In mid-May, the War Department ordered a military purchase order of US$3.5 million from Junma Weapons Company. In addition to conventional weapons such as rifles, light machine guns, light artillery, etc., there were also 254mm naval naval gun barrels with a number of up to 120. Li Mu keenly felt that Washington's preparations for war were gradually accelerating.

As early as early last year, Li Mu discussed the issue of external expansion with Hayes. At that time, the relationship between Li Mu and Hayes was in a honeymoon period. The two had surprisingly consistent views on this issue. In terms of choice of objects, Li Mu and Hayes also chose Spain unanimously.

External expansion is also a consensus among all Americans. With the continuous development of the economy, American products need a broader market, cheaper raw material production and commodity dumping places. This alone cannot meet the rapid development of commercial needs. After all, the United States is an immigrant country. Those new immigrants have no money and no wealth. Most of them came to the New World because they could not survive in the old continent. It is unrealistic to rely on squeezing oil and water from these people. Therefore, the United States needs to expand externally, need colonies and a large number of colonies.

The current world is a world system dominated by Britain and France. Although the United States is a rising star, it has no room for intervention. Therefore, if it wants to expand externally, it can only be achieved through war. At this time, the choice of the target is very important. It must not only show the determination of the United States, but also not be too strong in the opponent's strength. Spain meets almost all requirements.

Through the Cuban War of Independence, the United States had fully realized the Spaniards' external strength and the middle force, so the war preparations almost started when Ulysses Grant's reign. After Hayes took office, it only accelerated this process.

"I met General Sherman in Washington yesterday. General Sherman promised that in the next year, there will be at least more than $6 million in military purchase orders. Of course, before that, we need to prepare about 10% of the public relations fee. Considering the overall size of the order, I think 15% will be a relatively suitable proportion." Henry, who had just returned from Washington, immediately arrived at Governor's Island again. Henry's trip was very rewarding. Not only did he harvest orders from the Department of War, but he also signed a car order contract with the Ministry of Finance. Compared with the previous contract, the unit price increased by nearly one-fifth.

At this stage, the United States is similar to those of the third world countries in the 21st century. No matter what it does, public relations will take the lead. If you want to get a contract worth one million US dollars from the government department, you must prepare at least 10 to 15% of the public relations fee, which is similar to the tips you get when you go to a restaurant.

"You and Zhang Leye are right, even if they give 20%. Tell Zhang Leye not to do it too much, otherwise everyone will not look good." Although they are already familiar with it, Li Mu still has to remind him, otherwise the people in the weapons company will not know what to do.

It is not wrong to say that the wool comes from the sheep. Although the public relations fee for the War Department is high, the price of selling weapons to the War Department is also high. A bullet-type rifle produced by the Springfield factory is market-priced for US$35, sold to the Turks for US$45, and sold to the War Department for US$50, and it is a short barrel carbin type, and the cost is even lower. In this way, selling weapons to the War Department is the most cost-effective.

Junma Weapons Company not only produces weapons, but also produces backpacks, blankets, raincoats, military leather boots and other military equipment. In the first half of this year, a batch of leather boots ordered by the California National Guard had a serious accident in which pig skin was used instead of cowhides. Although there was effective public relations from the public relations department, this incident did not have a major impact in the end, but it was enough to sound the alarm for Junma Weapons Company. It is not a good idea to do things in military shopping. Li Mu does not need to save costs in this regard. On the contrary, Li Mu also expects that those soldiers can become loyal customers of Junma Weapons Company after they are discharged from the army, so the product quality must be passed.

"Unless Zhang doesn't want to get a salary in the rest of his life, I think Zhang will be serious." Henry never hides this.

After the military boot incident, Junma Weapons Company launched a "rectification campaign" for a period of time. Zhang Leye, as the general manager of the company, should have been suspended and transferred, but under Li Mu's interference, Zhang Leye was eventually criticized and fined $18,000, which happened to be Zhang Leye's salary for one year.

Through this incident, Henry has also realized that Zhang Leye still occupies a certain position in Li Mu's heart, so Henry no longer targets Zhang Leye, but don't expect Henry to give Zhang Leye a good look.

"What is George doing recently? I heard that he went to California?" Li Mu has not left Governor's Island recently, so he is not sure where George Dewey is going, and he only heard Will mention it once.

With the east wind of expanding the army, the army also received some supplements. Originally, some people in the Congress even proposed to disband the First Cavalry Division of the Army. Will repeatedly scolded some people in the Congress as "traitors" on Governor Island. Now Will doesn't need to scold him anymore. The army expanded from one division to three divisions. The first division is still a cavalry division, and the second division and the third division are both infantry divisions. Although their strength is not as strong as the Cavalry Division, it has been a considerable progress for the Army.

Not all good news. According to the plan of the War Department, the two newly formed divisions are under the command of the navy. I think these two divisions will act with the navy in the war against the Spanish, so although these two divisions seem to be army units, they have nothing to do with Will.

Will hadn't realized what this meant, but Li Mu knew clearly that this was probably the predecessor of the future Marine Corps, and it was different from the Army, so Will was destined to be happy.

However, at this moment, Li Mu did not need to remind Will that whether it was the Marine Corps or the Army, they were all under the command of the Ministry of War and needed to order weapons from Junma Weapons Company. They were all Li Mu's customers, so Li Mu would definitely treat everyone equally, so that he could only be equal.

"The War Department formed the Pacific Fleet in California, and George served as the commander of the Pacific Fleet. It is estimated that George will be stationed in Hawaii in the future." Henry is more aware of the actions of the War Department. If the Spaniards are smart now, they will send people to New York to kidnap Henry. Then they will know the preparations of the War Department. After all, a large part of the materials preparations of the War Department were completed through the Horse Weapons Company.

"Shouldn't the Pacific Fleet's station be in Guam?" Li Mu was confused again on this issue and unknowingly confused the times.

"It's really damn, are you thinking in your mind that it's time to change your child's diapers? Guam is now the territory of the Spanish. Unless we drive the Spanish out of the Pacific now, the Pacific Fleet will only be in Hawaii." Henry couldn't laugh and cry. This common sense mistake is difficult to see in Li Mu.

Li Mu remembered it wrongly. Before seizing Guam, the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet was always in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. It was the United States seized Guam from the Spanish-American War, and then the Pacific Fleet moved its base from Hawaii to Guam. During World War II, Guam was occupied by Japan, and the Pacific Fleet moved its headquarters back to Hawaii. Since then, Guam has become an important fulcrum for the United States in the Western Pacific military system.

"Ah, okay, I remembered it wrongly, but the Pacific Fleet placed its headquarters in Hawaii, does that mean that the importance of Hawaii is increasing?" Li Mu corrected his mistake. He said that the world has changed for more than a hundred years. Originally, Li Mu's history was not very good. Now, because of Li Mu's intervention, the past history has been beyond recognition, and it is normal to not remember it.

If Li Mu had not intervened, the Cubans were probably still fighting guerrilla wars with the Spanish, the US government was still talking about the Panama Canal with the Colombian government, Hawaii was still under the rule of the local king, and Japan was even carrying out the Meiji Restoration. As for Ryukyu-

Well, Ryukyu should have stopped existed during this period.

"Of course, Congress has decided to build the headquarters and military port of the Pacific Fleet in Hawaii. I don't think it will take long for Hawaii to become the focus of the whole United States." Henry confirmed that Hawaii is becoming hot. With the arrival of the Pacific Fleet, Hawaii has a promising prospect.

Originally, Hawaii was a world-famous tourist destination, with the sun and beaches there lingering. There are also enthusiastic Hawaiian girls. Hawaii is not well-known to Americans now, otherwise many people would definitely be willing to move to Hawaii.

At least it's much more fun to go to Hawaii to be neighbors with beauties than to go to Montana to be neighbors with the Indians.

"It seems that I have an island in Hawaii." Li Mu suddenly remembered that it seemed like this.

It is true that compared with the price of islands in the 21st century, islands these days are similar to free gifts. Every time Li Mu hears similar news, he always feels like he suffers if he doesn't buy them. Over the years, Li Mu has bought almost everywhere, the Far East, Hawaii, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, etc. Perhaps by the day when Li Mu dies, the islands in Li Mu will be comparable to the "Island King" who has more than a thousand islands in his future.

Of course, although the number of islands in the hands of the "island king" is large, its quality is incomparable to the islands in Li Mu. Li Mu owns Cuba's Treasure Island, the Bahamas' Grand Bahamas, the Molokai Island in Hawaii, etc. Any island that can easily exert one of these islands in the 21st century can completely exert a group of "island kings".

"Molokai Island has an area of ​​260 square miles, and there are about 50 residents on the island. They are all lepers, so - sorry, so far, this asset has not brought you even a cent profit." Henry did not agree with Li Mu's big moves. In Henry's opinion, this has no meaning at all. Although Henry heard Li Mu describe the black beach on Molokai Island, so what? Thinking of the lepers on the island, Henry was not interested in it - he didn't even have the interest to mention Molokai Island, as if mentioning this name would be intimidating.

"Nonsense, there is no leper on it, and your information has been lagged behind. The latest situation is that a new resort can accommodate 200 people at the same time has been built on the island. This year, our Junma Group will have 100 outstanding employees who will receive a reward for vacation in Hawaii. They can also bring a family member. This is a benefit that belongs to our Junma Group." Li Mu was proud. Molokai Island cannot make money for Li Mu, but Li Mu will never ignore the value of Molokai Island. Buying islands everywhere seems a bit prodigal. In fact, those islands are all high-quality assets. Li Mu's ideal is that even if Li Mu's descendants are not successful in the future, there are so many islands to be treated as real estate, even if they are prodigal, they can defeat them for a few more years.

After buying Molokai Island, Li Mu paid for all the lepers on the island to move to nearby Lanai Island, and then Molokai Island became Li Mu's private territory.

Although Molokai Island has become an uninhabited island after relocating lepers, there is a steady stream of immigration ships from Pacific companies. The construction of Molokai Island has never stopped. There is a considerable dock on Molokai Island. Next to the dock, in addition to simple houses for immigrants to temporarily transfer, a resort has been built near the black sand beach. The construction of this resort completely refers to the leisure concept of the 21st century. The resort not only has gyms and leisure and entertainment facilities, but also an 18-hole golf course nearby. In the 19th century, this resort was simply a paradise. If it were not for the Pacific Company staff mandatory requirements, many new immigrants from the Far East would settle down directly on Molokai Island.

Speaking of this, it is actually quite contradictory. In theory, Molokai Island is also a territory of the United States. Immigrants can also enrich the strength of the Chinese in the United States. However, this does not match Li Mu's expectations. In Indiana and Illinois, Li Mu still has a large area of ​​land that is unreclaimed and unconventional, so these new immigrants are destined to be out of reach of the blue sky and white clouds of Molokai Island. Unless they perform well in the future, they may be able to come to Molokai Island for vacation as excellent employees.

"Are you sure you want our new employees to go to Molokai Island? I have to remind you that leprosy is contagious." Henry disagreed with Li Mu's idea and provided benefits to employees Henry did not object, but Henry definitely did not want such benefits.

"Oh my God, do you think our biological laboratory is a decoration? They may not be able to cure leprosy now, but prevention is no longer a problem. As long as you pay attention to hygiene, many infectious diseases can be avoided." Li Mu was not worried. Although leprosy is terrible, it has not yet reached the point that Li Mu was terrified when he heard it. If the biological laboratory was not powerful, leprosy would have become history long ago.
Chapter completed!