Chapter 425: Ending

"These days, 57,000 Chinese have been naturalized in Pontianak alone. If you include Dongwanlu, Luyi and other places, the number of Chinese eligible for naturalization should be more than 200,000. As for the specific number of Chinese in West Borneo, It’s such a bad debt that even Liu Shanbang, Wang Jia, and Ye Tenghui themselves don’t know about it.”

Deng Wenkang, who officially took over the government affairs of West Borneo, reported to Liang Yao the population situation of West Borneo.

West Borneo has been baptized by five years of war. Although the Chinese population on the island has dropped sharply, and those who have returned to their hometowns have died, but according to Deng Wenkang's rough estimate, there are still more than 200,000 Chinese who choose to stay in West Borneo.

"You cannot trust the registers provided by each company. You should do everything yourself. If you are short of manpower, you can ask me. But the registration and registration must be done well, and we must do it. Do you understand?" Liang Yao He said while looking through the brand new booklet provided by Deng Wenkang.

The number of 200,000 Chinese is not that many. As long as they are properly digested and managed, it is not a fantasy to establish a relatively stable rule in the West Borneo region, or even the entire island of Borneo.

You must know that in the entire East Indies under the rule of the Dutch-Indian authorities, not to mention the Dutch people, even the settled population of European people does not have this number.

If there were 200,000 people of European descent in the East Indies, the Dutch and Indian authorities would not have hired two or three times the number of indigenous soldiers as white people to form the Dutch and Indian Army.

"Pontianak, California? You can't think of this household registration address." Freemont glanced at the register in Liang Yao's hand and said with laughter, "These two places are tens of thousands of miles apart."

According to the American standard of applying for statehood if the population reaches 60,000, Fremont considers that 200,000 is a large population. Even if only the Chinese adult male citizens in Borneo are counted, the number must exceed 60,000.

"As long as we are naturalized, we will have a legitimate reason to protect West Borneo next time. Furthermore, these naturalized people can also provide tax revenue." Liang Yao said.

Whether based on the domestic reality in the United States or the current international situation, it is obviously unrealistic to immediately incorporate Borneo into the administrative divisions of California for direct rule.

However, like the Dutch East India Company, Liang Yao was still able to temporarily colonize the island of Borneo.

And this is currently the best solution for administrative management of the Borneo region.

However, Liang Yao was not satisfied with just treating the West Borneo region as a colony, but had the ambition to core the West Borneo region.

"By the way, third brother, we already have some news about Liu's son-in-law. According to relatively reliable information, Ye Tingfan is now hiding in Batavia, seeking the protection of the Dutch and Indian authorities." Deng Wenkang said to Liang Yao.

Liu Shoushan, the former chief executive of Lanfang Company, and his son-in-law Ye Tingfan are the primary targets of the public trial. If these two ringleaders are not tried, Liang Yao's public trial movement will be meaningless.

The whereabouts of these two people is also an issue that Liang Yao is more concerned about recently.

"Is there any news about Liu Shoushan's whereabouts?" Liang Yao asked.

"Currently there is only news about Ye Tingfan and no news about Liu Shoushan." Deng Wenkang shook his head and said.

"Continue to inquire." Liang Yao explained.

Compared with the Borneo Chinese who are more concerned about the public trial, investors from California, whether they are Chinese or white, have a relatively cold attitude towards the public trial, which can be said to be rational.

Although Liang Yao sent troops to Borneo in the name of protecting overseas Chinese.

But anyone in California who has the ability to think independently knows that Liang Yao sent troops to Borneo because of the oil in the Borneo region and the potential for rubber planting.

These investors used US dollars to beg for land in the Pontianak area and lined up in front of the prisoner-of-war camp to buy indigenous prisoners of war and prepare to go big and open up rubber plantations.

Some smart businessmen have even purchased rubber saplings and tree seeds in South America in advance, transported them to the market in Pontianak, and sold them, making a huge profit first.

Of course, there are also a small number of investors who believe that the investment cycle in rubber plantations is too long. It takes 6 to 8 years for a rubber tree to be bred and ready for tapping.

Six to eight years is too long for them. These investors are more concerned about the news about North Borneo oil than the rubber business.

Bonham went to Batavia as a mediator to mediate but did not achieve any results.

This result was also expected by Liang Yao, and Liang Yao was not surprised by it.

Since Tevez is unwilling to talk, he will beat him until Tevez is willing to talk.

As some of the ships damaged in the Battle of Java were repaired, armed merchant ships were recruited from California and entered into the battle.

Liang Yao has more and more chips in his hands, and he now has the ability to have another naval battle with the East Indies Fleet of the Dutch and Indian authorities.

However, it was not Liang Yao's side who first launched a counterattack from the sea, but the East Indies Fleet led by Crusheng.

Facing the East India Fleet's offensive, Liang Yao did not intend to take the initiative to attack, but withdrew the ships into the Capuas River.

Relatively complete shore defenses and forts have been built at the mouth of the Capuas River.

It is a pity that these shore defenses and forts are not used.

Furthermore, although Liang Yao's maritime power has been supplemented to a certain extent, he does not have a crushing advantage when facing the East Indies Fleet, which has also completed its assembly.

Liang Yao decided to use coastal defense batteries to consume a wave of the East Indies Fleet first, and then let Sven lead the fleet to engage in a naval battle with the East Indies Fleet.

Soon, 41 large and small ships of the East Indies fleet flying the tricolor flag appeared at the mouth of the Kapuas River.

Krusen's mood was very complicated when he returned to this sea area. Four months ago, he had just experienced the biggest defeat in his military career here.

Now he was not sure that he could avenge his previous shame.

The new warships of the Umbrella fleet left a deep impression on Krusen. Until now, Krusen still clearly remembered the appearance of the new steam battleship.

Krusen sailed very smoothly from Batavia to Pontianak.

Except for some pirates along the way, he did not encounter the main fleet of Umbrella.

The fleet of Umbrella suddenly disappeared like a ghost.

The calmer it was, the more uneasy Krusen felt.

On the coast at the mouth of the Kapuas River, Krusen looked far away. Due to the clear sky, he soon saw the artillery towering at the mouth of the Kapuas River.

In just four months, the enemy had built a relatively complete coastal defense fort at the mouth of the Kapuas River, indicating that Liang Yao's involvement in the Dutch-Chinese War on the island of Borneo was not a whim, but a premeditated one.

"The fort at the mouth of the river was built very professionally, and the firepower network formed by these forts completely blocked the mouth of the Kapuas River." Krusen smiled bitterly.

"It seems that there are professional engineers in Liang Yao's army. This battle will be difficult to fight."

Krusen's guess was correct. The fort and coastal defense fortifications at the mouth of the Kapuas River were designed by Fremont, and the commander of the Arizona Infantry Regiment, Kruger, was responsible for supervising the construction.

Before retiring, Fremont was an officer in the US Army who was famous for surveying and fortification design. Engineers were Fremont's specialty.

Even when Liang Yao established the engineer company, he specifically consulted Fremont.

Now many officers of the Western Brigade Engineer Battalion have received advice from Fremont.