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"The Metropolitan Governor has said that the fragmented pattern of Europe as a whole has long been set, and it is difficult to unify it. In other words, in the future, the Metropolitan Governor will make great strides forward, and Europe will not become our real enemy. The Americas, on the other hand, have a superior geographical location, abundant resources, a suitable climate, and more importantly, its overall pattern is in the process of being shaped and has not yet been finalized. The Renaissance in Europe is basically over, and its scientific and technological development has far surpassed ours, and it is not a threat to us under the fragmentation of Europe, but it is likely to take shape in the Americas.

What's more, the American continent is so rich in resources, in a few years, we have the ability to get a piece of the pie, or even dominate it, why not go. People have no foresight, but they must have near-term worries. It's still the long-term vision of the Metropolitan Governor, and if you take a long-term view, it will never be wrong. ”

After all, Chen Wu is still a military attaché, and he didn't think so far-reachingly, he secretly swallowed his saliva and said: "Lord Miao, if you want to say that the vision of the Metropolitan Governor, the lowly ones don't doubt it, but we haven't really entered Europe yet, and the Metropolitan Governor is planning the Americas. ”

"Hehe, Xiao Chen, what you said is right, the rice is to be eaten one bite at a time, this truth will most of the governors have not counted in their hearts? Don't you know, the year before last, the Grand Governor sent people to the Americas with the European fleet, just to send people to explore and touch the situation in the Americas. Prepare for a big push into the Americas in the future. It is certainly not possible to travel to the Americas in a big way now. The time is not yet ripe, according to the plan of the Grand Duke, it is estimated that it will be ten years later!

But there are some things that must be done now, at least to explore the Americas first, and then have a reference when you advance into the Americas in the future. It's like we're coming to Europe this time, and we're also preparing for the Americas in the future! As for the route to explore. The Metropolitan Governor and the two Lords, Yao and Li, have already discussed that if we want to divide our troops into several routes, Europe will become one of our forward bases. Now that Europeans have already circumnavigated the globe, we have to catch up!

Of course, it is difficult for ordinary maritime merchants to make such explorations, but our ocean trading companies and Kunpeng caravans have to undertake this kind of exploration task. ”

Fujian's ocean-going trading company has developed into a behemoth in the past few years, and now it is not limited to Fujian merchants, but also several other provinces have big families allowed to join. It is said that there is great strength in numbers, and the integration of resources. The development of the fleet has also been greatly accelerated. At present, the ocean trading company has a total of more than 1,000 large and small ships, including a lot of miscellaneous ships, such as Nanjing ships, Ningbo ships, Fuzhou-made ships, Guangdong ships, Siamese ships, sand ships, etc., of course, most of them are still less than 1,000 materials, of which between 400 and 600 materials are the majority, accounting for about half. For example, the standard of the Kunpeng fleet is 4,000 materials (that is, equivalent to 1,200 tons), and there are only 90 ships in total.

However, now since Geng Jingzhong raised his troops, all the shipyards in Fujian have been vigorously mobilized, and later Guangdong and Luzon Island have also been mobilized, and at this time there is no longer any obstacle, and the shipyards and shipyards in various parts of Fujian and Guangdong can be started with the right to start. The Ministry of Administration provided the shipyards with drawings of the improved Galen ship, which was close to the flying clipper invented by later generations, and the speed was quite impressive. However, these are all small and medium-sized, the small ones are between 100 and 400 tons, and the medium-sized ones are between 500 and 800 tons, and in just one year, more than 200 small and medium-sized ships have been built all over Fujian and Guangdong, and these ships are equipped with some weapons as merchant ships, which are suitable for exploring the ocean.

Clippers appeared in the early nineteenth century, a type of high-speed sailing ship that originated in the United States and represented the pinnacle of the technical level of sailing boats. And the biggest feature of the clipper is one word - "fast!" ”。 From the mid-seventeenth century to the eighteenth century, European sailboats were running at a normal tailwind, generally between five and six knots, and a few clippers could reach seven to eight knots. However, clippers can reach speeds of 12 to 14 knots, and the fastest clippers can even reach speeds of 18 to 20 knots. Therefore, after the appearance of clippers, it also set a series of speed records for sailboats:

The fastest flight in a day is 703 kilometers and the average speed is 16 knots. It took only thirteen days to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Liverpool in England to New York in the United States. It took only 59 days to travel from London, England around the Cape of Good Hope to Melbourne, Australia. At present, there are more than 16,000 kilometers from Britain to China, and the one-way journey is generally six to eight months. In 1866, there was a very famous story of the clipper boat race: on May 29 of that year, the clipper ship Fierycross (Burning Cross) set off from Fuzhou, China; On 30 May, the clippers Ariol (Antelope), Taeping (Taeping) and Serica also left the Fuzhou dock in China at the same time, and the Taitsing was the last to leave on 31 May.

At 8 a.m. on 26 September, the Taeping was the first to reach the port of London, England, while the Ariol was only half an hour late, and Serica arrived in London at noon that day, taking third, and the other two ships arrived in London two days later. The two fastest ships completed the whole course in only ninety-nine days, and the slower one took only one hundred and one days.

In the age of sailboats, this was almost a miracle speed. However, the glory period of the clipper was very short, only a few decades, because at that time, the steamship appeared in the warp, and soon replaced the clipper and became the main force of shipping. Although the sailboat persisted into the twentieth century, it was inevitable that it would become obsolete by time. It's just that although the Qing government at that time lost the two Opium Wars, it still didn't realize that because of the continuous development of science and technology, the world became smaller and smaller.

Later generations of clippers were not only fast. And the carrying capacity is not bad at all. In the middle of the XIX century. The general displacement of large clippers is from two to three thousand tons, and the carrying capacity is also considerable. Of course, the speed of large clippers is slower than that of medium and light clippers, but it can also reach an average speed of about ten knots, which is also considerable.

Geng Jingzhong ordered the shipyard to vigorously develop a fast warship, and he thought of this clipper, but he didn't know much about it, and remembered the general appearance at the time. But that's it. It gave the designer a lot of inspiration, so there is now this ship that combines the style of sail warship and applies it to business, Geng Jingzhong knows that it can save a lot of time. And time, for businessmen, is money. Even now, almost all of the shipyards and bunkers built this type of ship. Although the speed is slower than that of the clippers of later generations, the cargo capacity is not low!

In fact, Fujian Ocean Trading Company also has some monopoly advantages, after the company's expansion last year. The profit from trade in a year has reached more than 20 million silver coins, and it is still growing. Since there are so many resources occupied. There are some corresponding responsibilities. What's more, although this kind of exploration is very risky, in fact, there is also the possibility of profiteering. At that time, as long as the European explorers could sail back, how many of them didn't make a lot of money?

At present, several ports in Fujian and Guangdong are full of merchant ships full of goods and oceans, and whether in the East or the West, these commodities in China are in short supply, and the prices are 10 or even 20 times that of the mainland, and even hundreds of times. As long as you can get to Europe, you'll be able to make a lot of money.

Now the shipyards and shipyards in Fujian and Guangdong have been waiting for at least three years, and after the timber merchants in the mainland no longer worry about the ban of the Qing court, there is no shortage of timber, and the speed at which the ships are launched is simply amazing. The most ordered ships are especially clippers with amazing speeds, which are the preferred ship types for businessmen.

Speaking of which, the total number of Chinese merchant ships sailing daily in Korea, Japan, the South Seas, India, Persia, the Red Sea, and other places is about 300. The number of merchant ships. Although it sounds like a small number, less than a tenth of the size of a small country in the Netherlands, the number of ships is increasing at an alarming rate, and it is believed that it will soon surpass that of the Netherlands in a few years. Becoming the world's largest maritime trading country with the largest number of merchant ships is also just around the corner.

Now, at the very least, the strength of the Mawei Army is no longer dared to be provoked in East Asia, which also paved the way for the goods of Fujian and Guangdong and opened up the market. Within the scope of Mawei Navy control, you just need to be not afraid of wind and waves. If you send the goods over, you don't have to worry about not making money.

In fact, even if there is no horsetail navy, there is no need to worry about the lack of sales for the goods from Fujian and Guangdong, whether it is traditional silk, tea, porcelain, or the emerging yarn, cotton, ready-to-wear, woolen clothing, leather clothing, toffee, beef jerky, special smoked meat, as well as soap, toilets, batteries, light bulbs, searchlights, cement, rubber products; Knives, swords, matches, glass crafts, paper, pen and ink, calligraphy and painting, Confucian classics, Buddhist scriptures, medical books, and delicate jewelry made of new steel. jade carvings, all kinds of spices, medicinal herbs, furniture, lacquerware, etc.; The hillbillies who have never seen the market are proud to have access to Chinese goods.

At present, the goods of Fujian and Guangdong are passing through more and more merchant ships, which are constantly exported overseas, and at the same time bring back a large number of overseas goods and a shipload of wealth. On the eve of Miao Quanchen's departure, they also heard the news that the Hu family business in Zhangzhou was about to fail at a loss, but they desperately took five ships to sea, although only two ships came back intact in the end, but they used several ships to bring back treasures worth millions of silver coins in Fujian. This matter was transmitted back and caused a sensation in Fujian and Guangdong. The most popular of them is actually the mirror produced by Geng Jingzhong's glass factory, a palm-sized mirror, the price of the Hu family from the glass factory is fifty taels, but in the Persian Gulf, they can exchange for gems and gold worth 1,000 taels.

In recent years, Fujian has not only been a novelty commodity such as mirrors, but also many Chinese goods are very novel, and they can often obtain eye-popping high prices. This kind of business, as long as it is done, is enough for people to enjoy it for a lifetime. Such huge profits lure more and more people to join overseas trade.

The fleet set sail for Europe, precisely to open the European market, once such a huge market in Europe is completely opened in front of many merchants, one can imagine what the result will be. Newspapers in Fujian and Guangdong are also reporting on it, which of course has also triggered huge repercussions. Many trading companies and trading companies have organized fleets. Prepare for the return of the Kunpeng fleet. Immediately set off for Europe to seize the market. However, they were already a little late, and at this time, of course, the opportunity was snatched away by the accompanying merchants. However, this is also quite decisive, and many businesses still have opportunities.

After resting in Lisbon for three days, the fleet led by Miao Quanchen set off again and continued to the Netherlands. As for why he didn't go directly to the UK. Miao Quanchen was also considerate, after all, they came to Europe at the invitation of the Dutch governor in Batavia, and they should visit the Netherlands first. But not all of them went to Holland, and a small number of ships carried some people to England for English. In short, this time the fleet is here to make a fortune and show strength, to show goodwill to all parties. This is also fortunate that Geng Jingzhong did not agree to help the Netherlands directly, both sides helped, so that both sides can recover some vitality and continue to fight in the interests of the Mawei Army. Both sides profit. is the main task of Miao Quanchen's trip.

At the speed of the fleet, from Lisbon to Amsterdam. It was also counted as five days and five nights, and the way to Huanshun lì, there was no British fleet in the English Channel, and the Dutch fleet came to pick up halfway through. During the fleet's three days in Lisbon, the Dutch soldiers under the command of the governor of Batavia had already taken the lead and went to the Netherlands to report the news. William of Orange, who had just been the head of state of the Netherlands for two years, attached great importance to it, so there was a fleet to take over.

Amsterdam was officially granted city status in 1300. From the fourteenth century onwards, Amsterdam began to flourish, mainly thanks to trade with the Hanseatic League. In 1345, Culver Street became a place of pilgrimage for citizens until Protestantism became the state religion of the Netherlands. Of course, these pilgrimage rituals no longer exist today, and only the luxurious costumes of that time are left for posterity to admire. In the 16th century, the Dutch rebelled against King Philip II of Spain and his successors as the Spanish crown that ruled the Netherlands at the time began to introduce new tax policies and establish the Spanish Inquisition, which persecuted Protestants.

The emergence of a large number of Protestants by the new capital, coupled with the revolt of the Calvinists, soon escalated into the Eighty Years' War, which eventually led to the independence of the Netherlands. The leader of the uprising, "William of Orange and Nassau," declared the independence of the eight northern Dutch provinces (including Amsterdam) as the Dutch Republic, and he also became the first member of the Dutch royal family. He pursued a series of more liberal religious policies, which allowed Jews from the Iberian Peninsula, Huguenots in France, wealthy merchants and printers in Flanders, and economic and religious refugees from the Spanish-controlled Low Countries to find safe havens in Amsterdam. The influx of Flemish printers and the tolerance of ideas made Amsterdam a centre for free publishing in Europe.

The 17th century is considered to be the golden age of Amsterdam. Dutch merchant ships sailed from Amsterdam to the Baltic Sea, North America and Africa, as well as present-day Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Brazil over the course of a century, thus forming the basis of the world trade network. A large number of shares issued by the Dutch East India Company and the Dutch West India Company were owned by Amsterdam merchants. The overseas possessions acquired by these two companies later evolved into Dutch colonies. Amsterdam also became the center of European shipping and world financing at this time. Sixty years ago, the Amsterdam office of the Dutch East India Company began selling its own shares and became the world's first stock exchange. Historically, it was only in the eighteenth century that Amsterdam's prosperity began to fade. Later wars between the Netherlands and England and France hit Amsterdam at its peak. Later, the Netherlands was occupied by French troops led by Napoleon.

At this moment, a year after Amsterdam was flooded, the city was once again rejuvenated, after all, the war was over, and Dutch merchants did not allow the largest port to be depressed. It was only when the Kunpeng caravan cheered the accompanying merchants and warriors into the streets of Amsterdam that they were as disappointed as they were in Lisbon. Although it is not said that there is human and animal feces everywhere, and it is not to the point of being dirty, the scene of this city is indeed worse than that of Fuzhou, Guangdong and other cities in its own country, and it is too far behind. Most typically, the sewers on the side of the road don't even have covers, sewage flows sideways, and flies buzz around from time to time in the summer.

The flow of people on the street is the same as that of an ordinary prefecture and county in Fujian and Guangdong, and there is no such scene as that of Fuzhou and Guangzhou. Ordinary people also mostly wore linen clothes, and only those wealthy nobles of the upper class could afford to wear silk fabrics exported from China.

Miao Quanchen and his entourage stayed in the port of Amsterdam for only one night, and the next day, they were taken to Amsterdam City Hall by William of Orange. This was later known as the Dutch Royal Palace, which at this time was the political and economic center of the city and the Netherlands as a whole. William of Orange himself was here to give an official welcome dinner to the Fujian Mission.

This reception dinner is very sumptuous for the Netherlands, but for Miao Quanchen and others from China, it can only be regarded as a sketch. William of Orange was forty years old, very gentlemanly, with a chubby face and a somewhat hawkish nose, but he felt like a very resolute man. Miao Quanchen and William of Orange complimented each other, and then chatted together about topics of interest to both sides, of course, it was like a meeting of future generations of national leaders, and the translators around them were also constantly translating. The dinner didn't last long, mainly because Miao Quanchen and others were not used to it, and as soon as Pu ended, he immediately returned to the room. (To be continued......)