Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 505 Import and Export Company

"So you see, the main reason why ironclad ships cannot be exported in large quantities at present is not the high price... but the limited production cycle." Harvey spread his hands and said helplessly.

The actual reason is that all of Spark City's current shipbuilding supporting industries have devoted all their energy and resources to manufacturing military-grade ironclad ships and submarines that have just completed diving test experiments.

Santos and the others suddenly realized, "So that's what's going on. We really were too hasty."

Harvey nodded and smiled. "You're all anxious to purchase ironclad ships simply to improve shipping efficiency and ensure the safety and speed of ocean trade. But I think there's actually a reliable solution, and it can be implemented right now..."

He counted on his fingers with a smile, "Currently, there are about thirty civilian ironclad ships in use in Spark City. The transport route is the northern section of the Ralph River, departing from Black Mountain Port and Silver Pine City, passing through Jinhui City, Fengyuan City, and Sancha Town, and finally arriving in Grizzly Territory."

This is the main route for transporting migrant population to the north.

"How about I allocate fifteen of these ships directly to you for the transportation of regular goods?"

Morgan was stunned for a moment, then laughed dryly and said, "Lord City Lord, what does this mean?"

Harvey shrugged and explained, "After the autumn harvest, the frequency of Spark City accepting refugees has slowed. We can completely convert the surplus ships into cargo transportation. In other words... I'll provide the ships and the supporting operators, and you'll only be responsible for the cargo and the loading and sales along the way."

Andrew slapped his thigh and said in surprise, "Lord City Lord, is this what you call win-win cooperation and new business opportunities?"

Fifteen ironclad ships. If the other party really intends to treat their three chambers of commerce fairly, it means that they can at least get the right to use five merchant ships, and they don't have to prepay the full amount in advance and wait for the delivery of the shipbuilding order. Harvey has even assigned them the captain and sailors. What's the difference between this and just lying down and waiting for money to come automatically?
The three of them didn't even exchange glances, and almost said in unison: "Deal!"

Harvey clapped his hands in satisfaction and ordered the waiter to clear away the messy cups and plates. A newly drawn map of the entire water system of the southern region was spread out on the long dining table, and four contracts stamped with the seal of the Commerce Department of the Xinghuo City Administrative Office were also placed on the table.

"Spark United Import and Export Company?" Santos said with a smile. "Sir, every time I come to your place, I see some new and unheard-of concept. What does this joint-stock... company mean?"

"The four of us will join forces and each of us will get profits according to our share of shares!" Manager Morgan took the initiative to answer.

"Yes, I provide transportation and labor, so I own 30% of the shares... Do you have any objections?"

Andrew swallowed his saliva and said nervously, "This...this is inappropriate! The City Lord has covered the most important transportation and labor costs for us, how can he only take this little profit!"

Santos' eyes rolled, and he echoed Morgan, "That's right! Thirty percent is too little! It's hard to divide the remaining 70% evenly among the three of us. Lord City Lord... you should take 40% of the shares, and the remaining 60% should belong to us!"

Just providing transportation support and not even participating in the production and sale of goods, they can reap 40% of the profits... In fact, it is no different from setting up checkpoints along the way and collecting tolls. But Harvey knows that they value establishing a long-term and stable friendly relationship with him more than immediate benefits. It is actually a long-term investment with greater returns.

He immediately went along with it, nodded, and said with a smile, "Since you've taken the initiative to give me the discount, how about I let you guys handle the sales of all the new products in Spark City?"

"Thank you for your generosity and kindness, Lord Mayor!" The three of them stood up and bowed, fearing that Harvey would suddenly go back on his word and change the terms of cooperation. They immediately picked up the pen and wanted to sign the cooperation contract, but were suddenly stopped by Harvey.

"Don't be anxious! There are three small additional conditions in this important cooperation... I need the three of you to help me complete them." Harvey stood up slowly and pointed to the shipping map spread out on the table.

"President Santos, I've heard that the Dragonstone Merchant Guild has been conducting the magic stone trade with the burrowing dwarves of the southern hills, right?"

Strictly speaking, the sale of magic stones is monopolized by the Spellcasters' Union... and they use this to control all the large and small spellcaster families and organizations in the southern tribes. Even the Seven Wizarding Nations Council needs to pay a certain price to obtain a sufficient share of magic stones from them.

The Dragonstone Chamber of Commerce, however, has a separate route for importing magic stones from the Cave City, which is tantamount to "smuggling" and a serious violation of the Continental Spellcaster Treaty. However, it has never been investigated by the Federation for a long time. It can only be said that the family's background should not be underestimated.

Santos' face paled. He was about to stand up to explain, but Harvey stopped him with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry. All I ask is that you take the lead and contact the Underground City to open up a new trade route for me. This will be used for future trade cooperation between Spark City and the Dwarves."

Without waiting for the other party to reply, he immediately turned to Andrew and said with a smile, "President Andrew, has your Chamber of Commerce also maintained a close cooperative relationship with the Eastern Golden Forest?"

Because of their long-standing tradition of "closing the country to the outside world", the elves have never had much contact with the human race in the southern border, and they are even more opposed to exchanges and cooperation between the two races. They have only signed a verbal offensive and defensive alliance to deal with the invasion of the demons.

However, in the process of the elves making transformation magic stones and magic instruments, they are in urgent need of various common gemstones and magic minerals, which cannot be produced by the Golden Forest of the East. Smuggling from the private sector has become the only effective way.

"So, what President Andrew needs to help me with is also to contact Lorien in the Golden Forest and help me open a trade route to the East."

Faced with Harvey's apparent motive, the only remaining supervisor, Morgan, stood up and said, "Then the task the City Lord needs to assign to me should be to establish contact with the Sea Clan so that we can sell them specialties from the North later, right?"

Harvey nodded and smiled with satisfaction.

"I know that bypassing the Federation and the Wizarding Council and establishing contact with these other races under their blockade is against the rules, but risks... always coexist with benefits. Your family chamber of commerce has spent generations painstakingly building trade routes and cooperative relationships, and it would be unfair for me to suddenly intervene and take a piece of the pie..."

He changed the subject and said quietly, "So I've decided to offer some compensation. The Spark City Civilian Shipbuilding Company is currently in urgent need of craftsmen. You can select a group of craftsmen from the workshops under your respective Chambers of Commerce and send them to the Northern Territory to participate in the construction of civilian ironclad ships... My skilled craftsmen will be responsible for teaching them. In three years at most... you will each acquire the skills to build ironclad ships."

This time the three of them were all stunned.

Santos asked in disbelief, "Lord City Lord, you... you mean, you're willing to teach us the manufacturing technology of ironclad ships? Are you kidding?"

Harvey shook his head. "I have absolutely no intention of teasing you. Everything I say is true... The craftsmen you send only need to work for my shipyard for three years. I'll even pay your salaries."

In any case, the manufacturing technology of ironclad ships cannot be independently realized without the advanced steel smelting foundation. Without the supporting steel casting industry as a foundation, even if Harvey spread the technology to the entire southern territory without reservation, no workshop under any chamber of commerce could really imitate the ironclad ship of the same specifications.

Not to mention the liquid magic energy that is absolutely monopolized by Spark City. Without this thing, the armored ship cannot be launched into the water, let alone conduct a fast and safe ocean voyage.

(End of this chapter)