1850 American Gold Tycoon.

Chapter 239 Only White, Not Black (4K)

"Good gun! Good gun! Good gun!"

After more than a dozen rounds of test firing, Liang Yao praised his shoulders that were numb from the huge recoil of the gun.

"Unfortunately, according to your point of view, this gun will soon be obsolete." Walter said regretfully.

Liang Yao asked Walter to develop a needle-fired gun that can use medium-range metal bullets. However, there are still several technical problems that have not been overcome with medium-range metal bullets and needle-fired guns.

Walter had a whim, and developed a new gun with the existing mature technology. The biggest features of the gun are: rear loading, hammer firing, and the use of large-caliber side needle bullets.

Compared with the Dresser needle gun, the biggest advantage of this gun is that it has a simple structure and uses existing and reliable technology. It is relatively easy to produce and the production cost is also lower.

In terms of specific use, it is also simpler to use than the Dresser firing pin gun, and requires less maintenance.

The disadvantages are also obvious. Since all the existing mature technologies are used, there is almost no potential for subsequent improvement of the gun. It can only be loaded with a single shot all the way to the black, which means that the debut is the pinnacle.

As for the backwardness mentioned by Walter, it is from Liang Yao’s point of view that this kind of gun has little prospect of development in the future. In the middle of the 19th century when rear-loading guns were not yet popular, this gun will not be available within [-] or [-] years at least. Be eliminated.

The general structure of this gun is similar to that of the Sharps rifle known to Liang Yao in later generations, except that it directly uses side needle bullets with copper casings, while the early Sharps rifles used paper casing bullets.

Although the subsequent improvement potential of this gun is not as good as that of the Dreiser needle gun, it is not a bit stronger than the Springfield M1842 currently in service in the US military.

"How much does this gun cost?" Liang Yao asked Walter.

"It's very expensive, the cost is about 20 dollars." Walter thought for a while and said, "If you consider the use of metal bullets, the cost will only be higher. Compared with the rifles currently in service in the United States, this gun only has an advantage in performance. There is no advantage in cost."

If the cost is 20 dollars, it is not too expensive. Besides, although there is no room for improvement in this gun, there is room for castration.

As soon as Liang Yao's eyeballs turned, his mind also became active.

If the cost is reduced, and the custom-packed paper shell ammunition is used, the price will be controlled at about 25 US dollars, and it may not be unsold.

"If you use inferior materials and use custom-loaded paper shells, can the cost be lower?" Liang Yao asked as he put down his gun.

"Yes, yes, but if you use paper shell ammunition, you may need to use an external flash cap, and the accuracy and rate of fire will drop a lot. Don't you like advanced guns? Why do you want me to put the gun to the backward one now?" Change of direction? It's not your style."

Walter was very puzzled by Liang Yao's behavior of reversing the car.

Of course, the more advanced the better for your own use, as for the guns that you sell and make money, as long as the performance is usable and you can impress buyers.

Ten years later, the United States is going to fight a civil war. It is impossible for him to sell the best guns to the other party, and let the other party shoot himself with the gun he sold.

"Control the cost and make this gun more competitive in the market." Liang Yao casually found an excuse to evade it.

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Lincoln's dedication made Liang Yao speechless. Liang Yao gave Lincoln six cases, and Lincoln united with six landowners to combine the six cases into one case, with the Atlantic Railroad Company as the plaintiff and the New York State Government as the defendant. took to court.

The reason is that the state government deceived the railway company and still promised the land along the railway line to the railway company without knowing it, and was suspected of embezzling private property.

Embezzlement of private property is a very sensitive crime in the United States. As soon as this statement was made, and the New York Evening Post fired it up, the New York State Government soon couldn't sit still.

The New York state government immediately accused Lincoln of slander, and Lincoln had long been prepared to use the evidence obtained from friends of the New York State Railway Bureau he met during his political participation to prove that what he said was true.

The New York State government indeed violated the rights of the original owner of the land, knowing that the land was already owned, and promised the land to the then Delaware-Hudson River Railway Company.

In just one month, Lincoln won the lawsuit and solved six cases at once.

The deadline Liang Yao gave Lincoln was within two months.

"After all, the top lawyer in Illinois has two brushes."

Liang Yao happily paid $1000 as an agency fee to Lincoln.

"We have agreed on an agency fee of US$100 for each case. I have only represented 6 cases this time, and you only need to pay US$600." Lincoln said, staring at the numbers on the check.

"The time limit we agreed was to solve more than 4 cases within two months, but you solved 6 cases within one month and won all of them. The extra 400 US dollars will be regarded as a reward." Liang Yao laughed. said.

If the land disputes of the Atlantic Railway Company can be resolved so quickly, the track can be laid as soon as possible, and the railway can be put into operation earlier, which means that the funds can be withdrawn as soon as possible.

This little tip for Lincoln is nothing. He has also learned about Lincoln's recent situation. Lincoln's life is very difficult recently. His law firm doesn't even have a dedicated office, but rents a rental house on 20th Street with Herndon. inside.

The rental on 20th Street served as both Lincoln and Herndon's residence and office.

"Thank you." Lincoln accepted Liang Yao's check and asked immediately, "What about the contract?"

"I've already drafted the contract." Liang Yao handed the already prepared contract to Lincoln.

After reading the contract carefully, Lincoln did not sign it. After thinking about it, he asked, "Can you change the term of the contract from 10 years to 5 years?"

"Yes." Liang Yao thought for a while and agreed to Lincoln's request, "It seems that you still plan to return to politics in the near future."

Lincoln did not deny this either. He said: "Politics is the ultimate outlet for aspiring lawyers."

Since he established his life goal at the age of 30, Lincoln's goal has always been clear, and that is to make a name for himself in politics.

Going out to become a lawyer is just to train yourself, continue to accumulate contacts, and prepare for your return to politics in the future.

After changing the contract period from 10 years to 5 years, Lincoln happily signed the contract with Liang Yao.

After signing the contract, Lincoln stretched out his big hands covered with rough calluses, shook hands with Liang Yao and said.

"It's a pleasant cooperation, Mr. Liang. I heard that you have developed California very well. After I settle the lawsuits against the Atlantic Railway Company, I must go to California to see it with my own eyes."

"I'm in California, waiting for you anytime." Liang Yao said with a smile.

After sending Lincoln away, Coney sent Liang Yao a telegram from Perry. In the telegram, Perry told Liang Yao that the last batch of ships of the American East India Fleet had been painted and set off, and he also boarded The flagship Mississippi, which had accompanied him for many years, was going to go around Cape Horn in South America and head to San Francisco, and urged Liang Yao to return to San Francisco as soon as possible to join him and go to Japan.

Liang Yaoshou's affairs in the east are also almost busy. The business district in Manhattan is under construction, and the Atlantic Railway Company is also building new tracks.

The terrain in the eastern part of the United States is relatively flat, and these new rail lines will be put into operation one after another next year.

The Arizona Infantry Regiment conscripted in the south has also completed its assembly in Houston, and the engineering company is directly on standby in New York Harbor, and will go to San Francisco as soon as Liang Yao gives orders.

After explaining to the employees staying in the east, Liang Yao bid farewell to Vanderbilt and set off for California.

"Why did you buy so many cannons?"

At the pier in New York Harbor, Liang Yao couldn't help asking when he saw that Pan Zhengwei, who was still wearing a Qing official robe, commanded his entourage to hoist a cannon onto the ship.

"Do you need cannons for housekeeping?"

"The brothers in Guangzhou entrusted me to buy some foreign guns and cannons. You gave me some foreign guns a few days ago. You refused to give them the foreign guns. I had to talk to the foreigners myself and bought 30 cannons." Pan Zhengwei Said.

"30 cannons?" Liang Yao felt unbalanced, "I only bought 20 cannons."

"I am the envoy of the Qing Dynasty, Minister of Rites." Pan Zhengwei laughed, "These cannons are used to present to the Holy Majesty. If you don't send a little gift, it will be bigger to show that the United States submits to my country. Our "" How could the Holy Majesty nod against the Qing-US Free Immigration Treaty?"

"But Pan Deshe (she) asked you to buy it?"

Speaking of Pan Zhengwei's younger brother, Liang Yao first thought of Pan Zhengwei and his mentioned younger brother Pan Shicheng (named Deshe).

As a red-capped businessman who was extremely popular for a while, the Pan family not only won the holy family, but also got along well in the circle of scholar-bureaucrats.

Unlike the general rich second generation, Pan Shicheng did not indulge in a life of wealth and wealth, eating and dying, but chose the path of becoming famous through imperial examinations, becoming an official and businessman, and relying on power to make money.

Pan Shicheng went to Beijing to take the exam at the age of 28, and was a deputy tribute in the Zhongshuntian Township Examination.Soon, he donated a huge sum of money to relieve the famine and starvation people in the Beijing area.

It is said to be a huge sum of money, but in fact it is only two hundred thousand taels of silver, which is not a lot of money to the Pan family who are traveling together.It's just that not every merchant is willing to pay for this money.

When the Yao people in Lianshan, Guangdong were in trouble, Pan Shicheng also contributed money to help the local officials in Guangdong to suppress the Yao riots. Therefore, Pan Shicheng was not only popular among the scholar-bureaucrat circles in the capital, but even the big officials in Guangdong respected him a little.

There were as many as 111 dignitaries who had correspondence with Pan Shicheng before and after the Opium War, including Lin Zexu, Guo Shangxian, Zhang Yuesong, Tang Yifen, Deng Tingzhen and other local politicians.

Pan Shicheng's brains are also very good. After the Opium War, even the Jardines, which had a big business in the thirteen lines, went downhill quickly, but Pan Shicheng found another way, buying arms for the Guangdong authorities and undertaking coastal defense, earning a lot money.

"Exactly, Deshe heard that the foreign guns, cannons, and warships in the United States are very profitable, so he entrusted me to buy some and send them back to the best ones, and leave the rest for the soldiers to use. In the twelfth year of Daoguang's reign, the chaos in Yao may not be resolved quickly, and Guangdong is close to Guangxi, so it is better to take more precautions." Pan Zhengwei said.

"You also got the foreign ship?"

Liang Yao was a little surprised. These days he was busy dealing with the affairs of the Atlantic Railway Company and the Manhattan shopping center, and he didn't pay much attention to what Pan Zhengwei and others did.

"Here." Pan Zhengwei pointed to the three sailing warships of about [-]-[-] tons moored not far from New York Harbor, "These four ships are bought from the Navy's Brooklyn Shipyard, and they are all used by the American Navy. goods."

Although these sailing warships with a displacement of [-] to [-] tons are small ships for the navies of European and American countries, they must be large ships with good combat capabilities in East Asian countries.

"The sailors on board are also hired from the US Navy?" Liang Yao opened his binoculars and looked at the sailors on the ship.

These sailors were able to handle the sails and the helm with ease, and they were obviously very familiar with the ship.This is a warship, not an ordinary armed merchant ship, and these sailors are not ordinary sailors.

"It's not the U.S. Navy, it's the retired Navy crew of the U.S. Navy. I heard from people at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and the Philadelphia Naval Yard that Perry has been increasing the Navy's vaporization rate over the years. They were abolished, and I hired them." Pan Zhengwei replied.

"You have done a good deal. What do you want a battleship for? The imperial court will accept foreign guns and cannons, but the imperial court will not accept foreign ships and a ship of foreign devil sailors." Liang Yao put down his binoculars and asked.

Although the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has been in trouble for nearly a year, it is still running around in the mountainous areas of eastern Guangxi and northern Guangdong. Except for a few local people of insight who were on the front line of the uprising like Pan Shicheng, the high-ranking officials in the Qing Dynasty generally did not pay much attention to Hong Xiuquan. Taking people seriously, the situation is not so embarrassing that it is necessary to hire foreign mercenaries to suppress the uprising.

"Tongfuxing also has some small businesses in Nanyang. There are many pirates in Nanyang, and they have their own armed fleet, so they feel at ease in doing business. Although these second-hand sailing ships are outdated in your eyes, they are much better than those broken ships of Nanyang pirates. The guns on the ship are also usable, and besides, these foreign sailors are not expensive, so it is worthwhile to hire them."

Pan Zhengwei said that these three ships and the retired sailors on them were hired by him for his colleagues, not for the court.

"My clan brother still wants me to buy some foreign girls and go back to serve as a servant girl. Do you have a way?"

"He wants it for nothing?" Liang Yao asked in surprise.

Pan Zhengwei, the younger brother of the family, played really well.

"Only white, not black." Pan Zhengwei said decisively.

Pan Zhengwei's decisive attitude once made Liang Yao doubt whether the clan brother he was talking about was himself.

"It's easy to deal with black slaves. Black slaves can still be traded legally in the southern United States, even in Washington. It's not easy to deal with white slaves, but it's not impossible." Liang Yao thought for a while and said.

"When you go back to Nicaragua, you can find some by yourself. There are white ones there. No matter how bad it is, you can go to Stanford when you arrive in California. Stanford is doing these businesses in Central America."

"This plan is very clever. My brother only said that he wanted white ones, but he didn't say whether he wanted American or Mexican or Nicaraguan ones. Anyway, as long as they are white." Pan Zhengwei said cheerfully.

"After all, you are the elder of the Pan family's peers. Why are you willing to be ordered by your brother? Could it be that your brother is the boss of the Pan family?" Liang Yao asked curiously.

The helm of Jardine's Wu family is Wu Shangrong, and the helm of Tongfu's Pan family is not clear to him. The situation of the Pan family, which integrates politics and business, is much more complicated than that of the Wu family.

"It's probably the most important part of the Pan family." Pan Zhengwei said with a smile.

"Although my brother is young, he is indeed the most capable of the Pan family's children. De She has insight into the world and is able to handle things well no matter in the officialdom of the capital or in Guangzhou. My grandfather loved him very much when he was there. I think he is a son of the Pan family who can take care of himself."

"From the chief envoy of the second rank, not to mention your Pan family, even in the imperial court, you can be a person who can stand alone." Liang Yao said.

The height that Pan Shicheng can reach is already the ceiling of Guangzhou Hongshang.

"This chief envoy is not that one's chief envoy. It's just a false title for comfort. How could the imperial court entrust real power to a businessman wearing a red cap." Pan Zhengwei showed a bitter smile.

After the luggage and materials were loaded and all the entourage boarded the ship, Liang Yao ordered Mingdi to set sail.

Thirteen steamships in New York Harbor sounded their shrill whistles, slowly sailed out of New York Harbor, and sailed south along the coastline
(End of this chapter)