Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 264 Royal Nanyang Telegraph Office
Cebu Province

As the oldest city in the entire Hainan Islands, the Spanish explorer Magellan led a fleet here as early as 1521, thus starting the history of Cebu's urban development.

In terms of urban development history alone, Cebu was the original seat of the Spanish colonial governor's office, more than a hundred years earlier than Manila.

In this city

There are traces of Spanish-style architecture everywhere, with steeple-roofed churches standing in rows, and various Baroque and Mediterranean European buildings, which show a mottled sense of historical weight after enduring hundreds of years of wind and rain.

Royal Cebu Palace
The palace is located in the old city area with many Spanish-style buildings. It is a typical Mediterranean palace building. It was also the original site of the Cebu Governor's Office and was built after renovation and expansion.

After the renovation and expansion, the Royal Cebu Palace has expanded significantly to include three nearby luxurious mansions. The walls have been demolished and some lookout posts, corridors and auxiliary rooms have been built.

The palace where daily offices are located is separated from the sleeping palace at the back, creating clear divisions between the areas.

After returning to the palace, King Zheng Guohui of Chu washed up and came out to have afternoon tea with several ministers. He also listened to the ministers' opinions on some of the government's current urgent matters.

European-style pavilion
King Zheng Guohui of Chu and several ministers sat around a small table covered with a white tablecloth, eating some exquisite snacks and small pieces of fruits, drinking refreshing black tea, and talking about all sorts of things.

"Well, developing tea gardens is a feasible plan. We in the Chu State are all descendants of the Chinese bloodline, and drinking tea is indispensable." King Zheng Guohui of Chu nodded in agreement.

More than a hundred years ago
Tea seeds from northern China were smuggled out of the country by the British and widely planted in British India. In addition, white Dutch and French colonists came in droves and developed tea plantations throughout Southeast Asia.

On the island of Java, where the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies is located, there are dozens of large and medium-sized tea plantations in the mountains near Bandung, the second largest city in the country. Many of them are still run by Chinese families.

Some people may wonder, didn’t the Dutch colonists prohibit the Chinese from engaging in plantations and owning land?

In major cities such as Batavia, Bandung and Surabaya, there were many Chinese families who owned plantations and large tracts of land. Most of them acquired land rights in the early days before the Dutch Governor-General issued a ban.
Under the current legal rules that do not have retroactive effect, the rights and interests of these Chinese families in the fixed assets they own are respected and can still be operated and inherited.

The Hainan Islands have a superior tropical natural environment, as well as vast mountains and various climatic conditions, including the cold climate of alpine areas with snow all year round and the temperate coniferous forest climate. It is not difficult to find suitable areas for developing tea plantations.

After talking about the development of tea for a while, the topic turned to the ceramic and glass industries.

In this field
Cagayan Province on Mindanao Island has developed a relatively mature porcelain and pottery industry, with dozens of workshops of various sizes. Its products are sold well domestically and are also exported to the neighboring Southeast Asian region on merchant ships trading across the sea.

Porcelain includes various cups, plates, bowls, pots, basins, and large ceramic jars and pots, which are all indispensable utensils in the production and life of Chinese immigrants.

In particular, large ceramic jars have a wide range of uses. Every household has to buy a ceramic jar to store water. The vinegar and sauce shops that are springing up in various prefectures and counties buy large quantities of them to expand production.

In Chinese society
Oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea are indispensable daily necessities. Whenever life becomes a little more affluent, in order to satisfy the stubborn Chinese appetite, one always has to buy some condiments such as sauce, vinegar and tea to make authentic Chinese food.

No matter where we move to, this persistence will not change.

What really led to the rapid development of the glass industry in Cagayan was the export of canned goods. Glass bottles used to store canned fruits were bulk goods, and entire ships were shipped from Cagayan to various places, creating a booming trade.

Cao Yuxiu, the prefect of Kajiayan, has made the region prosperous by relying on the ceramic and glass industries. He is rated as top-notch every year and is expected to be a very promising official in the future.

After talking about the development of the Cagayan region, Transportation Secretary Weghorst mentioned the next plan for laying submarine cables. He said;

“Your Majesty, the raw materials that currently limit the output of the cable factory are mainly imported natural rubber, which needs to be imported from Malaya.

I think we can vigorously develop natural rubber plantations in the country. Natural rubber is indispensable for the rubber wheels of these carts, and for making rubber shoes and cables. It is a very important thing.

Next Step

The Ministry of Transport is proposing to build an undersea cable connecting the Shangri-La Archipelago and the Solomon Islands, ultimately reaching the Australian mainland. The material required is enormous, and the only thing missing is natural rubber.

When Viscount Wehorst said this, all the ministers present understood.

The Chu State had no shortage of copper mines. On Cebu Island was the largest bornite mine ever discovered, which was more than a hundred times the size of the Tongzhou Islands (note: the former Jinsha Copper Mine in Mindanao). It proudly ranked first in the entire East Asia, including Southeast Asia, and was unrivaled.

Without such support, Cebu Governor Fan Zhicheng would not have rashly pestered Your Majesty to request the construction of a large copper smelter on Cebu Island.

The entire Hainan Islands are located in the bornite belt. From Hainan Island in the north to Cebu Island in the middle and the Tongzhou Islands in the south, more than a dozen large and medium-sized copper veins have been discovered, and the resource reserves are quite rich.

This was also the original intention of King Zheng Guohui of Chu to reject the proposal of Xi'an Prefecture on Shangri-La Island to mine local copper mines. There were simply too many of them and it was impossible to mine them all.

Cebu Island has the advantage of being an island, so its request to open a copper smelter can be approved.

Among the more than 7000 islands in the Hainan Archipelago, Hainan Island (Note: formerly Luzon Island), Cebu Island and Tongzhou Island (Note: formerly Mindanao Island) are the three main islands and are the top priority for development.

Various light and heavy industries, agriculture and specialty planting industries, including spices, coffee, cocoa, rubber, fruits, kenaf, ramie, tea, cinchona, etc., can be given priority for development and planting without any restrictions.

The more than 7000 outlying islands under the Hainan Islands outside the three main islands are also within the mainland and are given second priority.

The most notable feature of the second priority is that heavy industry will not be developed, light industry will be developed appropriately, and agricultural development will not be restricted.

In addition to the mainland, mainly the Hainan Islands, other large islands, such as Shangri-La Island, the Solomon Islands, the Sulawesi Islands, the Mariana Islands (Guam, Saipan), etc., all fall into the category of "outer islands" and are at the third priority.

The salient feature of the third priority is that industry, including light and heavy industries, is not developed. Light industry is limited to necessities, such as sawmills, rice mills, oil presses, sugar factories (note: limited to Shangri-La Island), lime kilns, quarries, etc., and there are many restrictions.

Agricultural development also has limitations. For example, if Shangri-La Island wants to develop the sugarcane planting industry on a large scale and build a sugar factory, it needs the special permission of King Zheng Guohui of Chu before it can be promoted and implemented.

The purpose of doing so stems from the kingdom's overall economic development policy of "strong trunk and weak branches".

More remote islands, such as Wake Island, Midway Island and some Pacific Islands, fall into the category of "frontier islands", which is the fourth priority.

All Chinese immigrants to the fourth priority islands enjoy tax-free treatment, produce and harvest their own products, and only need to pay some money and grain to the island management agency.

Its main development goal is to achieve self-sufficiency as much as possible.

As for the tax contribution to the kingdom as a whole, let's just forget about it. It's a blessing from heaven that we don't have to bear any extra burden. It's too much to talk about contribution.

"Lord Weghorst is absolutely right. The rubber plantation should be put on the agenda." King Zheng Guohui of Chu put down the teacup in his hand, thought for a moment and said;

"For this matter, please have Minister Weghorst submit a proposal for discussion at the Cabinet's Grand Council. Please ask the Prime Minister to take the lead in contacting the Ministry of Agriculture to deploy a specific development strategy.

A copy of what the cabinet has decided will also be sent to the royal household department, which will then invest and support it as appropriate.

For important crop categories such as tobacco, sugar, natural rubber, tea, coffee and cocoa, the government can introduce preferential support policies based on the situation.

The royal government cannot take on everything. The right approach is to guide and encourage the participation of social forces through preferential policies.

For example, a "three exemptions and three reductions" policy for agricultural taxes would exempt agricultural taxes for the first three years, with taxes halved for the next three. For natural rubber plantations, which typically take eight or nine years for rubber trees to mature and be tapped, a special preferential support policy of "five exemptions and five reductions" could be introduced. This is something that is open for discussion.

Malaya is suitable for developing natural rubber, and our Chu State's geographical conditions are not bad either, so it can also be one of our key development directions in the future."

"Your Majesty, I will obey your command." Viscount Wehorst quickly stood up and bowed to receive the order.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu considered it and gave the order again:
"The Ministry of Transport's plan for the next stage of submarine cable development should be appropriately adjusted.

Laying submarine cables is very costly, and connecting the Shangri-La Islands and the Solomon Islands does not need to be rushed and can be postponed.

Current priority
As the main island of the Hainan Islands, the laying of submarine cables between it and the mainland should be put on the agenda as early as possible.

The submarine cable from Manila to Hong Kong can be listed as a priority and given special consideration.

The distance between Batangas and Hong Kong is only over a thousand kilometers, and the difficulty and cost of laying the line are far lower than connecting the Shangri-La Islands, so it can be the first choice.

If all materials are available, the paving can be completed in just 2 to 3 weeks.

This will connect our Great Chu's long-distance telegraph lines with the northern continent, allowing information to reach us instantly over thousands of miles. This is far more important than connecting us to Shangri-La Island."

"Your Majesty is wise, I am the one who is stupid." Viscount Wehorst saluted again and said.

It’s not that the people in the Ministry of Transport are too stupid, but they are limited to a blind spot in their thinking and have misguided ideas.

His Majesty's decree focused on the development of long-distance submarine cables to connect the country's long-distance telegraph lines, which made everyone in the Ministry of Communications focus on the domestic situation.

essentially

Developing an undersea cable line connecting China Unicom and Hong Kong is also part of developing the long-distance telegraph line of the Chu State. The people in the Ministry of Transport have fallen into a misconception.

Connecting Chu's long-distance telegraph lines to the mainland would connect various parts of Southeast Asia, including French Saigon, Hue, the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam, and the northern cities of Haiphong and Hanoi. It would also connect Malacca to Singapore and even north to Bangkok, the capital of the Kingdom of Siam, creating a comprehensive long-distance telegraph line spanning Southeast Asia.

The Royal Nanyang Telegraph Office, which was officially established today, will develop in the future to connect important cities in Nanyang and dominate the long-distance telegraph business. This will be the most important communications industry in the next few decades or even hundreds of years, and it will also be a goose that can hatch golden eggs.

The Royal Nanyang Telegraph Bureau was invested by the Chu royal family, with the government holding a 7:3 stake. The Imperial Household Department under the Chu royal family held 70% of the shares and was the absolute controlling shareholder.

The relevant funds were invested by the Chu Kingdom's Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the government provided all conveniences for development.

The most promising development direction in the future is naturally to connect to the mainland to the north.

In today's limited resources

King Zheng Guohui of Chu is not considering connecting the Shangri-La Islands in the southeast with the Australian continent for the time being. The cost is too high, no less than laying an Atlantic submarine cable.

Regardless of how far Davao Prefecture in the Tongzhou Islands is from Xi'an?

The submarine cable that needs to be laid between Xi'an Prefecture on Shangri-La Island and Donggang Prefecture at the easternmost end is more than 3100 kilometers long. If it is connected to Davao Prefecture, it will take more than 5500 kilometers.

If Sydney, Australia is connected to Hong Kong, the straight-line distance between the two is more than 7400 kilometers. If the submarine cable goes along the strait and circles the continent, the distance is more than 8800 kilometers, which is an astonishing length.

The Atlantic submarine cable laid from London to New York is only about 4800 kilometers long.

Taking all factors into consideration, it is extremely uneconomical.

If the Royal Nanyang Telegraph Office wanted to achieve a balance between income and expenditure as soon as possible, then laying an submarine cable northwest to Hong Kong would be a shortcut.

It is only 1100 kilometers from Batangas to Hong Kong. After the connection, it can be connected to the long-distance telegraph lines built by the British from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, Mawei, and Shanghai.

The British promoted long-distance telegraph lines in a roundabout way, using submarine cables from Hong Kong to Nagasaki in the name of the Great Northern Telegraph Office of Denmark.

A plan is underway to draw an undersea cable from Nagasaki to Shanghai and Chongming Island, with a total length of more than 4000 kilometers.

The imperial court was very wary of Western telegraphs and prohibited the landing of telegraph lines. The British were temporarily unable to openly lay telegraph lines on the mainland, so they could only lay them to Nagasaki first and then lead an submarine cable line to the Ryukyu Kingdom.

The Royal Nanyang Telegraph Office was connected to the long-distance line of the Great Northern Telegraph Office in Hong Kong, which meant that Fuso and the Ryukyu Kingdom were connected, as well as Chongming Island, and northern affairs could be known in an instant.

Needless to say, telegraph traffic was also considerable.

This is very convenient for both the British and the Dutch.

When Britain sent telegrams to the Dominion of Australia, they could access the Royal Nanyang Telegraph Office's long-distance wires through Hong Kong and head straight south to Waugh.

The telegrams and mail were then delivered via regular freight liners from Davuo to Australia via diplomatic pouches, which was the fastest way.

The same operation was used for the telegraphic exchanges between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies.

The message was sent south to Zamboanga Province and then delivered via diplomatic pouch. Regular cargo ships could reach Batavia in 3 to 4 days, saving half the time.

Its convenience is self-evident, which further highlights the importance of the Royal Nanyang Telegraph Office.

Geographically

Whether heading south to Batavia or southeast to Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, all the routes had to be transferred through the Royal Nanyang Telegraph Office. It was impossible to fly over them.

Then these two places will have no secrets for the State of Chu, and it will be almost as if they were naked.

Forget about the nonsense about keeping client secrets. The Ministry of the Interior has long been keeping an eye on important communications institutions like the Royal Nanyang Telegraph Office.

We have submitted a petition to Your Majesty requesting his approval to send a commissioner to the Royal Nanyang Telegraph Office.

What bad thing do you want to do?

Everyone knew this without being told. King Zheng Guohui of Chu agreed without hesitation, but he repeatedly reiterated that confidentiality must be maintained.

This is an important information channel. It can not only monitor the Dutch and Australians, but also monitor the kingdom internally. No one can give it up.

If you think about it with your heels, the British and French must have done the same thing, but they just didn't say it out loud.

(End of this chapter)