Holy Roman Empire

Stein did not say that the railway construction is not another industry. As long as you are willing to spend money, you can still start multiple lines, and the construction speed can naturally be doubled.

Franz didn't say anything for a long time. This answer is equivalent to no answer. If more than 8000 kilometers of railways are built slowly, 20 years may not be enough time.

If the construction is carried out in sub-tenders and divided into 1000 small projects, then each project will only be more than [-] kilometers long. If the division continues, it may be completed in a few years.

If you really think so, you must be an outsider.First of all, this requires a large amount of capital investment, and secondly, a large number of railway workers are required.

In addition to ensuring these two basic requirements, a series of factors such as the availability of technical personnel, transportation, raw material supply, and geographical conditions must also be considered.

"Then I will give you 20 years. In terms of funds, I can guarantee that the government will have financial allocations of no less than 2000 million dong every year, and the government will also introduce relevant laws to allow private capital to participate in railway construction.

I hope to see this railway network all over the country in 20 years, can you do it? "Frantz asked cautiously.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I promise to complete the task ahead of schedule!" Stein said excitedly

As long as there is money, railway construction is not a problem.

Do you know that the Austrian government still has a bunch of workers in its hands?This group of unlucky ones who participated in the rebellion were destined to be sacrificed from the very beginning.

Franz didn't believe it. With these 20 lives, [-] kilometers of railways could not be paved.If it is not enough, just continue to provoke the war, bully the Ottoman Empire, and the laborers are still coming?

The industrialization of any country requires sacrifice. Where can success come from without sacrifice?

Chapter 25 Fruits

Anything is easier said than done, and Franz doesn't ignore the limits of productivity.In this era, the railway construction technology has gradually matured, but the construction efficiency is still not high.

The construction of 20 kilometers of railways in 1900 years, and an average of 19 kilometers of railways per year, were undoubtedly challenging in the mid-[-]th century.

Funding is also a problem. 2000 kilometers of railways need to be built for 1900 million dong, and the average budget is only more than 1 dong/km. Under the condition that labor is basically free, construction in plain areas may be barely enough. (Only calculate the project cost, without considering the demolition compensation and geological conditions.)

In fact, the Austrian Empire was not a plain country, and there were many complex terrains, which severely restricted railway construction.

These natural environment constraints can still be overcome, the big deal is detours. Anyway, in this era of Austrian railway construction, it is impossible to dig tunnels hundreds of meters long, or even several kilometers long.

When encountering special terrain, whether it is a detour or facing difficulties, this means a substantial increase in costs.

No one can answer the question of how much it will cost in the end. Perhaps the engineers will be able to give a preliminary budget after the field exploration is completed.

The government's fiscal revenue is limited, and it is impossible to invest all of it in railway construction.In Franz's opinion, the annual railway construction cost should be compressed within 5.00% of fiscal revenue.

The shortfall can only be made up by private capital. To put it simply, it is to find a way to get the nobles to pay for the construction of the railway.

This is the special national condition of Austria. Although the capitalist economy has developed, most of the wealth of the whole society is still in the hands of the nobles.

Of course, the current Austrian central government also has a lot of wealth in its hands. This wealth is mainly manifested in land, forests, real estate, and state-owned enterprises. One hundred million dong.

Real estate has been sold one after another, and the land income is mainly rented out to farmers. By collecting rent and ransom, the government can provide an annual income of 5000 million dong in the next few decades.

Not all of the money belongs to the government, and there is also the land compensation paid to the nobles. Franz has credibility, and this money must be given.

Even if it is divided into 20 years, or even 40 years, their money must be paid back.

There is no way, these nobles are too cooperative, and the Austrian government can't find an excuse to renege on their debts.

Coupled with the influence of personal connections, in order not to cause national turmoil, the Austrian government now pays [-] million guilders in compensation every year.

This is determined by the national conditions. A government dominated by the aristocratic class naturally has to consider the interests of this interest group.Franz still knew what he could and couldn't do.

Such a large amount of money has gone into the pockets of nobles. If it is not invested, it is obviously a waste.Moreover, the compensation is not permanent, and there will be nothing after the payment is over.

As a good emperor, it is natural to think about their future life for them.How risky is it to invest in other projects, and if one fails, you will lose everything.

Investing in railways is much safer. As soon as the trains are opened, isn't it all gold?

At the cabinet meeting, Franz asked with some hesitation: "Do you think it is more suitable to issue railway bonds, form a railway company to sell shares, or simply authorize a certain line to capitalists and let them build railways by themselves?" us?"

Chancellor of the Exchequer Carl hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, it is not advisable to issue railway bonds. Railway investment is a long-term investment that will not see any return within a few years.

Considering the actual situation, many railway lines have been in a state of loss for more than ten years. For such a long time, the huge debt needs to be borne by the government, which can easily drag down the finances.

What's more, if so many railways are all in our hands, if the government operates them, the management cost will be too high. It is better to hand them over to enterprises for management, and we will be responsible for collecting taxes. "

Does investing in railways make money?

There is no doubt about this.

It's just that the prerequisite is to invest in railways in prosperous commercial areas. The Austrian railway network obviously not only considers economics, but also takes into account political and military factors.

Once this railway network is completed, all the big cities in Austria will be connected in series, and even the most remote province of Dalmatia will have a railway planned.

This means that the railway operation of many sections will lose money.Of course, Austria's land area is not vast, and its natural conditions are considered superior. There are no too remote areas. As long as the economy develops, the prospects of these railways are considerable. (69.87 square kilometers)

It is okay for the government to be responsible for the construction of the railway, so that the quality can be guaranteed, but it is not good for the government to be responsible for the operation of the railway.

In terms of cost saving, enterprises are definitely better than government agencies, and private enterprises are better than state-owned enterprises.

There is no way, Austria has the "Labor Protection Law". The capitalists try to avoid it and reduce expenditure as much as possible, but absolutely no one in the government dares not to implement it.

"Your Majesty, it is not a big problem to issue company shares, but according to the Austrian Securities Law, it is not possible to issue shares before the construction of the railway has started.

We still need to pay in advance for the initial funds. Otherwise, we will use the land as a share, find some social shareholders to contribute, and then go public to raise funds after the start of construction? ” Archduke Louis suggested

This is going to be fruitful. Although Austria is conservative, it is no secret to invest in railways to make money.For the several sections of railways that have been built in China, no one has ever heard of losing money.

In this case, after the Austrian government regarded the railway as a national policy, even the conservative nobles were tempted.

After all, railways are no different than other industries, and the risks are visible. As long as you choose a good route, are you afraid you won’t be able to make money?

"Yes, but the investment ratio should be restricted. The total amount of capital contributed by all social shareholders should not be less than 40.00% of the railway construction funds." Franz thought for a while and said

Franz does not reject nobles participating in making money. Originally, he wanted to spend money. The prerequisite is that he must provide real money.

With the emergence of joint-stock companies, it is more difficult for capitalists to enter the market.Franz just needed someone to pay for the railroad, and he didn't care who paid for it.

The result of the final negotiation was that the government came forward to form five railway operating companies, and these five companies were responsible for the investment and construction of the five railway lines.

There is no doubt that this is just a pilot. If it succeeds, it will continue to be promoted, and if it fails, it will be changed.

Investment and construction can be given to private capital, but the railway design work is still the responsibility of the Ministry of Railways. They must construct according to the plans and accept the supervision of the Ministry of Railways.

These five railway operating companies only shared a part of the railway investment, and most of the selected sections were easy to construct and profitable in a short period of time.

Its name is to let those who invest first make money, and then drive more people to join the railway construction and speed up the pace of railway construction in Austria. In fact, everyone understands it.

Franz has no moral obsession, and he would not refuse to use the interests of the railway to win over interest groups in exchange for better advancement of this plan, and the royal family must also have a part in it.

There are people rushing to do the profitable business, but no one asks for the losing business.No one wants to do it, so the government can only do it.

Commercial railways are repaired by private people, and the government only holds a certain share in them. Railways for political and military purposes can only be built by the Ministry of Railways.

Franz is a person who pays attention to eating, so he didn't personally participate in it.

It is estimated that no one will believe this statement. The truth is that he has no money in his hands. After all, the mine owner is more profitable than the iron boss, but the Habsburg family has investment.

Anyway, these railway companies will become listed companies. As long as Franz is willing to dig a hole for them, the stock market crash will be cool, and the rest is to buy, buy, buy.

Chapter 26

As soon as the news of the railway company's public offering came out, it immediately caused a sensation. In less than three days, the initial shares of the five companies were divided up, and a total of 3000 million dong was raised for start-up capital.

I have to say that the big nobles are full of pride, and one family invested 80 million dong without blinking.

Everyone is a well-informed generation, and it is clear that the government's purpose in doing this is to win over local powerful factions to make a fortune together, so that no one will cause trouble for the railway project.

Even so, there is no reason for everyone to refuse to make a fortune, right?

Franz is willing to take them to make a fortune together, which means that the emperor regards them as his own, which makes many people feel at ease.

As for the people who were killed in the suppression of the rebellion last year, they automatically ignored them.Unknowingly, the buttocks moved again, and the traitor should naturally be killed.

With so many powerful investors, Franz doesn't have to worry about the rest.These people are more anxious than him. The railway is built one day earlier, and everyone can make money one day earlier.

The exploration team of the Ministry of Railways has already set off. In order to speed up, the newly established railway company also organized its own exploration team and joined the exploration work.

At the same time, five railways were started, namely: Shuangbu Railway (Prague to Bratislava), Viser Railway (Vienna to Szeged), Vimy Railway (Vienna to Milan via Venice), Lusa Railway (Luber Jana to Zagreb) Galician Railways...

Of course, the actual construction distance must be more than that. These five are just the main lines.

For example: there is a branch railway connection between the Shuangbu Railway and the Weiser Railway, the Weiser Railway will extend westward to Salzburg, and the Shuangbu Railway has a bunch of branch lines.

Not to mention the Lusa Railway, the straight-line distance between the two places is only over 100 kilometers. How can such a short distance become the main line?

Naturally, it extends to both sides, extending westward to Villach and Vimy Railway, and eastward to Slavonian Brod.

The main road alone has four to five thousand kilometers, and with the addition of miscellaneous branch railways, it is appropriate to exceed [-] kilometers.

There is no doubt that the Ministry of Railways has brought private goods here, and has adopted a bundling method to package some difficult routes.

This is also Franz's acquiescence. As compensation, the Austrian government will provide some free labor for the railway company, and the specific situation will be determined according to the construction conditions.

We're all on board, but now we still want to quit?Without labor in the hands of the government that can be used as consumables, it is not easy for railway companies to repair railways.

Once the casualty rate is too high, even everyone's hands and eyes can't cover it?

Think about it, thousands of people die, how big will the social impact be?Among other things, the pension alone can make them vomit blood.

This is also one of the reasons for the slow growth of railway mileage in European countries. Every year, hundreds of kilometers of railways are built, and the number of casualties is controlled within a certain range, which is acceptable to everyone.

If there are too many casualties, the workers will also go on strike.Could it be that slaves were brought back from overseas for construction?The price of slaves in this era is also not cheap, and the shipping fee is not a small sum.

It can be said that it is very cruel to build railways in this era.There are too few mechanical equipment, and most of them have to be carried by hand. In dangerous areas, people and equipment are often played together.

Opium, and many unscrupulous railway companies prepare daily necessities for workers. Most people can't bear the pain. They rely on opium to paralyze themselves, and they will be useless after a few years.

There is no doubt that these newly established railway companies in Austria are all representatives of unscrupulous railway companies, and the shareholders behind the scenes are a group of dignified nobles.

Because of the nobility, they have to take their reputation into account. Many things can be done in secret, but they can't do it in the open.

It is not easy to clean up, and the reputation accumulated by the ancestors cannot be desecrated.Just look at Franz's performance. The emperor himself didn't touch his hands, and the Habsburg family had to open a vest trumpet for investment.

In such a situation, what could be more reassuring than using a criminal?No matter how many people die, public opinion will not condemn them, at least in this era.

Of course, it is also necessary to find a few managers, presidents and other scapegoats, and blame them for their management mistakes, and then there is no more.

These people are all rebels, and they have been hacked to the bottom of the pot in public opinion. As long as the Austrian Empire exists, it is impossible for them to be overturned.

Don't think that the Austrian government won't be implicated if there are no implicated families in Europe.When a rebellion is involved, the aristocratic nobles will be finished, let alone Shengdou ordinary people?

Everyone is pretending to be confused. Ordinary people will not admit that there are rebels in their homes. As long as they keep their own laws, the government will pretend that they don't know anything.

Anyway, the war period was so chaotic, and it was very difficult to check the situation, so we directly treated it as the death toll. Otherwise, how did Metternich come up with the death toll?

These people have already died on their household registrations, and their family members also regard them as dead people. Many of their funerals have been held in advance.

Except for the fact that when Franz suppressed the Vienna rebellion, the "rebels rushed to defect first" were sent off lightly, the rebels in Italy and Hungary were basically dead.

These people have also become the best laborers. People who have died once cannot do it again. After these people die, they are directly burned to death.

There is no need to pay wages, no need to pay pensions.There will be no family disturbances, no media condemnation, and no follow-up troubles.

The only problem is that these people are in the hands of the government, and there is a price to pay for using them.According to the prior agreement, it is true that there are not so many additional road sections, but there is also no promise to provide free labor, right?

Without hesitating for long, everyone decided to repair it.It's just that these road sections are repaired later, anyway, the biggest labor cost is saved, and the budget will not be increased much.

In the future, if there is profit, it will be put into operation, and if there is no profit, a car will be dispatched every ten days and half a month. This is also their freedom.

As long as the operating frequency of Austrian railways is controlled, the possibility of losing money is actually not great. No matter how remote the area is, a truckload of goods can be produced within ten days and half a month.

The route planned by the Ministry of Railways connects cities, not villages, so how could there be no business?

The unpopular route cannot make money, but the problem of capital preservation is not big, and even if it loses, it will not be too much.

This is the advantage of private railway companies. They can flexibly allocate train frequency, and freight and passenger transport can be allocated according to actual needs.

Government operations will not work. If the dispatchers below are given such a large authority, it is estimated that the railway system will be hollowed out by them soon. This supervision is still very troublesome.

The boss of the private enterprise will keep an eye on it himself, and no one sent by the government can guarantee that it will not be corrupted. It is impossible for the emperor Franz to pay attention to this issue every day, right?

In addition, the government has to consider political factors. The economic development of many places requires the daily operation of railways. The railway system will lose money in the short term, but the local economy has also been boosted, and the government's tax revenue has increased.

In the end, whether the government lost money or made money is hard to figure out.

In order to avoid large-scale corruption and reduce losses, the frequency of most railways operated by the government is usually fixed.

If you want to schedule, you have to report layer by layer. Unless it is a special case, most of the time few staff will ask for trouble, and the operating cost will naturally go up.

After a series of bargaining, everyone finally reached an agreement, and the construction of the Austrian railway started.

In order to recover the cost in the shortest time, the "three-sided plan" was adopted this time (exploration, design, and construction).

The construction of the railway has just started, and everyone has no choice but to find a problem. It seems that the gravel mines around the railway have fallen into the hands of the Austrian gravel group.

This made many people regret it. Before the railway was built, only the sand and gravel around the city were worth a little money, and no one cared about the gravel in the wilderness.