Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 1191 Business and Homecoming

The Southern Cone, including southern Chile, is really rich now!

The Southern Cone, including southern Chile, is really rich now!

As of March 1659, the Southern Cone region already had seven counties including Hanshanhou, Ningnan, Araucan, Qingfeng, Guanhai, Weihai, and Xingnan, among which the newly established Weihai County——Hanweihai Town Four townships, Heijin Township, Magellan Township (former Magellan Information Station) and Xiaohan Township (later San Gregorio Village) - with a population of nearly 3, it is the 32nd county-level administrative unit in the country; also in January of this year The newly established Xingnan County—including Xingnan Town, Zixin Township, and Shacheng Township—has a population of nearly 1 and is the 33rd county-level administrative unit in the country.

Counting from the establishment of the Southern Railway Company in 1648, the Southern Cone area has been developed for more than ten years.Ten years later, this once bitterly cold place has developed into an emerging area with seven counties, a population of more than 8, and an annual import and export volume of more than 8 million yuan (of which 340 million yuan is imported from the local area, 156 million yuan of various commodities exported to the mainland), the speed of development can be described as astonishing.

The Executive Committee also saw the importance of this region that rose due to Peruvian trade. In January 1659, the local Ministry of Finance and the Southern Railway Company reached a final agreement to implement tax reform in seven counties in the Southern Cone region. It is clear that the above seven counties are not under the jurisdiction of the Southern Railway Company (until December 1, 1678), and the northern half of Chiloe Island is also placed under the jurisdiction of the Southern Railway Company, and it is recognized as its subsidiary - there is no doubt that the mainland It has obtained economic benefits from it, and the Southern Railway Company, as a concern enterprise with a strong army color, also cooperated with the local government in this matter.

The so-called tax system reform means that the executive committee wants to implement the collection of seven local taxes (namely, deed tax, business tax, consumption tax, personal income tax, movable property tax, real property tax, and customs duty) in the seven counties of Nanzhuo in order to obtain a lot of money. income.You know, with the conclusion of a comprehensive trade agreement with the Kingdom of Spain, the tax sources of the southern cone counties are already extremely rich. How can the bureaucrats of the Ministry of Finance who are so worried about money turn a blind eye?Ever since, after some fierce private collusion and confrontation, the Ministry of the Army and the Council of Government Affairs reached a temporary compromise. The Southern Railway Company allowed the Council of Government Affairs to carry out tax reform in the Southern Cone region, and the Council of Government Affairs gave the South Railway More land for the company—it seems that the Southern Railway Company has suffered a loss, but who makes it a franchised enterprise, and naturally has the awareness to make sacrifices for the country.

Besides, the big business tax levied by the Ministry of Finance in the Southern Cone seems to have increased the cost of the Southern Cone, but the mainland has also canceled the import and export tariffs on the last part of the goods between the Southern Cone, which can be regarded as a little compensation (imports of Peruvian goods Tariffs still belong to Southern Railway, and this part should not be underestimated).Of course, all kinds of trading companies that registered their companies in the Southern Cone (mainly Araucan County and Xingnan County) are going to bleed. Nantie collects very few taxes or does not collect them at all. This time, such taxes as deed tax, business tax, and personal income tax will be hit together. What can be done? It’s no secret that the government has had financial difficulties in the past few years. Many bonds issued to pay for Spanish loans have gradually entered the repayment period, and resettlement costs have repeatedly hit new highs. Coupled with increasing military expenditures, the financial If the ministry doesn't think of a way, I'm afraid it will be out of business. No wonder they put their minds on the Peruvian trade.

Compared with the Peru trade, the New Spain trade dominated by Air Canada is quite different.This company dominated by the Navy directly trades with the mainland, and the resulting import and export tariffs are all owned by the mainland, while the tariffs generated in the five major trading ports in the Caribbean are naturally at the disposal of Air Canada itself (but it needs to share part of the local profits. ).The reason for such a difference is probably because the Executive Committee regards the Southern Cone region as its native land.

well, let's get back to business.Although the seven counties in the Southern Cone region have ushered in tax reform, no one can deny the boom in Peru's trade. A large number of commodities are still circulating between the two oceans through the Southern Cone Railway. The capacity of the Southern Cone Railway has repeatedly approached the peak load. ——Especially when the Peruvian side often buys some building materials that take up a lot of capacity—Countless money flows here, which naturally attracts a large number of people who are eager to make a fortune to come here.

It was dusk when Yu Xingguo’s two ships sailed into the port of Araucan, but the train station near the pier was still full of people, and a large group of Polish indentured slaves in cheap linen clothes were struggling to unload and load goods. The momentary pause surprised Yu Xingguo who hadn't been here for more than a year.

"Ah, Boss Yu, haven't you seen me for a while?" On the bustling Windmill Street in Araucan Port, Sun Chengli, the shopkeeper of Sun Chunyang South Store, took off the crystal glasses hanging from his ears and said in surprise.

"Manager Sun, long time no see." Yu Xingguo with a Latin face lay on the pine counter, moved the oil lamp over, and said after lighting his pipe: "I just came back from the west, um, in Ningbo , Rabaul, and Australia stayed for some time to buy some goods. Oh, by the way, some of the relatives you entrusted me to recruit also came here this time. Fortunately, there are 43 people in total, and 34 people actually arrived. Don't worry, some people are just tired and sick and stayed halfway to recuperate, and they didn't die, maybe they will come here on another ship in a few months."

"But I can only give you 1700 yuan." After doing some calculations, Sun Chengli said in a business-like manner, "Besides, I have to meet someone first."

"Of course." Yu Xingguo puffed out the smoke ring and said, "I will only collect money after you see everyone and confirm their identities and health conditions, Manager Sun, I am a reputable businessman. "

"It's best like this." Sun Chengli took out an account book from under the counter and said, "Then, does Boss Yu still have some foreign goods for sale in our shop? Follow the old rules, and you won't be short of money."

"I'm really not used to your efficiency. You don't give anyone a moment's leisure." Yu Xingguo shook his head helplessly, then took out a list of goods from his pocket, and said, "It's all here, look Look, I'm not too lazy to ship it back if it's not in short supply."

孙诚礼闻言戴上了眼镜，接过清单后小声念道：“熊皮35张、青狐皮62张、貂皮109张、海象牙66副，不错不错，都是能卖得上价钱的物事；唔，还有生丝300担、茶叶250桶、瓷器10箱，这个敝店也能收了；大溪地黑珍珠50箱、西米100桶、药材48大包、明国书籍1283册、首饰15盒……”

"Boss Yu, it's not easy." After reading this, Sun Chengren was a little surprised: "It took a lot of thought to collect these, right? If there are any other good ones, I'll show them to you."

"The rest are some East Indian spices and Japanese copper. By the way, I also brought some Angora goat wool from Australia. It's not surprising. I think Manager Sun doesn't like to accept these things. I'll find a way to sell them to the Southern Railway Company. Alright, don't bother Manager Sun."

"That's why Mr. Sun is being abrupt." Sun Chengli knew that these goods were basically pre-ordered by the Southern Railway Company, and immediately stopped thinking about buying them.But this time, we were able to buy so many good foreign goods from Yu Xingguo (the residents of the Southern Cone commonly called the goods from the Pacific Ocean "foreign goods").It seems that we will win over this boss more and more in the future. After all, there are not many shipowners who are willing to travel to the Pacific Ocean. It is really not easy to get some foreign goods, but don’t let him be intercepted by other stores—of course, the most exciting Sun Chengli, shopkeeper Sun, was happy. Dozens of people from his hometown or the township party had arrived on the east bank, which meant that the Sun family’s energy had increased. It can also be more reassuring.

After handing over the people and goods with the people from Sun Chunyang South Store, and paying the import duties at the customs at Araucan Port, Yu Xingguo had a discussion with the people from the South Railway Company at the wharf on the purchase prices of some spices, wool and copper. The negotiations did not end until ten o'clock in the evening.

After dealing with these matters, Yu Xingguo and several confidant crew members found a decent hotel on the pier and stayed there.As for the other sailors on the ship, well, they may have gone to take care of the business of those little Italian ladies who do half-closed business. From the window, he saw a ship loaded with many reindeer and moose from the black water (this is what the locals bought with a lot of money) was unloading, which made him smile unconsciously. There are more and more colleagues in the Pacific trade Yes, and the types of goods are becoming more and more diverse, which is really interesting.

On the morning of March 3, after arranging his deputy (a Bordeaux "navigator" introduced by his uncle Julian) to lead two ships full of cargo north to Guanhai Port, Yu Xingguo took a train to Xingnan Port to transport round logs. The train arrived at Xingnan Port on the Atlantic side at noon the next day.

He didn't stay in Xingnan Port for too long. On March 3, the three-masted transport ship "Kingfisher" of the Messenger Liner Company set sail to return to the mainland, and Yu Xingguo spent five yuan to sit in the cargo hold filled with wool.After shaking for more than twenty days, at noon on April 8, 1659, Yu Xingguo arrived at his final destination—Dongfang Port, the capital of the Republic of China on the East Coast. His mother, Mathilde, had written several times to urge him to go home.

(End of this chapter)