Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 324 The Expectations of English Merchants
December 5, Black Shark Island (now Guadalupe Island, Mexico).

The morning mist shrouded this volcanic island far from the Mexican coast, its rugged black rock walls appearing and disappearing amidst the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

Four years ago, this place was just a habitat for seals and albatrosses, but now it has become Xinhua's most secretive smuggling base on the west coast of the Americas.

The northern part of the island has scattered fertile valleys that nourish lush vegetation, while the southern land is relatively barren. The exposed brown rocks gleam blindingly in the sunlight, and occasionally a few tenacious cacti grow alone, adding a touch of life to this desolate place.

The island has an average annual temperature between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius, with relatively more rainfall in winter.

Despite the arid climate and scarce freshwater resources of the island, it did not deter the new Chinese from settling and establishing themselves there.

As the sun gradually rose higher, its dazzling rays pierced through the morning mist and poured onto the beach.

The lazy seals huddled together, occasionally letting out a few low growls.

On the sea surface, ferocious great white sharks swam back and forth, constantly eyeing the piles of fat, trembling flesh on the shore. Their sharp teeth gleamed in the sunlight, eagerly anticipating their descent into the deep sea to satisfy their empty bellies.

Shajingbao, located in the valley in the north of the island, gradually became lively. The sleepy shop assistant yawned, rubbed his eyes which were not yet fully open, picked at his eye boogers, and struggled to open the heavy warehouse door.

The door hinges creaked and groaned, as if telling the story of the passage of time.

Now, they are unloading the cargo that is about to be loaded onto the ship, which is about to embark on a journey across the ocean to the distant European continent.

Inside Shajingbao, the houses are built with wood and stone from the island, and most of them have Mexican-style slightly sloping flat roofs, which are convenient for drying items and can drain water quickly during the rainy season.

In the fort, several Native American children laughed and ran through the narrow streets, while women prepared breakfast at their doorways, with wisps of smoke rising and mingling with the morning light.

Breakfast was usually simple: corn buns, salted dried fish, and vegetables harvested from the fields. Though not lavish, it was filled with warmth and peace.

The farmland is located around the fortified village and is not large, only about 30 to 50 acres. With their diligence and wisdom, the new Chinese people have managed to cultivate a field of hope on the barren land.

Potatoes and other vegetables are planted in the field, and they thrive under the gentle caress of the sea breeze.

Irrigation water is hard-won, so the stationed personnel dug several reservoir dams and covered them with straw and branches to prevent excessive water evaporation.

The crisscrossing underground channels bring these precious water resources into the fields, carefully nurturing each seedling.

However, the island's most important output is fisheries, which, relying on the abundant marine life resources in the surrounding area, can basically solve nearly half of the food supply.

Closely linked to the fishing industry is the scene of drying fish.

In front of and behind the house, in the courtyard and under the shade of trees, rows of wooden racks are set up to dry fish, which emit a salty aroma under the sun.

Previously, many supplies on the island were imported from Xinhua headquarters, but with the end of the Xinhua-Spain War, the supply channels shifted to Spanish America, provided by two smuggling partners, the Alamobo family and the Garza family.

As a maritime base for smuggling with Spain, the market located outside the village is full of exotic charm.

The new Chinese brought porcelain, silk, raw silk, and cotton from the Ming Dynasty; spices and rhinoceros horns from Southeast Asia; pearl shells, screens, and camphor from Japan; as well as leather, metal utensils, pottery, saddles, cookware, glass, soap, candles, and canned food produced in their own country.

The porcelain is delicate and smooth, with exquisite and varied patterns.

Silk is brightly colored and soft in texture.

The aroma of the tea is intoxicating.

Spanish merchants brought goods such as silver, sugar, tobacco, livestock, wool, copper, saltpeter, and cotton.

Silver shimmered in the sunlight, sugarcane piled up like mountains, and tobacco exuded a unique aroma.

Spanish, Chinese, and Native American languages ​​intertwined, creating a noisy and chaotic atmosphere.

The market also features a variety of handicrafts, such as wood carvings, silver ornaments, silk flowers from the Ming Dynasty, fur products from Spain, and handwoven items from the indigenous people, which are dazzling and attract people from all walks of life.

To ensure the safety of the base, the Xinhua people built a tight defense system on the island.

Watchtowers were built on high ground, and personnel stood guard day and night, observing the sea with binoculars.

Once an unfamiliar vessel is spotted, alarm bells will be rung and mournful horns will be sounded.

The earthen and stone walls surrounding the settlement, though not ornate or beautiful, were sturdy and practical, with lookout posts and musket firing positions, and powerful cannons inside the protruding pylons.

There weren't many new Chinese immigrants on the island, probably between one hundred and one hundred and twenty. In addition to them, there were thirty or forty Native American laborers who helped with rough work such as moving goods and tilling the fields.

In terms of cultural life, these new Chinese seem to still be making efforts to preserve the traditions from their Ming Dynasty hometown.

A few days ago, they celebrated a local festival called "Dragon Boat Festival," stuffing rice balls with sugar cane and salted dried meat, and then wrapping them with reed leaves.

They also held a rather simple religious ceremony in front of a makeshift temple built of mud and wood, which they called a ritual to expel plague.

Although these people live on a remote island in the ocean, they have allowed the atmosphere of their hometown to permeate the air above the island.

“I bet the Spanish colonial authorities knew about this smuggling island.” Captain John Stone of the Beagle turned his gaze back to his companion, Captain Samuel Nelson of the Carmason. “They were just enjoying the huge profits from the smuggled goods here, so they turned a blind eye and allowed it to continue to exist right under their noses.”

“Oh, how the Spanish treat this island is of no importance to us,” Samuel Nelson said with a smile. “Because corruption is rampant in Spanish colonies, and the smuggling network is far larger than officially recorded, not to mention this smuggling outpost.”

“All we know is that this island will bring us substantial commercial profits. Two years ago, when we displayed two ships full of Oriental goods at the London docks, the sensation it caused still lingers in my memory.” “Heh…” John Stone immediately smiled knowingly. “My dear Samuel, we didn’t actually bring back two ships full of Oriental goods two years ago… Well, back then, we didn’t have much capital, and the two ships were only half-loaded.”

“But with just half a ship full of Eastern goods, we all made a fortune!” Samuel Nelson shrugged and said with anticipation, “This time, as we cross the dangerous Strait of Magellan again to reach this island full of wealth and hope, we will surely return with a full load and acquire an unimaginable fortune.”

"Who would have thought that in England, and even throughout Europe, besides the Dutch and Spaniards who could obtain precious and rare Eastern goods, there were also two unknown nobodys like us who could get our hands on these goods!"

“Yes, all the English merchants are frantically asking around, trying to find out where we got so many Eastern goods,” John Stone said with a laugh. “What’s even more ridiculous is that the British East India Company has even filed a complaint with the Privy Council, accusing us of violating the Kingdom’s Overseas Trade Monopoly Act by bypassing their East India Company and secretly going to the East to trade.”

“John, do you think those members of the Privy Council might tell other merchants about our trade secrets?” Nelson suddenly thought of something, a worried look on his face. “If other merchants in the country get the news and follow our trail to find the new Chinese on this island, could they also bring back a large amount of Eastern goods and thus compete with us in England?”

“Samuel, your concerns are not unfounded.” Stone nodded and said, “Therefore, we must strive to obtain the exclusive trading agency rights from the Xinhua people this time, so as to prevent other competitors from coveting and vying for them.”

Would Xinhua agree?

“To be honest, I’m not sure either,” Stone said, shaking his head. “But we can give it a try. You know, we fought side by side two years ago, working together to capture Panama City. Most importantly, we were the first Englishmen to make contact with them and establish trade ties.”

"Therefore, we can try to appeal to their emotions. Perhaps, out of consideration for our sincere friendship, they will grant us our request for exclusive trading rights."

"If we really get the exclusive trading rights for their Eastern goods, we can make a fortune like the Dutch!"

During this period, dealing in Eastern goods was an extremely profitable industry!

The Dutch East India Company was established in 1602 and seized Ambon from Portugal in 1605, monopolizing the clove trade.

In 1619, they conquered the Jakarta region from the local indigenous kingdoms and established Batavia, which became their Asian headquarters.

In 1624, the Dutch East India Company established a base on Formosa Island (present-day Taiwan) to control trade with Ming China and Japan (especially silk, porcelain, and silver).

In 1630, they further controlled the cinnamon trade in Ceylon and established trading posts in India (Surat, the Coromandel coast) and Persia, seizing access to the Eastern trade network.

Over a period of more than 30 years, the Dutch East India Company dispatched approximately 1500 ships to Asia (an average of 45 ships per year), gradually eroding the Portuguese trade power and virtually monopolizing the entire trade in the East.

By 1635, the Dutch East India Company had approximately 40-50 armed merchant ships stationed in Asia (including the East Indies, Ceylon, India, and Persia) and employed over 7,000 people (including soldiers, sailors, and merchants).

The Dutch East India Company's initial share price was 100 guilders per share, but by 1635, driven by trade profits, the share price had skyrocketed several times to 400-500 guilders per share.

It is understood that the Dutch East India Company's average annual profit margin was about 18-30%, and in some years, such as 1610-1620, it was as high as 40%.

It can be said that this company is the most profitable company in the world today, with annual profits reaching millions of Dutch guilders, making it a well-deserved global business empire.

If one could make a lot of money through normal trade, what good person would be willing to engage in piracy, a profession that is both dangerous and extremely unpredictable?

Every pirate dreams of becoming the next Drake, but in the end, most of them can only dream of it in the depths of the ocean.

You might encounter fierce resistance from the hijacked merchant ship, and could easily lose your life.

You might also be hunted down by the navy of another country, driven to the brink of extinction and living in constant fear.

Even worse, you might be caught and hung on the flagpole in the harbor like a piece of dried bacon, swaying gently in the sea breeze.

Even if you're incredibly lucky and manage to seize a merchant ship laden with cargo, you'll likely be ripped off by unscrupulous merchants when it's auctioned off back in England or on the pirate island, and the profits won't be as good as you'd hoped.

In addition to unexpected sea storms and various diseases, the mortality rate on pirate ships was still very high.

In other words, being a pirate is a job that requires you to hang your head on your belt, and it is exchanging your life for an uncertain future (wealth).

Now, there is such a great opportunity to make a lot of money without having to constantly risk your life, so why not seize it?

The trade in the East was basically monopolized by the Dutch East India Company, and the isolated English merchants had no chance to get involved.

Even the British East India Company struggled to survive under the strong pressure from the Dutch. It barely managed to establish itself in India by bribing the upper echelons of the Mughal Empire, engaging in some peripheral businesses that the Dutch looked down upon, and its profits were nowhere near those of the Dutch.

Even in good years, the British East India Company's profits were only around £60,000 to £70,000. In years with regional conflicts or trade restrictions, it could even suffer huge losses.

Two years ago, Nelson and Stone made a profit of over £35,000 simply by reselling Oriental goods provided by the new Chinese community.

Moreover, their ships weren't even fully loaded!
Some Ming dynasty porcelain pieces that originally cost only a dozen shillings were sold for as much as two or three pounds, and even so, they were still enthusiastically sought after by nobles and members of parliament.

Several exquisite pieces of Ming Dynasty Ru ware blue and white porcelain plates were collected by the royal family for prices ranging from thirty to fifty pounds.

This is crazy!
It is worth noting that in 1603, the Dutch plundered a Portuguese carrack and obtained 100,000 pieces of blue and white porcelain (mainly export porcelain from the Wanli period). When it was auctioned in Amsterdam, it triggered a frenzy of buying among the nobility throughout Europe.

At that time, the English royal family and nobles were separated by a narrow strait, their eyes practically bloodshot with envy.

Now, they can also ship these porcelain pieces, which represent luxury and nobility, directly back to England, greatly satisfying the needs and desires of the royal family and nobility.

“I think the best decision we made two years ago was to follow Mr. Han to this island full of wealth and opportunities.” John Stone walked to the gate of the Shajing Fort government office, looked up at the red five-star flag hanging on the flagpole, and took a deep breath.

"What we are most looking forward to now is to obtain the exclusive agency rights for Oriental products from Xinhua, and then build a business empire of our own!"

“Our business empire?” Samuel Nelson murmured, his eyes gleaming with a strange, burning light, as if he could already see that magnificent business empire beckoning to them…

“Now, it’s time to see our old friends.” John Stone straightened his collar and strode toward the gates of the government building.
-
(End of this chapter)