Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 358 Lanfang
Pontianak has a population of 30, making it one of the largest cities in Southeast Asia. Thanks to its geographical location, it is second only to Saigon in importance to Iran.

Originally, this was just a small port city, only able to accommodate ships with small displacements. The leaders of Lanfang tried many times to dredge the river, but failed for various reasons. It wasn't until after Iranian rule that this place finally got its chance.

The village of Tikong, not far from Pontianak, has a decent harbor depth of about eight meters. More importantly, Tikong has a favorable terrain, surrounded by mountains on both sides. Crucially, it's only 27 kilometers from Pontianak. Once developed, it could become a port capable of meeting demand. Furthermore, building a railway there would solve transportation problems.

The plan was good, but who would pay for such a huge sum of money? Fortunately, someone came up with a solution: to sell off the area near the dock as a source of funds. A large sum of money was quickly raised, which was enough to renovate Lanfang's infrastructure.

Lanfang already had a large trade volume, but due to the Dutch monopoly and to ensure Batavia's status, they intentionally restricted local infrastructure development. After Iran occupied the area, these restrictions were lifted, and with the added boost of Far East trade, there was an urgent need to expand the port and build various supporting facilities.

As a Chinese-ruled regime, Lanfang contributed half of the revenue to Iran in Qinistan. Due to the region's economic importance, Iran was particularly lenient towards Lanfang, only requiring them to pay sufficient taxes.

The Chinese understood the tacit agreement and submitted substantial revenue to the authorities. They also ventured deep into the interior, clearing vast forests for plantations. With Iranian support, a number of merchant organizations emerged in Pontianak engaged in entrepot trade, acting as intermediaries between Iran and the Far East.

Iranian textiles, kerosene, lubricants and other goods sold very well in Southeast Asia and the Far East, while Far Eastern tea, silk, cotton and other goods were also sold to Iran through these merchants.

There were also groups engaged in trade with North Korea, exporting goods such as iron pots, iron tea chests, and linen to North Korea, and purchasing agricultural products such as ginseng, animal hides, and toshiba from North Korea. Finally, there were medicinal herb merchants who imported and sold medicinal materials such as cinnamon and bezoar.

With the stabilization of the local order, Pontianak's development opportunities also emerged. In 1855, there were only about 60 registered trading companies in Pontianak Port. By 1861, the number of trading companies in Pontianak exceeded 300, and entrepot trade revenue reached 2300 million riyals. The growth rate is evident.

Economic growth also propelled Lanfang's social development, with more and more people learning Persian, and even the indigenous inhabitants of the interior beginning to embrace civilization. Within the government structure, the governor of Lanfang was appointed by the governor of Qinistan, and under him was a council of 25 members, all local powerful clans. Iran relied on these individuals to rule over nearly 40 people in the region.

Luo Yuanhan's investment yielded rich rewards. Like many Chinese Kapitans, he also found a powerful patron in Iran. The rise in his family's status also brought marital benefits; the ruler of Songkhla married his daughter to him, undoubtedly to maintain his own interests. Indeed, Songkhla was a desirable region, with no major problems in trade.

"My lord, our trade with Songkhla is growing rapidly, and I am a little worried."

One of the council members asked Luo Yuanhan with some concern, and the other asked, puzzled, "What are you worried about?"

"It's like this, the relationship between Songkhla and Siam is somewhat complicated. If we deepen our ties with them, it might arouse Siam's suspicion. That could trigger a diplomatic incident, and I don't know if Iran will get involved." Luo Yuanhan thought it was something else, but it turned out to be this. "Don't worry, Siam is struggling to survive right now, and Iran won't let it off the hook. Besides, our relationship with Songkhla is just trade; who would think they have too much money?"

"Consul Chen, do you agree?"

Civil official Chen Yonghua was named, and he felt there was no problem with it. Which company doesn't trade in Songkhla these days? It's just a matter of how much. Moreover, he recently received information that the current Shah's brother, the Sultan who just defeated Brunei, is preparing for his next expansion plan. And it's highly likely that this will target the Sultanate of Sulu to the north.

The Sultan of Sarawak was very tolerant of the Chinese, and most of the trade between Lanfang and Sarawak was conducted by the Chinese. Every war, however, was an opportunity for merchants to make money; it's unknown what they will need this time.

"By the way, I heard some news while I was in Malacca, I don't know if it's useful," someone suddenly said.

"Oh, tell me quickly!"

"Recently, the Yi Hing and Hai San gangs in the area have been embroiled in a dispute over the ownership of a mine. If we could intervene..."

Luo Yuanhan immediately stopped him from continuing. He knew about the matter too, but being in a middle-level position, he had also heard some rumors. He heard that Abbas Sultan had already told the Shah, and it seemed he wanted to acquire the place. This wasn't something they could covet; they should think of something else.

Lanfang currently has a series of construction projects underway, and everyone here also needs to develop their own industries. For example, some of them have built timber processing plants, food factories, and textile factories in Pontianak, using Iranian machinery, and then selling the products to Iran or other countries. As for land, who else can buy it besides Iran's approval?

With agriculture failing, the only option was to invest in industry and commerce. This also reflected the situation of industrial development in Lanfang. There are still many forests inland of Lanfang that need to be developed; these resources have become an important source of timber imports for Iran, along with Cambodia and Laos.

Timber is one of the commodities that Iran is most in need of. With scarce forests in its own territory, Iran has banned logging and established enforcement teams to crack down on illegal logging. However, the country relies heavily on timber, so it imports wood from countries like Russia while also sourcing and exporting large quantities from its colonies. Laos, Cambodia, Lan Fang, and Sarawak, with their vast forests, have become important sources of timber for Iran.

It's not just timber; even paper mills are starting to relocate to port cities like Muscat, where water and raw materials are readily available, and goods can be quickly delivered to various locations. The Shah has put a lot of effort into timber and related industries—after all, Iran is in the Middle East.

(End of this chapter)