1850 American Gold Tycoon.

Chapter 344 Major Clients

Neutrality is California's attitude towards slavery and abolition for a long time to come.

Democracy is the general trend of the future, there is no doubt about it.

This is also the consensus of the first batch of California immigrants at the beginning of the statehood of California.

However, for the sake of formal and moral democracy and freedom, it is not in California's current interests to accept escaped black slaves, and thus vent its anger on the southern slave states.

After the telegram was sent out, Liang Yao ordered the censorship of newspapers in California, and issued a ban on the publication of any articles about slavery and abolition to newspapers in California. At the same time, he instructed the state government to strengthen the censorship of news.

Although this is not so free in the so-called free speech America.

But the so-called freedom is just a cover. In fact, both the North and the South now have their own positions and means of public opinion.

Each free state and slave state is manipulating the state's public opinion. For example, "Uncle Tom's Cabin", a popular novel in the United States, is popular in free states, but it is banned in slave states.

Newspapers in free states hardly saw articles supporting slavery, and newspapers in slave states hardly saw articles supporting abolition.

Even if a few unconventional articles appear occasionally, even if the attitude is relatively neutral and the wording is more tactful, the newspaper office that published the article will be smashed to pieces by the local fanatics that day.

Contributors of the article will also face the risk of a deadly wilderness.

This is the current environment of public opinion in the United States. Abolition of slavery still requires slavery. You must choose to support one side and stand in line.Otherwise, you will be a traitor to the South (North) and you will end up as a human being inside and outside.

Liang Yao didn't want California to become like this.

During those months in New York, Liang Yao also read hundreds of newspapers in California, all of which were about abolitionists.

Since free states and slave states have their own positions, California should also have its own.

The most important thing for California at the moment is to develop the state's economy, rather than engage in meaningless debates about slavery and abolition, which have nothing to do with itself.

Now those abolitionists in the United States who support the abolition of slavery and condemn the inhumanity of the southern slave states from the moral high ground are no different from those in later generations who chanted the slogan "Black Lives Matter".

They are for their own interests, and they don't really care about the survival and discrimination of black people.

If these abolitionists were as noble as they claim to be, the problem of racial discrimination would not still be a cancer that is difficult to remove in American society after more than [-] years.

There are about three types of people who shout for Black Lives Matter in later generations, one is politicians, Black Lives Matter can bring them votes and approval ratings, and the other is businessmen, Black Lives Matter can not only win the favor of black people and white leftists, but also Bring real economic benefits for yourself, or make a statement to protect your industry from riots.

The last type is ordinary people who follow the crowd and watch the excitement. After all, shouting a few slogans in support of black people will not bring them any loss, and they can also demonstrate their own justice.

If these politicians are allowed to introduce substantive policies to slowly eliminate racial discrimination against blacks, rich businessmen pay to improve the living conditions of blacks, or let blacks become middle-class neighbors of ordinary whites, most of them will not accept it.

Because the discrimination against black people in the heart cannot be eliminated by shouting a few solidarity slogans.

Actions are often more honest than words.

After Liang Yao's telegram was sent out, it did not cause much repercussions, because at this time the attention of both the free state and the slave state was focused on Kansas, where the struggle between the abolitionist and the slaveholder was the most intense.

Neither side has the time to deal with California, which is exactly what Liang Yao wants, he just needs to express California's attitude.

If California's statement triggers a relatively large response and pushes California to the forefront, such a reaction will be extremely detrimental to California.

Liang Yao couldn't help but secretly thankful that he discovered this problem in time, and that the issue of slavery and abolition of slavery did not continue to ferment in California.

After finishing these tasks, Liang Yao received Hong Mingxiang.

"Brother Liang, you have to wait so hard for me." Hong Mingxiang cupped his fists and bowed to Liang Yao.

"I don't know that Hong Junmen came here, and I hope to forgive you for being distant and neglectful." Liang Yao said politely.

His fifth uncle, Liang Shaoqiong, had already revealed to him Hong Mingxiang's intentions for coming this time. Hong Mingxiang made a special trip to California to buy arms.

"The foreign boat my brother Fanliang gave me is very good, it travels very fast, although the cannons on the boat are small, but they can shoot accurately and fast, and now this boat has become the boat of someone Hong. "Hong Mingxiang was full of praise for the Loach-class battleship Liang Yao gave him.

Although the loach-class gunboat with a displacement of only 500 tons is a small boat in the West, in the battle order of the Guangdong Navy, a warship of this size is by no means a small boat.

What's more, the Loach class is still a steam-powered ship. The eight 8-inch front-loading rifled guns mounted on the side of the ship are a bit small, but they can shoot solid bullets, shotgun shells and explosive shells, and their performance is not outdated.

If there are any shortcomings of the mud class, it is that the loach class does not have the ability to sail alone in the ocean, after all, the tonnage is there.

However, as an inshore patrol gunboat, the Loach class is definitely qualified.

Anyway, the navy of the Qing Dynasty did not have ocean-going combat missions, and its function was only to be in charge of offshore defense.

Loach-class patrol boats are cheap, relatively easy to maintain, small and flexible, and are a very cost-effective choice for the navy of the Qing Dynasty.

"Since it's easy to use, you might as well buy a few more." Liang Yao said with a smile.

"I came here this time for the purchase of ships. The merchants in Guangzhou donated some money this time. In addition to the money allocated by Governor Xu, it is just enough to buy a few new ships for the Guangdong Navy." Hong Mingxiang laughed. said.

"It's just that the boat is driven on the ocean surface, and the paddle wheel is driven by a steam engine. Once the machine goes wrong, the boat will not be able to move.

Brother Liang is kind, he not only gave me a boat, but also sent sailors to teach my brother how to sail the boat.

But the big soldiers under my command are stupid, they can only sail the ship, they can't repair the ship. Once there is something wrong with the steam engine, the ship breaks down at the mouth of the Pearl River, and finally it is entrusted to brother Liang's shipyard for repair. "

"Something went wrong? What's the problem?" Liang Yao asked with a frown.

The loach-class patrol gunboat is not only used by Hong Mingxiang, but also by the anti-smuggling team of the California Taxation Bureau. The civilian ship type Hope of this ship is spread all over various routes in Jinshan Bay, becoming the mainstay of California coastal shipping and inland waterway shipping.

Liang Yao has never heard anyone complain about the high failure rate of the Loach class, which means that this ship type is qualified, and the steam engines and boilers on board are also qualified.

"The workers in the Xiangshan Ship Repair Yard said that this is due to the lack of maintenance of the boilers on weekdays." Hong Mingxiang said with some embarrassment.

It turned out to be the reason, and Liang Yao suddenly realized that the Guangdong Navy had no steamships before, and this loach class was the first steamship of the Guangdong Navy, and the officers and soldiers of the Guangdong Navy had no experience in maintaining steamships.

As for the loach-class patrol gunboats used in the California area, each ship is equipped with a dedicated mechanic responsible for the daily maintenance of steam engines and boilers.

Even if it is a civilian ship of the same type, each ship is equipped with a dedicated mechanic.

Obviously, Hong Mingxiang has no relevant talents under his command.

The high degree of specialization and high technical threshold are also the differences between the modern navy and the traditional navy.

With the emergence of advanced warships, a group of fishermen and a group of pirates can form a powerful sea force.

Owning a modern warship does not mean owning a modern navy.

The Navy is a system, not a few warships.

"I see." Liang Yao nodded if he realized something.

"I also came this time at the order of Governor Xu, who ordered me to acquire a piece of land in Huangpu to build a dock for repairing the ships of the Guangdong Navy.

What Governor Xu meant was that if brother Liang is willing to send an instructor to teach the sailors of the Guangdong Navy how to maintain and repair the steamboat, the Guangdong Navy can consider purchasing more loach boats as appropriate. " Hong Mingxiang said.

Feeling Xu Guangjin wanted to buy the logistics service together. Among the officials of the Qing Dynasty, there were still people of insight.

Empty ships do not have the maintenance capabilities to hold ships. No matter how good the performance of a warship is, it is just a decoration after all.

"Then it depends on how many warships the Guangdong Navy will buy." Liang Yao said with a smile, "If there are one or two ships, if there is any problem in the future, they can be directly pulled to Xiangshan for repair. Guangzhou and Xiangshan are not far away."

"Five ships." Hong Mingxiang stretched out his palm and made a gesture of five with a smile.

"It's easy to say, it's easy to say, Hong Junmen has made a fortune." Liang Yao said with a smile.

"You and I are all compatriots, and I will not raise the price. I will sell it to you, and then I will select some capable Chinese pilots to go to Huangpu to teach the brothers of the Guangdong Navy how to maintain this steamboat.

The steamship needs maintenance not only on the steam engine and the boiler, but also on the cannons on the ship and the ammunition. Otherwise, it will soon be like the old cannons on the Xiangshan Fort and Humen Fort. used. "

5 loach-class patrol gunboats, this is a big order for San Francisco Shipyard, and it should provide some supporting services.

Daqing is a potential big customer.

In the middle of the 19th century, the Qing Dynasty was pulled back and forth, but by virtue of its huge size, its GDP was still the largest in the world. Although the people were poor, but before the Sino-Japanese War, the treasury of the Qing government was still a little silver.

As for the gentry class, it is even fatter.

"I was just going to talk to Brother Liang about the cannon and the foreign guns." Hong Mingxiang rubbed his hands and said.

"I heard that brother Liang has an arsenal in Sacramento, which can produce foreign guns and cannons, can you show me a tour or two?
During the time I was waiting for you in California, I was so idle that I wanted to visit Brother Liang’s arsenal, but I was kicked out, saying that no one could enter the arsenal without your order. "

"The people under him are ignorant, and they speak and do things without importance. Please don't take it to heart, Hong Junmen Haihan, Liang is here to apologize to Hong Junmen." Liang Yao bowed slightly to Hong Mingxiang, saying that sorry.

"Where is it, a military important place should not allow outsiders to enter easily. I should learn from you." Hong Mingxiang was very magnanimous.

"If Hong Junmen wants to visit the arsenal, I will take Hong Junmen to Sacramento for a visit." Liang Yao asked, "May I ask Governor Xu's battalion to exchange foreign guns and cannons?"

(End of this chapter)