By the way, why did Xu Yuan decide to sell a ready-made steam cargo ship to the Fujian Zheng family instead of directly selling a three-cylinder steam engine?
The reason is simple.
The 'Super Ancient Type II' with greater power and stronger performance cannot be sold to any force.
Only cargo ships equipped with 'Super Ancient One' steam engines can free up a few ships and sell them to the Zheng family at a high price, thereby maintaining a certain technological gap.
In this way, if there is any conflict between the two parties in the future, the 'Super Ancient One' with weak dynamic performance will be obviously at a disadvantage and difficult to gain the upper hand. Even if it wants to challenge Xujiazhuang's hegemony, it will not have much upper hand.
It also avoids research and imitation of steam engines, and the risk of technology leakage is lower.
Nowadays, since the Fujian Zhengjia established a close cooperative relationship with Xujiazhuang, its development in the past few years can also be described as rapid take-off, making money every day, and its development momentum is not inferior to that of Xujiazhuang.
It owns more than 1,500 large ships with a displacement of more than 2,000 tons (approximately 400 tons), and it launches an average of more than 300 ships every year, that is, one large ship is launched every day.
The crew has more than 100,000 sailors, including Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese, blacks and other races. It can be said that there are many talents.
All pirate forces on the southeast coast have been wiped out and recruited.
The annual economic income exceeds 20 million silver dollars, and should exceed 30 million this year, and continues to increase.
In the land of Taiwan, Hainan and Nanyang, the Zheng family of Fujian also learned from Xujiazhuang and established 90 sugarcane manors, 120 grain manors, 115 spice/tea/fruit/tobacco leaf and other manors, occupying 18 small and medium-sized ports, and a total of
More than 3 million people have immigrated, and they have begun to bring economic benefits, which can basically balance the investment.
Although compared with Xujiazhuang, the Zheng family in Fujian is not very wealthy. No matter how many traditional wooden sailing ships there are, they will not pose a threat to steam ships. The manors and ports they operate offshore are small in scale and the profits they create are not large.
, maybe the benefits of the five manors are not as good as the one in Xujiazhuang.
All in all, there is no comparison in all aspects.
However, the development potential of the Zheng Group is still good. It is making progress every year, with a growth rate of more than 20%. As long as this strong development momentum is maintained for ten or twenty years, the Zheng Group will be like a great power on the eastern sea in the future.
Its power is enough to compete with any Western power. Although it is still far weaker than Xujiazhuang, it has the strength to defeat other maritime powers around the world.
This is probably the pattern where Xujiazhuang is number one in the world and Zheng Group is number two.
Zheng Zhilong, who has no ambitions, poses no threat to Xujiazhuang, and neither will the second generation. But what about the third, fourth, and future generations? There will always be people with inflated ambitions, right?
The eldest brother and the second child are destined to have some conflicts, and they cannot always be friendly with each other.
In order to take precautions, necessary precautions are still necessary. This is a reasonable step that any decision-maker will make.
But even if it provides a steam cargo ship with inferior performance.
This news reached Anping, Fujian, and was received by senior officials of the Zheng family.
Inside the conference hall.
"Xujiazhuang agreed to sell us a second-hand steam cargo ship!"
"The price is only 350,000 silver dollars per vessel. If you buy three vessels at one time, you can get a discounted price of only 1 million silver dollars."
"Hahaha, okay, okay, it's not expensive. Buy it, you have to buy it. From now on, our Zheng family will also have a fast steamboat!"
The chubby Zheng Zhilong said with a smile, his face was red and he was very excited.
After buying the three steam cargo ships, one of them will be immediately transformed into a luxurious one and turned into a ship for his own use. This way, in the future, if he wants to patrol the sea, travel and enjoy the scenery, he can go somewhere to have fun and enjoy himself, which will increase speed and efficiency.
Both have been greatly improved, and safety and comfort have also been improved.
Of the two remaining ships, one continues to be used for cargo, running fast routes and earning more profits. The last one was transformed into a military warship and became the command flagship of the Zheng family's maritime fleet, playing the role of commanding the Zheng family's navy.
However, while most of the senior officials of the Zheng family are happy about this good thing, some dissatisfied noises are inevitable.
"Steam ships are good and can run fast, but the price of more than 300,000 silver dollars a ship is too expensive. The 3,000-material Fulong ship built by our shipyard only costs 30,000 silver dollars, and a steam ship in Xujiazhuang
We have more than ten ships arriving."
"Why do you have to sell us even second-hand ships together and not just sell the steam engine alone? We can make the hull ourselves and it doesn't cost much. If we only need the steam engine, it should be much cheaper, right?"
"Yes, Xujiazhuang is too insincere. It is quite troublesome to modify the ships. It is better to just build three new ships we want and install steam engines. In addition, our shipyard has now mastered the iron keel technology... Xujiazhuang gave
is not the ship we most want."
"It shows that our Zheng family and Xujiazhuang still have a hand in their hands."
"I think after we buy the steamship back, we will immediately dismantle the ship, take out the steam engine, and let the craftsmen learn it, study it, and then imitate it. Maybe, after we master the manufacturing of the steam engine
, the construction cost of each steamship may not be 100,000 silver dollars, but only one-third of the second-hand ship in Xujiazhuang."
Hear the opinions and noise.
Zheng Zhilong did not adopt it, and decisively rejected the proposal to imitate the Xujiazhuang steam engine, because it could not be done. He had previously mobilized outstanding craftsmen, established a team, and spent a lot of money to develop it, but it ended in failure.
Ten thousand silver dollars, you can't even think of popping up a bubble.
As for buying a ready-made steamship directly, although the price is indeed more expensive, more than ten times that of a sailboat, the speed is three to five times faster, the ship has a low center of gravity and high safety. If it is used for commercial trade, if an ordinary sailboat can make two trips a year,
The steamship can make at least five trips, and for the extra three trips, there is no problem in earning 30,000 silver dollars.
As long as you use it for about ten years, you can make back all the money you paid to buy the boat.
It's actually quite cost-effective.
Moreover, the number of steamships in Xujiazhuang continues to increase, and the price is likely to drop in the future. Perhaps you can buy one for one or two hundred thousand silver dollars, so there is no need to develop your own steam engine. Even if you build one, it is better to buy one.
Zheng Zhilong's statement suppressed those noises and gained the support of most senior officials. After all, the technical content of steam engines is too high, and it may not be possible to invest hundreds of millions, so it is better to buy ready-made ones.
Xiang, add two or three boats every year, and form a high-low match with ordinary sailing boats, which is most suitable for the Zheng family.
But that’s discussed later.
Conflicts within the Zheng Group began to gradually arise and break out, and finally formed a fierce dispute.
That is who can best entrust the steamship to.
Moreover, among the three steamships, the owner of the family, Zheng Zhilong, wants to occupy one, and no one can snatch it. The ship used for cargo is for commercial use and is not very attractive to everyone. Not many people like to run on the sea every day.
The only one that needs to be modified for military use has aroused competition among all senior generals. Everyone wants to own this steam ship and everyone wants to use a steam warship.
But there are too many monks and too little porridge, and there are too many wolves but too little meat.
The fight to the end is to compare qualifications, contribution and merit, with each voice getting louder than the other.
Especially the two brothers Zheng Hongkui and Zheng Zhibao were so competitive that they lost all brotherhood and almost rolled up their sleeves and started fighting.
Zheng Hongkui said: "Fifth brother, don't fight with me. Just let me use this steam warship. I am your fourth brother. How can a younger brother argue with an older brother? Don't worry, Xujiazhuang will take the initiative to sell it this year
The boat will definitely be sold next year. As long as you wait patiently for a year, you will definitely be able to use the steamboat next year. Why are you so impatient?"
Zheng Zhibao said: "Fourth brother, my eldest brother and I have been going to sea for the longest time and have made the most contributions to the Zheng family. As for you, you are taking martial arts exams to gain fame, and your main activities are on land. From these aspects, this steam warship, I
The most qualified one, Fourth Brother, I am the younger brother, and it is always the older brother who gives way to his younger brother. How about you wait one more year and buy you a steamboat next year?"
Zheng Hongkui shook his head and said: "No! I can't give in to this matter. You are younger than me. There is no problem in waiting for a year. How can you make me, an elder brother, wait? Look at our family, it is the elder brother who marries the wife.
When you marry your younger brother, you can't mess with the rules and order. My contribution to the Zheng family is less, so you need to give me more opportunities to serve the family. If that doesn't work, how about you come to my ship and be my deputy? Let's learn how to master a steamboat together.
"Fifth brother, this compromise is my greatest sincerity. Don't argue with me again and hurt the harmony between brothers."
Zheng Zhibao still refused to give in: "Fourth brother, let me use the steamship. Isn't it the same for you to be the first mate on my ship? I am younger, and young people want more opportunities to perform. The sea is very rough and rough, and it is extremely difficult.
I plan to take on more responsibilities for the family, so that you, eldest brother and fourth brother, can enjoy more blessings and enjoy the comfortable life on the shore. Isn't this great? Brother, do you think what I say makes sense?"
He looked at Zheng Zhilong, trying to achieve his goal by pleasing his elder brother.
Zheng Hongkui said angrily: "Brother, look at this kid Lao Wu. You are still here. He can't wait to carry the flag and wants to rebel. He doesn't take us brothers and elders seriously. Now
If this is the case, what will happen in the future? I think we should suppress this kid, so as not to realize that the sky is high and the earth is high." Zheng Hongkui was even more ruthless, directly trying to arouse Zheng Zhilong's suspicion of his fifth brother Zheng Zhibao.
This made Zheng Zhibao's eyes widen, and he wanted to pull out the knife, and angrily accused: "Fourth brother, just for a mere ship, you actually alienated the relationship between me and my eldest brother. How can you be so cruel and vicious? This is like a
Does he look like an older brother?"
Seeing the two younger brothers arguing with each other and showing no respect for each other, Zheng Zhilong felt confused. He didn't know how to deal with it or which side was better to support. He felt very embarrassed.
He could only scold both of them severely, put aside the discussion of this issue for the time being, and come up with the regulations tomorrow.
But on the second day.
The users of the steamship were announced, and the final choice of captain was beyond everyone's expectations in the Zheng family.
The person who got the right to use the Zheng family’s first steam warship was actually Zheng Cai!