1850 American Gold Tycoon.

Chapter 290 The anxious Dutchman

The United States coerced the Tokugawa shogunate to sign a treaty. Not only the Japanese were anxious, but the Dutch in Japan were even more anxious than the Japanese.

When news of the American army's attack on Nagasaki reached Edo, the shogunate of the Tokugawa shogunate summoned the Dutch several times and consulted them about the United States.

This is also an unwritten practice of the shogunate. The shogunate has had several foreign-related disputes before. In addition to the United States, there are also many disputes between England and Rusia (tsarist Russia) and the Japanese shogunate.

The Tokugawa shogunate finally resolved these problems through the Dutch.

Because the senior shogunate believes that the Netherlands is a first-class power in Europe, and they believe that the Dutch can resolve all disputes involving Westerners.

Only now, the stereotype that the Dutch are a first-class European power has been completely broken with the opening of the United States to Japan.

"Your Excellency, sorry for the offense, as long as you sign this treaty, Japan will lose its bright future."

Tingen, the Dutch representative from Edo, hurriedly came to Ooku to see Tokugawa Ikei, but Tokugawa Iekyo's condition was getting worse and worse, so he could only see Tingen on the sickbed.

"The general doesn't know that the United States is not in the center of European civilization. Although you also think that the United States is a Western country, the United States is the Ezo of our Western countries (Hokkaido, before the Meiji Restoration, the development level of Hokkaido was very low, and it was a wild place in the eyes of the Japanese. land).

Compared with the English, the Americans are more greedy for money, and compared with the Rusians, the Americans are even more ambitious about the territory.Signing the so-called "Japan-US Treaty of Goodwill" will cause endless troubles for Japan. "

With the weakening of the Netherlands, the influence of the Netherlands on a global scale is gradually declining.

Due to special historical reasons, Japan is one of the few places where the influence of the Netherlands is relatively large.

For a long time, the Netherlands has been monopolizing Japan's foreign trade. Except for goods from a few places such as the Qing Dynasty and North Korea, the rest of the foreign goods that want to enter Japan are all entered into Japan through the hands of the Dutch.

In the same way, the goods exported from Japan were also handled by the Dutch.

The Dutch middleman can be said to have made a lot of money in Japan's foreign trade.

Once Japan is founded, the Netherlands' monopoly position in Japan's trade will be severely damaged, and their economic interests will be seriously damaged. They cannot continue to be the only middleman officially designated by Japan as before.

Therefore, the Dutch in Japan are opposed to the founding of Japan, and they hope to continue to maintain the status quo.

"Does your Excellency think there is any better choice for Japan?"

Tokugawa Iekei said expressionlessly.

Abe Masahiro had already relayed Liang Yao's words to him, and these words hit Tokugawa Ieyoshi's vitals.

The southwestern feudal clans are becoming more and more powerful, which has always been a serious problem for Tokugawa Iekyoshi.If the United States really cooperates with the southwestern vassals, this ending will be worse than signing a treaty.

Regarding what Liang Yao said about the United States having thousands of steamships and millions of soldiers, although Tokugawa Ieyoshi was skeptical, he still didn't dare to take Liang Yao's words seriously.

From Nagasaki to Kanagawa, and then from Kanagawa to Edo, the American army has proved their terrifying combat power.

Even if the United States only sends a hundred steamships and a hundred thousand soldiers to Japan, it is enough to destroy Japan.

Whether to sign the treaty or not, Tokugawa Ieyoshi has already made a decision in his heart.

"Mediation! We have a deep friendship between the Netherlands and your country, and we are willing to mediate for your country together with England. What the United States fears is England. As long as the British are willing to mediate with us, the American army can only do nothing. Get out of Japan!" Ting En said.

"I appreciate your kindness. Whether to sign the treaty or not is an internal matter for us in Japan. This general makes his own decision. Your Excellency, please go back."

Tokugawa Jiaqing coldly issued an order to evict Ting En.

Since the Dutch need to mediate through the English, he might as well go to the English himself.Why bother.

English?What is the difference between the English who sold opium in the Qing Dynasty and opened the gate of the Qing Dynasty by force, and the Americans outside Edo City?

"England and America are just like dogs of a feather." After Ting En left, Tokugawa Iekyo struggled to get up from the sick bed, and said to the cabinet members and cronies surrounding the sick bed, "Don't forget today's shame .”
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The star-spangled battle flag welcomes the colorful clouds, and the US soldiers gallop on horses.

On this sunny day, Liang Yao and Perry entered Edo Castle with the cool autumn wind blowing.

Behind Liang Yao was the military band of the California Infantry Regiment, striding forward while playing the impassioned March of the Volunteers.

Behind Perry was the military band of the American East India Fleet. Perry's military band was beating cheerful Yankee ditties in his hands, humming Yankee ditties, and smiling happily on his face.

It's just that compared with the army, the formation of the navy is not so neat, but a little scattered.

On both sides of the road were dumb and terrified Edo people, who knelt on the ground to welcome the American army into Edo Castle.The elite shogunate soldiers who were in charge of maintaining order could not all kneel because they were wearing armor, but they still knelt on one knee to welcome the American troops into the city.

"A man has gold under his knees, and the gold under the Japanese's knees is worth only a hundred thousand taels of silver."

Deng Yan looked around, and what caught his eyes was a head that could not be seen at a glance.

"One hundred thousand taels of silver bought the dignity of these Japanese people, it's worth it."

Liang Yao said with a smile, seeing these Japanese kneeling on the ground, welcoming Master Wang, he felt extremely happy and happy.

The place where the two parties signed the treaty was the castle tower in Ooku, which was a symbol of authority in Japan's feudal era.

Collins, a photographer accompanying the army, saw the tall and distinctive castle tower, excitedly took his beloved camera out of the carriage, picked a favorite camera position with this cumbersome guy on his back, and then put his head into the shading Inside the cloth cover, concentrate on focusing.

"This camera is too big and cumbersome. It would be great if we could make a camera that can be carried around and take pictures by raising one's hand." Looking at Collins who was in a hurry and out of breath to take a picture, Liang Yao couldn't help but sigh with emotion road.

Corinth used a Daguerre camera, which is currently the mainstream camera in the world. It was invented by the Frenchman Daguerre. This genius artist and chemist invented the first practical portable camera for human beings. It is possible to record objective and real pictures.

Corinthian daguerreotypes were used by photographers all over the world until the invention of film in 1880.

It's a pity that this genius passed away last year.

Liang Yao noticed that the camera used by Corinth already had a bellows for adjusting the focal length, which was a huge improvement compared to the first camera that came out in 1839.

"Your ideas are always so bold and avant-garde, but it's a pity that you don't understand the camera. With the current technology, this camera is already the most advanced."

After finishing the exposure, Collins put away his precious camera.

"Where did you make this camera?" Liang Yao asked curiously as he got off his horse.

"Authentic made in France! Not a counterfeit product made in the United States! I entrusted my good friend to buy it from Paris!" Collins emphasized emphatically.

The words are full of contempt for American products, which is understandable. Most of the American industrial products during this period are almost synonymous with fake and shoddy.

The optical industry is a very practical and promising industry, and Liang Yao also intends to get involved.

As long as the optical industry can be established, whether it is for military or civilian use, there will be a vast market and huge profits.

The most important thing is that future generations can benefit from the early establishment of the optical industry.After all, the optical industry is an industry that requires long-term technology accumulation and precipitation, and it cannot be achieved overnight.

It’s not easy to build a complete industrial chain of optical products. Let’s take this silly, thick, and seemingly simple Daguerre camera in the hands of Collins as an example.

To manufacture this camera, the disciplines involved include optics, chemistry, and mechanics.The thresholds of these disciplines are relatively high, and the thresholds of supporting related industries are even higher.

(End of this chapter)