Struggle in the Steam Age

Naturally, the development direction of the island cannot be planned by Lawrence alone, and the importance of having a reliable retainer group is highlighted at this time. Especially the members of this retainer group had previously managed the fiefdom. So after entering the meeting room and exchanging a few simple greetings, Lawrence and the others immediately discussed the future development of the island.

Although everyone had done their homework before coming here, compared with the copy of the island archives taken from the Imperial Archives that Lawrence is now putting on the table, the homework they had done before seemed too rough . So after spending a day looking at the entire file, everyone in the conference room looked unimpressive the next day.

This island is really confusing. Butler Bayer was the first to speak at the meeting. To say it's bad, we can find many reasons. For example, far away from normal routes, there are no precious minerals or precious animal and plant resources, there are not many conventional minerals, and even the population is small. The only rich ones are those that make people A goblin that people hate.

However, there are many good things to say about it. For example, the water and heat conditions on the island are good, and the land is relatively fertile. The relationship between the immigrants and the indigenous people on the island is very good, and their personalities are relatively down-to-earth and willing. So if we want to develop, I think it is more appropriate for us to start from the planting industry honestly.”

Unlike most traversers who started to engage in industry once they traversed, Lawrence's plan was to develop agriculture. It's not that he doesn't know the importance of industry in this era, but the problem is that this small island with an area of ​​more than 60,000 square kilometers but only about 800,000 people has no potential for industrial development at all.

The development of industry cannot be achieved out of thin air, it needs to meet many conditions. For example, sufficient technology, sufficient human resources, sufficient raw materials and resources, a vast market, and convenient transportation are required. But on this small island named New Sauer by Lawrence and the others, none of these conditions could be met.

The level of education on this island is limited to universal literacy and low-grade primary education. There are only two schools on the island that combine high school and junior high school. Therefore, if the people on the island want to receive better education, they must go to other islands or the New World. But even so, the education level of this island is also among the best among all the islands in the Sea of ​​Stars. But this alone cannot support the industry.

In terms of manpower and raw materials, as mentioned earlier, they are all very poor. There are indeed several mines of coal, iron, and copper on the island, but the reserves are very small. If it is only used for ordinary use, it can last for a long time, but if it relies on these mineral resources to develop industries, it is estimated that it will only take six or seven years to import raw materials from other places.

Considering that the industry in this era is mainly steel, machinery manufacturing, chemical or textile industries. There is definitely no way to satisfy industrial development by relying on imported raw materials.

Most importantly, the island is located in the Sea of ​​Stars. Whether it is the White Eagle Federation, the Republic of New Island, or Elysium, they all belong to the kind of industrialized countries that are ranked in the world. Under such circumstances, Lawrence felt that it was very possible that the things he produced would definitely not be able to compete with those of those big countries.

After all, one of the characteristics of industrialized production is that the larger the scale, the lower the cost. Like Lawrence, he can at most build a small factory on the island. And the cost of producing things in this type of factory is likely to be more expensive than the price of similar products on the island.

As for the final transportation, although it is an island and has a natural harbor, it is more convenient for communication. But far away from the island-intensive area and the main shipping lanes in the Sea of ​​Stars, this advantage is greatly reduced. According to the content shown in the report, apart from the half-monthly liner on this island, there are only about 20 merchant ships or passenger ships that have to choose to come to this small island for shelter due to the bad weather every year to enter the port area.

Regarding the industry and handicraft industry on this island, Lawrence thinks that the only thing worth paying attention to is the information that said that because some of the earliest immigrants on the island were metalworkers who were exiled to work for smugglers, there were many copper and blacksmiths with good craftsmanship from generation to generation. Inheritance, the information that they produce copper and iron utensils is also considered to be a rare commodity on the island that can be exported.

It's just that due to the development of industry, this kind of handicraft industry is slowly disappearing. According to the archives, the craftsmen on the island are now having a much harder time doing business than in the past, so much so that they have to rely on planting and breeding to maintain their business.

So Lawrence decided that when he was on the island, he would outsource some of the lighter casing carving work in his factory to them to help them out of the predicament. Anyway, for luxury goods, handwork is the embodiment of grade, and small things like lighter casings don't take up much capacity and don't cost much extra.

This can just make up for the lack of production of mid-range products in their own factory. After all, skilled craftsmen must first satisfy the production of high-end products, and low-grade plain lighters can be manufactured by ordinary workers. The result of this is that the production of lighters with carved copper or steel shells for the middle class and skilled workers is obviously insufficient.

Because of this matter, Safiel also telegraphed Lawrence two days ago. According to her, he has seen many counterfeit products in Eagle Fort now who knows where, and the output of these counterfeit products is not enough. There are mostly mid-range products that meet the needs. Therefore, he hoped that Lawrence could quickly make up for this shortcoming, and not let others earn all the money.

When Lawrence was thinking about his own business, the louder and louder voices of the retainers interrupted his thoughts. After listening to their argument for a few minutes, Lawrence tapped the table with his right index finger. All the retainers fell silent for a moment.

I already know what you are arguing about. You are just concerned about the location of the first piece of land we opened up after we came to the island, right? Seeing that all the retainers closed their mouths and stared at him, Lawrence coughed lightly and said. Talk about the specific situation of the two alternative locations first, butler Bayer, you go first.

I support opening up a territory in Mangrove Beach. Butler Bayer said after being named by Lawrence. Because the mangrove beach is small, only about 25 square kilometers. But there are several freshwater streams here that can be used for irrigation, and the land is not bad. At the same time, the forests around this territory are not very dense, so we don't have to worry too much about goblins. The question of the attack.

The most important thing is that there happens to be an island five or six kilometers away from the coastline of Mangrove Beach, which can provide shelter for this beach. Don't worry about the invasion of bad weather.

Very well, these reasons sound quite reasonable. Lawrence nodded, then looked at Owen's deputy butler on the other side and asked, Then what do you think is the reason for going to Niujiao Bay to open up the territory?

Because if this place is developed, it will be more than 2,000 square kilometers, which is the largest of the coastal plains. Among them, at least 1,500 square kilometers can be used for arable land. At the same time, the overall terrain of this place is relatively high, and there is a small peninsula Block the front. Don't worry about some bad weather. The most important thing is that there is a river with a large flow on the edge of this land. Not only can it provide protection for this land, but it can also pass ships of about 150 tons directly upstream and deep It is more than 70 kilometers away from the island.

In that case, why not choose this piece of land? Lawrence frowned, Oxhorn Bay is obviously much better than Mangrove Beach.

Actually, if you look at the map, everyone will choose this way. Bayer Butler said helplessly. And people have been there before us, and even built towns there twice.

But the map doesn't show any residential areas where people used to live here. Lawrence held the island map in front of him again and searched carefully, but he didn't see the red dot representing the residential area at that location on the map.

Because those settlements all disappeared because they couldn't hold on. Butler Bayer said as he took out a yellow and broken document from the pile of documents in front of him. It was also because I saw this document yesterday that I objected to using this place as our first target location.

Let me see. Lawrence said, reaching out to take the handed over document, and slowly flipping through it. The conference room fell silent, and everyone focused on Lawrence.