Chapter 76 Discussion 2

After a little consideration, Constantine decided to agree to Kontoriotis's request.

Although the Greek royal family is not as influential as the Hohenzollern royal family in Germany, it is enough for Kontoriotis, a Greek businessman who was born as a comprador.

Both parties also get what they need:

Kontoriotis wants the political power of the Greek royal family to stand up for them, so that the Congo market and the local Greek market mentioned by Constantine will definitely be taken care of in all aspects for this new cotton textile company when it opens up the market;

Constantine himself also wants to use the funds of these overseas Greek businessmen to attract investment and develop Greek industry and commerce. And Kontoriotis is a signboard chosen by Constantine to attract the attention of overseas Greek businessmen.

For overseas Greeks like Kontoriotis, although their careers are relatively successful, their status as second-class citizens is indeed an unspeakable pain for them.

For example, the merchant groups living in Egypt, such as Kontoriotis, although Egypt is still nominally a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire and maintains the status of an independent country, the British actually controlled the country in 1882.

Due to historical reasons, France also has a certain influence in Egypt (Napoleon once went on an expedition to Egypt, and the Suez Canal was built by the French, and it took a full ten years to dig this canal).

Under such circumstances, British and French merchants have a special status in Egypt. Kontoriotis actually serves British and French merchants. British and French merchants make the most money, and middlemen like them take some oil and water.

Economically dependent on others, Kontoriotis and others can't help but bow and be dwarfed in front of British and French merchants.

This is also part of the reason why he made up his mind to invest in Greece.

"Mr. Kontoriotis, I agree to your conditions. As for how much shares the royal family holds, I will let Capet Butler come to discuss with you later," Constantine responded to Kontoriotis's request.

After that, he turned his eyes to other people.

"The Greek Congo Corporation has planted a lot of palm trees in Congo. The harvest is coming soon. In addition to selling part of it to Western European countries, there will be a considerable amount of production left. In order to reduce the risk, I will build a soap factory in Greece on behalf of the Greek Congo Corporation (palm oil is the main raw material for making soap)"

"If there is a demand for the Greek power industry, our Greek Congo Corporation can also build an electric wire factory. Of course, this requires importing copper ore. There are widespread wild rubber forests in the Congo region. At present, there is a certain amount of production on the land acquired by the Greek Congo Corporation, which was previously sold to Western European countries"

Costermululu said.

"Build a soap factory? That's great. In the future, we don't have to travel thousands of miles to Western Europe to import soap." Hearing that Costerbru planned to build a soap factory, Angelis said happily.

In the Balkans, the Black Sea coast and the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, Greek businessmen have their own business networks.

Due to the backward light industry, these regions basically import light industrial products from Western Europe, especially Britain, such as cloth and soap.

If the cotton textile mill and soap factory in Greece can be put into production smoothly, then they can import from Greece nearby in the future.

"Let's do this. I will discuss with Prime Minister Trikoupis to open up an industrial zone on the land between Athens and Piraeus Port. It is close to Piraeus Port, which is more convenient for importing industrial raw materials and exporting goods."

"As for the large AC power station to be built, it will be as close to this industrial zone as possible."

Constantine said to everyone.

Gao Baili and Steve, because they have a friendship with Constantine, were selected as representatives of the National Bank of Greece to participate in this banquet.

Because the National Bank of Greece did not respond positively to the hunting event held by Constantine last time, it was Alpha Bank that provided a large amount of funds for Constantine's exploration activities to open up the Congo colony.

As a result, Alpha Bank is now quite active in the commercial activities of the Congo colony with the help of Constantine.

Not only did it get part of the shares of the strategic railway in the Congo colony, the Matadi to Kinshasa railway.

Moreover, Costebru directly became the general manager of the Spanish Congo Corporation. (The controller of Alfa Bank is Costebru's father)

The Greek Congo Corporation is the main economic organization for Greece's colonial activities in the Congo region. It has purchased a large amount of land in Congo and engaged in the cultivation of economic crops including rubber, rice, palm oil, sugarcane, etc.

It can be imagined that Alfa Bank, through its special relationship with Costebru, will inevitably enter a period of rapid development and undertake a large number of Greek Congo Corporation's business if the Congo colony develops smoothly.

As a competitor, the National Bank of Greece is naturally unwilling to see the rapid development of Alfa Bank's business.

Therefore, this time the two are much more enthusiastic about Constantine.

An attendant of Gao Baili and Steve rushed in at this time, sweating profusely, looking at the two people in the conference room with an anxious expression.

Gao Baili and Steve first apologized to Constantine, and then the three of them found a corner and talked quietly for a while.

Seeing Gao Baili and Steve, the attendant said excitedly:

"Gentlemen, it's on, it's on. Hundreds of street lights are on in the streets near the National Assembly of Athens after dark."

"Did you see it with your own eyes?" Steve asked hurriedly.

"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. Many citizens gathered around those street lights to watch."

Hearing the news, Gao Baili sent his entourage back to the garden to wait.

And Steve walked quickly to Constantine.

"Your Excellency the Duke, the financing of your AC power station construction can be handed over to the National Bank of Greece. If you allow us, our National Bank of Greece can subscribe to a part of the shares. With the help of our First Bank of Greece, the National Bank of Greece, your large AC single power station project will enter the construction process quickly and effectively."

After saying that, he looked at Costerbreu provocatively.

In fact, before making this decision, the National Bank of Greece did its homework.

First, Tesla, the main person in charge of AC, was invited to the headquarters of the National Bank to conduct popular science - telling the bank's senior management about AC knowledge.

Although the top executives of the National Bank of Greece believed that AC power had a promising future after Tesla's popular science, it was still risky.

After the small AC power station was built, the load was too small to provide electricity for the lighting in the Tatoi Palace, so Constantine decided to build lighting facilities on the streets of Athens.

Let more people feel the charm of AC power.

After hearing the news, in order to reduce the risk, before coming to the Tatoi Palace for a banquet, Gao Bairui appointed his entourage to observe the lighting conditions of the street lamps and come to inform them in time.