Nan Ming Sun Never Sets

Chapter 32 Ocean Company
The so-called Dayang Company does not exist at all now.Bai Mingxiu now has 10 large-tonnage clipper merchant ships, and he hopes to use this capacity to develop trade and colonization businesses.

The Ocean Company he envisioned was actually the Ming version of the East India Company, a colonial company with the endorsement of national sovereignty, strong financial resources, and possibly even some military strength.Bai Mingxiu placed several of his own flying shear merchant ships under the name of this company.

Now as Wu Min helps him gradually control Myanmar, various products of Myanmar are gradually gathered in his hands.However, because of the relationship with the Manchu war, it is difficult for Bai Mingxiu to sell these goods back to China, and the main consumers of commodities such as spices are still Europeans.Therefore, in the initial stage of Myanmar trade, it is necessary to establish trade routes with European merchants and create profitable trading methods.

Now in Southeast Asia, the strongest is still the Dutch.But Bai Mingxiu didn't want to deal too much with the Dutch, because not long ago, Zheng Chenggong had just recovered Taiwan from the Dutch.Moreover, the Netherlands established a colony in Batavia and repeatedly carried out vicious massacres of Chinese. Bai Mingxiu was bound to take revenge.

The only ones left are the British and the Portuguese. The Portuguese tried to colonize Burma but were driven away.Bai Mingxiu doesn't mind doing business with the Portuguese next time they come.But now Bai Mingxiu thinks that the British will be good trading partners.

At this time, the British East India Company did not have much power in India, and there were not many real colonies established.The United Kingdom needs the continuous import of goods from the outside world, so if Myanmar can establish a stable source of goods, the British will often come to purchase.

Wu Min’s measures to revitalize Myanmar’s Xuanwei Department of Industry and Commerce are very specific. Aiming at Myanmar’s products, Wu Min established some government-run companies, including the “Myanmar Jewelry Company” that specializes in mining jadeite and other gems; The "Myanmar Spice Company" that grows spices on a large scale; the "Myanmar Timber Company" that harvests precious tree species in Myanmar.

These companies are wholly government-owned and belong to the "State-owned Yamen" under the Myanmar Propaganda Department.The management models of these companies are also relatively advanced. The government employs capable businessmen as professional managers, and offers them higher salaries and even dry stocks in the future.In Myanmar, these companies employ Burmese and Ming people as laborers to mine minerals, cut timber, and carry out agricultural planting activities.On the whole, the income of working for these companies is slightly higher than that of farming by oneself.However, these companies are still in the start-up stage, and Bai Mingxiu estimates that it will take at least half a year to see obvious results.

The manufacturing enterprises in these colonies directly produced goods, and then the Ocean Company, which had a near-monopoly, purchased their materials and then conducted transshipment trade.Of course, the Myanmar Xuanwei Department has implemented a series of laws and regulations of a very modern country, and it does not even look like a colony, because no colonial laws and systems would be so advanced and constructive.

The Ministry of Publicity and Comforting of Myanmar also encourages private capital to carry out related operations, but gemstones, minerals, and forestry industries, which are the pillar industries of Myanmar, must apply for a special business license from the Department of Publicity and Comforting before they can operate, regardless of private logging or mining. It's all against the law.

However, ordinary Burmese people are not restricted from planting cash crops such as spices. At that time, the Burmese Incense Company or Dayang Company will send people to collect their crops.

Under such economic policies and governance, Bai Mingxiu can imagine that Myanmar will inevitably usher in a wave of prosperous development, and Daming will also be the direct beneficiary of Myanmar's prosperity.

Bai Mingxiu hoped to directly control the Yangon-Madras route and sell his goods to the British.Of course, it is not impossible for the British to directly come to Yangon to purchase, at least in this kind of competition, the two sides are fair.The United Kingdom also does not have the ability to challenge Ming's sea power in the Indian Ocean.

The day after Davidston discussed establishing trade routes with Mingren, Bai Mingxiu deliberately released many of his battleships and merchant ships.

"Australia welcomes the fleet to come." Bai Mingxiu explained to Yongli Emperor Zhu Youlang in this way.

Sailing from the sea into the estuary of the Irrawaddy River are four clipper sail battleships and two clipper East India merchant ships.The tonnage of these ships is extremely large, all over [-] tons, and they look extremely majestic.The British Davidston was also very shocked when he looked at the Chinese galleon.

"The Chinese ship is so big, is it really worthy of the powerful ancient Eastern Empire? Seeing that their ship shape is very different from our European ships, the bow is like a sharp knife, and the sail seems to be the same. They are different from our European sailing ships. Oh, my God, these giant ships are warships, with three decks and equipped with so many cannons! I am afraid that even if European capital ships come to the Indian Ocean, it will be difficult to shake these floating fortresses on the sea." Davidston thought, becoming more respectful on the surface.

This was originally a show for Davidston, and Bai Mingxiu wanted to let Davidston and the British behind him know that Ming has a strong sea power in the east, so you don't want to use any tricks. Or the means of war to steal any benefit from Daming.

The Europeans came to East Asia for profit. If they were to fight a war, they might even suffer heavy losses before they could gain commercial benefits. Obviously, it was not worth it.

That night, when Davidston boarded an armed merchant ship of the Oceanic Company, he began to write with a quill in his small room.

"... What I saw in Yangon opened my eyes. When I was in London, I was fortunate enough to read Marco Polo's travel notes. Some of the stories in them fascinated me. But when I came to the East, I felt that many of them were not true. Practical. But I do not doubt that the Eastern Empire established by the Chinese is a powerful country. The Chinese ruled Burma and brought civilization and enlightenment to the place. A new trade order is taking shape. I think this For Britain, it should be happy to see it. The Chinese crown prince who met with me will next take a boat to inspect their other territories. This is information that we did not know before. China’s warships are already comparable 'Sovereign' (a 1500-gun first-class battleship with a displacement of 102 tons), and even Chinese warships can sail at sea faster than any European warships, which will put them in a very advantageous position. So I suggest that we must cooperate with China Establish good diplomatic relations. I have also communicated with the Chinese crown prince. I think His Royal Highness is a young but talented, gentleman and courageous real royal family. It is unwise to go against such a country and royal family , I really hope that England has such a smart prince, instead of those fat-headed idiots."

(End of this chapter)