chapter 25
025 Vulture Fund (2)
Since early morning, Lee Hwan has been grabbing his head.
It wasn’t a hangover, not a cold.
just stress.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, it is.”
One problem arose during the port development in earnest.
That is, there is no mass transportation of raw materials and building materials.
The current land transport system had limitations in carrying large quantities of goods.
The roads were not well paved to the level of asphalt, and there were no suitable means of transport.
Even if the road is paved by hand, it requires continuous restoration, and the disadvantage is that the speed is too slow.
Already, the company was in turmoil.
Alexander Rose, who is in charge of purchasing materials, shipping products, and sales, has emphasized the need for roads a few days ago.
“It is urgent to procure materials, but there is a limit to receiving goods from the port of Rotterdam, so everyone is anxious. Of course, making 30,000 guns is also a problem, but it’s unclear how many tons of gunpowder would be needed to make bullets for those troops. Still, it is very difficult for this phenomenon to continue.”
“Hmm, it’s only because it’s so hard to build a proper logistics line.”
Lee Hwan was deep in thought.
It is not easy to increase the size of profits no matter how good the product is if it takes a long time to export the finished product after receiving raw materials and entering secondary and tertiary processing.
Firearms are a product with a high product turnover once there is a consumer, so if the product is delivered properly, it is nothing more than making money.
However, in this era, distributing firearms itself was not easy.
The best way to solve this is to develop sea traffic, and the second is to facilitate land traffic.
But now, it was difficult to complete either one of them properly.
“Even if the road is built from now on, it will take quite some time, and the port will be completed in at least a year… … .”
The problem was that land transportation was necessary, but it took too long to construct it.
A bigger problem, however, was the cost of the hypothesis.
Even if Lee Hwan poured a huge amount of manpower and materials to complete the road, he could not even predict how long it would take to pull out the main temple.
In addition, the southeastern part of Rotterdam, where Lee Hwan is located, is not particularly valuable as a trading hub.
First of all, Lee Hwan decided to explain the current situation to Ben Heren while building the road and supplying materials.
“Send a message to Amsterdam that it will take some time to build a gun.”
“Then what do you do now?”
“I can’t help it. At the same time, we have no choice but to clear the road and move things with a horse-drawn carriage.”
Even if it is slower than a horse, it was thought that a horse-drawn carriage would be advantageous in the southeastern part of Rotterdam.
In addition, cows were also suitable for cultivation, so they could be used for various purposes later.
While operating the oxcart, Lee Hwan decided to pave the road.
‘Even if it’s not, it’s something I’ll have to do someday. I’m not going to hesitate because it costs a lot of money.’
The paved road still exists. However, the progress is quite slow.
The 19th century was certainly an era of industrialization, but that does not mean that modern highways, modern railroads, and aviation existed.
“Let’s make construction equipment necessary for road pavement.”
“Are you making equipment?”
“Buy a steam engine in Amsterdam and come down. I will design the rest, so we recruit a lot of mechanical and equipment engineers.”
You still won’t be able to understand what Lee Hwan is talking about.
However, it was clear that even after a year or two, Lee Hwan would again cause a seismic change in the industry.
He also planned to design an internal combustion engine.
‘For now, we’ll use the steam engine as soon as possible, but we won’t be able to run machines with steam turbines forever. After we have the refinery technology, we have to design and develop an internal combustion engine that will use it.’
With rapid industrialization in the last 100 years, coal and anthracite prices have risen tremendously in recent years.
However, although the demand for coal has recently decreased and the price has dropped, it has not changed that coal still dominates the energy market.
“Come with a notice on the way up to Amsterdam.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“At the same time, we are releasing the corresponding notice so that we can recruit a large number of chemists.”
“Are you a chemist? Engineers for making firearms are already in place.”
“no. Rather, try to make up people who have a strong understanding of natural minerals and petroleum.”
“Then why not hire a geologist with us?”
“okay. Then do that and put up the job advertisement and come.”
“all right.”
Before recruiting engineers and academics to develop machinery and oil, Lee Hwan decided to try making rollers and excavators with his fists.
First of all, the hydraulic system was developing to a certain level.
Anyway, although it was a small amount, because the ship was transporting goods, a crane used for loading or unloading goods at the port was developed, and the hydraulic system was progressing fairly quickly because it was applied to construction.
“Let’s build some big hydraulics. Who is responsible for developing the machine?”
“This is Rafael Mouser, son of Peter Mouser.”
“good. Tell Rafael Mouser to build a hydraulic system from scratch, I’ll give you the blueprints.”
“all right.”
Even making a hand-rolling excavator or roller would be far better than paving the road with a shovel and pickaxe right now.
Lee Hwan decided to try to pave the road.
***
In December 1821, King Willem I of the Netherlands sent an emissary to Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, England.
Arthur Wellesley, a hero of the Napoleonic Wars and conferred the title of Duke in 1814, was a soldier and politician with a political position to be referred to as the next Prime Minister.
But he was a politician and a soldier, not a prime minister.
There were many reasons why King Willem I chose the Duke of Wellington as negotiator rather than prime minister.
The current British Prime Minister and Earl of Liverpool, Robert Jenkins, suffered from grain laws and the Pitaloo massacre, while the Greek independence issue erupted, and his political position continued to falter.
However, the reason he was still solidifying his position was that the British Parliament was mostly from wealthy peasants and large landowners.
In particular, in the case of the Grain Act, it was a law for the aristocracy and landowners that relieved the worries and worries of the large landowners, so the people’s resentment was able to win the recognition of the nobles even though they lived.
Hana After the Napoleonic Wars, there were numerous defeats in the economic recovery process, so it seemed that he would have to step down from the prime minister’s post soon.
In a word, Willem I thought that it would be better for the future to hold the line of the Duke of Wellington rather than the leaning prime minister.
In response, Valentio Oscar von Hauda Petervid, a nobleman from the northern Netherlands and a direct descendant of Marquis Howda, visited England with the edict of King Willem I.
Oscar Petervid was a senator from Holland, whose political position was also one of the representatives of the Senate in the Staten General (Dutch Parliament).
In particular, his recent achievements in the political capital of The Hague, which were favorable to regaining Dutch sovereignty after the Vienna regime, were enough to be called a national hero.
Oscar Petervid visited the mansion of the Duke of Wellington himself.
Arthur Wellesley rode his horse instead of a minion to meet him at the front door of the mansion.
Oscar Petervid, who had just arrived on horseback from the port, shook hands with Arthur Wellesley, who was on horseback.
“You must be the Duke of Wellington. Nice to meet you. Oscar Petervid.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Howda. As I said before, I am Arthur Wellesley.”
Although not a military veteran, Oscar Petervid was a Madoros and ship expert who loved the sea to the point that he once went on a trip to India with Ben Heren.
He was so close to the sea that he called himself a seaman, and looked like a veteran in the navy or a merchant with thick bones in the sea.
Wellington was a soldier who spent his entire life on the battlefield, so I felt like he and Signal fit well.
“I wasn’t really expecting it to be a senator, but it’s pretty masculine.”
“Haha, thank you for watching. The Duke of Wellington also has a majestic and dignified body, which is just the commander’s style.”
“It’s been a long time since there’s someone who sees me as a soldier. Today, the wine is somehow thick, so I think I can drink it.”
Now that we’ve put gold on each other’s faces, it’s time to get to the point.
As they rode across the gardens, Oscar Petervid explained the contents of the King’s letter.
“I know that Britain has expressed its intention to participate in the Greek War of Independence recently. After the Continental War and the Anglo-American War, right after the War of Independence, I don’t think Europe will be quiet.”
“I mean. This is so… … .”
“At the same time, pirates are installed, so I don’t know how the hell to do this.”
“… … After all, the band of thieves is attacking the Ben-Heren fleet. This is true.”
“I think the time has come for the British Army to take action. Isn’t it?”
It was a question that could be offended.
“Hmm… … .”
“It’s not another region, it’s not an area where the British military imposes taxes.”
In an instant, the two men’s eyes met sharply.
A confrontation between the two occurred in an instant.
However, Arthur Wellesley gave the Oscar a hand.
“I’m sorry. I have nothing to say about him. The military said that they had never received such a report, so I have no idea where or how it went wrong.”
“In the Netherlands, we intend to formally protest this, but in fact, we do not intend to make it that big. There’s no point in touching Jewish capital for nothing.”
“… … Well, that’s what it is.”
Arthur Wellesley’s fold was because the problems Oscar brought with him had nothing to do with London City’s financiers, that is, Jewish capital.
Of course, if Britain is determined to oppress the Jews, there is nothing it can’t do.
However, Britain needed Jewish gold, and it will continue to be needed in the future, so it should not be touched lightly.
Arthur Wellesley made an uncomfortably sick noise.
“The situation has improved with the recent colonization, but the loss of many colonies in America has made the royal squadron very thin. You know, not long ago with the United States… … .”
“It is very regrettable that the financial situation of Britain, the leader of Europe, is bad.”
New York, the most developed city in North America, was originally a Dutch frontier.
It was handed over to Britain, and then the United States gained independence, and now only the borders were set.
Still, it was clear that Britain had suffered a blow to its financial power after losing control of the United States.
When Arthur Wellesley heard the sound of sickness, Oscar Petervid smiled softly.
“So we in the Netherlands are here to help the British to bring order in Europe.”
“Correct order?”
“If the Greek independence movement begins in earnest, wouldn’t the war between the Ottomans and the British be quite obvious?”
“Well, that’s right.”
“Then there must be at least one more helping hand. Even after rumors circulate that the Barbary pirates have been wiped out, there are still plunderers and merchant ships are suffering quite a bit. So, wouldn’t it be best for us to clean up the sea and improve the trading environment?”