Chapter 234 Learning from Advanced Experience (First Update, Please Subscribe)

They adopted the principle of taking what is useful, and what they took was not only carbon filaments made from Japanese bamboo, but also electrical wires.

As early as three years ago, when an electrolytic aluminum experimental workshop was built on "Panshi Island" to produce the so-called "Deville Silver", that is, electrolytic aluminum, Zhu Xianhai had already had a batch of new wires manufactured.

The so-called "electrical wire" is a high-purity copper core wire, and the so-called new type is a layer of rubber on the outer layer of the electric wire.

There is no problem with using such wires in the "silver mine", but problems arise when they are used in the company.

“It’s so expensive?”

Zhu Xianhai took a look at the budget table and asked directly,

“Why is electrical wiring so expensive?”

"My Lord, that's because our wires are made of rubber. Although rubber has good insulation properties, it is expensive. In Brazil, it is called "white gold". Of course, wires made of it are expensive."

In fact, electric wires were originally telegraph wires, which were bare conductors insulated with air. Then paint was used, and then fibers (cotton, linen) and resins appeared one after another.

Among all materials, rubber has the best insulation, but it is extremely expensive. Nowadays, rubber is produced in Brazil, and all natural rubber is obtained by black slaves who go deep into the rainforest to cut down wild rubber trees. Natural rubber in those days is really expensive.

How expensive is it?

Let alone rubber-soled shoes, even condoms, well, that thing is also a patented product of Helen Pharmaceutical Company. The technology is not complicated, the main thing is the principle. The result? Because of the price, the number of users is very limited.

There is no way. The raw materials are expensive!

One pound of rubber was worth three pounds! That was about 24 grams of gold, or nearly 400 grams of silver. Basically, it was equivalent to silver.

"White gold" is not an exaggeration at all!

"If we use rubber instead, the cost can be reduced a lot. Currently, telegraph lines in various countries are made of rubber or rubberized cloth."

Zhu Xianhai nodded in response to Zhao Can's suggestion.

"Okay, let's do it their way."

After Zhao Can left, Zhu Xianhai leaned back in a thick chair, looking at the rubber wire that was worth a fortune, and muttered to himself.

"Really? I actually forgot about that thing. That natural rubber... seems to have some use as well?"

Zhu Xianhai leaned his head back against the chair, which made him feel quite comfortable.

"Collecting rubber seeds is not difficult at all. The key is where to plant them! Nanhua..."

It is definitely impossible on Nanhua’s side!

After all, rubber planting has very high requirements for the natural environment, the tropics! It can only be grown in the tropics.

Although there is no cold winter in Nanhua, it is definitely not a tropical area. After thinking for a while, Zhu Xianhai looked at the map sideways and said,

"It seems that it's time to put their affairs on the agenda!"

The "they" Zhu Xianhai mentioned was not referring to others, but another group of "first generation South China people" - those who he rescued in the Brazilian gold mine were not only Chinese workers, but also more than 1,500 black slaves. Among those black slaves, except for less than 100 female slaves, most of the others were black slaves in their prime. Those black slaves can be said to have sweated for the foundation of South China.

Now it's almost time to solve their problems.

"Overall, it's fairly stable. Although black people don't think freedom is that important, my lord, they have always longed to have their own families and women. So, I think their problems must be solved sooner or later. Otherwise, they will be shot sooner or later. After all, even slaves have some normal needs."

Sitting in front of the master, Qian Deshan reported the truth. The identities of the black slaves in Nanhua were extremely embarrassing. They were not only the first generation of immigrants in Nanhua, but also slaves, and the private property of the master.

"In fact, rescuing them was just a matter of convenience, not for the sake of getting free labor."

Zhu Xianhai said.

"I have been thinking about how to settle those black slaves. As you said, it is time to solve this problem, so I plan to..."

Pointing at the map, Zhu Xianhai said to him.

"Considering that Philip and his team had also worked hard to lay the foundation for Nanhua, I decided to give them freedom and send them back to Africa."

"What? Send it back to Africa?"

Qian Deshan opened his eyes wide in astonishment.

"My Lord, what does this mean?"

"They are Africans, and their ancestors were all slaves plundered from Africa by white people. Now that we have given them freedom, we should send them back home. It was barbaric and inhumane for white people to forcibly take black people away from Africa. Now that we have given them freedom, although we have no obligation to send them back to Africa, it is a humanitarian act to let black people return to the land of their ancestors!"

Actually, no matter what, Zhu Xianhai was not very willing to keep those black slaves in Nanhua, and they could also be used if sent to Africa.

"Nowadays, most areas in Africa only have some local indigenous tribes. We can buy a piece of land from the local indigenous chiefs, and then send Philip and those people over to establish a local..."

Zhu Xianhai originally wanted to say "colony", but changed his mind when the words were on the tip of his tongue.

"A tropical plantation, a tropical plantation belonging to the company, growing tropical crops such as rubber, coffee, and cocoa. Of course, they can live and work freely there, and they can also start a family with the local blacks."

In fact, someone has done this before.

As early as half a century before the outbreak of the Civil War, "liberating black slaves" had become the mainstream thought in the northern United States, but the core concept of the so-called "liberation" was to send blacks back to Africa.

In 1816, the North of the United States established a "charitable organization" called the "American Colonization Society", whose founder was the nephew of "Father of the Nation" Washington. Of course, you know whether it is "charity" or not.

It was this colonization association that bought a piece of land in Africa, bribed local tribal chiefs and relied on the support of the US Navy to coerce and induce them to sell the land to the association at a low price. Then they began to transport black people to the local area, which was called "Liberia", meaning "the country of freedom and liberation".

However, many former American slaves who were moved there regretted their lives after arriving in the "free and liberated country". They thought that life there was worse than being a slave in the United States. So, they said: What the hell is the land of our ancestors? I want to go back to the United States!

In fact, it is true that although in the 21st century, some people say that "life is precious", if their lives are thrown into Africa, they will definitely be the first to be unhappy.

Although Liberia was fraught with problems, with free black slaves clamoring to return to the United States and constant conflicts with local blacks, the United States still allowed Liberia to become an independent country in 1847, more than a decade ago.

In fact, the United States’ positioning of Liberia was initially to be a place of exile for the blacks who were considered a “burden” at home, as well as to gain a foothold on the coast of Africa and use it as a springboard to infiltrate other parts of Africa in due course.

Although things ultimately went against his wishes, it did not prevent Zhu Xianhai from learning from the "advanced experience" - using those free black slaves to establish a foothold on the coast of Africa, and using that as a springboard to infiltrate other parts of Africa in due course.

(End of this chapter)