I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 279 Clouds of War

Many people would never have imagined that in Japan, the fiercest competition with Vladivostok was not the United Kingdom or the United States, but the Qing Empire.

After embarking on a crazy lending pattern, Japan's ambitions towards the Qing Empire were no longer concealed.

Japan is like that. The poor people in the country can't even eat enough rice, and they still have to borrow money to build warships. If it's not targeting the Qing Empire, who is it targeting?

Targeting the UK?

Japan doesn't dare.

Even less dare to target the Russian Empire.

As for targeting Goryeo, Goryeo didn’t even have a fleet, so what was there to target?

Therefore, everyone can see that Japan's crazy ship building is only aimed at the Qing Empire.

Under such circumstances, the Qing Empire was still delivering industrial raw materials to Japan at a cheaper price than in Vladivostok, which even George did not expect.

Although the prices of raw materials in the Qing Empire were low, production was limited and could not meet Japan's needs.

Therefore, Vladivostok has become Japan's largest trading partner.

In fact, George didn't want to be an enemy.

But the conditions offered by Japan were so good that George couldn't refuse.

The little money Japan borrowed from Britain was barely enough to build warships, and it was simply unable to purchase industrial raw materials on a large scale from Vladivostok.

Therefore, the Japanese government proposed to use the wages of Japanese working in Vladivostok to offset the cost of Japan's import of industrial raw materials from Vladivostok.

This means that Vladivostok converted the salaries that should have been paid to Japanese workers into industrial raw materials and sold them to Japan.

The Japanese government prints yen and pays Japanese workers as wages, and Vladivostok only needs to take care of the food.

this--

Not to mention Mikhail and Milyutin, even George couldn't resist this temptation.

For a Japanese worker, based on Vladivostok's salary, the minimum salary is 3 rubles per month.

Based on the size of Japanese workers in Amur, the monthly salary required is about 10 rubles.

If converted into industrial raw materials, the expenditure will be further reduced, because the wood and coal exported by Vladivostok to Japan are not cheap.

The funny thing is that the wood and coal in Amur were originally felled or mined by Japanese workers.

After all, Amul only had to pay some potatoes and dried fish to get cheap human resources that were extremely valuable to Amul.

The Japanese government is even so considerate that if a Japanese worker has an accident while working, the Japanese government will take care of everything including providing compensation to the worker's family.

Compare this to the Qing Empire, which did not hesitate to capitalize on its enemies for the sake of small gains.

George can only say that some things are really destined and do not depend on personal will.

That's what you have to say.

In a few more decades——

No more decades.

If there are no accidents, the Russian Empire will inevitably collapse in another 20 years.

In this matter, George firmly believes that man can conquer nature.

After the Siberian Electric Company officially gave up the patent fees for alternating current, the competition between alternating current and direct current finally became fierce.

The Amur Governorate officially announced in October that it would build a super power station based on AC power in Vladivostok to provide power supply to the entire city of Vladivostok.

At the same time, the Vladivostok Automobile Company's plant in Wilmington, Delaware, USA, will also use AC for power and lighting.

Wilmington is the largest city in Delaware, located between Washington and New York.

Cars produced by the Wilmington Automobile Factory have begun to be sold in the US market. The first car launched in the US market costs US$2500, equivalent to approximately 5200 rubles.

The $2500 price tag is aimed at customers who have a little bit of money, but are not rich enough.

If a customer wants to buy a higher-end car, they can choose the "Venus" car produced by the Vladivostok Automobile Factory.

The cars produced at the Vladivostok Automobile Factory are named after planets in the solar system. The closer they are to the sun, the higher the grade and the more expensive they are.

The "Venus" car was in second gear in Vladivostok.

The first level of "Mercury" is exclusively for the royal family of various countries. Non-royal members cannot sell it if they want to buy it.

The first car rolled out of the Wilmington Automobile Plant was called the Washington.

This does not refer to the capital of the United States, but to commemorate the first president of the United States.

With the start of production at the Wilmington Automobile Factory, Thierry, who has become an American citizen, has seen his status in the United States rise.

The United States is originally a country of immigrants, and there are many Russians. They are all Europeans, so no one excludes the other.

Rockefeller was a huge help in the founding of the Wilmington Automobile Works.

Therefore, Rockefeller naturally owned a part of the shares of the Wilmington Automobile Factory and became a shareholder of the Wilmington Automobile Factory.

With Rockefeller's help, Thierry met many influential people, including Morgan, the man behind Edison.

Without Morgan's support, Edison would have been inundated with endless lawsuits and had no chance of becoming an inventor.

The reason why Morgan supported Edison was because Edison could make profits for Morgan.

What DC power can do, AC power can also do.

Therefore, the Atlantic Electric Company under Thierry's name naturally received Morgan's investment.

The collaboration between Morgan and Thierry stemmed from Edison's cleverness.

In order to combat alternating current, Edison not only used alternating current to electrocute cats and dogs, but also invented the electric chair, which was used to execute death row prisoners.

This execution turned out to be Edison's disaster. In order to build momentum, Edison invited reporters to watch the execution of death row prisoners.

The whole process was full of twists and turns.

During the first execution, the prisoner did not die due to insufficient current, so the second shock was administered.

The second time the electric motor caused the prisoner's subcutaneous blood vessels to burst and bleed, and his body was set on fire, but the prisoner was still not dead.

The third electric shock lasted eight minutes before the prisoner died tragically.

Edison's original intention was to prove the dangers of alternating current, but who would be stupid enough to remain unrepentant after being shocked three times in a row?

Compared with hanging and shooting, the process of electrocution was too cruel, and Edison set himself on fire.

Morgan's father, Morgan Sr., also warned Morgan to stay away from Edison, not wanting his good reputation accumulated in his life to be affected by funding such a villain.

At this time, Thierry approached Morgan, and the two hit it off.

Thierry's requirements were not high. He did not even ask Morgan to give up Edison. He only asked Morgan to remain neutral in the competition between alternating current and direct current.

Morgan can be neutral.

Rockefeller, another Atlantic Electric stockholder, would not.

With Rockefeller's help, Atlantic Electric obtained purchase orders for the Chicago World's Fair.

George doesn't care how Thierry and Edison compete.

With Rockefeller's help, Edison was still no match for Thierry even if he still had Morgan's support.

Don't be surprised, compared with Rockefeller, Morgan is not considered a rich man now.

The lighting project in Vladivostok is progressing smoothly. Since the wires are laid along the subway, the construction will not be affected in winter.

The first place to be lit up by electric lights was the Imperial Plaza in the city center.

Street lights are not uncommon in Vladivostok, there are already street lights in Imperial Square.

However, with electric lights as street lights, Imperial Square still attracted the attention of almost all Vladivostok people.

In order to achieve a sufficient effect, the Vladivostok City Government decided to light up the Imperial Square on Christmas Eve.

Starting at three o'clock in the afternoon, a large number of citizens began to gather at the Imperial Plaza.

The Amur Governor's Palace and the Vladivostok City Government were already prepared. All police officers took to the streets to maintain order, and Fu Tuan dispatched some troops to assist the police.

Reserves were also mobilized, and the entire square was divided into dozens of areas using isolation belts to ensure that there would be no crowds or stampedes.

At six o'clock in the evening, 1200 light bulbs were lit at the same time, and fireworks displays were held at Yuriev Palace and Imperial Square at the same time, presenting a rare visual feast to the citizens of Vladivostok.

Anne did not come to Vladivostok this year, but Catherine did not forget Anne. She sent people early to send the clothes, cosmetics, jewelry, food, etc. prepared for Anne to Germany in the name of George, so that Anne could enjoy the cold winter. Feel the warmth from Amur.

Christmas Eve was to be spent with her family, and Ekaterina took Anna, Nana, and Mikhail's wife to play mahjong.

George and Mikhail went to the study for some quiet time.

"The situation in East Asia is becoming increasingly tense. Do we need to make preparations?"

Mikhail's purpose was not to defend, but to take advantage of the situation.

Taking advantage of the situation is a tradition in the Russian Empire.

Japan's intention against the Qing Empire is so obvious. If Japan and the Qing Empire go to war, no matter who loses or wins, the Russian Empire will have a chance.

"St. Petersburg won't give us a chance."

George has actually done a lot of work.

For example, the guards stationed in the Koryo Royal Castle.

If Japan and the Qing Empire fought, Goryeo would definitely be the first battlefield.

The Russian Empire has more and more interests in Goryeo, so George must protect the safety of Gaozong and Concubine Min. As long as Gaozong and Concubine Min are alive, Goryeo must rely on Amur to resist the invasion of Japan and the Qing Empire.

St. Petersburg has repeatedly emphasized that George is strictly prohibited from making his own decisions.

George doesn't want to take advantage of the situation, he can always protect the interests of the Amur Governorate and Amur Enterprises.

"St. Petersburg——"

Mikhail hesitated to speak.

"At least until the Trans-Siberian Railway is opened, it is not appropriate for Amur to fall into war."

George's positioning for Amul is very clear, and the most important task now is to accumulate strength.

The reason why St. Petersburg restricted George was because the Russian Empire did not encounter a large enough threat in the Far East.

The Qing Empire was like this, just waiting to die and completely lying down.

After Japan embarks on the road of external expansion, it is impossible to stop, and sooner or later it will pose a threat to the Amur Governor-General.

Even if George doesn't say anything by then, St. Petersburg will loosen George's grip.

In fact, there are already signs of this.

After the New Year, Brusinov arrived in Vladivostok. He would go to Japan as the Tsar's special envoy to inspect Japan.

Brusinov is George's old friend. When an old friend comes to Vladivostok, George naturally wants to entertain him.

(End of this chapter)