Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 509 Diplomacy with businessmen ([-])

At the same time that the mainland launched a bloody cleansing operation against the aborigines of the Jesuit mission area, in the colony on the South African River across the Atlantic from the east coast of the mainland, Dejan, the governor of the Cape Town colony of the Dutch East India Company, and the city defense officer Ha The high-level diplomatic delegation headed by Geer is riding slowly on the empty and remote prairie, preparing to go to Fort Good Hope of the people on the east coast to hold regular diplomatic consultations.Surrounding them were more than a hundred cavalry guards led by the deputy commander of the South African cavalry company, Leonid.

Over the years, after fully considering each other's needs, the Dutch and the people on the east coast felt that the two sides should hold a regular diplomatic negotiation mechanism to resolve the disputes over the interests of the East India Company and the overseas colonies of the East China Republic in various aspects and even Territorial disputes.Through continuous consultations over the years, the two sides have reached an agreement on the territorial division of the Western Cape Province in South Africa; at the same time, the territorial division in the Far East has basically taken shape. After the territorial claims of the Malay Peninsula and Taiwan Island—in fact, the east coast is also full of psychological shadows on these tropical areas where a large number of people die every year. The Dutch also intend to admit that the people on the east coast have rights to Jeju Island, Yantai, and the place of the National Assembly. , the land of the company, the Sakhalin peninsula and its adjoining areas (which the Dutch consider a peninsula).

Moreover, during the negotiations in the second half of last year, many members of the East India Affairs Committee, the highest institution governing the Far East by the Dutch, bypassed the stubborn Governor Van Diemen and communicated with the plenipotentiary envoy sent by the company to the Far East. Negotiations with the people on the east coast included the terms of feasibility consultations on the opening of commercial exchanges between the Far East colonies of the two parties.Liu Ang, the leader of the South African pioneer team who was in charge of the negotiations on the east coast at that time, expressed cautious agreement to this, and discussed with the other party on the types of trade commodities between the two colonies.It turns out that the degree of trade complementarity between the two places is still very high.

The Dutch needed animal skins (mainly seal skins, deer skins, and a small amount of cow and sheep skins), horses, bricks, silk, porcelain, tea (looted) and even slave populations provided by the Blackwater area, while the people on the east coast were interested in the Dutch colonies. High-quality shipbuilding timber, grain, sugar, and pepper (one of the cheapest spices) are also increasingly thirsty, and the two sides can completely open trade.

Of course, this is only the long-term good wishes of both parties.But in the near future, it seems impossible to open up trade in an all-round way, because it will take some time and psychological changes for the two sides to change from the original indifferent and hostile relationship to a comprehensive friendly business cooperation.What's more, there are still many contradictions between the two sides. Not everyone in the two camps is happy to see the East Bank and the Netherlands reach a friendly relationship. These will take time to change.

As the sun rose, a group of people rode close to the south bank of the Beg River.The residential area of ​​the people on the east bank was originally on the north bank, but after years of development, the fertile south bank has gradually become populated, and some farmers' cottages and pastures have appeared one after another, making this desolate prairie a lot of vitality .

Some children from the east bank in cotton and linen blended clothes walked barefoot on the small sandy beach by the river. Brigade of riders.On the side of the hut in the distance, some east bank farmers with rifles on their shoulders, wearing various clothes and fur caps are waving to the familiar cavalrymen.After saying hello, they started to spread hay with the help of the tedder.While their Persian wives were carrying the young baby on their backs, they were working hard on the edge of the vegetable garden.

In the sparsely populated river area, the residents’ houses are generally larger in size, and behind the house are various trees planted in response to the government’s call—there is abundant water, and planting a large number of trees does not need to worry about desertification of the land. The private plot in front of the house Various vegetables such as celery, onion, and radish are grown in the garden, some of which are used by oneself, and some are sold to ocean-going ships passing through here.If you add the wool, duck down, sorghum, wheat, cured meat, tallow and other agricultural and pastoral products sold to the South African branch of the National Material Reserve every year, their life is still quite good.According to the officials of the Government Council who came to investigate last year, the standard of living of the people in the river colony with little industrial foundation has completely surpassed that of the local working class.

The cavalry passed through the narrow road between the two residential areas in turn, and then came to the ferry.When passing through the residential area, the careful Governor De Young noticed that this small residential community looked quite clean and tidy. It was different from the traditional labor of spinning and weaving in the rural areas of England and Holland. In addition to taking care of livestock during the slack, most of the time is either continuously building water conservancy facilities under the government organization, or undergoing strict military training, which makes people shudder.

Women worked in the fields, men on construction sites, and older children shared the burden of the household.Governor de Young noticed groups of children in some alleys treating wool with bleach or soda ash.They put the raw materials and tools together, laughing and joking while working.Processing wool should be an important sideline income of their family. The wool that has been bleached and degreased is purchased by the government purchasing station, and then shipped back to the mainland for spinning and weaving, and the woolen wool, blankets, etc. It will even be sold back here, a typical colonial economic system.

In the countryside of Holland, England and Spain at this time, processing wool was indeed a rather tedious and important task.It's a pity that the local European farmers don't have the cheap soda ash and bleaching powder produced industrially by the East Coasters. They can only rely on sunlight, rain, and yogurt for bleaching and skimming over a long period of time, which is much less efficient than the East Coasters. .

Correspondingly, the living standard of the farmers in the Old World is far inferior to that of the farmers on the east coast here, at least they cannot afford to wear the printed cloth clothes that the women here have.In the Netherlands, even the farmers' wives who are a little more particular will only use some black wool and white wool to weave the effect they want through ingenious means (saving dyeing). If you want to buy real dyed cloth, then It is absolutely impossible.

Governor De Young vaguely heard that the people on the east coast integrated several factories producing chemical products in the north of their country, and then set up a company called Northern United Chemical Factory, which specializes in large-scale production of sulfuric acid and soda ash, and small-scale The production of bleaching powder, soap and other commodities made Governor De Young very jealous. This is all for money. How did the people on the east coast do it?It's time to think of a way!

Of course, what Governor De Young said to find a way is not to prepare to obtain various technologies from the East Coast people through violent means, which is unrealistic!The East India Company is a businessman, and they will make an accurate assessment of every action. Not only the shareholders of the East India Company will not agree to any stupid move that may lead to the collapse of the spice trade in the Far East, but those who sail on the sea And the sailors wouldn't agree - they don't want to end up in the belly of a fish for no apparent reason.

Governor De Young still wants to obtain some practical small technologies from the East Coast people through peaceful means, such as diplomatic negotiations, payment of technology transfer fees, etc., such as those hydraulic sawing machines, planers, and various models with involute gears. Advanced hydraulic forging hammer, road construction technology, mass production of bricks and tiles, fishing technology and other practical small technologies.As for the manufacture of cannons, steelmaking, textiles, soda ash and sulfuric acid, the Dutch are quite self-aware that these are absolutely impossible to buy.

The Dutch textile technology has made great progress after several years of high rewards, but the production cost still cannot be lowered, which shows that their equipment lacks revolutionary changes, and they still cannot compete with those who came from across the ocean. East Coast Textiles to compete.The unyielding Dutch capitalists continued to spend a lot of money, offering rewards all over Europe to improve the machine.Therefore, even in such a situation, Governor De Yang still has no idea of ​​buying textile technology from the people on the east coast, because it is impossible!

However, if you can't buy big and core technologies, it doesn't mean that you can't buy ordinary small technologies.The Dutch are not fools with no information. They have also seen the relationship between the Spaniards in the La Plata area and the people on the east coast, which is composed of a large number of yellow-skinned pagans and ugly mixed races. It is not that the country has no idea about the Federation of Provinces. They seem to urgently need the support of the Federation of Provinces in diplomacy.Since this is the case, then the two sides have something to talk about, and each takes what he needs.

Governor De Young and his party took many ferries to the other side of the river.People on the east coast did not build bridges here, it is said that they did not hinder the free navigation of large ships.After spending a certain amount of time crossing the river, the first thing that caught the eyes of everyone who arrived on the north bank was a huge stone statue of the Supreme Lord, which changed the expressions of Governor De Yang, Captain Hagel and others immediately.

"Evil gods worshiped by yellow-skinned pagans!" Captain Hagel said with a livid face.

Governor De Young glanced at him, this German country guy is not a qualified businessman, so he can only be a warrior.Governor de Young is a serious businessman who thinks he can make a deal with the devil for money, just like those Jews.Doing business with heretics is nothing, as long as there are enough benefits, then everything is not a problem.

"Pay attention to your words, Captain, the governor of the East Coast people is here to welcome us, don't make any trouble for me." Governor De Young said to Captain Hagel in a warning.After speaking, he looked at Liu Ang who was walking towards him with a reserved smile.

(End of this chapter)