The so-called old lock ship is actually a Western-style sailing ship with a Chinese-style hard sail. Compared with the sand ships in the Yangtze River, this kind of ship is stronger and taller. It can be equipped with larger-caliber artillery, and the hard sail can be turned left and right and is relatively soft.
Sail is more suitable for use in the Yangtze River where the wind direction is changeable.
Historically, the Hunan Army was able to obtain water control rights in the Yangtze River by relying on this kind of old lock ship.
If Luo Yaoguo wanted to be the beach owner of Shanghai Beach, he must have a navy that could travel between the Yangtze River and offshore waters.
At the same time, a fort must be built at Wusongkou to prevent the British and French fleets from directly entering the Huangpu River. His purpose of purchasing 12-pound cannons from Jardine Matheson was actually to build a coastal defense fort.
Although a few old lock boats and a dozen 12-pound cannons are not enough to defend Shanghai Beach, but... isn't it true that the French and American consuls in Shanghai were not deceived?
It is a violation of unequal treaties to only deceive the English and not the French or Americans.
According to the Sino-British Humen Treaty, the Sino-US Wangxia Treaty, and the Sino-French Huangpu Treaty, Britain, the United States, and France enjoy unilateral most-favored-nation treatment in China!
In other words, the "fooling" that Luo Yaoguo gave to England must also be given to France and the United States.
It's a pity that Russia has not set up a consulate in Shanghai, and it has not received one-sided most-favored-nation treatment at present. Otherwise, it could still fool Maozi - but there is no rush in this matter. Wait until Nicholas I is beaten all over the head by the British and French.
When making the package, Angel Master in Shanghai can also arrange private consultation for him. However, Aliguo, Weitoma, and Matheson are all old scammers, and they always have to struggle before they are fooled.
The three foreign devils chatted in low voices for a while, and then Aliguo said to Wu Jianzhang, Wang Kuiyi, and Luo Yaoguo: "Master Wu, Master Wang, Master Luo, it is impossible for a transaction of more than 100,000 ounces of silver to be completed in one meeting.
We still need some time to think about it.
Well, how about we sign a memorandum first to record what the two parties have initially agreed upon and the issues that have not yet been agreed upon. How about we have a second round of consultations next Monday morning?"
Wu Jianzhang first translated A Liguo's words into Chinese, and then said to Wang Kuiyi and Luo Yaoguo: "Master Wang, this is how foreigners do things. Brother Luo, you have dealt with foreigners, so you should know it."
Luo Yaoguo nodded: "Then let's sign a memorandum first... But it doesn't have to be like this between us, right? Now the long-haired army has arrived at Jiangning City, and time is running out!"
"Of course, of course!" Wu Jianzhang said, "I will do what I promised you right away! By the way, brother Luo, I have a thousand Brown Bess guns and 30,000 rounds of custom-loaded ammunition stored in Tongshun.
I can hand it over to you today."
"Oh," Luo Yaoguo said happily, "Are those brown bass guns equipped with bayonets?"
"Bayonets? Yes, yes, yes," Wu Jianzhang nodded repeatedly, "There are more than two thousand bayonets."
Luo Yaoguo frowned: "Why are there so many more? Is it one gun with two bayonets?"
"No," Wu Jianzhang shook his head, "Both President Feng Qian's people and the team trainers here in Shanghai are not used to using bayonets, so they didn't ask for them."
"That's it." Luo Yaoguo nodded lightly, then looked back at Wang Kuiyi. Wang Kuiyi naturally listened to Luo Yaoguo and said with a smile: "Well, that's it!"
Seeing Wang Kui, the fifth-rank prefect, nod his head, Luo Yaoguo said to Aliguo in Oxford-accented English: "Mr. Consul, let us confirm the contents of the memorandum."
After Luo Yaoguo, Wu Jianzhang, Wang Kuiyi, and Wu Ruxiao were sent out of the British Consulate, Aliguo, Weitoma, and Matheson got into the consular office, closed the door, and began to study the "Great Prophecy" .
"Thomas," Aliguo asked his deputy, Wetoma, after sitting on the chair behind his desk, "how about the "Great Book of Prophecy"?" (
After hearing this, Wade took out the "Great Book of Prophecy" from his pocket, placed it on his desk, and then said with a smile: "This "Great Book of Prophecy" was just written, and everyone can smell it. The fragrance of ink."
"Then this "Great Book of Prophecy" is a scam set up by those Chinese people?" Matheson asked with a frown.
"It's hard to say," Weitoma shook his head and said, "Maybe I copied part of the content from the original... There isn't much in this book, it's all things that will happen in the second half of 1852 or 1853. Moreover, all the events transcribed above occurred outside China.
And there are many events that can be verified quickly. For example, Her Majesty the Queen will give birth to a prince on April 7 this year, and he also suffers from hemophilia..."
"This is impossible!" "Absolutely impossible!"
Aliguo and Matheson both looked disbelieving, even a little angry.
But their "disbelief" and "anger" are justified! Because it is absolutely impossible for Prince Leopold to suffer from hemophilia!
This prince is the youngest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He already has three brothers and three sisters. They are all very healthy and at least do not seem to have anything to do with hemophilia.
Hemophilia is a genetic disease that can only be inherited from a father who has hemophilia or a mother who has the gene for the blood disease but does not develop the disease. The parents and grandparents of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert , there is no record of the maternal grandparents suffering from hemophilia. The couple has given birth to three sons and three daughters. All three of the sons are healthy, and none of them is hemophilia. As for whether the daughters are The gene carrying hemophilia was only known after their son was born.
But there is no family history of hemophilia and three healthy boys, which fully proves that Queen Victoria cannot give birth to a son with hemophilia.
"But..." Weitoma suddenly looked up at Aliguo and Matheson, "But what if there really is a devil?"
"Thomas," Aliguo looked at this top student at Cambridge University and a China expert in the British diplomatic community in disbelief, "You graduated from Cambridge, how can you believe such ridiculous things?"
"This is just a useless curse of the Chinese!" Matheson immediately agreed, "We should not believe the contents of this "Great Book of Prophecy", not a single word!"
Witoma seemed to realize that he had just made a mistake, and quickly expressed his position: "Yes! You are right, you can't believe a word you said! We are all well-educated and civilized people, how can we believe that ignorant barbarians do what they do? The so-called prophecy? Then...should we report this "Great Prophecy" to Minister Wenxian?"
Ali Guodao: "Of course we have to report it! Although we all think that the contents of the "Great Prophecy" are not credible, the final judgment must be made by Minister Wenxian.
Thomas, please seize the time to translate all the poems in the "Major Book of Prophecy", write an analysis report, and then send it to Hong Kong together with the "Secret Report on the Discovery of Devils in China" to Minister Wenxian. I hope our The work will help Minister Wenxian further understand the complex domestic situation in China and make decisions that are most beneficial to the empire."
Bonham was the Minister Plenipotentiary and Commercial Director of the British Empire in China, and he was also the Governor of Hong Kong. In this era before the first transoceanic telegraph cable was laid, the power of the Minister Plenipotentiary was very great, and he was also the Governor of Hong Kong. Bonham even had the power to mobilize the British troops stationed in Hong Kong to launch a small-scale war!
The power of the consul of Aliguo was much smaller. He had to carry out diplomatic activities and colonial aggression under the control of Wenxian and according to Wenxian's instructions.
"Yes, Mr. Consul, I will go and translate the "Great Book of Prophecy" right away." Witoma picked up the "Great Book of Prophecy" on his desk, turned around and left Aliguo's office.
"Mr. Consul," Ma Sisen, the chief executive of Jardine Matheson, still has a question, "Should we sell equipment such as the armed old lock ship to the chief secretary of the governor of Hunan in the Qing Dynasty?"
Aliguo thought for a moment and nodded: "I tend to sell! After all, the current situation in Jiangnan is too unfavorable to the Qing government. Only when the two warring parties are evenly matched can we gain the greatest benefits." "Okay, I understand! "Matheson looked very excited when he got a satisfactory answer. He is a businessman, and he can only make money if he completes his business!
Aliguo smiled and said, "Remember to sell it more expensively...and don't forget my share!"
Chapter completed!