Ludwigshafen is the second largest port on the Rhine. Because it is inland, this port has become a distribution center for goods. Ludwig shoulders the important responsibility of importing and exporting materials throughout the Rhineland. As a regional hub, there are many shops here and business is prosperous. Have an ideal entry and exit market.
Until modern times, ports have always been a means of transporting bulk goods. The application of water power has saved countless manpower. Whenever a large amount of materials comes in and out, ships are the main means of transportation. Modern oil tankers can reach 100,000 tons, while each train carriage can only carry 60 tons. A train with 30 carriages can not pull as much as an ordinary ship in the 19th century. In 1855, when the Stockton-Darlington Railway in the UK, the world's first permanent public transport facility running a steam locomotive, was officially opened to traffic, it consisted of a locomotive, a tender, a freight train and a passenger car. Train No. 1 has a total load capacity of only 90 tons.
From the moment Huang Xuan got off the bus, he could see crowds of people passing by in a hurry. If not for the different clothing and environment, this place would have been a fast-paced port city. In the open space near the parking yard, there are countless huge logs, medium logs and all kinds of strange wood piled up. Only here can you understand how many trees the Germans cut down - probably the Germans themselves couldn't even count.
The Prussian named Fisher got out of the car and disappeared into the crowd. Huang Xuan had no choice but to tap his feet and walk out of the yard where the cows and horses were neighing. After getting rid of the feces on the soles of his feet, he walked towards the dock.
Only the coolies in short shirts would pay Huang Xuan a long attention salute. Gentlemen who claimed to be Junkers always passed by Huang Xuan in a hurry. Occasionally, if there were ladies and ladies, they would cover their noses reservedly.
Huang Xuan was almost angry. At home, whoever dared to do such an action in front of him would have to fly up and kick him. Now that countless people are performing, he has to swallow his anger. It's either his own territory or he's unhappy.
Lorraine first identified the location of the grain trading house for Huang Xuan. The chamber of commerce from Hamburg is the most powerful here. Although the legendary Hanseatic League has ended for a long time, the economic status of Hamburg merchants is towering and unshakable. Only those from Hamburg can French businessmen can compete.
But to be honest, Prussia did not have a good business environment at this period. There were more than 100 vassal states, and there were 6,000 currencies in the country. From Hamburg to Ludwig, there were definitely more than 100 checkpoints to pass in between. 0, and taxation varies. Americans in the 1st century were shouting, free trade, no tariffs, while in Prussia in the 19th century, people usually paid 0 tariffs and did business happily.
Therefore, psychological quality is cultivated.
If you don’t know, little Ludwig actually has nearly a hundred merchants doing the grain business, or in other words, there are nearly a hundred merchants doing both the grain business and the grain business. This made Lorraine's search much easier.
Speaking of which, Mr. Bismarck also deserves credit. In the 1850s and 1960s, German industry developed rapidly, the supply of agricultural machinery and fertilizers increased, and grain exports to foreign countries increased significantly. At the same time, Russia suffered a disastrous defeat in Crimea. , the Polish Revolution, and France launched military operations in Mexico. These countries have become Germany's commodity exporters.
In comparison, there are even more trading houses that purchase timber. Ludwig is the only port in the entire Palatinate, and the Palatinate is the largest forest in Germany. If we move back another 200 years, Germany will Becoming the largest timber producer in the entire world.
Large amounts of agricultural products and logs will be loaded onto ships at the port, then transported to Hamburg or London, and then transferred to other parts of the world. French businessmen were also wandering in Ludwig, which produced German grapes, most of which were shipped abroad and became the cornerstone of Bismarck's iron-blooded policy.
And the gentlemen who calculated at the counter also calculated hundreds of thousands per minute.
Huang Xuan looked at a certain gentleman who was still struggling with paper account books with contempt, knocked on the table and said, "Do you collect food?"
"Of course." Needless to say, Lorraine's German was also very standard. The Prussian raised his head excitedly from his account book, but was surprised to find that the person who just spoke was not a European, and was even dirtier than the local farmers.
What could Huang Xuan do? He walked on the road for a day, and then took a smelly public carriage for another half day. During this period, he only stayed in a shabby tavern for one night, and there was not even hot water for washing. And with Lorraine's stinginess, he would not use energy to help Huang Xuan clean up. Maybe when Huang Xuan was kicked out, he would help Huang Xuan clean up.
However, the Prussians did not drive out Huang Xuan. There were many farmers here who brought food after working. Although Huang Xuan's clothes were more torn and there was more mud on his feet, business was business.
"What do you want to sell?" The foreign accountant put down the quill in his hand and looked behind Huang Xuan.
"Do you want wheat? How much is it?"
"50 thalers per thousand pounds." The Prussians answered honestly, but did not raise their heads again. 150 thalers was probably the average income of a Prussian family at that time, but for most poor farmers , 50 thalers may be a year's income. Now is not the harvest season, so he probably doesn't believe that Huang Xuan will have 1,000 pounds of wheat on his hands.
The thaler is a Prussian silver coin. Compared with other small principalities, its currency value is relatively stable. In about the Chinese New Year, Bismarck will use the French indemnity to reform the currency value and establish the mark system. However, for now, the whole of Germany is still using it. Four currencies, the Prussian thaler, the Austrian South German "pound", and the franc.
The franc mentioned here is not a French currency, but a gold coin circulating in various European countries based on the French currency value. Later generations will call it the Latin Monetary Union - which is the basis of the European Union in later generations.
Huang Xuan shrugged and said, "4,000 pounds is 00 thalers, right?"
"Of course." The Prussian accountant finally raised his head, looked at Huang Xuan carefully, and said, "Do you have 4,000 pounds of wheat?"
"Yes. Do you want it?"
"Where?"
"I'll put it in the alley in front." Of course Huang Xuan couldn't suddenly drop tons of wheat here.
"Campus, go get the wheat with him." The accountant called back, and then put his eyes on the account book on the table. It seemed that the 4,000 pounds was just a small episode.
Huang Xuan smiled and opened the door to the counter. A young man with a beard came out from behind and said, "Where is the wheat?"
"Right in front." Huang Xuan pointed casually.
Lorraine put about 4,000 pounds of wheat in the alley in front, but it lacked packaging, and the pile was almost reaching its peak in the alley.
Campos came later and was surprised: "You just put the wheat on the ground like this? It will get damp."
Huang Xuan immediately looked at him differently. Does this kid know how to get wet? It's a pity that you didn't know that space shuttles still exist in this world.
He shook his head and said, "I have something to do at home and I have to drive back, so I have to leave it here first."
"I'll ask someone to move it." Campos walked back in disbelief and said, "Look here, don't lose it."
Huang Xuan responded and sat obediently on a pile of wheat from 2000. (To be continued)