Chapter 621: Developing Lanfang
Chapter 608 The Developing Lanfang
Behind the rapid economic development, there were likewise many hidden dangers, the most typical being the gap between the rich and the poor was widening.
Now there is no pair of index to indicate, Franz directly look at the statistics of the big data on the line. It is all seen by the top government officials themselves and will not be publicized, so naturally there is no need to water it down.
The native GNP in 1875 was around 5.46 billion guilders, deservedly the first in the world. (Statistics for the indigenized African part and the states)
Looking at the big numbers alone, the native GNP was twice that of the UK mainland, which is a very pretty statistic indeed, but not if you compare it to the following numbers.
The population of the European part of Austria is around 78,261,400 or so, and the population of the indigenized part of Africa is around 6,215,200 or so, making a total of 84,476,600,000, while the British population is just over 30 million.
The population is 2.8 times larger, the economy just broke 2 times larger, and when it comes to per capita it’s backed up by the Brits.
Due to incomplete information, the Vienna government could only roughly estimate that Austria’s per capita income was probably just over seven tiers of that of the British.
The only consolation is to overtake the French, since more Italian regions dragged their feet, France’s per capita income ran behind Austria.
Of course, France’s economy still went up, and like Austria by sheer force of numbers, its GNP surpassed that of the UK proper.
Looking at totals alone makes no sense. Except for Austria’s own, which is from surveys, all the other countries are estimates by economists, and an error of one or two percent is normal.
However, this difference of one or two percent is much larger, the current Austrian domestic economic circles have a variety of statements, everyone agrees that the world’s five largest economies: Austria, Britain, France, the Far East Empire, India.
But in the ranking on the dispute, no one can not convince anyone.
First: Austria>France>Britain>Far Eastern Empire>India;
Second: Far Eastern Empire > India = Austria > France > Britain;
The third: Far Eastern Empire > India > Austria > France > Britain;
……
Without detailed survey data, everyone had their own theories to base their theories on, and Franz could not be sure who was actually correct. It didn’t stop the Vienna government from putting itself in first place.
Even if it wasn’t number one in the world yet, it wouldn’t be long before it became number one. Now is the period of the industrial revolution, is in the period of rapid economic growth, industrial countries against agricultural countries advantage is too big.
In addition to the mainland, Austria’s colonial production value was also listed, what surprised Franz was that the production value of the South Seas colonies was on the verge of catching up with that of Austrian Africa. (Calculated only minus the indigenized areas)
It is important to realize that the Vienna government attached much more importance to Austrian Africa than to the South Seas region, and that the volume of the two was also very different.
The Austrian South Seas is now dominated by the islands of Kalimantan and New Guinea, as well as a number of small surrounding islands. These regions are not the most affluent areas in the South Seas, and it is surprising that they can create such a high value of production.
Specific data:
Austrian Africa 450 million SGD;
Austrian South Ocean 360 million shillings;
Austrian Central America 250 million shillings;
11 million guilders for Austrian South America;
54 million SHD in Austrian Alaska;
(Austrian Arabia is not fully occupied and is in a period of chaos, not counted)
The data shows that there is still a 20% difference between the two, which seems to be a long way off, but comparing the data counted five years ago, the gap between the two has been narrowed by a full 8 percentage points.
Seemingly sensing Franz’s doubt, Colonial Minister Stephen explained, “Your Majesty, the Austrian Southern Ocean has been developing at a very fast pace in recent years. Especially in Lanfang Autonomous Province, agriculture is developing very rapidly.
The largest rubber plantation in the world has now been established, and pepper plantations have also developed. Local residents have opened up about 15 million hectares of farmland to grow rice, corn, pumpkins and other crops.
On top of that, several new gold mines have been discovered on the island, and coal mines have been found in the southwest, which have been mined.”
This answer made Franz even more puzzled, in his memory Kalimantan was mostly not very good except for a few areas where the land was fertile.
Of course, it was still possible to grow food, it was just that in the days without fertilizers, that yield would have been very touchy.
Chinese people like to plant land he knows, but will also consider the return, open up so much farmland out, Kalimantan island has so much fertile land?
Franz asked, “How many people are there in Lanfang Autonomous Province now, and how about the output of so much farmland?”
Colonial Secretary Stephen: “The population of Llanfang Autonomous Province is growing very fast, it’s about eight million now, and it probably won’t take more than a few years before it exceeds ten million.
The island’s agricultural production methods are still a bit backward, relying mainly on human and animal farming, with little to no machinery, and the output is only slightly lower than at home.
It has to be said that the Llanfonians are the best farmers, and they are still keen on clearing the land; if other regions were half as enthusiastic as they are, the whole world would be stagnant in food.”
Compared to the English, French, and Italians, the Germans were already quite motivated to farm, just look at the number of farms on each country’s colonies.
Most of the people who went to the colonies these days were there to get rich, not to farm. These people would rather take risks than honestly farm.
Austria was lucky that many German farmers dreamed of becoming farm owners, and these people became the core of the economic development of the Austrian colonies.
However, everyone was sensible and farming had to be profitable. Land barren land would never be touched, and most of Kalimantan belonged to the barren land.
Franz frowned slightly, “How did they ensure food production, I remember the survey report seemed to say that the land in Lanfang Autonomous Province was barren and had no value for agricultural development.”
The Vienna government had sent people to assess each colony, what was suitable for development and what was not, there would be detailed information for the colonial government officials to access.
Lanfang Autonomous Province was no exception, and since it was planted under the Austrian flag, this groundwork was still essential.
After a few moments of contemplative effort, Stephen replied, “Guano, Llanfang province uses guano in large quantities for fertilizer. We have several guano islands in the Pacific Ocean, just off the Marshall Islands.
Initially, we didn’t occupy these islands, but the colonial ministry only incorporated them into the dominion after the Lanfang Autonomous Province applied to the government.”
Franz nodded, if nothing else it would be Nauru in the latter days.
There were no less than ten thousand islands occupied by Austria, and because of the butterfly effect, the names of many of the islands had been changed beyond recognition, so it was naturally impossible for Franz to tell them apart.
“Well done, bird droppings are also a resource and useful for agricultural production. It’s a gift from nature, and for the sake of long-term development, it’s necessary for us to protect it in advance and rationally develop and utilize it.
The colonial government should enact a law as soon as possible to prohibit anyone from hunting around Guano Island. The development of bird droppings must also choose the right season and must not affect the survival of birds.
A little more effort can be put into this area, and more islands without owners can be circled. Even if they have no value, they can be marked first.
Think of it as increasing the sea area, and according to the current situation, after the international conference next year, the division of spheres of influence will probably include the coastline.
Especially islands with harbors, don’t care if they are useful or not, occupy them first.”
Protecting Guano Island that was a must, if the birds were gone, what would be the point of selling guano?
This was wealth delivered to the door, rational development could be utilized for many years, so naturally, one could not do all the fishing.
Seize the island this is a must, in the era of running ship enclosure, that is really fast, slow.
Once the international situation has stabilized and everyone’s sphere of influence has been delineated, this kind of good thing will come to an end.
It was also a good thing for Austria. Once the new international order was established, the Alaskan gold mine was ready to be mined.
Hidden away like this, Franz has long been impatient. Nay, Alaska is unsuitable for human habitation, and even the climate in the canyonlands is not great.
This means that it is difficult for Austria to establish strong roots in the region, perhaps no one dares to rob on the surface, but can not help people stabbing in the dark.
Not to mention, Alaska and Canada’s long border, the Vienna government has no way to eliminate the gold pirates.
After the establishment of the international order is not the same, we signed a treaty, agreed not to stab each other, and then how to restrain a few points.
If you break your promise just after you have made it, do you still want to mix in the international community?
Although the gold mine in Alaska is rich, it can’t be developed in a day or two, and the part that can be developed now is not enough for John Bull to lose his credibility.
Of course, the key is still Austria is not weak and can retaliate back.
Once the Vienna government to give up the bottom line, specifically to John Bull to find trouble, not to mention shaking their colonial system, every year to increase the cost of ruling a few million pounds is still a must.
With the current technology, mining gold in Alaska, there are no millions of pounds of profit per year, are an unknown.
The thing that harms others, John Bull may do; but the thing that harms others, the London government will have to think twice before acting.
Colonial Secretary Stephen: “Yes, Your Majesty. The Colonial Ministry will strive to bring as many unclaimed islands under its rule as possible before the end of the Paris Conference.”
(End of chapter)