Chapter 64 Talent is the foundation
"Been to Shanghai? That's enough."
Zhu Xianhai smiled.
"This business is very simple. I plan to hire a group of workers from China. You go to Shanghai and bring them here for me. I will pay two pesos for each person. How about that?"
What is the biggest problem facing Nanhua’s development right now?
It's nothing more than insufficient population and a slow population.
Without people, all plans are castles in the air. What good would it be even if you founded a business here?
In the end, due to lack of manpower, others will benefit.
Only with a sufficient population can Nanhua continue to develop. More precisely, only with a sufficient population can it survive on this land.
In the future Three Kingdoms of the Pampas, the human factor directly determines the future destiny of the three parties.
How to develop with insufficient manpower?
Relying on these more than a thousand Chinese workers?
Even if they all married Mapuche wives, when would they stop having children?
Time is not on my side, and I cannot have a child.
We still have to find a solution domestically.
Fortunately, the country is in the midst of war, and fortunately, the country has a large population and poor people everywhere...it's just that the distance is a bit far.
But no matter what, we must try our best to attract people from the country.
Right now there is a rare vacuum of "imperialist" power here, and the Argentines have not noticed this side yet. This is Zhu Xianhai's opportunity to rise, and he must seize it.
Many opportunities, once missed, are gone.
Opportunity cannot be missed!
"Two pesos for shipping? Sir, you have to know that this is not from Brazil to here! The cabin will definitely not be as crowded as last time. Two pesos for shipping seems a little too little to me."
After having the experience of transporting people, Luke was naturally very clear about the limits of the "Anlis". For a long voyage of more than a month, it certainly could not be crowded like last time.
"And as far as I know, it costs five pesos to transport a Chinese worker from Hong Kong to San Francisco! The boat ticket is at least fifty dollars!"
Obviously, Luke was well aware of the freight rates for indentured laborers, after all, he had worked on that route before.
"That's different. I'm hiring you! And listen to me, if you want to transport people, this ship will definitely need to be modified."
Zhu Xianhai said this as he spread out a drawing.
"Look, my initial plan is to install multiple . Each bed is 2 feet wide (about 50 cm), 7.8 feet long, and 2.5 feet high. There are two beds in a row, and there is a 2-foot aisle between each row of beds..."
To put it simply, it is an advanced version of a bunk bed, a "multi-layer board". It is very simple to make this bed - wood is plentiful on the hillsides around Nanhua. And the craftsmen here are already used to making this kind of bed. They sleep on bunk beds, just a little wider.
"This, this, the bed is actually built like this?"
Luke was dumbfounded again. He had never seen a bunk bed before.
Don’t underestimate bunk beds. They may look simple, but they were definitely “black technology” in the 19th century. Although there was never a specific person who invented bunk beds first, it is certain that bunk beds were not used in the military until the late 19th century, and then slowly spread.
Sailors of this era slept in hammocks, which seemed to save space, but in fact was just as wasteful. Multi-layer beds are the real rational use of space.
Of course, the standard of beds Zhu Xianhai made for the immigrant ship was almost the same as that of the troop transport ships in World War II, or even more crowded. Apart from the aisles, there was no room for movement. But there was no other way. The immigrant ship was not a cruise ship. Is it possible to enjoy a trip on the sea these days?
"Tell me, if the cabins of the 'Anlis' were all equipped with these multi-layer beds, how many people could it carry this time? At least more than a thousand people, right?"
"No, definitely more than that. The length of the 'Anlis' is 276 feet, the beam is 50.5 feet, and the depth is 26 feet. If such beds are installed in the double-deck cargo hold, each cargo hold can at least..."
After doing some calculations in his mind, Luke almost screamed.
Make a fortune! Make a fortune!
There is no doubt that one voyage would be enough to make Luke a rich man!
"Mr. Steven, I have another question ,"
Taking a deep breath, Luke said.
"When do we leave?"
When faced with money, most people will make a choice at the first moment. It is almost instinctive.
“This is the correct way to use money!”
Once again, after successfully convincing others, Zhu Xianhai couldn't help but sigh.
The cruel and ruthless reality taught him a truth. If he wanted to become stronger, he could only rely on money...
…
Fang Zhanbo is very proud!
This kind of pride comes from being highly valued!
Um!
Now he is Boss Zhu's confidant, no, his aide.
Although Boss Zhu calls himself the boss, in his opinion, he is the master of Nanhua, and this place owned by foreigners is a no-man's land.
The lord of a land is also one of the lords of that land, right?
Although there are fewer people and the location is a bit remote, he is still the master of the place.
And himself!
As the lord's aide, he can naturally put his knowledge into practice. As a scholar, he can indeed put his knowledge into practice.
What about the land registers and acreage? In the past few days, he has been imitating the rules of the Qing Dynasty and making the land registers of Nanhua. Of course, the only thing that made him unhappy was William Hansen - the guy was brought by the Countess from Buenos Aires. He said he was an engineer, but he intervened in his affairs, saying that the land register he recorded was just waste paper and needed to be re-measured.
Measuring? What to measure? The Qing Dynasty has been measuring this way for hundreds of years.
But then when that guy used a peep show, ruler and other things to draw a map of Nanhua, Fang Zhanbo was dumbfounded. The drawing was too accurate.
Yes, this is a foreign study, and we are not good at it.
What I am good at is giving advice to my lord.
This study is just a trivial skill.
"People are the foundation of a country. Nanhua has a vast fertile land, but the population is sparse. Recruiting people from the country to cultivate the land is indeed a good way to increase the population."
As soon as he heard that his lord wanted to transport people over, Fang Zhanbo immediately agreed.
"My Lord, this is a very good idea. It should be done this way."
Although he had only received a few years of education, Wang Dewen, as one of Boss Zhu's earliest team members, naturally enjoyed his trust, he said immediately.
"That's a good idea, but it's bound to cost a lot of money, right?"
money!
Money is the hardest thing!
"Yes, it costs money to recruit people from the mainland, and it also costs money to send them here by ship. It must cost a lot, my lord."
Li Fugui couldn't come up with any ideas, but he still expressed his support at the moment.
"As long as you can use me, you can order me at any time."
"Where's Shuda?"
Zhu Xianhai glanced at Qian Deshan. Like Fang Zhanbo, this guy was the only scholar in the Huagong. He even passed the imperial examination. However, unlike Fang Zhanbo who called him "Lord", this guy seemed to be a little "reserved".
"Well, it will definitely cost money, but it depends on how this matter is handled."
Facing the host's gaze, Qian Deshan pondered.
"If we change the method, it won't cost much and may be more effective."
