To the east of Poitou Port, in the shipyard of Kangshi Shipbuilding Company.
This piece of land, which was sold to Sean by the city government for 1 gold louis, covers an area of more than 20 hectares. At first, this price also caused some criticism, but now it is gone. It is even considered to be the best land in Poitou City.
A public transaction. Based on the principle of maximizing the number of beneficiaries, the most powerful people in Genoa are its shareholders.
Today, the second and third Shark-class ironclads were officially delivered to the Navy. After a short period of adjustment and learning from previous experiences and lessons, Kang Shipbuilding began large-scale construction activities again, building five ironclads at one go.
In view of the success of the Bess and the deep impression it made on the big figures in the Holy City of the Empire, the Navy added a plan to build 10 more ironclads, which means that the total number of ironclads on order reached 20.
This is Kang's confidence in shipbuilding.
The Navy even established a naval school in Poitou, located in the barracks of the Vichy Town Garrison Brigade, to specifically train sailors to adapt to this new warship, so as to avoid the embarrassment of having only a warship but no sailors who can operate it.
.
According to the estimates of those "enthusiastic" bankers' financial advisors, the first 10 shipbuilding plans can allow Kangshi Shipbuilding to recover all the initial investment and even make a slight surplus. This is after Kangshi Shipbuilding provides the Navy with 60 guns on 3 warships for free.
In the case of artillery, after the 10-ship construction plan, an average profit of hundreds of thousands can be obtained for each ship built.
Unfortunately, Kang's Shipbuilding currently needs to increase capital. Otherwise, arms dealer Bess may be one of the biggest winners, because he generously donated 80 artillery pieces to the Navy, and naturally became the only weapons supplier for the remaining 17 ironclads.
Carmen Gabe, who had just returned to Poitou, was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the delivery ceremony. All the big shots in Poitou attended the ceremony.
The two new battleships were named "Count Kovar" and "Siyes" respectively.
Yes, the Koval family felt that they could no longer fight in secret with Sean. Although the family did not really regard Sean as an enemy and did not even have a fundamental conflict, the family clearly felt that they were becoming more and more influenced by their hometown.
People are isolated intentionally or unintentionally.
In Genoa, everyone is Sean's ally.
Therefore, the Koval family paid a sum of 400,000 in cash to obtain the naming rights of an ironclad ship. Sean happily accepted the money. In the eyes of outsiders, this was regarded as a "show of weakness" by the Koval family.
”, also regarded as a “reconciliation” between the two parties.
As for the "Sieses", it is the personal ambition of the banker Mr. Siess, because he has the treasure of the "Bess" in front of him, and he also wants his name to appear in major newspapers in the Holy City.
Sean clearly marked the price, and he was honest. Both Count Koval and Sieyes believed that the 400 yuan was worth it, especially for Count Koval who was alone in the Holy City.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Carmen got acquainted with Sean, and with Sean's recommendation, he was able to interview all the big shots, including the Governor.
He found that the Genoese people he interviewed were filled with optimism. Public security was stable, economic prosperity and full employment made everyone very satisfied with the current situation.
This is in sharp contrast to the bleak north.
The pace of life of Genoese people has also become faster. All these changes have occurred in just two or three years.
Economic development has also benefited ordinary people.
The rich are getting richer. They do not complain because they bear more taxes than before, because they get subsidies from other places: such as the unification of tax rates, the elimination of checkpoints and duplication of taxes within provinces, and the improvement of transportation.
The smooth flow of goods has actually increased income due to the spillover effects brought about by large-scale industrial investment. The large number of immigrants alone has a very considerable consumption power as a whole.
Carmen noticed that farmers were more willing to farm because their burdens were reduced. Due to the imposition of the 1/20 tax, some large landowners began to show signs of being less willing to continue to annex land. Some families, such as the Robinson family, even sold some land to those who were willing to farm.
Farmers, partly because many farmers, especially tenant farmers, prefer to go to factories to earn money.
The landowners invested the funds they received into emerging industries. For example, many supporting factories were established around Kang's shipbuilding. Most landowners would more or less reduce land rents, otherwise no one would be willing to farm for them.
The shortage of manpower has led to an increase in workers' salaries, and some skilled and skilled workers are well paid.
If Sean's coal and steel companies, as well as the expanding railroad company, are added, the Genoese's immigrant population increased by more than 100,000.
The Count of Koval and the Sieyes have disappeared on the sea level, and most of them have dispersed.
Sidya-Kovar revealed some unfriendly news: the empire has increased taxes again.
He received a personal letter from Count Koval this morning. In order to restore the security of the empire's maritime borders, an additional maritime tax will be levied on all groups and subjects across the country. The method of taxation is equivalent to a 1/20 tax, which is actually a nationwide tax.
This tax becomes a general tax.
This is nothing to the Genoese people, because Genoa has fewer nobles and is an area where the Estates-General is implemented. The forces of all classes check and balance each other and compromise with each other at the Estates-General, which prompted them to reach a consensus at this time last year, which made them
At the forefront of the country.
But everyone can predict that the imposition of this ocean tax will trigger nationwide protests.
Of course it is the rich, especially the privileged, who are protesting.
In Europe, except for farmers, workers and craftsmen, everyone else enjoys certain privileges more or less. If you want them to pay more, it will undoubtedly cost their lives. At this time, they will talk about tradition and
Believe that privilege is a given.
But these currently have no effect on Sean, although this is within his expectation.
Sean is working non-stop because everything is in the ascendant. Although the management teams of various industries under his name have been established, it still takes time to get these teams running on the right track.
Sean officially gave an exclusive interview to Carmen on the train from Darlington Iron Mine to Dockton Coal Mine:
"Science and technology are the primary productive forces. The times are progressing, and the invention and application of the steam engine has accelerated changes in the world. We now create more goods, more armaments, and more in one year than in the past ten or twenty years.
wealth. Then we must adapt to this change."
"Viscount, do you advocate reform?" Carmen asked. What he wanted to ask was actually more explicit, such as revolution.
Sean understands his subtext, so he avoids some sensitive words:
"Of course, I support some reforms, such as our tax system.
It is also a certain kind of commodity tax. In this province, it is a heavy tax, but in another province, it is a light tax or even tax-free. Businessmen often violate local laws accidentally. If he wants to spread his business across the country, he must
Hire a tax-savvy advisor.
At the same time, he wants to sell perfume produced in Poitou to the Holy City, but he has to face many hurdles during transportation and endure exploitation by tax collectors who follow different laws, which makes people think that we live in different countries."
"Of course, it's not just our tax system that needs to be reformed. Our cabinet does not have a complete industrial development plan. They expect the rich to invest on their own and then collect taxes. Of course, out of a desire for profits, the rich invest in industries that make them money.
, but from the perspective of an empire, the government should provide guidance and support. The cabinet assists His Majesty in governing the people, not just collecting taxes, their main responsibility should be..."
While he was talking, the train suddenly stopped, and the wheels rubbed violently against the rails, making a screeching sound.
Due to inertia, Carmen slammed against the wall of the box. Stars immediately appeared in his eyes and blood flowed from his face. In a daze, he heard Sean yelling:
"Clark, Arthur! What happened?"
After a while, someone called out urgently: "Viscount, someone has tampered with the track ahead, and the front of the car and the two carriages have rolled over."
Another person exclaimed: "Viscount, are you injured?"