Chapter 406 Shao Quanzhong Arrives in Sarajevo

At Hailing Port, a large number of steam freighters flying the double-headed eagle flag are anchored.

Steam cranes were lifting huge 150mm Krupp heavy artillery barrels onto the freighter, as well as boxes containing 105mm tank guns.

This is the goods that Good Fruit Company exported to Lucia. Hasn't the world economy entered a long recession? It's not noticeable in Hailing.

Shiploads of high-profit arms are being shipped out of Hailing continuously. Don't count the industrial output value of the Qing Dynasty this year. Big Brother Britain will be wary when they see this.

It was Lucia who was willing to buy it, so I can't not do business, right?

Russia's industrial output value accounts for 3.7% of the world's total. Looking at this proportion, we can see that it does not have the ability to produce high-precision heavy artillery barrels.

The Good Fruit Company was very easy to talk to. We are related by marriage. If you want to buy only the barrel, we will assemble it and sell it back. It is cheaper than the British ones. As for the German ones, if we don't sell them, they won't have enough for themselves.

Lucia brought in ships of high-quality furs, wood, amber, wheat, oats, and rye. Well, I heard that their liberated serfs were still starving due to high-interest loans, but that's none of my business.

The United States actually imports weapons from Hailing?

Well, the United States is now a peace-loving country, and its industrial products are being civilianized, with a large output. They almost dominate a continent, and no one dares to cross the ocean to fight.

There is no demand for weapons, so the huge production capacity is not used for military industry, and the little military purchases are all purchased from Hailing. It is better to buy than to make, which saves trouble and investment, and has more kickbacks. People in key positions like it. President Johnson can't control this matter...

Well, merchant ships from Greece and Turkey, these two arch-enemies, are also anchored side by side, purchasing weapons here.

The transport ships lined up over there didn't fly the national flag, er, they were Wen's own munitions ships. The two ships were transporting goods to both sides of the war in Japan, fair and impartial.

I heard that Japan has a population of more than 30 million, the third largest in the world, second only to the Qing Dynasty and India, and more than the British mainland. Don't worry, the war will be fought slowly. There are enough Maxim bullets here, you just need to pay.

Why are people from the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Albania, Denmark and Sweden also here?
Even taking into account the ocean freight, Hailing goods are still cheaper than British goods. Chinese labor is cheap, and they sell in large quantities.

China entered the world arms market and made high-end artillery cheap...

Over there are shopping ships from Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, which not only transport arms but also civilian products. When everyone is short of money, the cheap industrial products of the Qing Dynasty are very popular.

The 500-ton and 1,000-ton ironclad ships, including transport ships and escort transport ships, were all purchased at the Zhenjiang Shipyard...

"Report, the King of England called."

"My Lord, you are so mean. You are selling weapons to our neighboring countries at all costs. Isn't this harming us?"

Shao Quanzhong laughed. "Maria, call back and tell him that Coach Zhang has boarded the clipper ship to South America."

"Wait until he helps you there for a few years, then you can quietly imitate Cuba, Bulgaria, and the Grand Duchy of Crimea and make your own counterfeit weapons."

"Even if we support you with technology now, you don't have the ability to build it."

"You've worked hard these past few years. Buy from Hailing. You've exported so much beef and cowhide. Now people in Jiangsu and Anhui are sick of eating beef. No one raises cattle locally anymore. You have a trade surplus with the Qing. Can you balance it without buying weapons?"

He turned around and ordered Ren Jun behind him, "The King of England will not be given a discount when he comes to buy weapons. Brothers should settle accounts clearly."

"Damn it, the British king's country makes more money per capita than the Qing Dynasty. Rubber is selling like crazy. I'm jealous. I'm going to slaughter them as much as I can."

"Oh, damn, rubber is valuable now, Lan Fang and the Dutch Governor's Office in Batavia are both rich, and the 'Nanyang rich businessmen' are all arrogant when they return home. No, we have to increase the military expenses shared by the South China Sea Fleet to Lan Fang, and let them pay for protection."

As soon as Shao Quanzhong returned to Hailing, a lot of things came up to him, and he didn't look like he was "reclusing" at all.

A bunch of people surrounded him asking for instructions. He hadn't had time to go to the Good Fruit Company yet, and he had no time to respond to the invitation from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to visit.

Shao Quanzhong knew why they invited him. They were short of cannons and machine guns, and were reluctant to spend a lot of money to buy them, so they wanted to get something cheap by relying on their good relationship with him.

Is it so easy to take advantage of me? Well, we still have to let them take advantage, otherwise they will have no motivation to fight...

It was not until the next day that Shao Quanzhong had time to go to Haoguozi Company to inspect the results of the fourth design team.

"Your Highness, look, this is a Krupp 150mm heavy artillery in retreat mode. There is no problem at all."

"This six-pound field gun has a tube-type recoil mechanism and a spring steel recoil mechanism. With your personal guidance, the design will be no problem at all."

Shao Quanzhong scratched his head, "Why are there only six-pound guns in the cannon? Can't they make thicker ones?"

"Well, our design is not just about the structure. Our spring steel is American technology and can only support this level of recoil."

Well, no wonder when Enfield converted its muzzle-loading rifle to a breech-loading rifle and exchanged spring steel technology with the Americans, they were so open about it. It turns out that their springs can only be used on guns, not on cannons.

"The most advanced spring steel was developed by the British Robert Henry Smith. It is a secret of the Armstrong Arms Company..." Uh, "Maria, draft a telegram to discuss the purchase of this technology from the British brother."

Two hours later, "Shao, the British answered very straightforwardly - they won't sell it, no matter how much money you offer. They said it's not that they have a prejudice against you, but they won't sell it to anyone."

Damn, I wouldn’t buy it if it’s not for sale.

"Why didn't you mention the hydraulic recoil gun I asked you to design?"

The artillery experts were embarrassed. "Well, we have no design experience at all. We have to start from the clamping device."

"The hydraulic recoil system is quite complex and requires the development of new sealing methods. Depending on the design, it may also require the search for new materials with high toughness."

"And you didn't provide the internal structure. Even with the most optimistic estimate, it would take us five years to develop it..."

…………

When Shao Quanzhong returned to Qiao Garden, there were two more confidential drawings in Maria's backpack behind him. They were the design materials of the recoil heavy artillery and the recoil light field artillery designed by the fourth design group of Haoguozi Company, all in German.

And the super-secret formula for the latest smokeless powder.

"Hui'er, Hui'er!"

"Madam is receiving guests."

Well, Rong Hui returned to Hailing and automatically became the mistress of Qiao Garden, managing the family property for Shao Quanzhong.

Will Rong Hui manage the money? Yes, but she doesn't, and she has given all the power to her adopted son Wang Yongxian.

Wang Yongxian was the eldest son of the Shao family recognized by Shao Quanzhong, and was treated the same as his own son. Except that there was no plan for him to inherit the throne, he had a share of both power and property.

Rong Hui immediately returned to Hailing University to continue serving as the president.

Hailing University has been running normally for many years without Rong Hui. The biggest benefit of her coming back as the president is that she has established several grants and scholarships to support smart but cash-strapped students.

At the same time, many laboratories and research projects received funding from Shaw.

this time--

"Ms. Rong, our Academy of Sciences has unanimously decided to hire you as the dean of Xiaoxiangya Academy of Sciences."

Rong Hui shook her hands and said, "I'm not qualified. How about this? I'll just be the head of the logistics and general affairs section for you."

The two sides were in a stalemate, and Shao Quanzhong walked in with a laugh. Soon Maxwell led his people away with satisfaction. Rong Hui became the "Executive President" of the Academy of Sciences, responsible for the "financial review" of the project.

Basically, an expert group evaluates promising projects, and the project leader can knock on the door of the Premier's office and get coins...

"Hui Er, I am going to visit the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Please come with me."

"No, I don't speak German, and Maria can go with you."

"There must be someone left in the government to serve the two elders. I also need to inspect the newly built primary and secondary schools and universities in Guangzhou, Nanning, Shanghai, Hailing, Anqing, Jinling, and Fengyang, so as to increase infrastructure, teaching staff, and scholarship and financial aid funds so that more talents can be produced."

"Now, in your core areas, only the universities, colleges and primary and secondary schools in Hailing and Shanghai are still decent. The other schools are still far behind..."

As soon as Rong Hui came back, she threw herself into the work enthusiastically. Shao Quanzhong had no choice but to go himself.

...........
On September 21, the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign, Shao Quanzhong, accompanied by his concubine, Archduchess Maria of Lucia, and Emery, the principal of the Baoding Army Officers School, boarded the Haiqi and set off from Hailing Port to begin a friendly visit to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

This time, the Haiqi was followed by five thousand-ton light armored frigates produced in Zhenjiang, five logistics supply auxiliary ships, and twenty thousand-ton transport ships, forming a fairly large visiting fleet.

The transport ships were loaded with Maxim machine guns, Hotchkiss rapid-fire guns, TNT shells, Krupp heavy artillery, field guns and even Mauser bolt-action rifles, and other weapons and equipment that the Austro-Hungarian Empire needed to import.

This visit was not rushed. Ten days later, eight improved Sachsen-class ironclad ships flying the German flag met up at Zhanjiang Port. The fleet was expanded and headed straight for the Mediterranean. Two months later, it arrived at the Austro-Hungarian port of Trieste and reached Vienna the next day.

On November 28, the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign, Shao Quanzhong, who had visited Vienna for two days, visited major cities in Austria-Hungary accompanied by Franz I and his wife.

Arrived in Budapest on the 29th and in Zagreb on December 2nd.

On December 6, the delegation arrived in Sarajevo.

(End of this chapter)

previouscatalognext