and the state government, and it's time for a spoiler to disrupt the long-lost U.S. railroad industry.

"Think of it as picking tall from short."

Vanderbilt said with some helplessness.

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

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

"Erie Railroad."

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.

More than 30 years later, the railway, a brand 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 occupied the right time, place and people and failed to accumulate the technology and strength that matched its own resources. In the final analysis, the Erie Railway had too much prosperity.

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

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

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

This means that the shareholders of the Erie Railway Company can lie down and earn money. Although the quality of the railway is poor, there are serious safety hazards, and the locomotive technology has fallen behind the times, it is not unusable.

In the event of a safety accident, as long as the person who died was not the president or a highly respected and influential congressman, the Erie Railway only needs to spend some money on public relations to smooth out the negative impression brought about by the accident.

The cost of spending money on public relations is far lower than rebuilding the railway.

However, Liang Yao did not have a strong interest in the Erie Railway Company, and the reason was very simple. As the current leading railway company in the United States, the price of more than [-] million US dollars for the Erie Railway Company was too high.

In Liang Yao's view, it was not worth spending more than [-] million US dollars to acquire such a railway company that was unwilling to make progress and whose interests were intertwined.

"The members of the Erie Railway Company's board of directors are too complicated and have a lot of energy. It is very troublesome to eat it. I am afraid that I will be involved in lawsuits before I eat the Erie Railway Company." Vanderbilt frowned.

"The New York Central Railroad and the Lakeshore & Michigan Southern Railroad are also good choices as the next best thing."

Liang Yao supported his chin, thought carefully and said.

If the existing railway lines of the New York Central Railway Company and Lakeshore and Michigan Southern Railway Company can be connected, they can also open up the railway network from New York to the Great Lakes region, and compete with the Erie Railway Company.

If he were Vanderbilt, he would choose to annex the two railroads.

Although the combined strength of these two railway companies is still not as good as that of the Erie Railway, Vanderbilt now has the Stonington Railway Company and the New York and Harlem Railway Company in its hands.

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

What's more, Vanderbilt also has the patent authorization of Liang Yao's new type of rail, Pioneer locomotive and related carriages, which is also Vanderbilt's current advantage in the railway industry.

(End of this chapter)