Vineyard Island is located in the Atlantic Ocean less than 10 kilometers south of the Cape Cod Peninsula in the southeast of Haizhou, and has a total area of more than 260 square kilometers, including the small eastern island (Chapaquidik Island) to the east. Because of the excellent natural climate, fertile soil and unique wild grape varieties, it was given a very rural and fresh name, and it was also a famous grape producing area and vacation destination in North America in later generations.

Haixiang Township, the only town on Vineyard Island, is located in the later Edgar Township, founded in 1626 and is one of the first three towns established in Haizhou.

The idea of three carriages of "commerce, mining and fishing", which was initially the beginning of Haizhou's economy, was realized with the gradual prosperity of Haixiang Township. Haixiang Township has become the largest fishing and whale industry base in Haizhou and even Huamei, and nearly two-thirds of the local labor force is engaged in fishery-related work. A number of whaling companies, including the whaling fleet of the state-owned distant-water fishing company, have set up production headquarters here, and the output of various whale products accounts for more than 50% of the total supply in China and the United States.

At the same time, the fertile soil and the warm Atlantic current also give the vineyard island a natural advantage for the development of characteristic agriculture. Grains, vegetables, fruits, rapeseed and deer farming are the backbone of local agriculture. The output of vegetables, fruits and rapeseed oil in Haixiang Town ranks in the forefront of Haizhou, and the winemaking industry and deerskin products brought by high-quality grapes are the two major characteristic signboards of Haixiang Town in addition to whale aquatic products, with small quantity and high price. Even the immigrant Yan Mansion, with the support of his son-in-law Sun Yang, invested in its own deer farm and winemaking workshop on the island, supporting this Chinese upstart family to eat and drink spicy food in China.

By June 1642, the registered population of Haixiang Township had exceeded 12,000, and it was about to be converted into a city by the end of the year, and Dongxiang Island (Nantucket) further east was also included in the administrative jurisdiction of the city, and began to have the opportunity to enjoy the treatment of national urban development financial subsidies.

Vineyard Island is not only an important agricultural and economic center in Haizhou, but also has a warm climate in winter and cool in summer, and is very close to the capital. It is a tourist and leisure destination that has just been emerging in the upper class of Manchester City for a few years. Di Zugong, who was the first to join forces with Guanyun in Bermuda and taste the sweetness of the tourism industry, became the first tourism real estate tycoon in Huamei after retiring from politics, and his first development target was Vineyard Island.

There are more than 10 high-end villas and resorts on Vineyard Island, almost all of which belong to Di Zugong's personal assets, and more than 20 gorgeous families who come to the island for vacation every summer, each spending thousands of dollars can add tens of thousands of dollars to Di Zugong's profits a year. Although this kind of industry has a large investment and a long return cycle, it is better to be stable and stable, and it will continue to be popular.

Now. Haixiang Township ushered in a new round of economic prosperity in the middle of summer.

Thousands of barrels of whale oil are transported from whale processing yards to the docks and are one of the lifeblood of the domestic industry; Boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables are neatly stacked for loading, and the capital city alone consumes more than 300 tons of fruits and vegetables every week; Hemp bags of soil-modified organic compound fertilizers based on whalebone meal, peat, and oil residue cake are piled up, and the demand for Bermuda overseas territories and Caribbean overseas states is extremely strong; The preliminarily salted sea fish is a piece of honeysuckle, and the towns of Yacheng, Yanghe, Huatian, Jingu, Jiangling and other towns in Binzhou are the most important consumer markets for the fishery in Haixiang Township.

Two 20-year-old short shirt-class clipper merchant ships of the state-owned ocean shipping company are being loaded at the port. After completing this final shipment, they will enter the Beiyang Shipping Company dock on Long Island for a simple refurbishment, replacing the full-beam sail with a schooner. Then they were presented to the Marquis of Emden and the two younger brothers of Lan Fang Freedom in the Far East.

They will be replaced by a newly completed HSB 1500 steam bulk carrier, which can almost double their previous cargo volume and have significantly lower operating and maintenance costs. In order to gradually complete the optimization of the commercial capacity of state-owned ocean shipping companies.

……

Tuesday, July 1, 1642.

The climate and the luxury and elegance of the resort make the Vineyard Island Sea Country the best place for negotiations between the Chinese and American Ministries of Foreign Affairs to mediate the conflict between Spain and Portugal. Although the diplomatic process was full of off-topic and intrigues, the cool weather and beautiful scenery of the vineyard island still defused the grievances of the two Iberian Peninsula countries.

In the end, Spain was the first to abandon its stubborn position. Or did the Chinese and American Foreign Ministries' impatient public threats to terminate military loans, while Portugal was promised benefits that they felt worthy of continuing to be good friends with Spain.

The peace talks, which lasted for almost half a year, finally came to an end on the first day of July. The "Peace Treaty of Western Portuguese", hosted and participated by Huamei, was officially launched.

First, the Spanish crown recognized the formal end of the Spanish-Portuguese union that had been in place since 1582, the Duke of Bragança was given the rightful right to rule the Kingdom of Portugal, and the Kingdom of Spain withdrew all troops or administrative officials who remained in the territory of the Kingdom of Portugal.

Second, the Kingdom of Portugal abandoned its claim to the return of Port Ceuta, a traditional North African colony on the southern shore of the Strait of Gibraltar, respecting the position of local officials who had chosen to pledge allegiance to the Kingdom of Spain, but as diplomatic compensation, the Kingdom of Spain paid a symbolic purchase fee of 10,000 Spanish silver dollars.

Third, the two countries will conclude a strategic alliance after the treaty takes effect, and redefine the demarcation line between the Portuguese Brazilian colonies in South America and the surrounding Spanish colonies, the results of which will also be included in the appendix to the peace treaty.

It seems that the result is very harmonious, but the real big thing is the final "add-on" of the peace treaty, because Huamei is also one of the signatories to the peace treaty.

According to the provisions of the Addendum to the Peace Treaty, Spain and Portugal will fully recognize the sovereignty claims of China and the United States north of Mexico in North America, as well as in the Eastern Caribbean Islands (Lesser Antilles), the South Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean; In order to prevent the French encroachment on the Florida Peninsula from continuing to damage the stability of Spain's rule in the New World colonies, Spain officially sold the Florida Peninsula to Huamei for a symbolic price of 300,000 US dollars, but Spain was not responsible for the handover process, because there were currently French military strongholds on it, and it was none of Spain's business when Huamei would take it back.

In addition to their respective home ports, which continue to follow trade authorizations, China and the United States, Spain, and Portugal will fully open their respective overseas territories or colonial ports in the Atlantic, Central and South America, with other regions not included. In the above-mentioned areas, the three countries will grant each other the right to free trade, and the merchant ships of the three countries will enjoy the best treatment of cargo tax in the ports of the signatory countries. Prior to this, only Spain had granted a separate grant to the Portuguese colonies under the Eight Terms of Peace when they annexed Portugal. Even Spain's own colonies banned free trade between themselves.

At the strong request of Spain and Portugal, China and the United States agreed to join the 10-year "Atlantic Strategic Defense Alliance." But Huamei also asked for an explanation of this classic "diplomatic kidnapping", that is, China's military defense obligations to the Atlantic Strategic Alliance are limited to the protection of Spanish and Portuguese ships (including military vessels) on the Atlantic routes, and do not include territory or other maritime areas of any nature. For example, once the Chinese and US navies encounter naval battles between Spain and other countries during their voyages in the Atlantic, Chinese and American warships must unconditionally join the Spanish side.

A series of agreements to exchange interests between the three countries were arguably unprecedented, and in the end Spain was signed by Oscar (Sianwen), Duke of Santa Cruz. As a special person with dual nationality of China and Spain, the young Shi Anwen has completely become the "diplomatic puppet" of his father Shi Wenbo, and the Spanish side has also obtained many diplomatic gains that have not been broken through before.

And that's the end of the public mutual benefit. But privately, Huamei still signed a series of in-depth mutual assistance agreements with Spain and Portugal.

In view of Spain's deteriorating prospects in the European theater, East American Atlantique Bank will issue another five-year loan totaling $8 million to Spain in tranches over a three-year period. The interest rate on the loan was much lower than the average for the Dutch bank to lend to European sovereigns, with a quarterly interest rate of "only" 8%, and allowed Spain to cover 70% of the loan with goods transactions, but these loans could only be used to purchase luxury goods.

In addition to the armor, uniforms, medicines, gunpowder and foodstuffs that Spain urgently needed, the export of high-grade military equipment to Spain has once again been upgraded to a higher level. Based on the prototype of the Westworth hexagonal rifle, which Huamei has thoroughly understood and perfected, Huamei will export a Type 42 breech-mounted Westworth 90mm cannon to Spain.

This is a product that failed to be developed by NORINCO as early as 1623, and now it has been turned out of the pile of old papers. It is then redeveloped using a newer manufacturing process.

The Type 42 front-loading Wisworth cannon had a short gun diameter, and the switch to a black powder cartridge gave it a maximum effective range of only about 1,600 meters. The charge of the high-explosive shells used was also changed to black powder, and the weight of the shells was reduced. The power is only a quarter of that of the same caliber of gorgeous artillery shells, but the overall performance is a big cut off the whole of old European cannons, especially suitable for small and medium-sized warships. Of course, the price is a bit scary, approved by the Chinese and American Department of Defense. The export unit price of the Type 42 cannon exported by the state-owned import and export group has actually reached $9,000, which is three times more expensive than the new 12-pounder cannon that can also fire spherical flowering shells, not to mention the $50 a high-explosive shell. The threshold for buying luxury goods in Spain has been lowered. But whether you can afford it or not is another matter.

At least in appearance, it was an advanced weapon that Huamei had equipped, and after visiting several accurate live-fire demonstrations during the negotiations, the Spanish diplomat, Baron Diego, was blinded. However, at the beckoning of the "relevant departments", NORINCO sadly stated that the monthly output of such cannons was only 10 units at most. If it weren't for the ridiculously high price, it is estimated that Diego would be eager to buy this weapon with all the loans he has negotiated.

Although we know that Spain is unlikely to completely turn around in the Thirty Years' War in Europe compared with France, Sweden, and the Netherlands, which are thriving, and the returns on this series of support may be far lower than expected, Spain's concession of sovereignty over China and the United States in the New World, as well as the future containment strategy against France and the Netherlands, make this somewhat "loss-making" investment very meaningful.

Portugal's benefits were not left behind, and according to the intention that had been negotiated privately for a long time, Huamei would vigorously support Portugal's operations in the colonies of Brazil, West Africa, East Africa, and India, and also give a long-term low-interest loan of $3 million for five years, and also allow 50% of it to be repaid with goods.

The loan can be purchased for a large number of steam mining equipment, many of which are mainstream equipment in China and the United States, and will expand the mining industry in Brazil and West African colonies in the form of joint ventures. The sole purpose of exporting this technology and equipment is to increase the ore production in Portugal, Brazil and the West African colonies, and continue to reduce the cost of raw material imports in Huamei.

The second is to export second-hand steam merchant ships to Portugal, which is also the first time to export steam-powered ships to European countries. The most advanced national standard 1500 merchant ships are not enough for themselves, and of course they cannot be sold, but it does not prevent a batch of old national standard 440 or 650 old steam merchant ships born after the introduction of the "Encouragement of Shipping Act" in 1628 to be converted and sold.

The new type of merchant ships represented by the national standard 1500 merchant ships have excellent performance and low operation and maintenance costs, coupled with low-interest loan policies and subsidies to encourage the shipbuilding industry in China, large and small trading or shipping enterprises in China and the United States have carried out the work of gradually optimizing their own commercial transport capacity, and the old ships that have been eliminated will naturally use Europe as a garbage recycling station.

But in the eyes of the Portuguese or the Spaniards, these are all good things. Regardless of the wind currents, the average speed is almost twice as high as that of a sail galen. Regardless of whether the price is fair, whether there are skilled crews, and whether the coaling station configuration in his own port is in place, Baron Lopez, the diplomatic representative of Portugal, at least greatly appreciates the open gesture of Huamei.

In addition, a large number of early shear sailboats built in China and the United States will also be refurbished and sold at low prices to the two Iberian countries, as well as the Dominions of County Cork and the Marquis of Emden, in order to build a future commercial competition with the Netherlands, a major maritime trading power. To this end, the state-owned import and export group has also set up a second-hand ship trading company to be responsible for purchasing obsolete domestic ships and then marketing them to Europe.

Then there is the Type 42 front-loading Wisworth 90mm cannon, which will also be exported to Portugal with advanced military equipment that will trigger hostility and an arms race among European countries. However, with Portugal's figure, there is no capital for large-scale procurement.

In return for a series of benefits, Portugal finally agreed to lease the island of Terceira in the Azores in its entirety for a period of 60 years. Although Huamei does not have to pay any rent on the surface, the additional condition is that the Portuguese royal family will continue to retain the island's 25% tariff for 20 years, which can be called the most cunning "friendly" attitude of the Portuguese royal family.

From then on, the American Concession on Terceira Island will be merged with Angra Heroísmo and renamed the Viceroyalty of the Azores, and there will be no special restrictions on the stay of the thousands of Portuguese residents who have been living with the Chinese and American citizens of the American Concession for more than ten or twenty years, and those who are willing to stay will be granted the right of formal settlement in the United States after three years.

The Chinese Cabinet will appoint 35-year-old Wang Feng, the third son of former Jersey Town Mayor Wang De and the current Jersey Civil Affairs Bureau, as the Governor of the Azores, which is a new record for the second generation of immigrants to serve as senior local government officials.

Whether Spain and Portugal will be able to share the burden of containing France, the Netherlands, and other powerful rising powers after the Thirty Years' War is still in doubt, at least for now. The decline of these two countries is difficult to lift with butterfly wings, and it takes a long time and effort for the mud to be held up against the wall. However, the signing of the "Peace Treaty of Western Portuguese" finally brought the strategy of bundling Sino-American interests in Europe into a new stage, and prepared for the great end of the Sino-American strategic interests of the Thirty Years' War in Europe.

Seeking the benefits of economic expansion externally and laying a good foundation internally to make a lot of money in silence are still the most skillful jobs done by the Chinese and American governments under the leadership of Premier Wu Yuanyi. It is foreseeable that the massive orders brought about by the diplomatic activities of Haixiang towns will once again set off a frenzied competition among domestic and foreign enterprises, and will inevitably put forward a larger demand for domestic and foreign raw material imports. (To be continued......)