Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 204 Assistance
Because of the current economic crisis, negotiations in the UK are going exceptionally smoothly. Iran is getting what it wants without provoking a reaction from the other side. It's just a few small tribes; they can just be thrown away.

Meanwhile, the cruise ships traveling between the two sides of the Atlantic brought news to Nasserdin that the New York Stock Exchange had stabilized. The American financial industry had suffered immense damage, with vast amounts of customer deposits wiped out. Only a few banks remained, including the Bank of Persia.

Bank deposits dropped by 70% in the first week of the economic crisis, but banks remained open, which made depositors feel that there was no problem, so they deposited their money back in.

The continued opening of branches greatly boosted public confidence in Persia Bank, resulting in a $30 increase in deposits within a month, and the opening of branches in Philadelphia and Atlanta.

Expanding into distant regions is the bank's new strategy. Besides New York, the vast West and South should also be areas of expansion for the bank. The cotton fields of the South and the gold mines of the West are significant assets, and the bank should seek financing in these areas.

More important than the economy was religion. This economic crisis created a large number of disillusioned people whose faith was at its most vulnerable, and the Shia Islam seized this opportunity, successfully converting a small group of disillusioned individuals. The Crescent Moon Mutual Aid Association was officially established and subsequently set up branches in the east.

Nasser al-Din also wanted to see the New World, but he couldn't right now because his return trip was already full. His plan was to visit Spain, Portugal, Sardinia, and the Two Sicilies on his return journey, and to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

The countries of the Mediterranean are not as vibrant as they used to be. Two have lost their colonies and are in decline, while two still have unified territories. But the Mediterranean remains important, and the Shah still needs to check on things.

Nasser al-Din left Britain with an agreement with the British government. In addition to discussing spheres of influence with Britain, Britain also agreed that tariffs on Iran could be raised moderately, but not exceeding 17.5%.

Britain is still unwilling to completely relinquish control like France. It was originally prepared to propose 12.5%, but due to India's protection, it increased it by 5 percentage points. Iran should remember its great kindness.

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Pontianak, the largest city in Borneo. Since the 17th century, its population has grown significantly, and the local gold mines attracted many Chinese. To improve mining operations, numerous Chinese companies were established, but now, due to increasing Dutch pressure, only the Lanfang Company remains, barely surviving.

“I’m telling you, Yuanhan, are you sure you want to do this? Even if all of us put our money together, it won’t be enough to cover these expenses.”

"Yes, and even if the Iranian soldiers can help us, what if they act like the Dutch?"

Luo Yuanhan sat in the main seat without saying a word. As the grandson of Luo Fangbo, the founder of Lanfang Company, he could not let the business be handed over to the Dutch.

"But do we have any other opportunities right now? The Liu family, relying on the backing of the Netherlands, is about to sell Lanfang. Can the Luo and Jiang families just stand by and watch their ancestral legacy go down the drain?"

Jiang Nanshan, standing nearby, also looked grim. His grandfather had served as the company's second president, a position that had initially been passed down between the two families, but the Liu family had now made it hereditary. This was unacceptable. They desperately wanted to take the company back, but their own power was limited, and the British had no interest. They could only rely on Iran.

Both the Luo and Jiang families have their own networks, and they know that a new force has arrived in Saigon. Although they don't know if it's another Dutchman, the involvement of multiple forces is always a good thing, as they can mediate and maintain their own balance.

“I have already sent a message to Saigon. As it stands, they will help us as long as we offer enough benefits.”

Luo Yuanhan had already thought it through. The company's initial business would be gold. They could use the gold to attract aid, and if that didn't work, they could learn from the Western shareholding system, give a portion of the shares to Iran, and sell the produced gold to them.

Borneo produces gold, and gold is coveted by all nations. This is also Luo Yuanhan's bargaining chip. He can rely on anyone; it just depends on whose backer is the most powerful.

Ferdinand Bahhu, the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, was also concerned about Iran, especially its overly friendly attitude towards the Chinese.

Chinese people in Saigon could not only trade normally, but also serve as mid- to low-level government officials. The only price they paid was higher taxes and suppression of their political rights. Is this good? No, it is not.

The Netherlands and other countries initially agreed that they would treat Chinese people as less than human, or at least treat them as such. Now that someone has genuinely come along who treats Chinese people as human beings, what are we supposed to do?
Despite the past hostility and hostility shown towards the Chinese by the Dutch and Spanish, their colonies were nothing without them. The Spanish once expelled Chinese from the Philippines, causing local commerce to grind to a halt, and they eventually had them reinstated.

Therefore, they have a love-hate relationship with the Chinese. But when a country that is better for the Chinese comes along, they have to consider the economic losses.

Moreover, problems existed not only in Kalimantan but also in Sumatra. Between 1821 and 1837, a war broke out between the traditional elites and the emerging commercial elite, the Parthians. To gain the upper hand, the traditional elites signed a cooperation agreement with the Dutch in Padang, with the Dutch sending troops to fight the reformists. Later in the war, dissatisfied with the Dutch corruption and brutality, as well as their interference in their religious life, most of the traditional elites reconciled with the Parthians and joined forces against the Dutch. However, they suffered repeated defeats under the Dutch fortified tactics, and their leaders were exiled.

There wasn't much going on, but recently they've become active again. News of the Ottoman and Iranian victories over Russia has reached them, stirring up the Sumatran forces, led by Aceh. The Dutch have been advancing steadily and are close to annihilating Aceh, but now there's an uncertainty.

The East Indies must not be lost in any way; its importance is comparable to the relationship between Britain and India. As the "necklace" of the Dutch monarchy, it provides the Netherlands with substantial economic benefits, and the loss of this territory would be an incalculable blow.

But no matter how much the Netherlands resembled them, it was to no avail, because Iranian capital, represented by Banque de l'Indochine and Sepa, began to enter Sumatra and spread Shia Islam among the local population. Compared to Saigon, Iran's strategy for Sumatra was to govern it as if it were its own territory, thus paying special attention to the island. They secretly supported anti-Dutch forces with funds and weapons; if they could join Iran, they would certainly not mistreat Sumatra.

(End of this chapter)