European Financial Emperor

026 Everything in the world, according to the will of God (1)

War always costs money. And Britain knew it well.

Arthur Wellesley nodded slowly.

“Hmm, you are right, but.”

“Besides, Britain is now engaged in a battle for economic supremacy between the United States and North America for supremacy. I think we can help him too.”

“… … USA?”

“What if we, the Netherlands, cut off slaves and gold from flowing into the United States, and we contain the remnants of the Ottoman Truk Navy?”

“… … Are you holding the US in check?”

“Sometimes ago, American farmers all flocked to the factories, so it was said that there were no people at the large farms. What would happen if African slaves disappeared in a country where there were not many people because they were working hard on urban development?”

“Well, that must be difficult.”

“Britain is to eradicate the slave trade for the sake of human dignity, and we, the Netherlands, will be your guns and swords while following the noble will of England.”

In fact, after all, it was the Dutch who made the most money from the slave trade.

It is now in decline and has lost its hegemony, but the Netherlands was also a big player who once dominated the slave trade market.

However, it could not defeat Britain, which carried out a mass offensive by capturing black slaves in Africa.

Taken from readwn.com

Moreover, since all maritime supremacy has been taken away and he is barely making a living from trade in parts of Southeast Asia, he just wanted to eliminate the slave trade in particular.

But Arthur Wellesley seemed to understand this as the revival of the navy.

His expression looked very creepy.

“You mean the Dutch navy is allied with us to protect the Pacific?”

“Navy? We don’t have the strength to run such a mighty navy yet.”

Arthur tilted his head this time.

He asked as if he didn’t understand his intentions at all.

“No, then how the hell are you going to help us?”

“You can only give the British permission to build a private fleet.”

“… … Private Fleet!”

The origins of the British navy were pirates, and that was a fact that no one in the world could say anything about.

However, it could be seen as a contradiction for those who claim to eradicate pirates to build a private fleet.

However, there was a trick to overturn that contradiction.

it’s money.

“As soon as we clear the slave traders going to America and the pirates of Africa and southern Western Europe, I will pay the British royal family 30% of the loot as a tax.”

“… … 30%?!”

Arthur Wellesley’s eyes widened.

The 30% tax was literally just sitting and making money.

One important thing was the intentions of the Netherlands.

As if puzzled, he asked Petervid.

“After paying so much tax, what are you left with?”

“Send the slaves to our Netherlands instead.”

“You mean plundering slaves and using them as slaves for your own country?”

“No, that’s not it. Incorporating them into our Dutch navy, and then resettling their families in a civilized city. How are you?”

“Are you talking about the integration of Africa and the Netherlands?”

“We bring in a poor population, and the British royal family fills the shortfall in tax revenue, isn’t this a symbiotic relationship?”

The 30% tax on loot was a staggering amount.

To put it another way, the Netherlands was pressured to put an end to the British slave trade first.

Still, Britain had enough ground to commit the shameless act of catching black slaves and selling them to the United States if they wanted to.

“It’s 30%.”

“No matter how much India is occupied, the finances are always insufficient, isn’t it?”

As Oscar Petervid said, money is always thirsty no matter how much money you earn.

Arthur Wellesley agreed to accept his offer.

However, there was one condition.

“Okay. Let’s contract.”

“Yeah, Hye-an… … .”

“There is only one condition. Buy us our British bonds and the idle facilities in the northern mills.”

They were talking about giving up gold because they would quit the slave trade.

This time, Oscar’s sorrow deepened.

“Hmm… … .”

Oscar’s heart was complicated.

However, it didn’t take long for him to make a decision.

“Well, that’s right.”

“I think you accepted it very coolly.”

“However, let’s take only one condition.”

“Condition?”

“Give me permission to trade real estate in western North America.”

“Are you going to build an overseas colony instead of buying bonds?”

“I don’t think I should give them something interesting anyway.”

“Well, that’s about it.”

This paved the way for major bond and real estate investments in the UK, but it did not seem to be very welcome news for the Netherlands.

Arthur evoked the atmosphere as Oscar was consistent with a slightly stiff expression.

“Can you pass Congress? I mean, will the House of Representatives really take the side of the Private Fleet?”

Oscar Petervid smiled slightly.

“Our King’s Majesty has arranged everything.”

“Are you okay?”

“The person nominated as the head of the private fleet is a merchant from the north of the Netherlands who can win the overwhelming support of the House of Commons.”

“If you are a merchant from the north… … .”

“Ben-Herren.”

“iced coffee! The ball of Holland Benheren? He could win the House of Representatives!”

A native of Holland and the orthodox heir of the White Empire, Richard Benheren was almost of the same family in the Dutch parliament, where Holland’s power was overwhelming.

Benheren was often mentioned as a card to pressure the king and the southern powers of the Netherlands, but until now, he had only been unable to enter politics due to the title of the Fallen Family.

“If it goes to a vote in the House of Representatives, our victory is at least certain. If the British House of Representatives can smooth out the intervention of the private fleet, the game is over.”

“Fufu, don’t worry about that.”

The Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Howda came together in this way, and the relationship between the Netherlands and England progressed one step further.

***

In January 1822, Yi Hwan imported steam engines from Amsterdam.

In addition, people from France and the German Commonwealth were flocking to see the recruitment announcement that was held at the same time.

Lee Hwan, who has imported a total of four steam turbines, made hydraulic excavators and rollers with them.

The structure was very simple.

Using a steam engine as an engine, when power was transmitted to a hydraulic system, it moved to dig the ground, and stopped when the power was turned off.

The rollers were also designed to roll hydraulics to propel them forward, powered by steam engines.

The problem was that the excavator’s shovel could be moved by a steam turbine, but moving it had to be done by hand.

An attempt was made to mount the excavator on the rollers to solve this problem, but the rollers were too heavy to bear the load and could not move forward.

The only comfort is that I don’t have to move the rollers by hand.

So, there was always a horse-drawn carriage waiting at the construction site, and people carrying coal were stationed right next to the work site.

Still, the work was faster than expected.

The construction, which started in January, succeeded in paving a whopping 10 km in one month.

However, the problem was that the packaging was simple and not very durable.

The current pavement method was about compacting the surface, filling it with crushed stones and gravel, and compacting it again to make it flat.

In the original case, it would have to be used as a roadbed and poured with asphalt or concrete, but it was made to make it easier to pass through.

Even with this, the East Stellar Company was quite satisfied.

Rafael Mouser and Emil Rose were very encouraged to report the progress of the construction to Hwan Lee.

“At this rate, I think two months would be enough to get the road going to get us ships of the size we want. Of course, we will have to work day and night without a break in the future.”

“Is 30 km deep enough to bring in a ship of the size we want?”

“Yes, it is. Of course, we will have to carry out port construction at that point as well.”

As long as humans put their mind to it, it could be solved in any way.

Now, road construction can give you some peace of mind.

Soon after, Rafael Mouser delivered the bad news.

“Engineers are gathering in Amsterdam and Paris, France, but the German mechanical experts they were originally supposed to join are not allowed in.”

“Can’t you go in?”

“The Prussian government’s abrupt ban on the export of engineers has effectively thwarted the influx of German federal mechanical experts, steel experts, and gunpowder experts.”

“… … Shit.”

This was a significant blow for Lee Hwan.

Although it was a latecomer in industrialization, the German Federation soon realized that technology was the key to improving national power and began to block the outflow of engineers.

Taken from readwn.com

Mechanical experts and gunpowder experts are essential to equip artillery and electrical equipment in the future.

“Hmm, that’s a big deal. Making a heavy machine is also a problem, but detonators and explosives are essential to making a new cannon… … .”

At first glance, the production of high explosives using detonators and the production of artillery that can commercialize them could be seen as similar to the development of cartridge ammunition.

However, this is a technology that can only be realized by combining chemistry and mechanical engineering, which is more complicated than expected, and it was absolutely necessary to develop a barrel that is strong and flexible enough to withstand the pressure of high explosives.

However, when Prussia stopped the leak of engineers, a problem arose.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. We have no choice but to post again.”

“Would it be nice if it was fortunate that people came from a country other than the area where the notice was sent?”

“Are you outside the announcement area?”

“Swedish.”

“Sweden?”

“Well, they also said that the outflow of population was so serious that it was even being discussed as a social problem, but they said that they did not issue an immigration ban.”

Lee Hwan obviously sent an official message to all of Western Europe, but unexpectedly, a person came down from Northern Europe after hearing the news.

They said they would probably arrive here tomorrow morning.

“He has a talent for architecture and chemistry, but some say he has the art of making cannons.”

“Oh, right?”

In the past, Lee Hwan had heard from Jeff that Sweden took care of gunpowder and cannons.

However, after the war, Sweden was in a somewhat chaotic situation, so it only did not issue an official notice.

Still, if you could come to me on your own, it was a welcome addition to Lee Hwan.

next day.

From early morning people came from Sweden.

They seemed to be more eager to get a job than anyone else.

“president! I even learned Dutch to get a job here! Please don’t throw us away and give us a job!”

“The enthusiasm is great.”

“I heard that your boss treats inventors generously. It is enough for us to have a job where we can eat properly three meals a day. It is okay to eat as much as you like. As long as you accept it, I will do anything!”

The inventors of this era were the innovators of the future, but most of them lived a very poor life until they applied for a proper patent.

In such an era, Lee Hwan’s treatment was truly unconventional, so everyone who was full of ideas came to Lee Hwan, you and me.

Lee Hwan asked about 30 people.

“okay. The Governor Kiwang has come to visit me, so I will listen to what his specialties are and give him a job.”

“We are talented in architecture and chemistry.”

“Oh, chemistry?”

“Even in the town where I lived, there was no one who knew nothing about architecture and chemistry if they just came up with the name Nobel. Of course, I had to sell laundry soap because I didn’t have enough research expenses.”

“… … Nobel?!”