Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 520 Germination
The exhibits at the industrial expo dazzled the visitors; they never imagined that the East could have such novelties.

Especially that bicycle I'd never seen before; it's much more comfortable to ride than other types. It's also faster and requires less effort. The only problem is that you'll have to wait for their production capacity to increase; right now they're only producing a little over 1000 a month. And that's with an emergency production schedule.

However, quite a few people still ordered bicycles, with some businessmen even ordering hundreds at a time, intending to ship them back to their home countries and make a fortune.

However, these orders were only small-scale; the real bulk of the orders came from the military. They discovered that bicycles were several times faster than walking, and could significantly increase speed in rugged terrain. Therefore, their orders started in the five-figure range.

The rapid expansion of bicycle factories also spurred the import and production of other raw materials, leading to a larger market for rubber and high-precision parts. This forced factories to improve their technology, as better technology was essential to capturing a larger market share.

Siemens showcased its high-powered generator to Nasser al-Din, which can produce electricity by adding fuel. It's unclear what it will be used for, but fortunately, the Shah has provided them with a direction.

In 1854, Henri Goebbels used a carbonized bamboo filament, placing it under a vacuum glass bottle and then electrifying it to produce light. Nasser al-Din purchased the patent from him for 120 million riyals and subsequently began improvements.

While the generator was useless, a light bulb could still provide some guidance. Carbonized bamboo fibers, after being evacuated, could burn continuously for 700 hours. Thus, the light bulb was invented.

Thirty light bulbs lit up under the power of the generator, instantly illuminating the room as if it were daytime.

This type of lighting, unlike kerosene lamps, is safer and doesn't produce the smell of burning kerosene. If it could be widely adopted, it would also be a way to improve efficiency.

But Nasserdin knew that if he forced this through, everyone would oppose it, because Iran was already tied to oil.

Baku's oil fields produce 60% of the world's oil and 72% of its kerosene, and the revenue generated by the oil companies is a major source of income for Iran. Furthermore, many people around Baku rely on these oil companies for their livelihoods. The saying "millions of laborers depend on these companies for their food and clothing" is not just an empty phrase.

Until a new product replaces kerosene, the electric light can only be promoted slowly. However, other things can be started immediately, as long as they can be invented.

However, current generators still have some problems. For example, they have short transmission distances, low power output, and instability, which need to be addressed one by one.

Don't expect someone to immediately understand just because you casually mention direct current or alternating current. Current theory hasn't reached that point yet; it requires a long period of investment to gradually develop.

The seeds of the Second Industrial Revolution were beginning to sprout, with oil, the internal combustion engine, and electricity poised to become new growth drivers. How could they afford to be complacent and relentlessly pursue development?
The industrial expo brought enormous benefits to Iran, and also to the city of Baghdad.

The majestic and magnificent city walls, the wide and flat cement and gravel roads, and the bustling and lively streets—everywhere you look in Baghdad, you can see the city’s vitality and hope.

Following the Iranian government's announcement of relocating the capital, many businessmen have rushed to the area, spending considerable sums of their savings to become permanent residents of the capital. The population is projected to soon exceed 50.

Looking south, the ports of Basra and Kuwait City are welcoming a steady stream of merchant ships. As important ports in the Persian Gulf, goods from all over the world are exported here, while products from the East are imported and transported to the West by rail.

With the rise of European colonialism and the Industrial Revolution, the demand for goods and raw materials increased dramatically. Basra became one of the important trading centers to meet these demands, with its main traded commodities including grain, spices, silk, and currency.

By 1820, Basra's trade was thriving, thanks to its advantageous geographical location, stable political environment, and growing global trade demand. These factors brought prosperity and development to Basra, significantly impacting trade networks in the Middle East and across continents. The development of Basra's trade was a rapid expansion and diversification process, involving a wide variety of goods.

However, due to advancements in navigation technology, new sea routes and trade centers emerged. For instance, the opening of the Cape of Good Hope route allowed European merchants to sail directly to the Indian Ocean and Asia, gradually shifting the trade center of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean region and diminishing Basra's importance as a trade hub. The silting of the Tigris River and the port of Basra worsened, making it difficult for ships to enter and exit. Furthermore, the lack of long-term maintenance and dredging of the river channels hindered navigation, causing numerous inconveniences to trade at the time.

After Iran conquered the area, it immediately began investing in its development. The region entered a period of large-scale construction. Local merchants also seized the opportunity to invest and build factories. The completion of the railway and the dredging of the waterways once again brought Basra to its former glory.

A thousand years later, Mesopotamia once again played a vital role, experiencing a significant population increase, economic and trade development, and flourishing cultural exchange. If the Caspian coast is Iran's Shandong province, then Mesopotamia is its Jiangnan region—the heart of the nation's population and economy.

Based on their geographical locations and cultural characteristics, Baghdad, Basra, and Najaf became political, trade, and religious centers, respectively. Like Baghdad, Basra had a population of 20, and Najaf had 14. Kuwait City surpassed 1, and Dhahran reached 17. All these cities are connected by rail, resulting in a highly active flow of people.

As the government's large-scale investment in the area ended, the economic benefits quickly became apparent. Nomadic Arabs settled in cities or suburbs because they found that working in the city was better than the nomadic life of herding. Their children could also receive better educations, and food prices were lower.

Having a new government isn't a bad thing. Before, there was always fighting and killing; now it's all about parties and entertainment. They can keep their knives at home, but they don't need to worry about enemies coming to their door. The local police can handle that.

In exchange, their language and beliefs aligned with Iran's, and their original principles crumbled after several wars and Iran's seizure of Mecca. Ultimately, this world respects the mighty; if the Ottomans could seize the Caliphate by force, why couldn't Iran? Moreover, Iran is clearly more developed than the other two countries; there's no happier life than living in Iran.

(End of this chapter)