A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

"Principal James is not a person who has time to drink coffee with others casually. You really have a lot of face." Sierra said.

Li Yu said with a smile: "It's all a debt of favor, you have to pay it back."

"Then let's go quickly, my car has been waiting for a long time." Sierra said.

"car?"

Sierra pointed to a car at the door: "Here, there it is."

Good guy, the logo of the car in front of him immediately stunned Li Yu. Although it is not exactly the same as that of later generations, the shield-shaped outline is too obvious.

Li Yu said in surprise, "This is... a Cadillac?!"

Sierra was also surprised: "How do you know? There are not many in the United States now."

Li Yu was a car fan in his previous life, so he looked at it carefully, "What a big baby!"

Four years ago, that is, in 4, Henry Ford founded the first automobile company, the Detroit Motor Company, in Detroit, the once glorious motor city in the United States.However, the company soon closed down, and Henry Ford left to start his own Ford company.

There are many car memes in later generations, such as "Highway Lightning" and "Three Big Moms on the Road", but they all have more than 100 horsepower anyway.If they are similar in size, such as miniature cars, some have only 27 horsepower, but others are electric cars, and the torque comes very quickly, so they cannot be compared.Except for the K-car with only 100 or [-] horsepower in the unique situation in Japan, there are very few other pure fuel vehicles with less than [-] horsepower.

To a certain extent, it is also related to the fact that Cornell University is a public university. It became a land-grant school in New York State very early, so it naturally assumed many public welfare things.

"Oh?" said Carnegie, "that's great news!"

As for the name Cadillac, it actually commemorates the founder and first mayor of Detroit, a Frenchman who lived more than 200 years ago.

The biggest thing Carnegie has to do every day is how to do charity and how to spend money.

In 1902, Cornell University also really introduced a lot of East Asian books.

Li Yu said casually: "Harvard University is also at the top level, there is nothing to regret if you can't go to Yale."

Carnegie continued: "Although Mr. White has now left Cornell University and became a senator, he still pays more attention to education and the East. It is he who made Sierra find Mr., and he has a very good opinion of you. High, it can be called a dazzling level."

And to say that the most famous American charitable fund in China in history should be the Rockefeller Foundation established ten years later. This fund focuses more on medicine. ) was funded and founded by it.

As for the single cylinder, it is basically only seen in motorcycles in later generations. Cars generally have four cylinders and above, and some have three cylinders, but consumers are not very acceptable.

After all, it was the beginning of the twentieth century at this time, and 10 horsepower can also be said to be at the level of a sports car, a level that kills the Quartet.

"Hi!" Li Yu said with a smile, "There is no man who doesn't love cars. By the way, can I drive it?"

I still remember that when Li Yu was in London, England, the speed of that car was less than 20km/h.

But from the beginning of the twentieth century, the development of automobiles has been rapid. Five years later, Henry Ford's Model T will roll off the assembly line, which will increase the conventional automobile to about 20 horsepower in one fell swoop.

"Grandpa, I brought Li Yu." Sierra said as she entered the door.

But it can't be said that it is not powerful. After all, there are many students who are in important positions like White, and their energy is not small.Like White's classmate at Yale, Gilman, was the first president of Johns Hopkins University, and he was also a member of Skull and Bones.

Carnegie said: "It happened that Sierra had studied with Mr. White for a period of time, and knew about the East and Chinese. Mr. White is a man of profound knowledge. He was a top graduate of Yale University. I am afraid that Sierra will also be a student of Yale University."

"Do not worry!"

"Education is even better." Carnegie said.

Sierra sat down suspiciously, "It's okay! This is given to Grandpa by Mr. Leland. If it breaks, I won't be able to explain it."

It seems that this foreign academician and member of the Astronomical Society came in a timely and valuable way.

So looking at it now, this Cadillac is indeed not simple. In the racing competitions held that year, this car was also the best.

When it comes to education, Carnegie is interested. "Last year, Mr. White brought back many East Asian books for Cornell University. After reading them, I became more interested in the East. And it happened that last year, a man named Li Yu What a coincidence that Qing people were born in the scientific world!"

Carnegie now lives on the top floor of a luxury apartment building in Chicago. Like most rich Americans, he also likes this kind of high-rise building.

It's a bit of a coincidence... But Carnegie never expected Li Yu to be a time traveler.

"Yes," Carnegie said, "I've read that book. It's well written, versatile, and even better. I can't even wait to see the sequel."

In fact, three years later, Cornell University opened six scholarship programs for Chinese students before the official document was issued.

Carnegie continued: "Influenced by Mr. White and my own wishes, I hope to create an education fund specifically for the Qing Dynasty, and the first breakthrough point, the best I can think of is you. After all, you are already a member of the British royal family. Institute of foreign academicians, and Mr. White told me that the American Astronomical Society will soon grant you membership, so it is best to choose you."

If this car is seen in later generations, it is almost the size of a small three-wheeled car. It belongs to the category of miniature cars and can only seat two people side by side.

Sierra regained his composure, "I didn't expect you to drive well."

Sierra asked again: "Can you still drive?"

Sierra was even more surprised: "How do you know so well?"

Sierra made two cups of coffee for them, and Carnegie picked it up and said, "I've known it since you set foot on the west coast of the United States. It was Mr. White who told me."

Unexpectedly, this White is also very accurate in seeing things, and he is very close to Secretary of State Hay and President James of the University of Illinois.Li Yu said: "Ambassador Liang Cheng and I have already met with President Roosevelt, and he agreed to open the channel for the Qing Dynasty to study in the United States again."

Li Yu hasn't touched a car for a long time. The original car more than 100 years ago reveals more mechanical properties-of course, there are really no electronic components.

Li Yu had seen cars several times in England, and he found the hood expertly, opened it and said, "Sure enough! Single cylinder, 10 horsepower, Otto cycle."

In fact, Yale University recruits 15 outstanding third-year students into the membership every year, and its members include many later important figures in American politics, business, and education.

The U.S. Congress is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, of which the Senate is the upper house, with two in each state and only 100 in the entire United States.

"It should be fine," Li Yu sat in the driver's seat. The current car does not have a seat belt, and said to Sierra, "Hold on!"

Carnegie waved his hand: "This is what I want to do myself."

Li Yu said with a smile: "I didn't expect this book to be so popular. Looking back, I really want to finish the sequel as soon as possible."

Oh Cornell and Johns Hopkins!
Li Yu looked at Sierra, she just sat there as if nothing had happened.

Li Yu thought about it again and understood.In a country like the United States where money is paramount, the relationship between the rich and high-ranking politicians is very good—to put it bluntly, this is the case all over the world, or it should be said that it has been the same since ancient times.

Carnegie didn't say much information in his words, but the words "top Yale graduates" directly surprised Li Yu.

"Mr. White?" Li Yu asked, this name is too common in the United States.

The two investors in the collapsed Detroit Motor Company were not reconciled to failure, and they just got funding from Henry Leland (later the founder of Lincoln Motor Company), allowing Detroit Motor Company to use the engine, transmission and steering machinery produced by Leland Company to continue production car, and renamed it Cadillac.

And as the influence of Yale University grows, these students are also very powerful, making Skull and Bones more and more famous, and it is impossible to say what it is like now.

The Senate is the upper house with a higher status.And unlike representatives of the House of Representatives, senators are usually white elites with high social status and wealth, and have the right to vote for some of the president’s proposals; many important treaties involving domestic and foreign affairs must also be voted on by senators.

Sierra laughs: "He also writes science fiction."

Li Yu said: "Moreover, I think Mr. President will agree to return the Boxer indemnity in the future to fund education."

Fortunately, he did not see Kang Shengren.

Carnegie looked at Li Yu, "That's right, it's amazing that you can achieve such achievements in scientific research at your age."

They are the truly influential political elite in the United States.

After Li Yu started the car, he felt that its speed was not bad, and it could reach a top speed of [-] to [-] kilometers. Although it still feels average compared to later generations, it is still good.

Because apart from Yale University, which has Skull and Bones, many top universities have similar organizations.

In the United States, the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is also funded by this fund.

Carnegie touched the coffee cup in his hand and continued: "I hope to establish this fund and see its due income. In fact, I had similar ideas before, and a Chinese named Kang Youwei also wanted to see me. But Mr. White told me that he was not trustworthy, and many officials of the Qing court were also not trustworthy. So I entrusted him to conduct some investigations on you, and found that you are a person who can be trusted because of your outstanding conduct and academic knowledge. "

To say that the most traceable of them should be the Skull and Bones.

In addition to Cornell, in fact, many American universities have received land grants from the local state government, and the area is expanding rapidly.

"Don't stand still!" Li Yu said, "Guide the way!"

There are many so-called mysterious organizations in the West, such as Freemasons and Illuminati.But most of them are mysterious, and many widely circulated conspiracy theories are related to these organizations.

At present, the products of most manufacturers are basically only at the level of four or five horsepower.

But just thinking about it: Those who are familiar with studying abroad should know that there are too many good universities in the United States; the United States is a country with a large area and population, and it is impossible for a Skull and Bones at Yale University to have the so-called power to control the United States.

"Mr. White was the first president of Cornell University," Carnegie said.

Carnegie also said: "Mr. White told me that although the Qing Dynasty seems to be dilapidated now, it has been able to withstand the attacks of more than a dozen Western powers in the past few decades without perishing, which shows that the Chinese are indeed capable. Now that Eastern civilization has not yet fully evolved, perhaps we can absorb more students from the Qing Dynasty."

Sierra interjected: "I know that. Mr. White took me there. Cornell University is really strange. Their school motto is to accept anyone and any culture, and it was only then that I knew that they recruited girls."

Carnegie is now 67 years old, but he is quite strong physically and mentally.

Sierra smiled and said, "I think so too."

It turned out to be Andrew Dixon White.

When Cornell University was founded in 1868, the school motto was "to create an institution where anyone can get guidance in any knowledge", or it can also be translated as: "Let anyone learn what they want to learn at Cornell." of".

Li Yu is familiar with Cornell University. This university was one of several famous universities in the United States that were friendly to Chinese students in the early [-]th century.

I don’t really care about the refund of the indemnity, because although there are still more than 1000 million taels of boxer indemnity left in the United States, converted into US dollars, it is almost 2000 million, but this money is simply a small case for Carnegie’s huge sum of [-] million US dollars .

Li Yu said: "Cornell University loves oriental culture, and I feel very gratified."

Although "single cylinder, 10 horsepower" sounds weak, it was really not weak in 1903.

Carnegie has established many charitable foundations, too many to count, and many of them are foreign projects.

Carnegie said: "When the Congress passed Mr. President's proposal to open a channel for studying in the United States, I think Mr. White will soon suggest the establishment of an international student program at Cornell University."

But since they didn't mention "Skull and Bones", Li Yu had no choice but to pretend not to know.At the beginning of the twentieth century, very few people knew about this organization.

Li Yu said with a smile: "It's too much to say."

No wonder Sierra is so aware of her whereabouts!
If as expected, this White is very likely to be a member of the famous "Skull and Bones".

Two years after its founding, Cornell University began admitting women, the first coeducational university in the Ivy League.

Carnegie added: "I will first inject $800 million into this fund, which will be overseen by my granddaughter Sierra."

Li Yu said excitedly: "The respect in my heart is beyond words."

They seemed to have discussed it a long time ago, and Sierra just blinked her eyes and said, "Don't worry, Grandpa, I have learned a lot from Mr. White."

Carnegie said: "If there are significant results in the follow-up, I can continue to invest more. The most important thing is that I think Mr. Li Yu will definitely be able to make this education fund play a sufficient role."

Well, Sierra turned into his own pocketbook.

But that's okay, the strength of the Carnegie family should not be underestimated.

In fact, the Carnegie family also married other big chaebols in the United States, and one of their granddaughters, Nancy, married into the Rockefeller family.