Chapter 387: Sven Island

Chapter 380 Sven Island

"Stop! Stop! That's my cargo! You are invading my private property!"

Two British ships in good condition: Yukon and Kangaroo were rescuing the crew members of Glass who fell into the water. The crew members of the Bold were busy with the cargo that fell into the water on the Glass merchant ship.

This made George so angry that he waved his fist at the Bold, wishing to smash it with one punch.

After competing with the British to salvage the cargo floating on the sea, Liang Yao left amid the protests of the British crew and returned to San Francisco in Jinshan Bay.

There are coastal artillery batteries in the Golden Gate Strait to protect San Francisco. If they have the guts, they will chase it to the Golden Gate Strait.

Liang Yao looked back at these British ships. These British ships did not intend to chase the Bold. Instead, after salvaging the remaining cargo and the crew members who fell into the water, they watched the Glass sink to the bottom of the sea and finally returned to their nest in disgrace.

"Hurry up the development of ironclad ships. The British are very vengeful. They will not forget the loss they suffered today." Liang Yao explained to Jeremiah.

He can be right for a while and make the British suffer temporarily, but it is only for a while.

When they withdraw from the battlefield in the Near East, the British will have plenty of time to deal with him.

As for being a dog for the British?

This is an unrealistic idea. The British are very happy to see that being a dog for the British and causing trouble for the United States, a former British colony, on the North American continent.

But the premise is that you are white, and the most important thing is not to touch the fundamental interests of the British, that is, the economic interests of the British.

I'm sorry that Liang Yao can't do this.

If he wants to industrialize, he will inevitably compete with the British. This is an unavoidable problem.

"I used to think that it was a waste to waste money on building warships. Today's events made me realize that it is very necessary for California to manufacture warships by itself and maintain a maritime force that can protect itself." Jeremiah sighed.

The US Navy has no fleet on the Pacific coast, and the Navy Department has no idea of ​​establishing a Pacific Fleet. After all, the Navy Department's budget is barely enough to maintain the current size of the Navy and ensure the security of the Atlantic coastal areas.

Not to mention the establishment of a Pacific Fleet to ensure the coastal security of the Pacific coastal areas.

If California wants to deal with threats from the sea, the US Navy cannot be relied on, and it can only rely on its own strength!

"Just know it, let it go, Jeremiah, I believe in your ability. Just come to me if the shipyard needs anything." Liang Yao said with his hands on Jeremiah's shoulders.

"Today's incident was caused by the British being rude first. I will submit a report to Congress to clarify the facts."

After that, Fremont pointed to the opium salvaged from the sea and asked.

"What are you going to do with these things? Take them back and destroy them?"

"Destroy?"

Liang Yao stared at the opium and shook his head and said.

"The British transported these things from South Asia to here. It would be a pity to destroy them directly. They are so valuable."

Opium is not only for inhalation. Hospitals in California and military doctors in military camps use opium as a pain reliever and cough reliever.

Narcotics are a double-edged sword. If used properly, they are medicines, but if used improperly, they are addictive drugs.

However, California medicine certainly does not need so much oxadiazole. The excess oxadiazole must be dealt with in a way to make these things play their due value.

Liang Yao has reached a cooperation with the Rothschild family and uses the Rothschild family's sales channels in Europe to sell kerosene.

At present, the demand for kerosene is so great that almost every week, kerosene and other goods are shipped from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Europe in varying quantities.

The Rothschild family's sales channels in Europe naturally include channels in the British market.

Liang Yao can still smuggle some oxadiazole into these goods and transport them to the British market.

What's more, Jardine Matheson has even opened a tobacco shop in London and sold the oxadiazole grown in their Mexican plantations.

It can be seen that this thing also has a market in the UK.

Since the British like oxadiazole, it would be fine to let them taste the authentic oxadiazole produced by the British East India Company.

At the same time, thousands of miles away, in the clear sky of the Central Pacific Micronesia region.

Sven was looking for the island rich in phosphate minerals where birds poop based on the vague coordinates given by Liang Yao: 60 kilometers south of the equator, between 165° and 169° east longitude.

After several days of sailing, an elliptical coral reef island appeared in front of Sven.

Sven and the navigator immediately calculated the longitude and latitude of the island, and finally determined that the longitude of the coral island was about 5°.

"Is there really such an island? Are the records of those Chinese navigators true?"

Sven was full of doubts.

In the area given by Liang Yao, only this coral island met the requirements.

Sven ordered his James Day to sail around the coral island, firstly to roughly map the coral island, and secondly to confirm whether anyone else had already got there first, so as to avoid unnecessary disputes.

After a rough survey, Sven estimated that the coral island was about 6 kilometers long, 4 kilometers wide, 30 kilometers in circumference, and 22-23 square kilometers in land area. It was a small island.

Fortunately, no one else had gotten there first. Only a few aboriginals looked curiously at the monster under Sven's feet, which was emitting black smoke and moving freely on the sea.

After seeing the James Day, some aboriginals ran away, while others bowed down to James Day.

The sea conditions around this small island were unknown. James Day was a large paddle steamer with a displacement of more than 2,000 tons. There were few other ships passing by near this sea area. Once the ship ran aground, the consequences would be disastrous.

Therefore, Sven could only put down three lifeboats, take 23 fully armed crew members, and the California scientific research personnel on board to board the coral island.

Sven took out some glass beads, bottles, knives, and cotton cloth to communicate with the local natives. Sven said that this was a gift for them.

After more than ten minutes of difficult communication, the natives finally understood what Sven meant and accepted Sven's gift very happily.

Then Sven pointed to his mouth and gestured to ask the local natives for fresh food and drinking water.

The local natives quickly understood what Sven meant. Sven wanted to exchange these things for food. Soon, the chief asked the young people in the tribe to bring some bananas, coconuts, fish, seabirds, mice and some unknown mammals.

This is the daily food of the local natives. The crew members now vomited when they saw fish and mice, so they naturally had no appetite. As for those unknown mammals, they didn't dare to eat them.

However, the tropical fruits such as bananas and coconuts brought by the natives were quickly snatched up. This is the nutrition they need to take now.

Sven also cracked a coconut and poured the coconut juice into his mouth.

After eating, Sven sent 8 crew members to protect the scientific research personnel in the search for phosphate mines.

Sven exchanged some bananas and coconuts with the local natives and sent people to deliver these fresh fruits to the James Day for the crew on the ship to enjoy.

He took 12 crew members to look for fresh water on the island.

There were flocks of birds on the island, one after another. Soon, Sven's body was covered with bird droppings falling from the sky.

Looking at the dense black, brown, cyan, white, gray, yellow and white bird droppings on his body, Sven was not angry but happy.

Since there are so many birds on the island, there will naturally be a lot of phosphate. California's scientific research personnel told him that phosphate ore is formed by bird droppings after tens of thousands of years of changes.

This is good news. Last year, California spent more than 5 million US dollars to import these bird droppings from Peru, Chile and Bolivia.

If this island really has rich phosphate mines, the value of this island will be inestimable.

California can also get rid of the situation where phosphate mines are strangled by the British and South Americans.

After all, the phosphate mines currently used in California are all exchanged for California dollar coins, that is, heavy gold.

More importantly, he discovered this island, and he can also get real benefits from it.

Sven and his crew members went around this tiny island but did not find any fresh water.

The surface permeability of this island is too strong, and it is difficult to retain fresh water.

As for rivers, they do not exist. There is a small lake, but it is a saltwater lake.

Fortunately, the local indigenous people told him that it often rains here, and he can collect some rainwater and filter it for drinking when it rains.

After several days of investigation, the scientific expedition personnel in California brought Sven the expected good news. This island is indeed rich in phosphate mines, very high-quality phosphate mines.

When Sven asked about the approximate reserves, the scientific expedition personnel pondered for a long time and gave a reply: "It is difficult to estimate."

Sven jumped up excitedly. He ran under a coconut tree, pulled out the Bowie hunting knife at his waist and scratched a few letters on the trunk of the coconut tree.

"Sven Island. This island will be called Sven Island from now on." Sven muttered to himself as he admired the letters he had carved.