African Nationhood

Chapter 328 Oil in North Africa

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In June 1895, Shi Jintang had just finished an automobile meeting when he learned that William Sfield had arrived.

The British businessman came back alive, but while he was imprisoned by the Japanese, his property and the "Flying Fish" cruise ship were expropriated by the Japanese.

During the requisition period, due to heavy fog, the "Flying Fish" collided with a Japanese warship outside Busan Port.

The cruise ship was naturally not as strong as the warship. A large hole was knocked out of the hull, and it eventually sank in the vast ocean.

As a result, William Sfield was directly bankrupt, and his cooperation with Nanhua Company could not continue.

Since he became a Shanghai merchant, he has never returned to Europe.

Now bankrupt, impoverished and with no capital to go back, he took the Nanhua Company's immigration ship to Southwest Africa, hoping that Boss Shi could give him some help and help him make a comeback.

……

Faced with this old acquaintance whom they used to brag about at the wine table, Boss Shi couldn't help but sigh.

"Haha, William, we haven't seen each other for a long time."

At this moment, William Sfield was in extreme despair, and his face was full of bitterness.

"Sir Henry, I am very ashamed. I was too arrogant last year. I regret it so much now. I should not have listened to your advice."

Shi Jintang waved his hand, "It doesn't make any sense to talk about this now. Do you have any ideas when you come here this time? Will you continue to help me transport immigrants?
  If that's the case, I can personally lend you a sum of money to buy a new boat..."

William Sfield shook his head: "No, Sir Henry, I've thought about it clearly. The lesson I learned this time is very profound. I don't want to go back to the old path again. I hope to engage in some new industries."

"New industry? What do you mean?"

"I plan to work in the oil industry. The automobile industry is booming and the oil industry has great potential, so I plan to work in this industry."

Hearing what William Sfield said, Shi Jintang couldn't help but admire this British businessman. He really had a good vision.

"Well, your idea is good, and I agree with it, but where do you want to explore for oil?"

William Sfield scratched his head, "I haven't thought about it yet."

Shi Jintang thought for a while, and the oil in North Africa and South America had not yet been explored.

Since William Sfield wants to engage in oil, it is better to let him go to North Africa and South America to engage in oil.

In this way, we can attract the attention of European powers and stop paying too much attention to southern Africa.

If you want to better attract the attention of European powers, oil in North Africa is undoubtedly the best target.

The automobile industry has greatly accelerated due to the emergence of Shi Jintang. Any normal person can see that the automobile industry has great potential, and oil exploration has also become a rising industry.

Oil from North Africa is the most suitable.

So Shi Jintang thought for a while and said: "How about I pay 50 pounds to set up an oil company, and you will be the general manager, and I will give you 5% of the shares?"

After hearing this, William Sfield immediately smiled and nodded, "Yes, yes, I am willing to serve you."

……

William Sfield was very efficient. In early July, he established the "North African Oil Exploration Company" in London, England.

Then he took a team of bodyguards and oil exploration personnel to Tripolitania in North Africa (today's southwestern Libya).

After greeting the colonial officials of the Ottoman Empire, William Sfield and his party entered the desert area of ​​the southern coastal area.

After three months of exploration, he discovered an oil field in the inland area south of the Gulf of Sirte on the coast (today's southern Sirte Province, Libya). After identification, the oil here was of very high quality. (The underlined part on the picture is the oil pipeline in Libya. There is oil wherever the pipeline covers. The red line is the range of oil found by "Bei Oil")

William Sfield was so happy that he immediately sent a telegram to inform Boss Shi.

After getting instructions from Boss Shi, he went to the Ottoman colonial officials and paid for the 200 kilometers of desert area around the oil field.

Then he rushed back non-stop to continue exploration, because Boss Shi instructed him to take the lead in occupying a larger share of oil before other Europeans react.

Therefore, by the end of 1895, the "North African Petroleum Exploration Company" had discovered 8 oil fields, with preliminary estimated reserves of 2 million barrels, and the oil here was of high quality.

Shi Jintang once again instructed William Sfield to return to the UK to issue a prospectus, telling British capitalists to come quickly if they wanted to make a fortune.

Therefore, once William Sfield's prospectus was held, the whole of London was shocked.

Many capitalists have entered the North African Oil Exploration Company, and the original 50 pounds instantly expanded to 500 million pounds.

Although the oil fields in North Africa have not yet been exploited, Boss Shi has already recovered 400 million pounds, corresponding to his shareholding falling to 10%.

William Sfield instantly became a rich man with a net worth of 25 pounds without spending a penny.

Because the land around the oil field was all in his name, he continued exploration with Boss Shi's money and discovered new oil fields in addition to the eight oil fields of the "Bei Oil" company.

Suddenly, the whole of Europe was in a sensation. Tripolitania became a popular place. Britain and France on both sides of the colony were eyeing this treasure land.

As a colonial sovereign state, the Ottoman Turkish Empire was even more anxious and sent additional troops to the Tripolitania region.

Suddenly the atmosphere in Tripolitania became even more tense.

……

William Sfield also felt the tense atmosphere in this land. He sent a telegram asking Boss Shi what to do.
  Shi Jintang told him directly: "Don't be afraid, no one dares to do harm to the British at this time."

William Sfield couldn't help but think of his encounter on the Yellow Sea last year, and he couldn't help cursing those stupid Japanese monkeys. It was these dwarfs who made him, an Englishman, suffer humiliation.

……

Shi Jintang pays attention to the situation in North Africa and the developments in southern Africa.

It was nearing the end of the year, and Shi Jintang was murmuring in his heart, wondering whether Governor Rhodes would launch an attack on the Transvaal as scheduled in accordance with the evolution of history.

So he recruited Yan Han and asked him to take a look at Governor Rhodes' daily monitoring records in the past six months.

Yan Han took over as deputy of the Matabenaland Garrison Brigade and also took over the military intelligence room.

Since the Military Intelligence Office learned that Governor Rhodes had sent spies in the South China Company, the Military Intelligence Office activated the spies planted by the Cape Colony government.

It took more than a year to enter the Cape Colony Governor's Palace and monitor Governor Rhodes's every move.

Now the Military Intelligence Office knows exactly whether Governor Rhodes sleeps with a woman every night.

Therefore, after Shi Jintang read Governor Rhodes's action records, he immediately smiled with relief.

It seems that Governor Rhodes is still very persistent. He still firmly implements the predetermined strategy. History has not disrupted the rhythm of history because of the emergence of Shi Jintang and Nanhua Company.

Shi Jintang estimated that Dr. Jameson should have set off from Rhodesia Company with hundreds of policemen.

The target was Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal Republic.

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  (End of this chapter)