Chapter 974 General Navigation

The opening of the Panama Canal greatly shortened the route between the east and west of North America and increased the frequency of trade.

The Panama Canal also amazes people from other countries.

"It's a miracle. How did such a wide canal be dug through? The moths in Congress only know to collect taxes from us, but they refuse to allocate funds to dig through the Erie Canal."

When arriving at the canal, Michael, a New York (New York) city native, complained about the Congress of Great Britain by the way.

Because the British businessmen who lived in New York before felt that it was necessary to dig a canal connecting the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean, so as to facilitate immigration to Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.

Without the canal, it would cost at least ten times as much to transport Illinois farm produce to New York for sale.

In places without cars, it is normal that the cost of land transportation is more than ten times more expensive than water transportation.

Expensive freight is an important factor restricting the Britons from marching westward.

Some immigrants arrived in Illinois and grew a large amount of agricultural products, but there was no local market to sell them, so they could only be shipped to New York City.

After throwing away the freight, basically there is no profit.

Therefore, not many people are interested in going to the west to open up wasteland.

Because of this situation, immigrants in North America hope that the British government can preside over the construction of a canal connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes.

Their request is not big, they just hope to build a canal twelve meters wide.

However, this is already very difficult for Great Britain, and the scale is too large. To complete this project, a huge amount of capital and manpower is required.

Great Britain's temporary focus is on industrialization, and there is not enough capital and manpower to build such a long-term income project that will take many years to pay back.

Such a large project must have the strong leadership of the government to be able to succeed.

Without the government's presence, no matter how strong the willingness to immigrate to North America is, it will be useless.

They all lack this kind of organizational ability and the courage to invest independently, and they are even more worried that the canal will be expropriated by the British government after it is dug.

"Well, if it was Dahua, they would have built it long ago. I heard that their Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is more than 2,000 kilometers long, and it was built a thousand years ago. It is unbelievable.

Not to mention this Panama Canal, which is more than 150 meters wide at its narrowest point, and it is said that it can pass a freighter of 60,000 to 70,000 tons. "

Companion Lopez said.

I am afraid of comparison in everything. With Dahua as a reference, people in other countries are easily depressed.

There is no way to compare, the gap is really too big.

Dahua digging a canal with an average width of more than 200 meters is like playing for fun, but they want to dig a canal with a width of 12 meters, which is like a major event that determines the fate of the country, and they have been unable to make up their minds for a long time.

"Why, our boat is as big as theirs, why do we have to pay four thousand yuan, but they only need to pay two thousand yuan?"

When paying the toll and getting permission to pass, Michael questioned Wen Xiang, the toll collector at the toll office.

"Because they are from Dahua, the place of registration of the ship is also from Dahua, and you are from Great Britain. This is the canal dug by our Dahua, and naturally it is to serve our Dahua ships."

Wen Xiang explained.

"Excessive, this is racial discrimination, you can't do this."

Michael protested.

"No ethnic discrimination? Then why do you call Indians yellow-skinned monkeys? Stop talking nonsense and get out if you don't pay. The Strait of Magellan is free, and no one is stopping you from passing there."

Wen Xiang snorted coldly.

Some people like to talk about the law of the jungle when facing weaker people, and like to talk about morality and etiquette when facing stronger people.

Wen Xiang is not used to this kind of person.

Anyway, the value of the Panama Canal lies here, and a businessman with a brain can distinguish the pros and cons of it, and there is no need to worry about no business.

Sure enough, Michael just complained a few words, and then while paying the money, he spoke some words that Wen Xiang couldn't understand in suburban English.

It probably means that he is a rational and smart person, and he does not have the same knowledge as a loser like Wen Xiang.

He mainly said this to his companion Lopez, trying to prove that he was not spineless and afraid of Wen Hsiang, but just maintained his own identity and didn't bother to argue with Wen Hsiang.

Commonly known as the spiritual victory method.

Fortunately, Lopez is his friend, and he didn't point it out, otherwise the atmosphere would be very embarrassing.

In short, their cargo ships were allowed to enter the canal.

"I only charge 4,000 Huayuan at a time, and I can get back my capital in less than ten years."

On the way, Michael's topic still stayed on the canal.

He roughly estimated the income of the Lower Panama Canal and came up with such a figure.

"Ten years? No, I think five years is enough. First of all, with the increase of trade in the future, more and more ships will pass through the canal. Second, Dahua didn't spend much money to build the canal. Workers Most of them are captives and local aborigines, and they only need to take care of food, but don’t need to pay wages.”

Lopez said.

"Maybe, we can also use blacks and Indians to build the canal. Then we can go directly to Illinois to buy."

Michael fantasized about that scenario, which would at least increase his profit by more than 50%.

"Perhaps we should unite and put pressure on Congress. If Congress disagrees,

Then we ask Dahua people to help us repair it. "

Lopez came up with a more naive idea.

"It is said that nearly 20,000 people died during the construction of this canal."

Michael said.

"Basically, they are all captives and natives. Who cares? I heard that after building the canal, these people were sent to build the road from Panama to Peru."

Lopez said.

"To Peru? From Colombia to Peru seems to be the territory of the Spaniards. Why did Dahua build this road?"

Michael asked curiously.

"There is nothing difficult to understand. This shows that Dahua is going to fight Columbia and other places. Otherwise, you think Dahua people will do good deeds for no reason."

Lopez said.

The area around Colombia used to be the territory of the Portuguese. However, two years ago, Spain had annexed Portugal, and by the way, it also took the Portuguese overseas colonies as its own.

Today, most of South America is controlled by the Spaniards.

"Well, what's Spain's reaction?"

Michael was shocked.

He couldn't imagine what a war between Spain and Dahua would look like, and what impact it would have on Europe.

He does not know the news that the European Union has been established for the time being, so he feels that Spain alone cannot be the opponent of Dahua.

"What else can I do? Swallow my breath, I don't even dare to stop Dahua from building the road."

Lopez sighed.

Although he is not a Spaniard, he is also a European. When facing Dahua, his emotional instinct tends to Spain.