This is the seventh watch, and there are three watches that must be served before ten o'clock today! Da Luo Luo desperately updated, and please reward you for the first order, enjoy a monthly pass, uh, it looks like a Jianghu show, but it's the same reason for selling literature and selling art, isn't it?

Guangzhou, Western-style Yamen.

"Mu Weng, according to our investigation, Guangdong has the conditions for the development of Western industry. First of all, there is no shortage of talents, Guangzhou has always been a port city for foreign trade exchanges, so the people of Guangdong know much more about Western affairs than people in other parts of China, and there are many people who can fluently use English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Moreover, Guangdong's handicraft industry has always been very developed, such as Foshan's iron-making industry and foundry industry were extremely developed in the former Ming Dynasty, and the iron and bronze ware produced in Foshan were once sold throughout Nanyang. At present, Foshan's iron industry is still the most developed in China, and it is not difficult to hire workers who are good at ironmaking, forging and casting......"

It was the Minister of Foreign Affairs who was pouring ecstasy soup into Lin Zexu, and the Yamen was a foreign lord and an advisor to the prefect title, Luo Li. This foreign devil is now wearing a flower feather on his head, dressed as an official of the Manchu court, and speaks a very fluent Cantonese official dialect. And what he said was also the truth, and Lin Zexu, who was an audience, nodded his head again and again in agreement.

Just because the people of Guangdong know more about the West, and many people can speak Western, Guangdong is indeed the most suitable area for the development of Western-style industry in the whole of China. Rodley was right.

"Hai'an," Lin Zexu called the name of the foreign devil Luo Li, "Tell me, if the dynasty wants to run a Western-style industry." Where to start? ”

"Of course, it's the military industry!" Rodeli had already figured out how to fool Lin Zexu, if he said that he wanted to start with the textile industry and the construction of railways. It is estimated that Lin Zexu will not listen at all. "Among the countries of the West, all the great powers have strong military support. Otherwise, once a war breaks out with a foreign country, weapons and ammunition will be controlled by others, and there will be no way to fight this war. ”

Lin Zexu nodded and said, "The old man thinks the same way. Hai'an, if I want to run a military industry in the Qing Dynasty, what should I do first? ”

"Mining should be the first priority in running a military industry. Because the main raw material for making guns and guns is steel, if steel is purchased from overseas, it is also controlled by others, and it is meaningless to run a military industry by itself. And if you want to make iron and steel, you can't just run your own iron factory, you also need to run your own iron ore and coal mines. Guangdong's mining industry has always been developed. There are ready-made iron mines and coal mines in Meizhou and Shaozhou, and there is also a large iron mine in Lingao County, Qiongzhou Prefecture. If the imperial court wanted to set up its own iron factories in Guangdong, it should set up mining yamen in Meizhou, Shaozhou, and Lingao, hire Western engineers, and purchase Western mining equipment for large-scale mining. ”

Bai Siwen on the side also echoed: "Mu Weng, our Guangdong has opened a mining ban since the Qianlong period, so the mining industry is developed, and skilled miners are easy to find." If you are in a province in the north where mining is still banned, it is not easy to open iron ore and coal mines. Therefore, this iron factory can only be placed in Guangdong. The steel was smelted and then shipped to Beijing to supply the Eight Banners Gun Factory and the Gun Factory. ”

Hearing Bai Siwen's suggestion, Lin Zexu nodded approvingly, but Luo Li couldn't cry or laugh in his heart. The brains of the Manchu bureaucrats were so stupid that they still thought they could monopolize the method of making guns and casting cannons. Don't they know that the World Bank is the world's largest arms manufacturer? Factories for the manufacture of Jason grenades and ammonium oil explosives and black powder were opened in England, France, Prussia, Austria, Russia, and the United States, and were already involved in the manufacture of firearms. However, this cannot be said in front of Lin Zexu and Bai Siwen, two Manchu officials.

"After mining, when it's traffic. Because Guangdong's coal mines and iron mines are not concentrated in one place. Mu Weng wanted to place the iron factory in Guangzhou. Therefore, the communication between the iron mines, the coal mines and the iron works was extremely important, and it was proposed that a railway be built to the ......"

Lin Zexu waved his hand and said, "Railway...... Not for now. However, it is possible to repair roads and develop water transport. ”

I read the works translated and published by Zhu Jishi. Lin Zexu naturally knew what a railway was, but it was still too hasty to build a railway in Guangdong immediately. What he was thinking about was not the theory of feng shui dragon veins, but the fact that the funds of the Western-style yamen were really limited and could not do too many things.

"So...... It's about cultivating talents. "Whether it is mining in Western law, smelting iron, or making guns and cannons, it is necessary to train craftsmen specially." He suggested opening a school of craftsmen in Guangzhou, employing skilled craftsmen from the West as teachers to teach various techniques to Chinese craftsmen. In addition, a school should be opened in Guangzhou to train translators......"

Bai Siwen also said: "Mu Weng, all the Western countries attach importance to the study of craftsmen, not only ordinary craftsmen, but also scholars who specialize in the study of craftsmen. Zhu Shun is a university scholar who studies the science of craftsmen and medicine, and his Hong Kong Jishi University teaches the science of craftsmen and medicine. ”

Lin Zexu twisted his beard and sighed, Zuo Zongtang had already asked someone to bring him a letter and tell him the details of Zhu Jishi one by one. He now knows that Zhu Jishi is not only a master of engineering and medicine, but also proficient in business and military affairs, and it is not an exaggeration to say that he is an all-rounder. It's a pity that such talents can't be used by the imperial court, not only talents like Zhu Jishi can't be used, but even great talents like Zuo Zongtang are also not allowed in the temple. Even if Guangzhou runs an "engineering school", how much reuse can the students they teach?

"Mu Weng, this Western method of mining and iron smelting can be taught, but the art of making guns and casting cannons and configuring gunpowder cannot be passed on lightly, and it must be selected by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to send someone to Guangzhou to learn."

Yes, guns and gunpowder are all militaristic weapons, and they must be in the hands of the banner people, how can they be taught to the Han people?

Lin Zexu nodded, and said solemnly: "What Enming said is extremely true, this kind of guns and gunpowder must not fall into the hands of people with ill intentions, otherwise it will be a great disaster for the country." ”

How can these two Chinese officials be like this...... What about being serious and saying something you don't believe in? If they are born in Europe, they will definitely be good lawyers. Luo Li thought uncertainly, but he gave the Qing Dynasty a trick.

"Of course, the purchase of machinery, the selection of a factory site, and the construction of a factory are also necessary. To start an iron factory, it is also necessary to burn refractory bricks, build reverberatory furnaces and crucible furnaces; Mining yards and mints need to purchase steam engines and molds; The gun factory and the gun factory also need steam engines, molds, lathes and other equipment......" Luo Li pretended to do some mental calculations, and said to Lin Zexu: "Mu Weng, after a rough calculation, these expenses add up to cost three million taels of silver. About 1.8 million taels of this is needed for the purchase of equipment, and the rest is the cost of factory construction. ”

Three million taels of silver...... This is a sky-high price! It is to slaughter our national hero Lin Zexu Lin as a fool!

"Isn't three million taels too much?" Lin Zexu frowned slightly, looked at Luo Li and asked.

Luo Li also smiled and replied: "It is inconvenient for the officials to comment on the construction funds of 1.2 million taels, but in terms of the procurement expenses of 1.8 million yuan...... It's really expensive. If Zhu Jishi is replaced to do these businesses, 600,000 taels will be enough. But in our Qing Dynasty, 1.8 million taels are still needed. ”

"What's that way of saying that?" Lin Zexu said in his heart, is the Qing Dynasty a fool who can be slaughtered at will?

Rodeli said with an embarrassed face: "Because Zhu Jishi himself is a British giant businessman, he doesn't need to go to Europe to buy machinery and equipment, he can place an order directly in India." And there is no need to buy new machines, just buy some old goods that have been eliminated by the Kolkata factory - this Indian Kolkata arsenal was invested by the British East India Company, and it was the largest arsenal in Shijie in the past, but since the end of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, the throne of Shijie's number one arsenal has been replaced by Zhu Jishi's Jishi. Recently, the Kolkata factory has been laying off personnel and selling machinery, and as far as the lower officials know, Zhu Jishi has already sent people to buy the factory for Lanfang at a low price.

It is impossible for us in the Qing Dynasty to buy old machines from the Calcutta factory in England, because we do not have a good relationship with England, and they refuse to sell them. Second, the quality of the old machine is not guaranteed, and if it cannot be used after buying, the other party is not responsible. This trouble is naturally difficult for the engineers of the World Bank, even if the machine is broken, they will repair haode, but we are here in Daqing...... There are no such talents. Therefore, I can only take the French way to buy a new machine, which is expensive and the freight is also high, and it must be 1.8 million taels. If Mu Weng doesn't believe it, he can ask the Taipan of Segur Bank and HSBC Bank to come to Guangdong to inquire about the price. It is also possible to invite the senior directors of foreign banks from the United States, Prussia, and Spain to come to Guangzhou, and if there is an offer of less than 1.8 million taels, the lower officials are willing to be dismissed. (To be continued......)