Foshan is located in the alluvial plain of the Pearl River Delta, and there are no reasonable iron ore resources nearby. As for energy, charcoal and bamboo charcoal are mainly used instead of coal.

Generally speaking, the location of an industrialized steel base should be close to iron ore or coal mines and have convenient transportation. For example, Pittsburgh, the "Steel Capital of the World" in the United States, has the Superior Iron Mine with reserves of more than 60 billion tons and the world's largest coal field.

The Barachian coal fields are all nearby. In terms of transportation, it is located at the mouth of the Ohio River, with convenient and developed inland river transportation. Another example is the Ruhr area in Germany, where the coal field reserves are as high as 219 billion tons. The coal quality is good, the coal types are full, and the grade is high.

It is a high-quality hard coal field with abundant open-pit coal mines and convenient mining. Coupled with the strong transportation capacity of the Rhine River, even if iron ore needs to be imported from Lorraine in France, Yugoslavia, Sweden and other places, it will not affect its ability to lead Germany before the war.

Become the world's second largest heavy industry power.

These are relatively successful cases in world history, and there are also unsuccessful cases. For example, when Chen Kai was planning the Shilu Iron Mine in Qiongzhou, he used the Hanyang Iron and Steel Plant in the late Qing Dynasty as a negative example. It was very far away from the origin of iron ore and coal mines.

The only thing we can rely on is the convenient inland waterway shipping capacity.

However, based on what Chen Kai sees, assuming that the provincial capital of Hubei is not located in a place with convenient shipping like Wuhan, even if it is just in a place where the inland shipping capacity is not enough to support large-scale iron ore or coal transportation, there may even be no available facilities at all.

The waterway is located, just because of the name of Tu Cai, one of the three official massacres in the late Qing Dynasty, the steel plant will definitely be built there. Because for Zhang Zhidong's kind of clear-flow frontier, it does not need to be financial, but the political achievements are certain

need!

It is precisely because of such a negative example that Chen Kai chose to build the factory directly in Shilu when he was planning the Shilu Iron Mine. However, he did not go there to inspect it in person, and he was still fooled by habitual thinking. It is still deep in the mountains.

A lot of manpower and material resources have been invested in this old forest-like place, but the results are not very impressive. So, some time ago, Chen Kai returned the mining direction to copper ore instead of iron ore.

Mine - the former is easier to mine, but more importantly, copper can be minted as currency, and the income can still be better.

While copper is being mined, infrastructure is being built. The felled wood and bamboo are used to burn charcoal, which is then transported along with the copper ore crushed using water cones to the downstream smelter in Changhua County for smelting.

The Shilu Iron Mine turned into a copper mine again, and Chen Kai had no choice but to do so. The lack of industrialized infrastructure equipment was the biggest problem that kept the place unable to make ends meet. As for the local indigenous people, they were already negligible. As it is now

, perhaps it is a more appropriate method for the current productivity level.

Closer to home, in Foshan, it is inappropriate to use the site selection criteria of the later industrialization and mass production era. However, today, in an era of handicraft industry and an area where hydraulic machinery has just begun to emerge, such productivity levels are far from being comparable to those used in industrial production.

Compared with the era when steam engines provided power for machinery, Chen Kai never intended to use the science, technology and productivity levels of the 17th century to create the industrial myth of the 19th century. Thinking about it this way, Foshan is actually a contemporary Guangdong that is very suitable as a steel industry.

The location of the production base.

"In this world, only the most suitable one is the best!"

Foshan's crude iron materials mainly come from Luodingzhou and northern Guangdong. The iron ore is mined, and the limestone there is used for rough processing, and then the water transportation capacity of Xijiang and Beijiang is used to send it to Foshan for finishing. As for charcoal and bamboo charcoal, Guangxi's downstream

The forests below and in southern Guangdong are the sources of this energy.

Following the rise of Foshan's iron smelting industry and the reasons behind it step by step, Chen Kai calculated the resources in his hands, especially since Luodingzhou and Guangxi were not in hand, he also had most of northern Guangdong.

region and Guangzhou Prefecture. In addition, he did not intend to use Foshan as the only lifeline of steel production - the smelting industry in Chaozhou Prefecture has been booming in the past few years, not to mention that he has Fujian Province in hand, which is well-known

Chinese and foreign Fujian Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. will gradually restore production capacity in the next few years. Given the current situation, this is basically enough.

Having made up his mind, Chen Kai issued an order to allocate technical personnel to the manufacturing bureaus in Chaozhou and Qiongzhou. The manufacturing bureau workshops in Foshan were about to be established, but it would still take some time. In comparison, the local Guangdong Commercial Bureau in Guangzhou

The members of the alliance are obviously moving a little faster. The recovery of Shunde's sericulture and silk industries has officially begun in Longjiang.

A place not too far outside Longjiang Town, along the river, the outer walls of a factory area are being built. With the support of the Guangdong Commercial Alliance and the support of local officials, the land along the river is very

The acquisition was quickly acquired, and the members and some of their local collaborators in Longjiang recruited a group of craftsmen and people. The first factory of Shunde Silk Workshop began to rise in Longjiang Town.

.

Inside, there is already a factory building that was built earlier than the outer walls. Inside the factory building, a huge machine that is nine meters long and nearly three meters high pokes out from the side of the factory building next to the river.

Driven by the water turbine, it runs smoothly. The water wheel rotates, and the two belts drive the 32 spindles to rotate. The silk moves with the rotation of the spindles. Its processing efficiency is much higher than that of manual and pedal human spinning wheels.

.

All the participating members have arrived. The large water-spinning spinning wheel is running in front of them. Feeling the production speed of this hydraulic machine, everyone has more confidence in the large-scale restoration of Shunde's silk industry. To be precise,

I am more confident about the rewards I can receive from my efforts.

"This big water-turned spinning wheel is really a good thing. We need to make more of them."

"That's right! The more you make, the more silk you will have. At that time, whether you sell the silk spindles directly or spin it into silk, it will be a very profitable business."

Most of the participating members are very optimistic, talking about expanding production along the way, and expressing their willingness to continue to inject capital here.

However, compared to these people, the most eloquent members of the previous inspection team and their local collaborators did not seem so happy. To be precise, they should be excited.

While there are many positive emotions such as joy and excitement, there is always a look of helplessness and worry lingering in it, as if there are a few variegated threads pierced through the brocade woven on the surface.

"To be honest, most of the money from the first batch of shares has been spent. When the factory is completed, there will only be three sets of large water-rotated spinning wheels at most."

The member who was leading the inspection team looked embarrassed. He was the largest shareholder among these people in this machine shop. He invested all the money his family could spare into it. However, for this initial investment, it was obviously difficult to see a return.

It takes more time. But now, their stall is obviously too big, and liquidity is inevitably in short supply.

In fact, if it had been Yongli four years ago, with their wealth, such a large water-powered silk weaving workshop would not have been in such a difficult situation now. However, when they escaped, most of their belongings

It was because the Qing army was advantaged. After arriving in Chaozhou, even if it could not be said that he started from scratch, he still had to start from a small place and regain his strength bit by bit. Now, the real estate has been recovered, but most of the financial resources have been invested in those old businesses.

, those places also need to purchase raw materials, hire labor, pay taxes, and even contribute to the black and white industries, so there is not much living money.

The Guangzhou Massacre that year, and even the four years of exile in other places, all caused a huge reduction in their financial resources. Each family's situation is different, but the overall situation is the same, and there is nothing they can do about it. This time, in the Guangdong Business Alliance

Under an organization, everyone works together to do business, which also means working together. Unfortunately, these things that are bundled together and difficult to break are not chopsticks, but just a bunch of toothpicks.

"How about we just stick to this scale for now. Once the first payment is recovered, we won't be in a hurry to pay dividends and invest all of it into expanding production."

This is a more conservative, but more reliable method. A member tentatively proposed it, and even though many people agreed with it.

The major shareholder who took the lead knew very well that the old industry and his peers must continue to maintain it. Isn't it the same for him? According to that person, when the first batch of silk is woven, all he has to do is send it to

When you get to Hong Kong, there are many maritime merchants there who are purchasing. Even if there are no maritime merchants to purchase, you can get the money immediately by selling directly to the Zheng Group's sea trade base there. Or even if you are not so urgent, you can send it back to Guangzhou City and pay for it.

You might be able to earn more by selling on behalf of a few members who own silk shops.

This is undoubtedly an excellent solution, but the current situation is not the best solution. Because they are not the only ones eyeing this piece of fat. It is said that they have moved here, Guangzhou Prefecture, Zhaoqing

The gentry and merchants in the government, and even the merchants with military backgrounds, were like mosquitoes after seeing the blood. They wanted to pounce on it immediately and take a good sip.

"We can't afford to offend those who have Master Wang as their backer, but those guys who stayed in the countryside in the past, when the Tatars were there, shaved their heads, grew pigtails, and even gave up their ancestors, now it's better to come and talk to us

It's really shameless to steal business."

The local people who came to grab business included gentry and merchants from outside. Compared with the gentry and merchants in Guangzhou city, their losses in that catastrophe were obviously much smaller. In the following four years, Pingnan, Jingnan

The two vassals, as well as the Guangdong government of the Qing Dynasty, naturally had to use soft knives to sharpen people. However, compared to being beaten back to their original shape like a knife, most of them survived tenaciously with various connections, especially those with fame and fame.

For the gentry, their status as scholar-bureaucrats still has a certain care.

The massacre and rescue were not only a duel between evil and good, but also tore apart the local gentry, merchants, and common people in Guangzhou during the duel. Speaking of this, most of the members were full of resentment, and even more so. The reporter simply proposed to submit a letter to Chen Kai to suppress the arrogance of those wild dogs who came to grab business. However, normal business activities are what Chen Kai advocates, and opponents are more likely to use force to suppress others and act in an upright and upright manner. When doing business, you can't just use someone's shaved hair as an excuse.

"Obviously we were the first to take a fancy to this Shunde silk..."

After the words of grievance came out, everyone also sighed. In comparison, the members were like this, and although the collaborators were a little worried, after all, they were all locals in Shunde, and they had machine workshops and mulberry fields. , silkworm households and various channels, they still need to be a little more stable in their hearts - if it doesn't work, wouldn't it still make the same money if they change the runway?

It was originally meant to cheer up and solve the problem, but now it has become like this. The leading major shareholder looked at the participating members and then at the expressions of the collaborators. He felt anxious and even became angry: "Then we will raise more money than them. Even if it is almost the same, we have Chen Fujun behind us and we have nothing to fear from them!"

This is indeed a solution, and it has opened up everyone's thinking. Borrowing is inevitable, but the interest will inevitably make them feel painful. But if they don't borrow, they must try to win over more members. Equity participation, but the current problem is that there is a lot of business to do in Guangzhou. In addition to silk, fragrant wood is also a place for large investments. Many members have invested their working capital in it. With the cooperation of the Zheng Group and the Guangdong Trading Co., Ltd. The two vassals of Pingnan and Jingnan swallowed up all their shares in the previous four years.

This is still a large amount of money invested, and there is still too much spare money. However, the Guangdong Trade Alliance has regulations that require members to operate workshops and trading companies on a member-owned joint-stock basis, so they must be members to participate in the shares. Most of the members in Guangzhou Like them, is it possible to send people to Chaozhou and Qiongzhou to invite members there?

"No, let's go ask Chairman Cai. Guangdong Trading Co., Ltd. is a business owned by Chen Fujun's family, and is backed by Mr. Guo. As far as I know, I have a lot of money on hand that can be used for deployment."

"So, our dividends..."

A voice becomes quieter the more it is spoken, but it echoes louder and louder in everyone's ears. Once the Guangdong Trading Company takes a stake, the result is likely to be a change in the share ratio, especially the largest shareholder. For a time, Everyone turned their attention to the major shareholder. The latter was obviously struggling in his heart for a moment, and when he raised his head, he looked ready to fight.

"As the scale expands, the dividends will only be more, not less. This is a hugely profitable business. Even if the Guangdong Trading Company has the final say in the future, our family business will get bigger and bigger. It is better than being squeezed out by others. You have to survive!"

With this tone in mind, everyone's next step is to go to Hong Kong to try to convince Cai Cheng, or rush to Guangzhou to try to convince Chen Kai. Among them, some well-informed people mentioned that the Chen family's business is all Chen Fujun's wife was behind the scenes and might as well ask for the noble lady who had just arrived in Guangzhou.

It was a profitable business, and they thought there wouldn't be too many surprises in terms of money. This confidence, especially when it was linked to Chen Kai, made the partners seem a little more determined.

Next, we will continue to discuss other issues, such as land, mulberry forests, silkworm farmers, machinery, etc. If we want to continue to expand production and gain a foothold in Shunde's sericulture and silk industry, there are still many things that need to be solved.

, it is by no means as simple as they thought at this time. And the biggest problem here is the loss of population. Expanding the scale will undoubtedly require more people to support it, because this industry has always been an industrial chain, not

It's just a single textile.
Chapter completed!