1850 American Gold Tycoon

"Are you interested in taking over the shipping empire that I have spent most of my life building?"

Vanderbilt walked to the deck, stared at the merchant ships on the route and made his decision. Google search reading

As a low-level sailor, he undoubtedly has a deep affection for the rivers, lakes, seas and the shipping industry.

Making this decision was very difficult for him.

"Except for the Nicaragua route, which is at a loss, all other routes are currently making a profit. Taking over my shipping empire is a very good deal for you.

Those routes that make a lot of money every day are all what I have worked hard for over the years. You can be considered a big bargain. Now I want to entrust my industry to a reliable person. "

Vanderbilt confessed to Liang Yao, which was taboo in the shopping mall, but he didn't have many worries when facing Liang Yao.

Just from the name of Liang Yao's Global Shipping Company, we can see Liang Yao's ambition in the shipping industry.

Looking at the United States, only Liang Yao has the strength to take over his shipping empire worth tens of millions of dollars.

Maybe Backhouse also has the financial resources, but the Astor family has a deep obsession with land and real estate, and it is impossible to abandon the booming real estate industry and get involved in the shipping industry.

"You want to devote yourself to the railroad industry and become a railroad king and an army brigadier general?"

Liang Yao cut two Havana cigars, handed one to Vanderbilt, and kept the other for himself.

Of course he was interested in taking over Vanderbilt's shipping empire, but Vanderbilt's shipping empire was too huge.

It was so huge that he couldn't digest Vanderbilt's shipping empire in a short time.

Liang Yao currently holds nearly 20 million US dollars in gold. If he takes over Vanderbilt's shipping empire, it means that he will have to pay more than half of his cash flow.

And there are many things he wants to do, including expanding the production capacity of California steel plants, building ships, building railroads, entering the petrochemical industry in the future, developing California's Central Valley, and even paying for the military, cultivating talents, etc., any of which is to swallow gold. Behemoth.

Although Liang Yao has a lot of cash, when it is divided equally into each specific industry, Liang Yao's funds are not sufficient.

What's more, after eating up the gold dividends from the Sacramento gold-producing area, Liang Yao's asset growth has begun to slow down.

Before the Umbrella Company succeeded in gold mining in Australia, Liang Yao's gold grabs in the gold mining industry could not have been as crazy as in 1850.

Furthermore, California in 1850 was in a state of complete anarchy. He did not have to share his gold with outside forces or pay taxes. He had to absorb almost all the gold in the Sacramento area on his own to earn a fortune in a short period of time. A net worth of tens of millions.

This crazy gold rush model cannot be replicated in Australia. Local snakes in London and Australia have to get a share of Australia's gold.

Although Liang Yao wanted to take over Vanderbilt's shipping empire immediately, he still maintained his last sense of reason.

There are many industries under his control. Once he faces the risk of the capital chain being broken, the consequences will be unimaginable and irreparable.

"I realized very early that the railway transportation industry would be a hugely profitable industry. I have not yet fully devoted myself to the railway transportation industry. The first reason is that I almost lost my life in a railway transportation accident when I was 40 years old, leaving me with a lot of problems. The second reason is that the railway transportation technology at that time was immature," Vanderbilt said.

"Now the time is ripe to enter the railway transportation industry. The railway transportation industry will be my career for the rest of my life."

"Your vision is always so accurate." Liang Yao praised.

The decade before and after the Civil War was a golden age for the American railway transportation industry.

It was during this period that the United States' railway transportation network gradually took shape.

This is one of the reasons why after Vanderbilt, there was no other railroad tycoon in the United States as successful as Vanderbilt.

In some eras, if you miss the opportunity, you have missed it, and there is no possibility of doing it again.

Life is not a game and cannot be saved anytime and anywhere.

"My accurate vision is the result of 57 years of hard work. To say that my vision is accurate, your vision is definitely better than mine. You are only 20 years old this year, and the height you can reach in the future will definitely be higher than mine."

Vanderbilt lamented that time is not forgiving.

"If nothing else happens, the railway industry will be the last career in my life."

"That's because I stand on the shoulders of giants, and my vision is not as good as you think." Liang Yao said very honestly.

His good vision is based on his prediction of the direction of historical development. To put it bluntly, he is cheating.

There is no comparison with these outstanding indigenous people who can take the initiative to seize the trend of the times.

"You don't have to be humble in front of me."

Vanderbilt caressed the rudder reluctantly, as if saying goodbye to a journey in life.

“Do you know why I chose to join the shipping industry in the first place?

In 1829, when I was 35 years old, I had achieved some success and made my first fortune in the shipping industry. At that time, I had many choices.

I can choose to be a real estate tycoon like old Astor, or I can choose to be a banker like Gillard.

(Girard: A French shipping tycoon during the Revolutionary War who later successfully transformed into a banker and was the largest investor in the First Bank of the United States.

The first recognized richest man in the United States, Astor Sr. was the second recognized richest man in the United States. When Girard died in 1831, his assets were US$7.5 million, accounting for 67% of the US gross national product that year. )

But I chose the shipping industry. "

"Break down the trade barriers of the coastal states!"

Liang Yao said loudly.

Business opportunities, a background as a sailor, and a love for sailing were not all the reasons why Vanderbilt was obsessed with the shipping industry in the first half of his life.

After reaching Vanderbilt's level, wealth is nothing more than a number.

Businessmen at this level have their own pursuits to some extent. For example, the old Astor established his ancestral precepts to take root in the real estate industry, which he considered to be very stable. He hoped that his wealth could be passed down to his descendants and serve as a charterer in the United States from generation to generation.

Another example is Liang Yao himself. At this stage, he is no longer accumulating wealth for the sake of wealth.

"Haha, the person who understands me best is you." Vanderbilt laughed loudly facing the sea.

“If you lived through the era I grew up in, you understand the horrors of trade barriers between states.

Businessmen from New York State who go to neighboring New Jersey or Connecticut to trade will be targeted by local wealthy businessmen and even laws in New Jersey and Connecticut. Similarly, businessmen from these states who go to New York State to trade will also be targeted by the law. Unjust treatment in New York State.

Although the state boundaries in the United States are called state boundaries, they are actually national boundaries. The situation is no better than that of the German states.

There is only one way to break these boundaries, and that is to use a developed transportation network to make the population flow between states more frequent and reduce people's awareness of states, regardless of whether they are New Yorkers, New Jerseyans, or Connecticut residents. people, Pennsylvanians, to destroy the fortresses of interests built in the states by the old stubborn aristocrats of the 18th century and the self-proclaimed elite businessmen. "

Liang Yao searched in his mind for knowledge about the United States at the end of the 18th century when the United States was founded. The United States at the beginning was indeed an agricultural country where thirteen states were forced to live together.

The incentive that prompted the thirteen states of the United States to form a federation was not intrinsic economic ties. An agricultural society with strong self-sufficiency had very limited demand for external trade.

The main reason that prompted the thirteen states to live together was external factors, that is, the threat from the powerful British Empire to the newly independent North American colonies.

Only by forming a country can the thirteen states have the possibility of self-protection.

A country that has been forcibly joined together naturally has many problems. The current social divisions between the north and the south of the United States, and the rising sentiment of separation, were laid when the country was founded. It is only a matter of time before it explodes.

"The trade barriers at sea have been broken down, so now you want to break down the trade barriers between states on land?" Liang Yao shook off the ashes and said.

"It's not broken, I just made some changes in the coastal states. The transportation efficiency and the places that can be reached by trains are far beyond the comparison of shipping. This is the reason why I want to devote myself to the railway transportation industry."

Vanderbilt said.

"Of course, from your perspective, I think you have already seen that the future development opportunities of the United States lie in the vast west, not the crowded east, and the railway will lead the development of the western United States.

Going all out to enter the railway transportation industry is not only profitable, but can also make some changes for this country. The ceiling of a businessman and entrepreneur often does not depend on the personal ability of the businessman, but on the national strength of the country where he is located.

Just like Mexico and Nicaragua, there will never be a businessman as rich as me in such countries. Even if they do, it will only drain the blood of the entire country to become a top rich man. Even if top rich people appear in these countries, they will only be short-lived and will last for a long time. No, weak countries do not have the environment to cultivate top rich people.

The rich people they cultivated only end up making wedding clothes for others, just like the rich people in those small countries in Central America. They like to make money from their own people and spend it in the United States, and deposit the money in American banks or even in France and England. Bank of.

Do you think these rich people are from Central American countries or from the United States?

I am an American, and I hope that the United States can become as powerful a country as the British Empire. Only when America becomes stronger can you and I become the first billionaires in the United States. "

"You are the first person who can state the reason for making money so noblely." Liang Yao teased.

He doesn't care whether America is strong or not. He only cares whether the West Coast and the Western Region are strong.

At least on the issue of developing the West and West Coast, Liang Yao and Vanderbilt had the same position.

"My life creed is to either do nothing or do my best, so I want to get out of the shipping industry and invest all my wealth and energy into the railway transportation industry. I hope you can make it happen for me. Besides, you are also now We need a big ship, don’t we?”

Vanderbilt said.

"You are the first person who can humble me like this."

"I really want to fulfill your wish and take over your shipping empire, but my appetite and digestion ability are not as good as you expected."

Liang Yao threw the Havana cigar he had only smoked into the sea into the sea and paced back and forth on the deck with his hands behind his back.

Although Global Shipping Company has become one of the largest shipping companies in the United States, its shipping capacity is far from Liang Yao's expectations.

Even if all the ships of Global Shipping Company that are capable of ocean navigation are put into the San Francisco-Eastern China (Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai) immigration route.

It can only carry about 5,000 immigrants at a time, and this is under the most ideal situation without any mistakes.

If it can swallow Vanderbilt's shipping company, Global Shipping's shipping capacity will make a qualitative leap.

"I can take over your shipping empire in stages and completely take over your shipping company in five years, but I have two requirements."

Liang Yao paused.

"What request?" Vanderbilt asked.

"All the shipbuilding production capacity of your shipyards will be transferred to San Francisco and Los Angeles. I want to build these two places into shipbuilding centers on the West Coast and even the Pacific Rim."

Liang Yao stated his first request to take over the Vanderbilt shipping empire.

Liang Yao knew about several shipyards owned by Vanderbilt, with more than 3,000 industrial workers. It was said that the Polaris was about to be completed. Vanderbilt had previously revealed some information about the Polaris to Liang Yao.

The Polaris has a tonnage of up to 2,500 tons, a keel length of 80 meters, a deck length of 82 meters, and is fully steam-powered.

Vanderbilt devoted countless efforts to the Polar Star, his private "yacht". It is currently the largest steamship that the United States can independently build on its own, and represents the highest level of American shipbuilding industry.

The Polaris has epoch-making significance in the history of American shipbuilding. Not even the American steam warships currently in service or even those under construction have a tonnage greater than the Polaris.

Taking over these industries of Vanderbilt is indeed a sure-profit deal, almost taking over the most advanced civilian steamship manufacturing capabilities in the United States.

Taking over these industries from Vanderbilt can also bring at least thousands of industrial workers and thousands of jobs to California.

These are difficult to quantify in monetary terms.

"As long as you can provide these shipbuilders and engineers with sufficiently good treatment, I don't think this is a problem."

Vanderbilt agreed to Liang Yao's first request.

The Polar Star is about to be completed and launched, and his career as a shipping king will come to a complete end. He has no big regrets in the shipping industry.

What Liang Yao wants to do after the shipyard is sold out is Liang Yao's business.

"What I want is not only your ships, but also the old captains and sailors with rich sailing experience on board. I don't have much time and energy to train the crew." Liang Yao said.

There is a ship but no crew, and the ship cannot sail.

He could also choose to recruit crew members from other shipping companies, but the efficiency was far less efficient than hiring directly from Vanderbilt.

Even if old crew members arrive on a new ship, they still need time to adapt to the new ship.

Liang Yao hopes that the ship can be started once it is acquired, instead of having to train the crew to adapt to the new ship.

"I can't convince all the captains and crew members to be employed by you, but with your prestige in the hearts of these captains and crew members, I am sure to convince at least 60% of the captains and crew members to be employed by you. I guarantee that you will take over my ship." Then we can sail the boat directly."

Vanderbilt thought for a moment and said.

"I also have a request."

"What request?" This time it was Liang Yao's turn to ask.

"The Pacific Mail Company is my last great rival in the shipping industry, and I don't feel comfortable unless the Pacific Mail Company is kicked off the California route," Vanderbilt said.

"I am a competitive person, and the federal government wants to support the Pacific Mail Line to defeat me on this route. I want to prove to them that I, Vanderbilt, am invincible!"

"The related operations of the Nicaragua route will be transferred to Global Shipping Lines in the last year. I will work with you to drive Pacific Mail Line out of the California route before the transfer of your shipping empire is completed."

Liang Yao said without thinking.

The American government's support of the Pacific Mail Line was not just to monopolize the route from the east to the west coast of the United States.

It also wanted to expand its business in the Pacific region. In later generations, after Vanderbilt withdrew from the shipping industry, the Pacific Mail Line gradually monopolized the Far East routes from the United States to Japan and China.

The Pacific Mail Company was also a thorn in Liang Yao's side. Even if Vanderbilt didn't say anything, he would still remove the thorn in the Pacific Mail Company's side.

Liang Yao also had his own considerations for transferring the Nicaragua route business in the last year.

That is, Vanderbilt currently has wider connections and greater influence in Nicaragua. During this period, it is more suitable for Vanderbilt to operate this route than Global Shipping Company.