Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 1567 Chile's Progress ([-])

"Commissioner Liu, if it wasn't for your idea back then, this piece of land including Lu Cheng Township would not have belonged to us." On the south bank of Jiehe River, among the group of people who had just returned from fishing for trout, a senior official was half-flattering Said half-sincerely.

There is also a reason for what this person said, because in the original agreement with the Kingdom of Spain, what the people on the east bank originally asked for was to establish the river area for cross-border reclamation. can see.It's just that later the people on the east bank carried forward the "shameless style" again. They said that the war was expensive, and that the trading ships were sunk and captured by the French. Lease rights in the south area.

But the matter did not end here. Later, Liu Jianguo, the regional commissioner of Southern Chile, used the excuse that the source of the Bueno River did not agree with the Spaniards, and forcibly seized the fan-shaped area between the Pilmacan River and the Bueno River in later generations. Immigrants were transported here, and a settlement like Lucheng Township was built—of course, it is only a larger village at present—and this kind of occupation was directly confirmed. The Spaniards had no choice but to retreat and compromise in the end. It is confirmed here as the new border between the two countries.So, in this matter, he, Liu, has meritorious service, otherwise the people below wouldn't have said that just now.

When Liu Jianguo heard what the people said, he just smiled slightly, and then handed the trout in his hand to the secretary, asking him to find someone to cook it, and then said: "These are not worth mentioning. The arrogance of the princes of the committee to encroach on the land of the Spaniards, I can only regard it as a small encroachment at best, which is very boring."

"Isn't the stage too small, Commissioner Liu—oh, no, it should be called Captain Liu—Captain Liu will soon go to a bigger stage to perform, and the future will naturally be the best, the best Ah." Soon someone said jokingly, and his eyes looked eager, as if he was planning something.

"You guys, hehe——" Liu Jianguo is also in his 30s this year, and it is the golden age of a man's life, so he feels secretly refreshed when he hears what the people below say, and he doesn't feel so nervous when he breathes lightly , So I just heard him say: "However, this time I went to the Far East to work, and I really couldn't carry out the implementation without bringing my own people around. This time, the superior also verbally agreed to me, and I can take three or five people to work in Heishui, because The situation over there is complicated, the natives have treacherous minds, and the Russians also have evil intentions, so it’s impossible to have no one of our own. I don’t have many talents at hand, and there are quite a lot of people who have killed them. If you are willing to go to Heishui with me Yes, you can bring it up early now!"

It is said that since Liao Xiaoyao, the former captain of the Blackwater Pioneering Team, replaced Liang Xiangjian, who had resigned and returned to China, as the captain of the Denglai Pioneering Team, the throne of the captain of the Blackwater Pioneering Team has been vacant (currently Liao Xiaoyao is acting temporarily).The vacancy of such an important position has triggered a new round of competition among the rich and powerful in the country. At present, when the time traveler is generally too old to go to work thousands of miles away, this position has been fiercely contested among the many second-generation wearers. contention.

The competition was so intense that after the position was vacant for nearly a year, the dust finally settled. Liu Jianguo, the son of Liu Ang, is in charge, and will set off on a fast liaison ship to the Far East in the middle of this month.Going with him, if nothing else happens, there will be five subordinate officials who he personally selected and reported to the personnel department of the executive committee for approval, so as to better carry out the work.

In all fairness, this opportunity to serve in the Blackwater region of the Far East is an excellent gold-plated opportunity for both Liu Jianguo and the officials under him.Once you go to work there for three to five years, as long as you have a little credit, then in the future, it will be an important stroke in your political qualifications.It's just that Liu Jianguo is in his thirties and his official career is promising, so he is desperately trying to get this opportunity, but the officials under him may not be sure.After all, some of them are quite old, and it is not uncommon for them not to want to take the risk of going out to sea again. In addition, some people are bound by family factors or other factors, so the final selection range is not too large. In fact, Liu already has a rough idea of ​​how to use his personal quota.

"Forget it, let's not talk about these things, let's talk about going overseas later. I have only served in the southern Chile region for less than half a month. I have been a commissioner for several years, and I have done my best to ask myself. Try your best, but there are still a few things that you can’t worry about, you have to handle the beginning and end for me, it’s also my life principle.” Liu Jianguo sat down on a smooth tree stump, and then said with a smile.

"The first thing is to establish trade with the silver mining areas including Valdivia, Villarrica. These areas have a series of small silver mines, although the output cannot be compared with that of Potosí in Chalkas. Compared with silver mines, it is also a small benefit to the Kingdom of Spain. Considering that there are a large number of Indian laborers and Spanish colonists, there is a great demand for food, textiles, tools, agricultural tools, mining machinery and other products. And because the local silver production is very high (the Kingdom of Spain will not take all the silver away, in fact the king only taxes the silver mines in Peru and Mexico, and the locals will deliberately conceal the production to reduce the amount of tax paid, Therefore, in silver producing areas, the value of silver is generally depreciated), and various commodities can be sold at a good price, so the trade with these places is related to the future of our southern Chile region, so we have to pay attention to it." Liu Jianguo raised With a finger on his right hand, he said to everyone.

In fact, what Liu Jianguo was talking about is the area south of the neighboring Boundary River—if nothing goes wrong, this area, together with Guanhai and Qinghe counties on Fenggu Island, a total of five counties, is the core of the future of the southern Chilean region. In Qingfeng County, the three to 4000 people there are actually just making up the number-the trade in the bordering Spanish-controlled area still has a deep background.

Under the circumstance that the 30-year exclusive franchise of the Southern Railway Company will expire in eight years (expires at the end of 1678), how to arrange a large number of people and enterprises in the Southern Cone area in the future has been placed on the company's president Mao Desheng. agenda.After all, the five counties of Shanhou, Ningnan, Weihai, Xingnan, and Araucan in the southern part of the Southern Cone now have a population of more than 7.7—relatively speaking, the four counties of Qingfeng, Guanhai, Qinghe, and Maolin combined It's only about 5.26 people—actually, it's too much, and normally there shouldn't be so many.

The reason for this is nothing more than the existence of the super-concern enterprise Southern Railway Company, which has accumulated huge profits through monopoly trade with Spanish colonies such as Peru and New Spain. Therefore, it has built a lot of roads, railways, Docks, forts, and of course some factories, mines, and other civilian facilities were built, thus absorbing a large number of people.However, after the expiry of the trade concession in 1678, it is clear that the central government will not give the Southern Railway Company the convenience of monopolizing trade for the second time. Therefore, it is certain that the Southern Railway Company’s trading profits will decline sharply in the future. It is no longer possible to maintain such a large stall, so diverting some of the people who are unemployed or whose income has been reduced due to the economic contraction to southern Chile is a task that the company has already begun to handle.

At present, the South Chile region is striving for the Nantie Machinery Factory established in Xingnan County. Although the machinery manufacturing strength of this factory is not as good as those of the old domestic manufacturers, it is still passable. It has a large number of skilled craftsmen and apprentices. , has the ability to independently repair and assemble the "Star of La Plata" steam locomotive, and it is not ambiguous to process ordinary machinery and parts. After all, the Southern Railway Company is rich and powerful, and the equipment configured for the factory is not outdated.

Therefore, such enterprises are undoubtedly fatally attractive to southern Chile, where the basic industry is extremely weak, because their trade with the West requires such a pillar enterprise to settle in order to be able to obtain from the Spaniards. earn excess profits.

Similar to the Nantie Machinery Factory, there are also the Pacific Shipyard (located in the port of Araucan), the Nantie Flour Mill, the Nantie Seafood Processing Plant (processing fish such as horse mackerel in southern Chile), and the Nantie Leather Factory (processing precious sea animal fur), Nantie Women's and Children's Hospital, Nantie Nursing Home, Nantie Medical Research Institute and other subsidiaries and branches of Nantie.To tell the truth, these units are not only jealous in southern Chile, but officials in other parts of the country are also jealous!However, considering the constant and chaotic relationship between the Southern Railway Company and the Southern Chile region, as well as the beautiful environment and good climate in the area, it seems that Liu Jianguo and the others have the priority in the competition, and the advantage seems to be quite large. .

"The second thing is the construction of the Liucheng Port Naval Base. This is also an old project. It has been under construction so far. The Navy has paid a lot of money and donated a lot of materials to our region, so we need to get it done as soon as possible. Otherwise, I will always owe them something in my heart." Liu Jianguo raised a finger again, and said to everyone: "If it is really impossible, we will exercise the right to collect corvees in a few counties, and we will have to fight to the death. The home port of the Third Fleet has been beautifully built. What's more, the relocation of the entire Third Fleet from the port of Araucan will not only bring a large population, but also promote the regional economic development. It cannot be ignored. Yes. Sooner or later, our country will have to navigate the vast Pacific Ocean, and the strength of the Third Fleet will not always be as poor as it is now. One day it will grow to be like the First Fleet, and this will be very important for our local industry and agriculture. It will have a great stimulating effect on business and business.”

According to the consistent plan of the Ministry of the Navy, the First Fleet is responsible for operations in the Atlantic Ocean, the Second Fleet is responsible for operations in the Indian Ocean, and the Third Fleet is responsible for operations in the Pacific Ocean.For now, it is obvious that the First Fleet is the main force, followed by the Second Fleet, and the third Fleet is the last.However, the situation is always changing. How can we know that with the development of trade and intensified competition in the Pacific region, the Third Fleet will not develop?These are all difficult things to say, so Liu Jianguo asked his subordinates to speed up the construction of the Liucheng Port Naval Base after he left, and make sure to complete it as soon as possible.

"The third thing - and the last big thing - is to intensify efforts to attract young citizens in the hinterland of the country to come to open up wasteland, especially those who have completed primary education but cannot find a living job in their hometown. People are the main object of our competition. The development of the Southern Chile region started late, and there are a lot of waste, and few people have received a qualified education, so the degree of thirst for talents cannot be overstated.” Liu Jianguo Speaking of this, he emphasized his tone: "The importance of talents, I think it was the first in economic development at that time, we are now in many pioneering places, such as the Lucheng Township we have been to these days, even the meeting is There are not many people who have settled accounts. What does this look like? No wonder the people in the prairie on the east coast and the people in the Duck Lake Valley ridiculed us as country bumpkins. I don’t think this is all slander. It’s really thin, so it’s especially about bringing in talent from outside.”

"Those who need land, we will try our best to give them the best land! People who like to be officials, if they are really talented, we will hire them into the system. At least these people can write and count, and they are still competent as ordinary cadres. Well! And those who like to do business and engage in technology, we also create an environment for them-of course, this may be difficult in the short term, but it can be emphasized during publicity, it is harmless." Liu Jianguo said: "In short, it is to Do everything possible to grab resources, labor, talent, and investment from other places! Otherwise, how can our Southern Chile region develop beyond the conventional and catch up with those developed counties in China? ?”

What Liu Jianguo said is actually the truth. It stands to reason that he is a person who is about to leave office, so he shouldn't say so much.Because these tasks have nothing to do with him, and if there are achievements in the future, they can only be the achievements of the newly appointed commissioner. If others say that he has a good foundation, he has a conscience.However, after working in southern Chile for so many years, Mr. Liu, who started as a deputy township head, still has a very special feeling for this land that bears his best years, so he is here Before leaving, I was still thinking about the future development of Southern Chile.

After all, he has worked here for more than ten years, married his wife here, had his children born here, and perfected his political resume here, and southern Chile has indeed become an inseparable part of his life.

(End of this chapter)