Chapter 1977： Renting the Senegal River Basin?

Latest website: After sending a messenger to Lisbon, Kohler suddenly found Marin, blocking Marin's approach:

"Your Majesty, never apply to Portugal for trading rights on the Senegal River!"

"Why?" Marin didn't respond.

"You forgot about things in the Far East? You pitted the Portuguese. Once the Portuguese know about the things in the Far East, they must find fault ..." Kohler reminded.

What he said was that Marin asked Kong Tai to help the Ming Dynasty fight against the Expeditionary Army of Dhaka. Marin provided the Ming Dynasty with a 12-pound gun casting technology, which is equal to the enemy in Portugal. Therefore, once the Portuguese mainland received the news of the disastrous defeat of the expeditionary forces in the Far East, and then knew the news of the 12-pound artillery of the Ming Dynasty, they must blame Malin. At that time, even if the Portuguese do not fight with the North Sea State, they will certainly recover the North Sea State's trading rights at the estuary of the Senegal River. By that time, Marin is equivalent to doing useless work.

"What you said makes sense, well, I will immediately send someone to chase them back!" Marin said after thinking for a while.

"However, this is very important to us. Is it necessary to secretly engage in this in the future?" Marin refused.

Kohler suggested:

"You can learn how to hunt rhinos on the Dakar Peninsula in Senegal, and cooperate with the Duke of Coimbra!"

Kohler said that Marin had previously asked Jorge de Rencastre, Duke of Coimbra, to help him cover up and establish the Senegalese company.

The Duke of Coimbra was the illegitimate son of the last Portuguese king, João II, and had competed with the current king Manuel I for the throne. The two are dead enemies, and the enemy of the enemy is a friend. Therefore, Marin and Joao II have a good relationship.

Previously, under the cover of the Duke of Coimbra, Marin launched a rhino and elephant hunt in Senegal. Then, the armored rhinoceros is returned to Marin, and the elephant skin is also returned to Marin. Rhino horns and ivory, as luxury items, are owned by Jorge de Rencastre, Duke of Coimbra. In the past few years, the cooperation between the two sides has been pleasant, and each has its own needs.

Thinking of this, Marin said distressedly:

"If you just hunt some rhinos and elephants, the Duke of Coimbra must have no opinion. However, if it involves the crossing of a large number of cattle and slaves, the Duke of Coimbra will certainly not ignore it ..."

The reason is simple. The Marinites hunted rhinos and elephants in Senegal. Among them, the most precious rhino horns and ivory belonged to Marin. The Duke of Coimbra naturally had nothing to say.

However, if Marin transports cattle and slaves in large quantities here, the Duke of Coimbra will certainly not be happy. Because, this huge benefit is actually not his share. In this case, he must not do it.

After all, the Duke of Coimbra and Marin are only business partners, purely profit partners, not loyal allies. Fortunately, it does not involve interests, but it involves conflicts of interest.

In particular, the black slave trade is a typical profiteering industry. It would be strange if he knew that Marin had set aside his own work and would not turn his face. After all, the price he asked from Marin was as high as 40 gold coins for a black slave.

If he knew that he could obtain a large number of slaves cheaply from the Songhai Empire, he would definitely be jealous ...

"Let's have a meeting. Let's discuss it."

Then, the three absolute confidants of Schwartz, Sauer and Stade were called in. As for another absolute confidant Kahn, he has already gone to the American colony to play an orc. Even if he was at home, Marin would not call him. Because, in terms of ideas, Kahn is a decoration ...

After Marin explained the situation, everyone also felt very difficult. Finally, Sauer gave a suggestion:

"Your Majesty, since you want the purpose of the Senegal River Basin for cattle farming in tropical Africa, otherwise, before the Portuguese did not respond, you first stun them with a high price and directly bought the development and trade of the Senegal River Basin right?"

"You mean, before the news of the East came back, first entice the Portuguese to sell us the Senegal River valley with high prices?" Marin thought.

Sauer waved his hand:

"No, your majesty, we don't have to buy it, we can rent it. I understand what you mean, that is to buy cattle and slaves from the Songhai Empire. I estimate that it will be almost 10 years. Within 10 years, the Portuguese It is estimated that it is time to call Timbuktu. So, it does n’t make much sense to take too long. Moreover, after you buy tens of thousands of African black cows from the Songhai Empire, it is estimated that there is not so much demand. Do you want this land? So, my suggestion is-hurry up and spend a lot of money to rent the Senegal River Basin from Portugal for ten years. The reason is that you want to raise tropical cattle on the grasslands of the Senegal River Basin. To meet the needs of the tropical regions of the Americas. After all, the temperate cattle are not adapted to the climate of the tropical rainforests, and have been returned to Europe by the investigators. "

"Lease the grasslands of the Senegal River Basin for 10 years to raise African cattle?" Marin thought for a while and thought it was a good idea. After all, this reason makes sense.

Although the Senegal River Basin is a tropical region, it has a tropical grassland climate, not a tropical rainforest climate with many poisonous insects and mosquitoes. Marin said that renting African cattle for grazing in tropical climates is justified.

"However, we almost turned our heads with the Portuguese because of the pirate problem. Will they agree to the loan request?" Marin was worried.

For this, Kohler, who has been in charge of money, smiled and said:

"Your Majesty, no one can live with money ..."

Marin thought ~ www.novelhall.com ~, so he decided to send someone to Lisbon to discuss the loan of the Senegal River Basin.

Leases are not purchases and do not involve sensitive sovereignty issues. Besides, Portugal actually did not treat African lands as national land, but trade spheres of influence. Portugal has too few people in its own country, and it is enough for local development. Where would you think of developing Africa?

Not to mention letting out a piece of African land that was not already in operation, it would be normal even if it was sold. However, if you want to buy ownership, the asking price will definitely be higher. If you rent it, you can spend a lot of money.

Marin did not think of long-term possession of the Senegal River Basin, but just regarded this area as a trade channel. Therefore, a ten-year lease is reasonable.

Originally, Marin wanted to send Kohler, but Sauer wanted to make a contribution and took the initiative. After all, Kohler, Schwartz, and Kahn are already counts, and Sauer is still a baron because of insufficient credit, and naturally desires to be promoted to catch up with the pace of his friends.

In this way, Sauer, as Marlin's plenipotentiary, is preparing to rush to Lisbon to start negotiations with the Portuguese on the loan of the Senegal River Basin ...