The elimination of 250 guerrilla members at one time was an unprecedented victory for the Kimberley expeditionary force against the guerrillas.
Because of its outstanding achievements, the expeditionary force once suspected that the patrol had killed good people and taken credit. However, the corpses scattered all over the mountains and plains where the battle took place proved that the patrol was not lying. So almost overnight, Captain Ted Barton became famous.
Yes, the Expeditionary Force Headquarters was still virtuous. The Johannesburg Police Department was not mentioned at all in the commendation order the next morning. The Rhodesian Police were named, but they only played a supporting role.
Being named and praised is enough for Aiden to be happy.
Because of a series of misdeeds before the war, the Rhodesian police and the South African Company have become laughingstocks. While Congress was investigating Cecil Rhodes, some people questioned the necessity of the existence of the South African Company and suggested that Congress withdraw the South African Company's control over Rhodesia.
Stewardship of Desia.
Although the Congress did not publicly express its position, this clearly showed its attitude.
The South African company wanted to fight, but it lacked sufficient "political achievements." The commendation order from the Expeditionary Force Command was a shot in the arm. London's major newspapers and tabloids immediately followed the trend and hyped it up. For a while, Rhodesia once again became the focus of the government and the public.
Focus.
"The newspapers in London are not so kind. The price of these press releases is at least more than 100,000 pounds. What the hell, the newspapers are not printing newspapers, but damn banknotes." Eden cursed, scolding those editors and reporters who had no bottom line.
"This is the benefit of manipulating public opinion." Rock thought about it. The Transvaal was being rebuilt, and there was not even a decent newspaper in the entire Transvaal. If a newspaper was opened in Johannesburg, would it be possible to control public opinion?
?
The whole operation is a bit difficult. It is easy to run a newspaper if you have money and people. However, the audience is a big problem. The majority of people in Johannesburg are miners. They are basically uneducated and cannot read even if there is a newspaper.
Therefore, the key to the problem is literacy rate, and there is a long way to go to popularize nine-year compulsory education.
"But this hundred thousand pounds was well spent. Now that the investigation is over, Congress has no reason to keep Mr. Rhodes in London. It won't be long before Mr. Rhodes can return to Cape Town. By then, hehe" Ai
Before Deng finished speaking, his words sounded like he wanted to settle accounts in the future.
The world has never been short of people who make trouble. Some time ago, Congress investigated Cecil Rhodes. There were so many people jumping up and down in Cape Town. If Cecil Rhodes was in Cape Town, the Cape Parliament would not discuss it at all.
Stop the immigration subsidy issue.
Now that the investigation of Cecil Rhodes is over, and Congress has confirmed that Cecil Rhodes is not responsible for the outbreak of the war, then the person who initiated these nonsense will definitely be there after Cecil Rhodes comes back.
Be unlucky.
Rock said nothing, not as optimistic as Aiden.
If there are no accidents, Cecil Rhodes will be in the past two years.
To be precise, early next year.
Rock is now thinking about the post-Cecil Rhodes era.
Queen Victoria passed away at the beginning of the year, ending an era.
When Cecil Rhodes passes away early next year, it will be the end of an era for Rhodesia and even the Cape.
When Cecil Rhodes was alive, the British government would not touch the South African Company. This was not only respect for Cecil Rhodes, but also respect for the Queen. After all, it was the Queen who commissioned Rhodesia.
Management for South African companies.
After the death of Cecil Rhodes, London would begin to take action against the South African Company. In 1904, London took back the South African Company's jurisdiction over Nyasaland. In 1923 and 1924, London successively took back Southern Rhodesia and South Africa.
Jurisdiction over Northern Rhodesia, although the South African Company still had a commercial monopoly in Rhodesia thereafter, by 1965, the South African Company finally ceased to exist.
If Rhodesia has nothing to do with Roque, then Roque will not care about the life and death of the South African company. But now Roque already owns a large area of land in Rhodesia, and the land may be further increased in the future. This makes Roque and Rhodes
West Asia's interests are closely related.
Considering that Cecil Rhodes Jr. and Rock had already established a preliminary friendship, Rock would certainly not sit back and watch London take back the South African Company's privileges in Rhodesia.
With Cecil Rhodes Jr. here, Rock's interests in Rhodesia can be guaranteed. What if it were someone else?
God knows who London will send to run Rhodesia. If it's fools like Henry Alsop and Arnold, Rock will have a headache by then.
Before leaving Kimberley, Rock and Aiden went to visit Captain Ted Barton
Oh, no, he is no longer Captain Ted Patton. In the commendation order from the Expeditionary Force Command, Captain Ted Patton has been promoted to Major Ted Patton by the line of fire due to his military exploits, and he has also been sent back to London for treatment.
Opportunity.
Rock and Aiden are also returning to Johannesburg, so Rock and Aiden are here to say goodbye to Major Ted Barton.
Considering the traffic conditions of this era and the future of the four Cape colonies, this farewell may be an eternal farewell.
"Sir Locke, I'm so ashamed." Ted Barton's face turned red after seeing Locke. The commendation order from the expeditionary force headquarters was simply an insult to an upright man.
"Don't be like this, Major Patton." Rock didn't care, he was used to it.
"Sir Locke, please call me Ted, I'm really sorry for being a major." Ted Barton felt ashamed. The rank of "major" was originally Ted Barton's dream, but now it has become Ted Barton's shame.
"Don't be like this Ted, I know this is not your decision. In fact, the Expeditionary Force Headquarters can't give me anything. I am an official in the Transvaal. There is no way I can go to the Expeditionary Force Headquarters and become a general." Luo
No kidding, if he, a "baron", joins the army, he will almost start out as a general.
In fact, people from aristocratic families who do not have the right to inherit a title usually join the army, such as Henry of Matilda's family.
"Sir Locke, you are a magnanimous man." Ted Barton finally felt better.
"Have a good rest after returning to London. If you have the opportunity in the future, don't forget that you still have an old friend in Johannesburg." Rock said goodbye to Ted Button. Ted Button's injuries in the battle were not serious. The main trauma was
It is also psychological. This kind of trauma may be more serious than the physical injury. Ted Barton's body has not recovered yet and he is not suitable to receive guests for a long time.
"Thank you, Sir Locke, and please believe that you also have an eternal friend in Portsmouth." Ted Barton almost cried. Not just anyone can be friends with a nobleman.
That cannot be said, because for some reason, everyone in the UK now knows about Ted Barton, so after Ted Barton returns to the UK, Ted Barton will also have the opportunity to be knighted.
Considering Ted Barton's skin color, he might have a higher title than Roark.
Early the next morning, Rock and Aiden returned to Johannesburg.
Two days later, construction of the Crocodile Bay Hydropower Station officially started.
Roque's plan is to build the reservoir first before the rainy season at least, so that the hydropower station can be built slowly in the future.
Compared with hydropower stations, reservoirs have much lower technical content. Professor Douglas sent a telegram to China and directly called three professors and twelve students.
Don't think that the professor's moral integrity is very high. The professor also has to eat, drink, and defecate. Isn't it shameful to work for Roque, a "baron"?
Don't be ridiculous, don't talk about professor, the moral integrity of the British royal family is not that good. Henry II was born in France and died in France. He didn't even know English, and he still became the King of England.
The salary offered by Rock to the professors directly doubled the professors' original salary, which was enough for many professors to let go of their reserve.
This doesn’t include the Germans. Abramovich probably didn’t bother to send a telegram back. If the professors at Heidelberg University knew that Abramovich was earning 400 pounds per year in Johannesburg, do you think they would move their families here?
Some people probably won't, but most people will.
Among the three professors, one named Wayne Bell, like Professor Douglas, is an agricultural expert, the other two, one named Caleb Megg, is an architectural expert, and the other, George Eugene, is a geological expert.
Neither Professor Melo nor Professor Eugene taught at the Royal Agricultural College of Gloucester, but they had a good relationship with Professor Douglas. After learning that Professor Douglas's annual salary was 400 pounds, they had been waiting for Rock's call, and now they were finally satisfied.
Roque has never been stingy with talents. The annual salary offered to Professor Melo and Professor Eugene is 400 pounds. Their students, regardless of their performance, can get an annual salary of 200 pounds. This salary level is for a student who has just stepped out of school.
It's already very good for young people.
What's more, what really attracts these young people is not the salary or the housing in Ziwei Town, but the nurses in Ziwei Town Hospital.
Rock didn't expect this at first.
Entering September, the wedding wave in Ziwei Town is still continuing.
Rock underestimated the enthusiasm of bachelors for their families. More than a hundred Chinese girls have been snapped up, most of the more than forty Boer nurses are married, and the lucky guys are all Chinese policemen.
By the end of September, the number of permanent residents in Ziwei Town has exceeded 500 households, with a population of more than 2,500 people. Residential houses have been built on both sides of the main road. The newly built residential houses have begun to extend to both sides along the intersection in the center of the town. Ziwei Town already has
Just like a city, the town government came into being.
Thanks to the military control of the Transvaal, the town government of Ziwei Town only needs to be reported to the Johannesburg City Hall. The city government is not even qualified to appoint a mayor, but is elected by the residents of Ziwei Town.
Rock's plan of the past two years finally began to show its power.
"There are four candidates for town mayor, Sheriff Dunn, Mr. Shelley, Dr. Bellamy, and Mr. Buck." The person reporting to Rock was Mr. Buck himself.
Shelley is Tax Collector Brad Shelley. Under normal circumstances, he and Dunn are not eligible to run for town mayor because they are already government officials.
But who made Ziwei Town the private property of Rock, so Rock said that Dunn and Brad were qualified, and Dunn and Brad were qualified.
Of course, they are just qualified. Rock does not want to interfere with who can really be the mayor. This is the first election in Ziwei Town. It is the first election in the lives of many Ziwei Town residents. Regardless of the future
Well, this time, Rock doesn't want to operate in secret.
"So, Mr. Buck, if you are elected mayor, what will be your policy agenda?" Rock said seriously.
"I don't want to be!" Buck refused decisively.
"The mayor is also paid, and if you are the mayor, it will not affect your management of the Rock Gold Mine." Rock said earnestly, no matter how you look at it, Buck is the best candidate.
To strive for more benefits for the Chinese in Johannesburg, it is not enough to rely on Roque alone.
After all, Rock is an official and has a noble status. Although this will provide Rock with a lot of conveniences, it will also become a restriction for Rock.
For example, in the future, if the Johannesburg Municipal Government wants to set up a policy that is unfavorable to the Chinese but beneficial to the Johannesburg Municipal Government, Roque will not be able to express his opinions directly due to his status. At this time, Roque will need a spokesperson.
A spokesperson who can express opinions on Rock's behalf.
In Johannesburg, nominally, including Roark, Buck had the highest academic qualifications. At University College London, Buck received a serious higher education.
After coming to Johannesburg, although what Buck did had nothing to do with his major, Buck was qualified as a lawyer, and the profession of lawyer is the profession that incubates the most politicians, so Buck is the best spokesperson for Rock.
"I'm not short of money. An annual salary of 1,000 pounds is enough for me to do a lot of things." Buck is very satisfied with the current salary level.
"What do you mean, I should lower your salary?" Luo Ke took the initiative.
"Well, that's not necessary." Buck then realized that showing off his high salary in front of his employer was probably seeking death.
"Don't be so complacent. Even if you run for election, it's still a matter of time before you get elected. But if you get elected, you have to take responsibility. Ziwei Town must be controlled by our own people. There can't be any surprises.
Happened." Rock emphasized the value of Ziwei Town, which Buck understood.
"If it's Dunn," Buck still wants to get away.
"He's not capable enough!" Rock decided in one sentence. What qualifications does a person who knows every word have to be the mayor?
I'm afraid Dunn can't even sign his own signature. It would be ridiculous if Dunn became the mayor of the town. If the town government wants to issue an announcement in the future, it's better to just fingerprint it.
"What about Brad and Dr. Bellamy?" Buck's voice faded and became inaudible.
Brad and Bellamy are both white people. When they become mayors, they will definitely give priority to safeguarding the interests of white people. Then Ziwei Town will change!
"Okay, I'll try" Buck firmly believed.
"I believe you can do well. People, sometimes you have to push yourself. If you don't push, you don't know how much potential you have." Luo Ke threatened Buck with a bowl of poisonous chicken soup.
"That's true. At first I thought it was impossible for me to manage a gold mine," Buck said happily.
