Chapter 272

Guinea

The gold mines discovered in the early stage have already started operation, and the chaotic situation directly dispelled the idea of ​​Baron Fickney continuing to search for gold mines.

There are too many competitors, and there are too many examples of black people eating black for profit.

The Guinea region is relatively good. It is completely controlled by the Austrian colonial government, and a basic order has been established.

As long as the gold mining rights are registered with the colonial government, even if the mine owner has an accident, the government will take back the property rights, and it is absolutely impossible to fall into the hands of others.

The act of robbing gold mines was severely suppressed by the colonial government, and if they were caught, they were sent to the gallows, which prevented large-scale fighting.

If you can't capture the gold mine, it doesn't mean it's peaceful. Gold is mined and must be sold, and the most dangerous moment is on the way of transportation.

In order to combat the gold thieves, the colonial garrison has been dispatched several times, even at the cost of fishing law enforcement, but with little success.

There is no way, everyone can only strengthen their defenses, increase the number of escorts, and even run a few more times to reduce the amount of gold each time they are transported, which can stop this situation.

...

"Your Excellency, the output of our gold mine has been increased to 1,800 pounds per month. At the current rate of 100 pounds per shipment, it is too slow.

It is not safe for a large amount of gold to be stranded in the mine, and we are in danger if the news is leaked. ' Fr Buttig warned

It would be a joke to say that he was troubled by the high gold mine production, but now he was really troubled by it.

His gold mine is more than 200 kilometers away from Newbrook, and the forests along the way are too easy to be ambushed.

Every time they transport gold, they dare not determine the route in advance, for fear of leaking the wind.

There is no way, his colony team is not many, and he has to stay in the gold mine, and he can dispatch no more than 70 escorts at a time.

Baron Fickney said with a painful expression: "Wait for now, I have communicated with the New Brook colonial government, and they will send people to collect the gold and deliver logistical supplies to us."

For the sake of safety, Baron Fickney had to sell gold to the colonial government at a low price, and the colonial government sent troops out to collect the gold.

It's not that he didn't think about using mercenaries, but the commission of the mercenary group is not cheap, and the security is not so guaranteed.

Father Battig said with relief: "This is the best way to make money, and safety is the first priority.

However, you also have to consider a problem, that is, the shortage of gold miners. The workers we hired didn't last long, and basically they left after they made a fortune. "

Lack of workers is a common problem faced by all gold mines. It's not that Fickney didn't think about hiring local labor, but unfortunately these people are really not expected to work.

Free and loose, ignoring the rules of the gold mine, uneasy about the rules and regulations. Inefficiency does not matter, the key is that accidents still occur frequently.

After insisting on it for a month, he despaired of these people. Obediently pay high prices and hire gold diggers in colonial strongholds.

Baron Fickney said uncertainly: "I have already written a letter to a friend in China on this question and asked him to help hire a group of workers. Our salary here is three times the local salary, so we should be able to recruit people."

This is the African continent. Although the salary is higher than that of the mainland, the mortality rate is also high! One-tenth of the people who went out with him to go out with him at the beginning have fallen, and they have died of illness, war, and various accidental deaths.

Those who dare to fight and dare to enter, do not need to recruit themselves to run over. The rest of the ordinary people, as long as they can't live on the mainland, who would like to come and take risks?

And the workers Baron Fickney needs are just ordinary people, and only ordinary people who are peaceful can do this job for a long time.

When the gold diggers just had no money, they came to work, and when they made money, they went out to look for gold. Finding gold mines for yourself is better than working for others.

These runners are different from them. After finding the gold mine, they directly sell it to the colonial government to take the money and leave.

Father Battig nodded and said, "This is the best way. If possible, I hope to have the church up by the end of the year."

He worked for Baron Fickney, mainly for a church of his own, not to live under someone else's hands.

There has been a Catholic church in the Newbrook area for a long time. It was established with funds from the colonial government. This is a tradition of European culture. The church has become an inseparable part of people's lives.

Baron Fickney promised: "Don't worry, Father. You know my reputation. As long as the gold mine is formalized, I will fund you to build the church. However, have you determined the location of the church?"

After pondering for a while, Father Battig said, "Originally, I planned to build in New Brook, but there is already a church there. As a latecomer, it is not easy for me to develop believers there.

Now I'm at a loss as to where to build a church. Your Excellency, what advice do you have? "

Baron Fickney analyzed: "Father, you build a church mainly for preaching, so it must be in a densely populated area.

The best choice is of course New Brook, followed by the new colonial stronghold, but there are churches in these areas.

Everyone is there to spread the Lord's gospel, and there is no need to be next to each other. You might as well build the church near the gold mine. If all the workers are in place, there will be no less than 5,000 people.

The surrounding flat terrain, fertile land and abundant water resources are very suitable for agricultural production. I have applied to the colonial government to establish a small town, and I will develop a farm here when the gold mine is officially established.

There are also people under my command. I have communicated with them. They also intend to build a farm here, and then take over their families. Don’t worry about the future development potential. "

They can't come here without moving, the gold mine can't move here, and they can't go without digging up all the gold. Who is willing to give up their own gold mine and leave?

Baron Fickney is a traditional nobleman. He is not interested in investing in industry and commerce, but has a soft spot for building farms.

Not only him, many Germans have a soft spot for farms, and most farmers in the United States in later generations are Germans, which can explain the problem.

Since we will stay here for a long time in the future, it is also a good choice to open up a farm and become self-sufficient in food.

It is very difficult to obtain land in the country. It is different on the African continent. Now the colonial government encourages everyone to develop farms and plantations. Whoever develops the land belongs to whoever owns it. Such opportunities are rare.

Baron Fickney is very aware of the determination to develop the Guinea region at home, and the current chaos cannot last for a long time. Investing in agriculture is also a good option once the situation stabilizes.

Even if it is only to solve the food problem of the gold miners, and not to purchase from the stronghold of more than 200 kilometers, this investment is worthwhile.

After hesitating for a while, Father Battig said in disbelief: "Your Excellency, baron, aren't you planning to replace your domestic fiefs here?"

Baron Fickney denied: "No, I will not give up the family business! It's just that I have too many children. If I don't leave a little property, it won't be enough."

According to the practice in the German region, the eldest son inherits the family property, and the second son can only get a small part of the property, which is still based on the rich wealth.

If the economic situation is not good, then the eldest son inherits the family business, and the second son can only go out alone.

It is not so easy to break through. Unless you have made military exploits on the battlefield, you can rise at a time. If you are engaged in other industries, you can only climb slowly, and slowly you will disappear.

That is, Austria started colonization, otherwise Baron Fickney will have to worry about economic problems, let alone his next generation? In the case of ability, he is certainly willing to lay a better foundation for the next generation.

...

In order to solve the international political crisis caused by the Gulf of Guinea, Metternich sent a diplomatic note to the six countries of Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and the United States.

London

Frankly speaking, Prime Minister Granville does not want an international political crisis at this time. The London government has been very busy lately, and is still very busy.

The War in the Near East failed to bring the Russians down, and now the Tsarist government is not at all restless, and recently it is supporting the Persian government to do things.

In the Far East, the British have just turned Burma into a colony and are still suppressing the rebellion; Australia and New Zealand are not peaceful, and the local indigenous people are still resisting their rule; even the situation in India is beginning to be unstable.

Compared with these colonies, the interests of the Gulf of Guinea are not worth mentioning at all. Although gold mines have been discovered, the gold mines are not in their hands?

The interests of the seven countries are intertwined, and the whole body is affected. It is impossible for the London government to seize the interests of a certain country at this time.

Prime Minister Granville asked: "Is the situation in West Africa out of control?"

Colonial Minister William replied solemnly: "Yes, Your Excellency Prime Minister.

The Gulf of Guinea is a traditional gold producing area. Originally, we thought that after so many years of mining, the local gold had been mined, but we did not expect to discover so many gold mines.

Let the New Holy Roman Empire pick up a bargain, and now more than 80% of the local gold mines have fallen into their hands, we have no way to compete with them. "

Prime Minister Granville asked suspiciously: "Why did the Austrians who just started colonizing establish an advantage locally so quickly?"

As the world's No. 1 naval power, they are in an advantageous position in most overseas colonial competitions, and now they are suddenly at a disadvantage. Prime Minister Granville is very puzzled.

William explained: "They have too many immigrants, not only immigrants from the New Holy Roman Empire, including immigrants from the German Federal Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and even some immigrants from Italy and Russia,

Now the number of immigrants from the New Holy Roman Empire in the Gulf of Guinea exceeds 200,000, while ours is less than 10,000. Even if we have a naval advantage, we still have no way to compete with them on land. "

Chancellor John Russell asked: "How come there are so many immigrants?"

Wilhelm explained: "Almost half of them were refugees from the Balkans who were dumped on the African continent by the Vienna government.

The rest are the gold diggers attracted by this gold mine. We have too many colonies, and there are too many places for domestic immigrants to go.

And the Austrian colonies are only so few, the people do not have many choices, and the temptation of gold mines will naturally increase the number of people who go there. "

John Russell explained: "No, Earl William. I'm not asking why there are so many immigrants in Austria, I mean why Italians, Russians, Germans all go to Austrian colonies?"

Colonial Secretary William explained: "Lord Russell, I think you got it wrong. The Italians went to the Austrian colonies,

That's because they also occupied Lombardy and Venice, and most of these immigrants came from under their rule.

It's easier for Russian immigrants to run over, we just had a war with the Russians not long ago, and considering the national sentiment, it's not surprising that they chose to do so.

The Habsburg dynasty was highly recognized by the people of the German region, and the Austrians were considered their own.

Of course, the fact that the Austrians had the most colonial strongholds in the Gulf of Guinea was also an important factor, and many people entered their territory upon arrival.

These gold diggers have been recruited into the reserve by the Austrian colonial government. Once a war breaks out in the Gulf of Guinea, they can mobilize a hundred thousand troops. "

The number of "100,000 troops" surprised everyone. Prime Minister Granville said solemnly: "It seems that we must restrict the Austrians. Otherwise, relying on the advantages of immigration, no one can compete with them in overseas colonization."

Colonial Minister William thought for a while and said: "This question is actually very simple, as long as these immigrants are divided. For example, the German Federal Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Italian regional states also need to participate in overseas colonial activities.

Of course, we can also be rude and directly dispatch the navy to block their colonial activities. "

Prime Minister Granville glared at him and said, "Earl William, all you have come up with are bad ideas, and nothing is feasible.

The world is not infinite. Every time we add a competitor, the benefits we can get will be reduced. You actually have to create a bunch of competitors.

For no reason, use warships to stop the colonization of the Austrians? Such an idiot idea, I dare not do it if you dare.

There are many ways to limit competitors, war is the worst option, please use your brain? "

Obviously, Prime Minister Granville was taking advantage of the topic, and his dissatisfaction with Colonial Secretary William is not a day or two.

The reason is very simple. The colonies are not peaceful recently, and many colonies are not peaceful. In his opinion, it is the incompetence of the colonial minister.

...