Chapter 188: Sharpening the Knife to Attack Wall Street (5K)

The people who welcomed Liang Yao and the Qing Dynasty delegation at the port of New York were mainly divided into two categories.

One category was the cabinet members of President Fillmore, that is, the ministers of certain departments.

The other category was the New York dignitaries.

The Chinese Empress merchant ship, which sailed to China for the first time in 1784, set sail from New York.

The situation of the United States at the beginning of its founding was very difficult. The federal government and the states owed huge war debts.

What made Americans feel more uncomfortable than the war debts was that they had no friends in the international community, and naturally no trading partners. Therefore, the new America was eager to have a trading partner to alleviate its financial crisis through trade.

After all, during the colonial period, Britain had always built the North American colonies as a raw material production and supply base for the British Empire.

Separated from the British economic system, the American economy inevitably fell into crisis.

Britain and Spain were full of hostility towards the new America, and the neighbors around America happened to be the colonies of these two countries.

To the north is British Canada, to the south is Spanish Florida, and to the west is French Louisiana.

Unfortunately, after the founding of the United States, the two wartime allies, Spain and France, turned against each other faster than turning a page and imposed a trade blockade on the United States.

Spain was worried that the United States would threaten Spain's colonies in North America, and after the emperor who loved lock picking was sent to the guillotine, France's assistance to the United States was not as strong as before, and it only reluctantly opened several French ports in the West Indies to American merchant ships.

Although France opened these ports to the United States, it had strict restrictions on the tonnage of American merchant ships entering and leaving the ports: no more than 60 tons.

In desperation, the United States turned its attention to the East outside the European continent to seek business opportunities, hoping to survive the economic crisis through trade with China.

Six years after the Empress of China sailed to China, that is, from the 1790s, the United States quickly surpassed the Netherlands and France and became the second largest trading country with China, second only to the United Kingdom.

Until now, the United States is still the second largest trading country with China.

Relying on fur and American ginseng, many early American merchants made a fortune in trade with China, and the Astor family was a typical representative.

However, later, as fur sources became increasingly difficult to obtain and American merchants became greedy, the main commodities of the United States' trade with China changed from fur and American ginseng to opium produced in Turkey.

The trade with China at the beginning of the founding of the United States not only alleviated the economic crisis of the United States to a certain extent and survived the most difficult period in American history, but more importantly, the success of the trade with China gave the new America confidence.

"The United States and the Qing Dynasty have a very pleasant history of trade cooperation. Increasing trade cooperation between the two countries is very beneficial to both governments and peoples.

The treasury of your government can be filled, and the people can also benefit and facilitate the trade between the two countries."

After introducing the federal government's dignitaries and New York dignitaries to the Qing Dynasty delegation, Webster said.

The federal government's fiscal revenue mainly depends on tariffs. The United States has repeatedly suffered setbacks in trade with European countries. If it can conduct more in-depth trade with the Qing Dynasty, it may alleviate the federal government's fiscal problems and improve the American economy.

"We heard that British merchants have the right to negotiate your country's tariffs. Your country's move is too partial, which is not conducive to trade between the Qing Dynasty and the United States, and is also very unfair to American merchants.

We sincerely hope that American merchants can also obtain the same status as British merchants in your country and deepen the friendship between the two countries."

Webster's appetite is not small. He asked for the right to tariff agreements right at the beginning.

If it were a real Qing Dynasty official, he might not understand how much harm the tariff agreement right would cause to the Qing Dynasty's import and export trade, but for merchants like Pan Zhengwei and Wu Yuanhua who had directly handled foreign trade, they had personally experienced how much harm the British merchants had caused to the interests of Chinese merchants after the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing.

Pan Zhengwei had a gloomy face and spat, "Damn it! The foreigners are all the same!"

But Webster didn't understand Chinese, so he turned to ask Liang Yao, "The Minister seems a little unhappy. What did he say just now?"

"The Minister thinks that you are not only trampling on his personal dignity, but also trampling on the sovereignty of a country. If the United States wants to obtain the same rights as Britain, it should fight a battle with the Qing Dynasty's million-strong army first, just like the British." Liang Yao said in a very tough tone.

"A short sentence contains so much meaning?"

Webster was very surprised, and he was indeed intimidated by the Qing Dynasty's million-strong army mentioned by Liang Yao.

The politicians in power in the United States are ambitious, but they are aware of their own strength. There is a huge gap between the national strength of the United States and that of Britain.

"Because Chinese is very concise." Liang Yao replied.

"Your Excellency is tired. You have to go to Mr. Vanderbilt's house to rest first. The purpose of the Qing Dynasty's visit to the United States this time is that Your Excellency will only meet with the president of your country." Wu Yuanhua said to Webster impatiently.

There are dozens of beautiful and exquisite manors on both sides of the Hudson River. This is the wealthy area of ​​New York State.

The local New Yorkers and the wealthy from other states live here.

It seems that it is a tradition for wealthy people in America to like living in the suburbs.

Everyone arrived at Vanderbilt's new estate in a gorgeous carriage.

"This is my largest and newest property in New York State. I spent a total of $350,000 to buy this manor."

Vanderbilt proudly showed off to Liang Yao.

He has properties in Staten Island, New York's Fifth Avenue, and even the Washington area.

What surprised Liang Yao was that there seemed to be black slaves in Vanderbilt's manor.

The reason why Liang Yao is so sure that these black people are slaves and not free people is because the black people who are busy in the manor have the marks of being slaves on their backs: whip marks.

The price of a black slave depended not only on physical health and age, but also on the whip marks on his back.

The more whip marks, it means that the black slave is difficult to tame, and buyers will often lower the price.

"Hasn't slavery been banned in the north? Why are there still so many black slaves in your manor?"

Liang Yao couldn't restrain his curiosity. The number of black slaves owned by Vanderbilt was no less than those of the plantation owners in Texas.

"Black slaves are a symbol of wealth. I am one of the richest people in New York. What's so strange about some black slaves? The number of black slaves I own is relatively small compared to Backhouse and Fish. ”

Vanderbilt said matter-of-factly.

“Although the Compromise Act of 1850 prohibited slave-holding in free states, it was for after the bill was signed. The government still recognized black slaves in free states before the bill was signed.

And in the black slave market in the Washington area, as long as you have enough money, you can still buy some good black slaves. "

"Mr. Liang, I have written you many letters, but why don't you reply to any of them?"

While Liang Yaozheng was talking to Vanderbilt, Elizabeth came out of the manor and asked Liang Yaoxing for his crime.

"Miss Elizabeth, I'm afraid you have to ask your father about this matter."

Liang Yao spread his hands helplessly, with an innocent expression.

He didn't receive any of the letters Elizabeth sent him.

"Father, what is going on?" Elizabeth looked at Vanderbilt in confusion.

"Ahem."

Vanderbilt coughed twice and lowered his voice.

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry, I threw all your letters into the sea."

After learning the truth of the matter, Elizabeth was furious and turned back to the manor angrily: "Father, you have gone too far!"

After sitting down in the living room of the manor, the newspaper president Henry, who came all the way from Washington, gave Liang Yao the latest issues of the newspaper.

These newspapers include newspapers from his own newspaper and newspapers from other newspapers.

"What is the current exchange rate between U.S. dollars and gold in the market?"

Liang Yao casually flipped through a copy of the New York Post and asked Henry.

"117:100."

Liang Yao specifically told Henry to pay attention to the recent price of gold in the gold futures market. Henry knew the price of gold well.

It's just that Henry doesn't understand why Liang Yao pays so much attention to the price of gold futures and has a special liking for gold futures.

New York's finance is very developed. Compared with the immature gold futures, which have just appeared and are not optimistic, there are still a lot of financial games to play.

"Kony, go to Barings Bank to withdraw US$100,000, and then find me two reliable and experienced brokers from Wall Street."

Liang Yao took out a check from Bahrain Bank from his pocket and filled in the amount.

The leverage ratio of up to 1% is a major loophole in the New York gold futures market. As long as it is used properly, the entire gold market in New York can be leveraged at a very small cost.

After raising the price of gold, all we have to do is wait for the Treasury Department to step in to rescue the market and harvest the gold from the federal treasury.

Kony nodded, took the check Liang Yao gave him and left the manor, heading to the Bahrain Bank in the city.

After Kony left, Liang Yao took advantage of the gap before the dinner started to read the newspapers carefully. He was attracted by the list of America's richest people in the New York Post.

Liang Yao ranks first on this latest rich list with a net worth of US$30 million.

Liang Yao had also seen this so-called list of America's richest people when he was in California. In California, he had the habit of buying big magazines from the eastern region and flipping through them.

Although the cost of ordering major Eastern magazines in California is high, Liang Yao feels that the expense is worth it. What he buys is not these newspapers and periodicals, but the information in them.

In previous lists of America's richest people, Liang Yao has always been ranked third.

The reason why Liang Yao was attracted by this latest list was not because it placed him at the top of the list.

It's because this list is relatively accurate in estimating the wealth of the rich.

Even in California, Liang Yao has never disclosed his assets to the public. It is remarkable that his assets can be estimated at US$30 million from very limited information.

Although Liang Yao's assets are actually higher than the US$30 million figure, the estimate on the rich list is already quite accurate.

Moses Yale Bichi, Liang Yao remembered the name of the maker of this list. This Bichi did have two brushes.

In addition to Liang Yao, Bichi's estimation of the assets of Vanderbilt, Jeremiah, Theodore, and Van Daze, other wealthy New Yorkers whom Liang Yao knew, was also relatively accurate without much deviation.

In addition to the people Liang Yao knew, Liang Yao also noticed two names on the list.

One is Charlie, whose assets are as high as 2 million US dollars. Logically speaking, a net worth of only 2 million is not enough to catch Liang Yao's eye.

Liang Yao pays attention to Charlie's name because of Bi Chi's evaluation of Charlie, which is the main business of the rich on the list.

Liang Yao's evaluation on this list is the first gold tycoon and the king of California. Vanderbilt and Backhouse, who follow closely, are the shipping king and the largest landowner in the United States.

Charlie's evaluation on this list is the mysterious Wall Street robber. This person has just been on the list, which means that this person has harvested at least more than 1 million US dollars of wealth on Wall Street in a very short period of time.

Liang Yao still knows a little about the history of Wall Street.

Historically, there are not many people who can be called robbers and devils on Wall Street. In Liang Yao's impression, Charlie is not a robber or devil on Wall Street.

Could it be Jay Gould, the Wall Street devil that Wall Street investors avoid?

Soon, this idea was rejected by Liang Yao. Although Gould showed a good talent for financial speculation since he was a child, Gould became notorious after the Civil War. In 1851, Gould was only fifteen or sixteen years old, and it was unlikely that he would cause such a big storm on Wall Street.

Another name that caught Liang Yao's attention was Alexander Turney Stewart.

Stewart was listed as a retail giant, and his representative asset was the new favorite of New York consumers: the New York Shopping Center, that is, the supermarket in New York.

Liang Yao had the idea of ​​opening a supermarket in New York in partnership with Vanderbilt. New York's population and market can support large shopping malls.

Unexpectedly, someone in this industry has already taken the lead. It seems that Liang Yao needs to reconsider and evaluate the matter of opening a supermarket in New York.

Vanderbilt sat at the walnut table and checked the documents in his hand.

The documents in his hand were all information about railway companies collected from Wall Street and other channels.

Thanks to the incentives for building railways from governments at all levels in the United States, such as automatic acquisition of land and mineral priority development rights along the railway, and partial tax exemptions.

Since 1835, American railway companies have entered a period of wild growth. In 1835, only three railway companies were listed on Wall Street, 10 in 1840, and now the number is more than 100.

Vanderbilt now has sufficient cash flow, and he has ideas about these railway companies.

Directly acquiring existing railway companies is undoubtedly a shortcut to rapidly expand his own railway company in a short period of time.

However, in Vanderbilt's view, the securities prices of these railway companies are too high and not worth the price. He plans to short some railway companies' stocks and then acquire them at a relatively low price.

He already has a plan in mind.

"If it were you, and you wanted to acquire several high-quality railway companies, which railway companies would you choose to acquire?"

Vanderbilt walked to Liang Yao and handed the railway company information he had collected to Liang Yao.

"Are there any quality railway companies in the United States at present, except for the California Railway Company?" Liang Yao smiled.

Liang Yao has also done homework on the railway companies in the United States and has learned about these railway companies.

To be honest, Liang Yao is generally disappointed with the railway companies in the United States. They have no technology, no credit, no conscience, but they still have capital.

In the United States, there will always be people flocking to industries that can make money, and there will be no shortage of capital.

The most valuable assets of the railway companies in the United States are the land on both sides of the railways of these railway companies.

The railway industry in the United States is spoiled by the federal government and state governments. It is time for a spoiler to appear and stir up the long-standing American railway transportation industry.

"Just think of it as picking the tallest from the short ones."

Vanderbilt said helplessly.

He is also clear about the situation of the railway transportation industry in the United States.

Liang Yao's eyes stayed on the document handed to him by Vanderbilt for a while, and said without hesitation.

"Erie Railroad Company."

This is not a difficult question to choose.

More than 30 years ago, the construction of the Erie Canal connecting the Great Lakes and New York saved the American financial market, saved Wall Street, and revitalized the American economy.

More than 30 years later, the railway, a new mode of transportation, can naturally do the same.

The Erie Railroad really grew up after the Civil War. Before the war, the Erie Railroad Company had the right time, right place, and right people, but failed to accumulate technology and strength that matched the resources it had. In the final analysis, the Erie Railroad was too comfortable.

The Erie Railroad connects the cities in the Great Lakes region with New York. The most famous and promising railway line under the Erie Railroad Company is the railway line between Chicago and New York.

This is also a railway line that Liang Yao is very envious of.

The essence of capital is to pursue profit and avoid harm. The Erie Railroad Company was established in 1832. It is one of the earliest railway companies established in the United States. It has taken the lead in the industry and obtained the railway authorization between New York and the Great Lakes.

This meant that the shareholders of the Erie Railroad could make money without doing anything. Although the quality of the railway was poor, there were serious safety hazards, and the locomotive technology was behind the times, it was not unusable.

If there is a safety accident, as long as the person who died is not the president or a respected and influential congressman, the Erie Railway only needs to spend some money on public relations to settle the negative impression caused by the accident.

The cost of spending money on public relations is much lower than rebuilding the railway.

However, Liang Yao is not very interested in the Erie Railway Company. The reason is very simple. As the current leading railway company in the United States, the price of the Erie Railway Company of more than 10 million US dollars is too high.

In Liang Yao's view, it is not worth spending more than 10 million US dollars to acquire such a railway company that is not enterprising and has a complex relationship of interests.

"The composition of the board of directors of the Erie Railway Company is too complicated and powerful. It is very troublesome to swallow it. I am afraid that I will be entangled in lawsuits before I swallow the Erie Railway Company." Vanderbilt frowned.

"If you fall back, the New York Central Railway Company and the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company are also good choices."

Liang Yao held his chin and said after thinking seriously.

If the existing railway lines of the New York Central Railroad and the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad can be connected, the railway network from New York to the Great Lakes region can be opened up, and the Erie Railroad can compete with it.

If he were Vanderbilt, he would choose to annex these two railroads.

Although the combined strength of these two railroads is still not as good as that of the Erie Railroad, Vanderbilt still has the Stonington Railroad and the New York & Harlem Railroad.

The four railroads combined are still quite powerful.

What's more, Vanderbilt also has the patents for Liang Yao's new rails, Pioneer locomotives and related carriages, which is also Vanderbilt's current advantage in the railway industry.