Chapter 324： Zhuhai Commercial Area

Chapter 324 Zhuhai Trade Zone

The rebellion of the Ndebele people disturbed Constantine's good mood to continue to visit Dodoma. If the natives in other areas rebelled, then Constantine himself would take it for granted. After all, the natives are only low-educated and not fools. , also know how to resist.

But East Africa gave the Ndebele people enough face in Zimbabwe, and they belonged to the Matabele Plateau co-ruled by the Ndebele people, because both East Africa and the Ndebele people are invaders to the local Shona people, and the Shona people It occupies more than 80% of the population of the Matabele Plateau.

Just like the British would use Indians in Africa, the East African government’s plan is to use the Ndebele people as Indians to support them to suppress the local Shona.

However, although the Ndebele people rebelled on a large scale, it is not a fear for the East African kingdom. The Ndebele people started their military career, as did the East African kingdom, and the total number of Ndebele people is not much more than the East African army in Zimbabwe.

It only took 40 to 50 years to develop from the Zulu Kingdom to the Matabele Plateau. After decades of intermarriage and development with the local Shona people, the entire ethnic group plus mixed blood is at most hundreds of thousands.

For the Shona, the Ndebele army is invincible, but the Ndebele people can't even beat the Boers, so East Africa doesn't care much about the Ndebele people.

But in order to punish the ignorance of the Ndebele people, Constantine has decided to let the whole Ndebele people go to East Africa to dig a ten-year canal.

…

April 3, 1871.

Zhuhai Trade Zone is located in the coastal area east of Tangjia Town, Xiangshan County, Guangzhou Prefecture, on the west bank of the Pearl River Estuary, facing Qi'ao Island across the sea. .

The city of Zhuhai did not exist at that time. East Africa came here earlier than Jiaozhou, but its development was much later than Jiaozhou.

There is no special reason. In Jiaozhou and East Africa, as long as the local bureaucrats are dealt with, they can act recklessly. However, it is difficult to deal with the officials in Xiangshan. After all, the locals are well-informed. There are British activities.

East Africa managed to frighten the Qing government and get to the local privileges, but ran into the powerful local family—the Tang family.

Tang is a common surname in the local area. The Tang family in Tangjiawan, Zhuhai can be traced back to 1205. During the Song Dynasty, Tang Jujun led his family from Nanxiong Zhuji Lane (in today’s Shaoguan) to Xiangshan Fuyong (today’s Tangjiawan, Zhuhai City). Tang Jujun, nicknamed Shaoyao, was the ninth grandson of Tang Jie, the prime minister of the Song Dynasty, and the ancestor of the Tang family in Tangjiawan.

Tang’s surname doesn’t say that he is in charge of the local people, but he can be said to have a lot of promises, so that the East African government wants to work here. He has to greet Xiangshan officials and discuss with the head of the Tang family.

The Tang family is rather wary of the East African Kingdom setting up a treaty port here. After all, there is a lesson from the Portuguese, and no one can guarantee that the East Africans will not occupy the magpie's nest.

The Tang family itself had great energy within the Qing government. Tang Tingshu, Tang Tingzhi, Tang Tinggeng, Tang Jichang, Tang Qiaoqing and other compradors of the Tang family made their fortunes. The economic strength of the Tang family and the Tang family was once again enhanced, and the family property and temple property increased sharply.

Take Tang Tingshu as an example. He is one of the folk representatives of the Westernization School in the Far East. He has a very good relationship with Li Hongzhang. Large-scale insurance company Renji and Insurance Company presided over the construction of the first railway Tangxu Railway (Tangshan Xugezhuang), presided over the drilling of the first oil well and presided over the laying of China's first telegraph line, etc., including the famous Far East in modern times "Report" was also founded by him, and it was one of the "Four Compradors" in the Far East in the late Qing Dynasty.

Now Tang Tingshu is still working under the British. He is the chief comprador of Jardine Matheson. He has huge assets and a lot of investment, and he is only one of the representative figures of the Tang family in the business world. Therefore, it is very important for the Xiangshan Consulate in East Africa to work here. inconvenient.

Just like land, without the Tang family’s asking, East Africa couldn’t buy it at all. Then the Xiangshan Consulate protested to the Xiangshan County Government, but they turned out to be a gang and kept delaying their reply. Business dealings and normal communication, good, good, that’s how you play, right?

So on March 7 this year, a company from the East African Kingdom was sent to Tangjiawan to land. This was the first time that the East African Kingdom sent troops to an overseas country.

Although there are East African armed personnel in Jiaozhou, at least in name they are not East African troops. East Africans also respect local officials. After all, they cooperate well, so they must give some respect.

East Africa sent troops to Xiangshan, which alarmed Mei Qizhao, the prefect of Guangzhou at the time, who came from Guangzhou to mediate the matter.

Xiangshan County Government.

Mei Qizhao reprimanded the magistrate of Xiangshan County: "Look at the good things you have done? If you insist on making trouble with foreigners, aren't you afraid of diplomatic accidents?"

The county magistrate of Xiangshan faltered and said: "The land is sold freely, and we can't interfere with it. In addition, the people's sentiments don't deal with foreigners, so we don't want to ask too many questions..."

Mei Qizhao: "Okay, don't quibble, I still understand the virtue of the village power, how much benefit have you taken from the Tang family?"

Xiangshan magistrate: "Here, I am an official..."

Mei Qizhao: "Hmph! If you want others to not know, you have to do nothing about yourself. The current state is in the midst of the Spring and Autumn Changes. The imperial court is deliberately innovating and learning Western skills to control the barbarians. It is time for peaceful development. Once provoked Accidents, sabotaging the country's plans, can you bear it?"

Xiangshan magistrate: "Then according to your opinion?"

Mei Qizhao: "You will prepare generous gifts and go with me to apologize to Consul Humus. As for the Tang family, warn them not to provoke the barbarians. If there is a conflict and diplomatic incidents, be careful that your black hat will not be protected."

The county magistrate of Xiangshan said with shame: "I'll do it right away."

…

Tangjiawan Town.

Mei Qizhao: "Consul Hughes, this matter is all a misunderstanding. The local people were cheated by the Portuguese, so they hurt your country by mistake. I apologize to your country on behalf of the local people."

Humus: "Okay, our East African kingdom didn't want to make a big deal about this matter, but the Tang family, as the local talker, blocked our normal business dealings everywhere, threatened the local people, and banned businessmen from our country. I think Still punish him severely."

Mei Qizhao: "Ahem!"

The head of the Tang family: "Consul Hugh Musi, this matter is a complete misunderstanding. It is all because I have not been in the family for a while, and I have gone out on business. The matter has come to this point, and the old man is also deeply ashamed. I am deeply ashamed of your country's lease of land to build a port, trade Our Tang family absolutely supports the matter of trade!"

Hughes was about to speak.

The head of the Tang family suddenly cast a check from HSBC Bank and handed it over: "This is a wish from our Tang family. I hope your envoy will accept it, so as to end the misunderstanding between the two countries."

Humus took the check calmly, and then said: "It doesn't matter if you misunderstand, but this matter of the land..."

The head of the Tang family: "Rent, rent!"

After all, let someone bring a map and point to the southeast of Tangjiawan: "This is the place with the best port conditions in Tangjiawan. We fully support your country's development of this place."

Hugh Mousse: "Very good, Your Excellency Mei Qizhao, we in East Africa also hope that the Guangzhou government can provide more convenience for the development of this place. After the commercial shore here is built, it will absolutely guarantee fair trade."

Mei Qizhao: "Naturally, Consul Hughes, I will try my best to promote it to business people in Guangzhou. But Consul Hughes, the misunderstanding is resolved, your country's army..."

Humus: "Don't worry, we are only acting in accordance with the treaty with your country, and naturally we will not do anything out of line. This is the spirit of the contract, and you must abide by it, otherwise it will be bad if there is another incident like this time. .”

Mei Qizhao: "Definitely, definitely."

Under the threat of force from East Africa, the Zhuhai Trade Zone finally landed safely. It is mainly responsible for exporting East Africa’s industrial products and grains in the Pearl River Basin, and at the same time importing the products needed by East Africa.

(end of this chapter)