North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 260 Continue to Expand Combat Strength
In 1852, the total revenue of the Huamei Company reached 380 million US dollars, but its expenses also reached 250 million US dollars!

Huamei Corporation has more than 150,000 full-time employees, and its salary expenditure alone has reached one hundred million US dollars.

Military spending remained roughly the same as last year, at nearly 20 million US dollars.

Expenses for raw materials increased significantly, reaching more than 50 million US dollars.

Of the remaining $70 million, the majority was invested in fixed assets.

In California, Panama, Brazil, Alaska, and various supply ports in the Pacific... whether it's the huge expenditure on land purchases or the massive investment in infrastructure projects, money is being spent like water.

By the end of 1852, the main railroad running through the north and south of California had begun to have its roadbed laid.

The year-round ice-free supply port in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska is progressing even faster, with many essential infrastructure facilities, such as docks, fresh water, coal, warehouses, residences, offices, and ship repair facilities, nearing completion.

In just two or three months, the Aleutian supply port will be able to provide stable supply support for California's merchant and immigrant ships.

Besides the Aleutian Islands, Japan already had a certain foundation in Hakodate, and after signing the Treaty of Shimonoseki, it began to provide supplies and port support to ships from California.

Meanwhile, Hakodate is also undergoing a series of renovation and expansion projects to better support steamships in terms of supplies and repairs.

Meanwhile, Wake Island and Pearl Harbor, located in the central Pacific Ocean, are under construction.

In particular, Wake Island, which was originally occupied by the United States and had a certain foundation, was already providing necessary support and supplies to California ships.

As the best-positioned and most crucial hub in the Central Pacific, Pearl Harbor underwent a larger-scale construction project, but by 1853 it was still able to provide all the necessary supplies and support to Californian ships.

Once this series of supply ports was basically completed in 1853, the number of immigrants from China would surely increase many times over.

Ultimately, the only thing limiting the number of immigrants is the number of ships!

By the end of 1852, the Huamei Company owned more than fifty docks!
Among them, there are 20 docks with a capacity of 1,000 tons, 24 docks with a capacity of 3,000 tons, and 6 docks with a capacity of over 6,000 tons.

Throughout the year, apart from building more than a dozen warships for the U.S. Navy and the Prussian Navy, California did not add any new ships to its own Coast Guard.

Almost all of the construction capacity was used to build fast steam merchant ships.

The simultaneous construction of dozens of fast steam merchant ships not only greatly increased the construction speed but also significantly reduced construction costs.

Today, Huamei Shipping owns more than 230 ocean-going vessels with a displacement of over 1,000 tons.

Among them, fast steam merchant ships and clipper ships each accounted for almost half.

If all these ships were used to transport immigrants, they could transport 300,000 to 400,000 people a year.

This is only the shipping capacity of Huamei Company itself. If the shipping capacity of other shipping companies is added, it will not be a problem to transport more than 500,000 people a year.

Of these 500,000 people, at least 80 percent are Chinese.

With the construction speed of Huamei Shipyard, it only takes eight months to build a thousand-ton fast steam merchant ship in one dock, and each dock can build at least one and a half fast steam merchant ships per year.

In three to five years, transporting a million people every year will no longer be just a dream!
Even by next year, California's population will easily exceed one million.

Even among all the states in the United States, a million people is definitely not a small number!

In the entire western region, California's million-strong population accounts for at least one-third of the total, and this proportion is expected to continue to rise.

……

In addition to its economic situation, Huamei Company's other businesses have also achieved significant development.

In particular, the University of California, invested and built by Huamei Company, was officially established and enrolled its first batch of 500 college students before the end of the year.

The University of California is now quite large, with over 30 outstanding professors in addition to 500 undergraduates, including world-renowned professors such as Charles Darwin.

The first phase of construction has been completed and put into use, and the University of California is still under construction. The second, third and even fourth phases of construction are being launched one after another.

In the coming years, the University of California will grow exponentially in size.

With the University of California, California's future development is guaranteed, especially in the fields of science and engineering.

Besides the University of California, high schools throughout California are also under construction at a rapid pace.

By the end of 1852, there were more than 20 secondary schools in California, with more than 10,000 junior and senior high school students.

……

After Daisy, Edgar Allan Poe, and others finished summarizing the developments of 1852, Azu began to plan the work goals for 1853.

"Gentlemen, you all did a great job in 1852... well, very well!"

Azu concluded with satisfaction, "Now, if we include the 85 million in advance payments for arms, well... the cash and gold reserves in our vaults should exceed 350 million US dollars!"

"Wow... 350 million... Oh my God...!"

The core members of Huamei in the conference room almost unanimously exclaimed in disbelief!
Last year, during the year-end review, no one was sure whether their own treasury was larger or the U.S. national treasury was larger. But now, everyone is absolutely certain that their own treasury is definitely larger than the U.S. national treasury…and much larger!
Azu smiled slightly: "Three hundred and fifty million US dollars, that's quite a lot!"

"By this year, which is 1853, those mega-projects we have been pushing for will gradually begin."

"California's railroads, ports, urban construction projects, inland waterway shipping, cable telegraph, the Carajás iron ore mine in Brazil, and a series of supply port projects in the Pacific Ocean...!"

"All of these infrastructure projects require a large amount of capital investment."

"I expect that this year alone, the investment in these infrastructure projects will exceed 60 million US dollars."

Azu continued, "We will build more ships! Next year, we will build at least seventy steam merchant ships, and the investment in shipbuilding will reach more than five million US dollars."

“And another thing…!” Azu added, “Our population will easily exceed one million this year, so the National Guard should also be further expanded, and a lot of real money should be spent on it.”

"Currently, our National Guard, including the Panama Garrison Brigade, consists of three infantry brigades, one independent cavalry regiment, and one independent artillery regiment."

"This year, most of our officers will graduate from military academies one after another. This is a crucial step we have taken on the road to the regularization, professionalization and modernization of the military."

"Once a large number of officers graduate, and the population size and economic strength are fully capable of supporting it, there will be no more difficulties in expanding our National Guard."

"Moreover, the situation in the West is currently unstable, with Indian resistance erupting one after another. Only with strong military support can the Indian problem be completely resolved."

"In the East, the North and South are on the verge of civil war, and although California is far away, it cannot completely stay out of it."

Azu said, "Therefore, the expansion of California's military is imperative!"

"According to my plan, the National Guard will be expanded from three brigades and two regiments, totaling 25,000 people, to three divisions and three brigades."

"The three divisions are Feng Zicai's First Division, Shi Dakai's Second Division, and Halle's Panama Garrison Division."

"Each division comprises three infantry regiments of three thousand men each, as well as one divisional artillery battalion, one engineer battalion, one reconnaissance battalion, one training battalion, and one supply battalion..."

"Each division has a total strength of about 12,000 men."

Azu continued, "The three brigades are the Independent Cavalry Brigade, the Independent Artillery Brigade, and the Engineer Brigade."

"The cavalry brigade was expanded from the original Youma cavalry regiment, with its strength increasing from more than a thousand cavalrymen to four thousand cavalrymen, plus a corresponding logistics support force of one thousand people, for a total strength of five thousand people!"

"The artillery brigade was expanded from the original artillery regiment of old Martinez, and the number of various artillery pieces was increased threefold proportionally!"

"As for the engineer brigade, it's a completely new organization." Azu pondered, "This engineer brigade, um, Colonel Robert E. Lee...!"

"exist……!"

Robert E. Lee sprang up from his chair, standing at attention.

Ah Zu said to him, "Colonel, now that you've put the military academy on the right track, you must have a lot more free time, right?"

"I can't think of anyone else who could be the commander of this engineer brigade besides you!"

Robert E. Lee's first military post after graduating from West Point was in the Corps of Engineers.

Most of the subsequent military positions were related to engineering and engineering.

Therefore, this colonel, a future renowned general, is most skilled in the field of engineering!
“Governor, I would much rather be the commander of an engineer brigade than a military academy superintendent…!” Robert E. Lee replied without hesitation.

Azu smiled and said, "You will have to hold both the positions of principal and brigade commander until I find a qualified successor!"

“Yes, Governor…!” Robert E. Lee snapped to attention again.

After he sat down, Azu continued, "This engineering brigade is also very important for the future development of California."

"Because of a series of large-scale engineering projects, this engineering brigade can grow and mature rapidly during the engineering construction process."

"The size and organization of the engineer brigade are tentatively set at around 5,000 people!"

"If needed in the future, the engineer brigade will continue to expand."

"After all, we have so many engineering projects to implement in California that one engineering brigade may not be enough."

Robert E. Lee understood that this engineering brigade was entirely for both military and civilian use.

In wartime, they go to the battlefield; in peacetime, they go to construction sites.

This is pretty much the fate of all engineers around the world!

……

Azu concluded, "In the first half of this year, our California National Guard will expand to approximately 50,000 personnel and complete all training, becoming a fully operational force to prepare for any potential future crises!"

(End of this chapter)