In this day and age, I believe that no one will object to New York being the most developed city in the Americas.

Even Doug, who has always lived in New Haven, has to admit that it is developed and generous after coming to New York.

Today, he came here to meet someone.

This is a big man, but he is not very good at talking.

That's why Doug came here to visit in person.

Arriving at the gates of the Vanderbilt Building, Doug looked up at the intricate building with an old-time feel before stepping inside.

The nineteenth century was an era of rapid technological development, and in this era of rapid technological development, everything was changing rapidly.

In the case of architecture, there are two styles coexisting in this era.

One is something like the Vanderbilt Building, which is full of old-time aesthetics, and fills in a lot of detail in some parts of the exterior that are not practical at all.

On the other hand, there is a new trend that is more practical.

Keep it simple, and if you don't use it, you will never add it.

This minimalist style full of pragmatism is the favorite of fellows like Doug from later generations.

As for this old-fashioned, church-like complex and lavish building, Doug Claydon doesn't hate it, but he doesn't like it either.

However, Doug also analyzed a little bit of the character of the old man Vanderbilt from here.

This old man, who was born in the last century, although in business view, has always been determined to forge ahead and pursue new things.

Whether it's from sail barges, to steamboats, or to railroads today.

However, any person still has the inevitable shortcomings in him. That's – nostalgia.

Before Doug came here, he asked Blair to investigate all the past of Mr. Vanderbilt.

After learning all about this gentleman's life, Doug found a little reason for the old man's sudden skyrocketing rail fares.

"Hello, Miss, I'm Doug Claydon, I have made an appointment with Mr. Vanderbilt, it's almost time, please help take a look. ”

Doug took off his hat and smiled sweetly while revealing his pale yellow blonde hair.

Although she is very young, she is still much older than Doug, and it has been a long time since she has met such a kind and polite person, and the key is that she still has a charming charm.

"Please wait. The young lady at the front desk, showing twelve teeth and a standard smile, began to inquire about the reservation roster.

"Hello, I've found it. You made an appointment at 2 p.m. and it's 1:37 p.m. You can come with me first and wait in the lounge. ”

The young lady led the way in front and said with her round ass.

Doug is not a man who likes his ass very much, but the aesthetics of this era, I don't know why I like the appearance of convex and backward scratching his head.

Actually, it's not bad for A, isn't it?

Of course, Doug would not oppose such a mainstream aesthetic.

If you oppose it, you can't let him make money, can you?

Doug sat in the lounge, thanked the big ass front desk lady for the drink, and then began to empty his mind for a short time and rested.

You know, because of the existence of Claydon Investment Bank, Doug also has to meet countless people every day.

And every meeting is a clash of heads.

In such an encounter, any lack of mental concentration may leave important loopholes.

And the human brain, a machine, is very easy to get tired.

Even the most gifted person cannot concentrate for more than ten hours a day.

Over time, Doug learned another way to rest.

What kind of rest method?

It is a short period of time and frequent rest.

Of course, this method of rest is not as useful as imagined.

However, it's better than not taking a break at all.

Even, now Doug is used to this practice.

No matter where he is or what he is about to face, he can empty his brain anytime and anywhere and relax for a while.

There is a huge grandfather clock in the lounge.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, this grandfather clock reported the time on time.

Doug stood up, straightened his clothes, and waited for an announcement from Secretary Vanderbilt.

Although there were more than thirty people who came to New York with him, even the security guards at the entrance of the Vanderbilt Building and on various streets, there were no less than twenty-five. However, at this moment, Doug has no one by his side.

After all, Vanderbilt, the old gentleman, is a short-tempered man.

Even God doesn't know if he came here with security guards, whether this old gentleman would see it as a demonstration.

"Hello, I've been waiting a long time, Lord Vanderbilt, please come in. Vanderbilt's secretary came over and said.

Doug nodded slightly, then said, "Thank you." ”

Then, with a solemn but not solemn expression, he walked into Vanderbilt's office.

Vanderbilt's office, located on the highest floor of the Vanderbilt Building.

It's not far from New York Harbor, and on the top floor, there's a huge floor-to-ceiling window. A huge floor-to-ceiling window that doesn't fit the style of this building.

Through this floor-to-ceiling window, you can easily look down on the whole of New York Harbor.

That's right, this Vanderbilt mansion is the same as the heights where Vanderbilt was home when he was a child.

Seeing this scene, Doug's heart was a little firmer.

Before the master could speak, he said to the old man with a white beard and silver hair, "Captain, it's a pleasure to meet you. ”

"Captain?" the old man asked rhetorically, "when was that? you weren't born when I was still on the ship, were you?"

The old man's eyes, although they were a little cloudy due to physiological reasons, were still as sharp as the most ferocious seabirds.

Doug didn't take Vanderbilt's ridicule to heart, he naturally sat down, looked at the former shipping tycoon, and now the railroad tycoon, he smiled and said, "You don't have to be old to know your prestige, do you?"

Even a little fellow like me knows the prestige of your captain, doesn't that mean that your name has endured to this day and has a rich appeal?"

"The thing I hate the most is the oily guys. Young man, you are not the first, and definitely not the last. Never try to use your flattery to get a penny out of me. Old man Vanderbilt's voice was very loud.

"You guessed it wrong, I came to you from New Haven. It's not about flattering you, because flattery takes advantage of you. On the contrary, I'm only here to talk to you, to get my share of what belongs to you – fairness. ”

"Fair? What are you thinking? Fair?"

Vanderbilt seems to have heard the funniest thing in the world.

"Young man, do you still think that there is fairness in this world? Do you think that there are good people and bad people in this world?"

"I do think there are good people and bad people in this world. But there are no absolute good guys and bad guys.

A person, he can be a robber, robbing all the strangers he sees. To these strangers, he is an out-and-out bad person.

But, at the same time, he is also a father. A father who loves and spoils his children. For his children, every time their father returns, no matter how late, he brings them a candy. He's a good guy to his kids.

Any person has multiple identities.

A person can be both a father and a son, a commander and a subordinate.

And his good or bad is only relative to people with a specific identity.

Therefore, I think there are good people and bad people in this world. ”

Doug said with a serious face.

"So do you think I'm a good person or a bad person for you?" Vanderbilt asked.

"You have a good side and a bad side to me. But I think you're a little worse with me. Because, your rail transportation costs, like a balloon blown by a hippopotamus, are soaring all the time. And almost everyone, including me, can't afford your high shipping costs anymore.

So you're a bad guy to me.

At the same time, however, you are not completely forbidden to use your railway line. So here you are good again. ”

"Oh, I'm a bad guy with you, so why did you come to see a bad guy like me? You can just go to someone who isn't so bad?" Vanderbilt's voice seemed to be a little disgruntled.

However, Doug felt that his dissatisfaction was not really dissatisfied.

Vanderbilt, the old man, was an absolutely qualified businessman.

Transporting supplies from the north to the south is not the only mode of transportation available by rail.

Shipping is also an option.

However, due to the limited throughput of front-line ports and the fact that not all battlefields are located in coastal areas, road transportation is also required.

But if Vanderbilt has been endlessly raising the price of rail transportation.

Once a certain threshold is exceeded, it does not mean that the ports on the front line will not expand, and it does not mean that the front line cannot accept the use of horse-drawn carts to transport supplies from the port to the interior.

So...... What is the reason for Vanderbilt's endless increase in shipping costs?

Don't...... Is it because of the children who died on the front line?

No!

Probably not!

Doug immediately denied his thoughts.

Because, Vanderbilt is a businessman.

The most important thing for a businessman or a capitalist is to make money.

In order to make a profit, they have too many things to sacrifice.

It's just a child, even if it's the eldest son, even if it's a well-cultivated eldest son. To be dead is to be dead.

After death, any act he does will not bring him back to life.

Moreover, all retaliatory actions will only bring losses.

Therefore, Vanderbilt was able to become the richest man of his time, and he would not have done such a thing.

Could it be......

What news is there to support his price increase?

Could it be that there will be problems with sea freight?

How can there be a problem with sea freight?

Could it be that the British, or perhaps the French fleet is already on its way?

Doug's mind crossed such thoughts.

However, he didn't stick to this idea for long.

Because, it's unlikely.

Although Britain is very keen to interfere in the affairs of the United States, Britain at this moment is destined to be powerless in the Americas.

This is true not only in North America, but also in South America.

If the British fleet really came to America by sea, they would face not the American fleet, but the Spanish and Portuguese fleets.

Although, in the rest of the world, Spain and Portugal, were almost always hoisted and whipped by British fleets.

In the Americas, however, it's a different story entirely.

As for the Spaniards and Portuguese, in the rest of the world, who did not own many colonies, and whose entire overseas interests were in the Americas, they would not have allowed the British to go to the Americas at will.

As for France, their focus at the moment is on Africa.

They are working hard to defend their rights and interests in Africa.

After supporting the United States in completing the Revolutionary War, France's intervention in the Americas can be said to be almost non-existent.

So why exactly?

Could it be......

What else could threaten shipping?

Doug struggled to sort out his thoughts, and suddenly something came to his mind.

Recently, with the liberalization of the sale of picric acid by Tom & Doug.

Although picric acid is very expensive, it sells very well.

Among them, the flow direction of most picric acids is very clear.

Those manufacturers who got picric acid made products that did not compete with Winchester Arms.

However, there is still a small segment whose sales are missing.

Before, Doug thought that this part of the bitter sour would eventually return to the hands of the southerners.

They will use these picric acids and learn from the north to make grenades and more powerful cannons.

However, it seems that this is not so simple now.

If you want to threaten maritime shipping.

A word popped into Doug's head, and that was - "torpedo"!

That's right!

It's a torpedo!

Torpedoes are not something new.

However, the torpedoes of the past, because of the explosives, were not very powerful.

Small boats may also be affected.

For a large ship with many compartments, there are only some losses.

However, if you make a torpedo with picric acid, which is a 100 times more powerful explosive than conventional explosives.

Then it is not impossible for torpedoes, a weapon that could only be used to blockade rivers, to blockade the oceans.

You know, the sea looks very wide, though.

However, there are also waterways.

This...... Is that the reason for Vanderbilt's price increase?