The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 236 Depressed Massachusetts

On September 1730, 9, the three-masted sailing ship "Fuyun" waved goodbye to many Wanqiu officials and people on the shore, raised its sails and jibs in turn, and slowly sailed away from the pier towards the exit of the bay.

After leaving Qingchuan, the "Fuyun" will successively stop at Louisbourg on Isle Royale and Xindu on Changxing Island (today's St. John's, Newfoundland), where it will load salted and processed dried cod. It was shipped to Europe for sale, and then sailed to Tianmen (today's Ceuta, a city in North Africa, Spain), where it was again loaded with local industrial products shipped via the Mediterranean, and headed south, stopping briefly at the Tuoshan Islands (Canary Islands) and sailing To the Gulf of Guinea, it carried a special batch of "cargo" along the North Equatorial Warm Current, across the Atlantic Ocean, and arrived in Brazil. After selling Qi's commodities and special "goods" on the ship to the Portuguese, they exchanged them for local cane sugar, mahogany, ship materials, and handicrafts. Finally, they went down the Brazilian warm current and returned to Qing, completing a circum-Atlantic trade. process.

"What do you think of Prince Chen's proposal to jointly establish a trading company with our American Trading Company?" Sui Tongshan, senior manager of northern affairs of the American Trading Company, held the side of the ship and looked at the receding mainland, breathing in the salty sea breeze. He turned his head to ask a young man.

"Dad, I think this suggestion is feasible. If you report it to the big bosses of the trading company, it will definitely be approved." Sui Jinlin said with burning eyes: "Before, our American trading company has always wanted to get involved in North American trade, but we were limited by the deliberate intentions of the English. Due to obstruction and restrictions, coupled with the lack of a suitable place to stay, the trip has never been possible. Now, King Chen controls Chenzhou, which is right between the New France Territory and New England. As far as our American trading company is concerned, it is. A trade fulcrum that can be exploited to leverage and expand North American trade.”

"Well, tell me in detail, how to leverage this North American trade?" Sui Tongshan nodded and asked thoughtfully.

"Dad, our American trading company can use Qingchuan and Changxing Island as trading bases to transport the rich timber and cod resources there to Europe and French Caribbean colonies, such as French Saint-Domingue (ie Haiti), Tobago, Guard Rope, and then transport back sugar, coffee or mead (i.e. rum) from there; we can also transport native textiles, cans and various industrial products from the Mediterranean and then transport them to New France or the New England colonies , used to exchange food, tobacco, building materials, livestock and other daily necessities, and finally transported to Chenzhou."

"The French Caribbean colonies took advantage of the rapidly growing slave population to supply sugar and other tropical commodities not only to Europe, but also to the entire east coast of America, including Chenzhou, and New France. If we can bring the above-mentioned colonies through commercial networks If the territories are integrated, then our American trading company can build a small trading circle around the North Atlantic and squeeze out the market share of the English in Chenzhou, Royal Island, Changxing Island, and the slave plantation owners in the Caribbean. There was a strong demand for wheat, lumber, livestock, and even vegetables produced in both New France and New England.”

"In addition, in order to survive and develop, Chenzhou will definitely spare no effort to carry out immigration activities to increase its own strength. I believe that Chenzhou will definitely pay a lot of freight for immigrants. In this way, our American trading company will Whether immigrants are transferred from the Qianzhou area to the mainland, or immigrants are transferred from the Isthmus of Panama to the mainland of Qin, they can earn a considerable amount of money along the way. In addition, Chenzhou is tens of thousands of miles away from the source of all immigrants. There will inevitably be very few oriental women, so female slaves from the Mediterranean, Europe, and Persia will be a very popular commodity in the Chenzhou market, and the profits will be extremely huge."

"Well, there is progress. Your plan is quite comprehensive." Sui Tongshan was extremely satisfied with his son's response and patted his shoulder happily, "If I let you go, you should be able to take charge of your own business."

"You have a grudge?" Purvi Roger sneered and said, "In the war that just ended, our Kingdom of England obviously suffered greater losses, and it also affected our New England region. If you have a grudge? , that should be us!”

"Yeah, that's fine." Sui Tongshan looked at the second son with a resolute look on his face and couldn't help but show a trace of affection, "If you don't plan to return to Hanzhou and want to start your own business, I can prepare a large amount of funds for you. Develop your own career...are you planning to settle in Chenzhou or Qingguo?"

"New England?... Are the English Navigation Regulations binding on our merchant ships?"

"Oh, please forgive me for my rashness." William Lincoln shrugged his shoulders and said apologetically: "Gentlemen, is the reason why the people of Qi are so alienated from us? Is it because of the incident that broke out a few years ago? Is it because of the war that the other party still has a grudge? "

"However, this neighbor is wary and wary of us in New England. Instead, he is fighting fiercely with the French in the north. It's really annoying to see them like this!" Purvey, owner of Hanks Shipbuilding Yard in Boston ·Roger drank all the wine in the glass, then slammed his head on the table, with a gloomy look on his face.

"Haier wants to use Chenzhou as a base to develop the North Atlantic trade I just mentioned."

When everyone heard this, they all sighed and raised their glasses in tacit understanding.

"Maybe before." Sui Tongshan smiled, "Now, even the market in England is open to Qi, how can their New England colony still prohibit our Qi merchant ships?"
-
September 9, Boston, Massachusetts.

"Dad..." Sui Jinlin hesitated for a moment, then looked up at his father and said solemnly: "Dad, I want to go out and work alone."

"Do you want to work in a trading company, or do you want to go out on your own?" Sui Tongshan nodded and asked softly.

"Oh, Mr. Roger, are you resentful that the Qi people ordered five fishing boats from the French?" William Lincoln, the owner of the rum distillery, asked with a smile: "Similarly, the Qi people did not hesitate to They buy their own rum from far away in the Mediterranean, and they don't buy it as close as here in Boston, and I'm not as angry as you."

Yes, Nova Scotia, which the Qi people occupied, is not far from Boston, but the Maine region in the northeast is even closer to Nova Scotia. They are only separated by the Bay of Fundy, which is not very wide. Looking at each other, the two families are close neighbors.

"Villam, your small winery is already in short supply in the New England market alone. Naturally, there is no need for people from Nova Scotia to buy it." Timber merchant Carles Moser shook his head. The head said: "But in the context that the Qi people are so obviously alienated from our New England region, it would be a bit ungentlemanly for you to say such sarcastic words in front of all of us. It is said that the Qi people will also invade Newfoundland next year. The fishing ground is divided into countless areas, and then the fishing concessions are auctioned off at high prices. Oh, God, the people in Qi are as greedy as those in London! "

Yes, the immigration activities in New England have developed to the current stage. Except for a small number of indentured servants, most of them are spontaneous immigrants, and the crowd is mainly the local middle class with some assets. They are far away from the too-volcanic mainland of England and are preparing to Come to the New World to find your own path to wealth.

"Dad, what do you mean..." Sui Jinlin looked surprised.

In a tavern east of Boston, several businessmen were sitting together, drinking wine and talking about the neighboring Qi people.

The newly arrived immigrants paid for these things with their savings in England, which amounted to a wealth transfer from England to Massachusetts.

"Yes, the war lasted for more than three years. Although the main battlefields were in Europe and the North Atlantic, our New England region also suffered heavy losses. Now think about it, that period of time was simply a disaster for us in Massachusetts. A nightmare and a complete disaster.”

"Well..." Sui Tongshan heard this, thought for a while, and then suggested: "In addition to managing the trade affairs between Chenzhou and New France, you can also run the trade lines in New England. After all, it is a country with It is a large market with a population of one million, and its purchasing power far exceeds that of New France and Chenzhou.”

The early economic model of Massachusetts was actually very simple. New immigrants needed to purchase various livestock and rations for the first year, as well as various lumber and furniture for building houses. Residents or merchants who immigrated first could provide these things for later immigrants. By.

Although it has not yet reached late autumn, in the evening, a cool breeze blows off the leaves from the branches and scatters them on the bluestone streets, making this largest city in New England look a bit different. Desolate and sad.

Therefore, for a long time, the economic prosperity of Massachusetts was actually based on immigrants. It benefited from the continuous waves of immigrants.

However, the outbreak of the Qi-British War dealt a heavy blow to the economy of New England, including Massachusetts. The Qi warships traveling in England and the North Atlantic waters hindered the exchange of personnel and materials between the two places. In the later stages of the war, Qi State even sent a squadron to the coast of New England, arbitrarily attacking merchant ships and fishing boats entering and exiting the port, blocking trade routes, and bringing the entire region's economy to a standstill.

Without the continued inflow of capital, Massachusetts would have no way to purchase European goods, nor purchase sugar from the Caribbean, nor would it have the extra financial resources to invest and build locally. In this way, two of the troika "investment, consumption and exports" that drive economic growth stalled, plunging the region's economy into crisis.

For exports, the most advantageous commodity here is shipbuilding timber. For a long time before the war, almost 60 to 70% of the timber needed by shipyards in England came from New England (the rest came from Sweden) and Norway). In addition, the Dutch, whose shipbuilding industry has always been developed, will also purchase a large number of masts here (requiring very tall original trees).

Therefore, Massachusetts can live a very prosperous life just by selling wood. In addition, although the climate here is not very good, there is enough land for people to live a relatively prosperous life.

It looked as if the only future for Massachusetts was to become a self-sufficient agricultural region.

However, such an option is obviously not among the alternative answers of Massachusetts residents. If we look at it by the standards of later generations, the Puritans here belong to the middle class. They traveled across the ocean not to seek to return to their original nature, but to seek opportunities to make a fortune. .

Early on, the Newfoundland fisheries in eastern and northern Massachusetts were supposed to be their greatest opportunity. However, unfortunately, although this offshore gold mine is close at hand, it is far away for Massachusetts people.

Because they have no fishing rights! At that time, the fishing rights in Newfoundland fisheries were promulgated by the English government. The fishing rights in each sea area were granted to monopoly fishing companies through charters. Then, the fishing companies issued licenses to fishing boats and collected fees. The navy and fishing companies The boats will patrol the fishing grounds to maintain order and expel fishing boats operating without a license.

Seeing the opportunity to make a fortune within reach but unable to obtain it, the people of Massachusetts were really a little horny, and they also hated London's actions.

However, there was still a time when the Massachusetts people found an opportunity, and that was when England was involved in the Civil War, and the Newfoundland fishing grounds were left unattended for a while.

How could the Puritans let go of the good opportunity given by God? As the saying goes, "When you see money on the road, you will make a move when it's time to make a move."

During the Civil War, Massachusetts people took advantage of the rich local timber resources to build a large number of fishing boats. These unlicensed fishing boats happily sailed to the fishing grounds that were originally forbidden to them.

From this offshore gold mine, they dug the second pot of gold (the export of lumber was considered the first pot of gold). Massachusetts people could get hundreds of thousands of pounds in income every year, and their hands cramped counting the money.

After you catch the fish, you naturally have to find a buyer.

But unfortunately, England itself is a big fishing country, there is no shortage of fish at all, and it is still a competitor with Massachusetts.

As a result, Massachusetts people sold cod to France, Spain, Italy and other Catholic countries and regions without any psychological burden, and made them important trading partners.

In order to prevent the ship from running out of time on the return journey, it was of course necessary to load some local products, such as wine from France, silk fabrics and glass from Italy, metal utensils from Spain, etc. Therefore, products from the above countries and regions crowded out the local handicraft industry in England. market.

It seems that Massachusetts is not England's cup of tea, and England is not Massachusetts' cup of tea. New England and Old England were in competition rather than complementarity from the beginning.

Alas, what a bitter drama of a "rebellious son" rebelling against his "harsh father".

In the early days of the Qi-British War, in order to deal with the threat from Qi's navy, England transferred all warships and armed merchant ships in North America back to its homeland. The fishermen in Massachusetts were once ecstatic when they saw that the Newfoundland fisheries were no longer being taken care of. They even secretly hoped that the war between the mother country and Qi would last longer so that they could be close to this fishery with rich cod resources. Get more benefits.

Who would have known that the war between Qi and Britain would spread from the English Channel and the North Atlantic to the Caribbean and New England.

The navy of Qi, which has no martial ethics, mobilized more than ten professional warships, sailed all the way north from the British Caribbean islands, swept across the east coast of North America, and sunk and captured more than 40 large and small merchant ships belonging to the New England region. , more than half of which belonged to Massachusetts merchants, causing them heavy losses.

Not to mention, the Qi naval warships also broke into the Newfoundland fishing grounds, like a pride of lions on the prairie, slaughtering English fishing boats wantonly. Unfortunately, many of the fishing boats belonged to Massachusetts people, causing hundreds of fishing boats to sink into the cold North Atlantic seabed, and countless poor fishermen became miserable captives.

I think back then, whether it was the outbreak of the three Anglo-Dutch wars or the Anglo-French war, the British North American colonies had little impact. They could even take advantage of the mother country being at war to make a small fortune. Either sneak away to fish in the neglected Newfoundland fisheries, or happily go to the Caribbean and European neutral countries to engage in smuggling trade during the period of deregulation of the colonial territories, and each of them makes a lot of money.

But in the just-ended Qi-British War, residents of the North American colonial territories experienced the tremendous power of steam battleships for the first time. There are not many warships sent by the Qi Navy, but as long as you stand in front of them, you will not be able to escape, and there is a high probability that you will be sunk or captured by the opponent. Compared to the once powerful Dutch Navy, it was even more ferocious and terrifying.

To be honest, before the war, businessmen in the British North American territories, including Massachusetts, were not very disgusted with the Americans.

On the contrary, they are quite fond of the various industrial products produced by the Chinese people. Compared with the goods produced by small workshops in England, their products are not only of better quality, but also cheaper.

Even the woolen products that England is proud of are inferior to those of Qi in many aspects.

In Tangier, in Ceuta - oh, Qi people call it Tianmen. It is simply a paradise for New England smugglers. Countless Qi products are continuously transported from the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. You can buy everything you want.

Not to mention the British North American colonies, even England itself was unable to resist the invasion of Qi's goods, forcing the big shots in London to repeatedly increase the import tax rate on Qi's goods, and even set up many trade restrictions. Just to exclude Qi’s products.

Perhaps, it was precisely because of this that the war between the two countries was triggered.

Thank God the war finally ended two years ago.

The merchants and residents of New England breathed a sigh of relief, and the people of Massachusetts also relaxed their ever-suspicious hearts.

Although Nova Scotia and Newfoundland were ceded to Qi, giving New England a new neighbor after the French, everyone believed that the good days of the North American colonial territories were about to return.

The drinks can continue, the dance parties can continue, and more importantly, the business can continue.

However, when New England merchants sailed out to sea, they were surprised to find that the food provider for Caribbean sugar cane plantations had become Qingguo, and the timber supply channels had also switched to Portuguese Brazil and Dutch Suriname. More and more The Qi merchants and Dutch merchants are trying their best to squeeze out the market that originally belonged to their New England merchants.

Those New England fishermen who were secretly rejoicing that the Newfoundland fisheries were temporarily unmanaged had not lived a happy life for a few days when they received notices from the people of Qi that they needed to pay a so-called fishery tax during the cod fishing period. This is to assert their sovereignty over the management of the fishery.

Nowadays, the people of Massachusetts want to do business with the people of the neighboring country of Qi, but they are ignored by them, and they turn to their old rivals, the French.

It is said that people from Qi State went to Quebec two months ago with a lot of gold and silver to make a large purchase. They included grain, livestock, farm tools, pottery and many other materials, as well as orders for several fishing boats, with a total value of more than three thousand dollars. million pounds.

Hey, what does this mean? Why do you people in Qi go to Quebec to buy things from the French, but don't go to nearby Massachusetts to buy daily supplies?
We have all the products you need, and the transportation distance is so close, you can save a lot of money on shipping costs.

Well, so depressing.

The Qi people are obviously not giving us Massachusetts people any face by doing this!

In this case, no wonder we are going crazy.

(End of this chapter)