Australian Storm 1876

  Chapter 706 The best-selling crawler tractor

  North Queensland, Qingdao

  The colorful flags are on display here, the firecrackers are blasted, and the happy dragon and lion dance team is noisy with gongs and drums, attracting countless crowds watching the excitement.

In the square in front of rows of tall and brand-new factories, beaming noble gentlemen, wearing flowers on their chests, are participating in the inauguration and opening ceremony of the Qingdao production base of Dongfanghong Machinery Company. More than 1,800 workers were recruited.

Nowadays speaking of Dongfanghong Machinery Company, it is also a famous brand in the field of agricultural machinery in the world. Its Dongfanghong 2.0 crawler tractors are well-known. It only took a few years to open overseas markets and sell well both at home and abroad. .

  The predecessor of the Dongfanghong 2.0 crawler tractor was the Wild Wolf light tank. Production was stopped immediately after the dawn of victory in the Civil War in early 1891. A large number of unfinished tracked chassis were placed in the production workshop, which once put Dongfanghong Machinery Company in trouble.

  It cannot be said that the military is ruthless, but that it is too realistic.

After having a medium-sized tank research and development project, the War Department’s attention has been deeply attracted. Compared with the medium-sized tanks capable of erecting artillery, the medium-sized tanks with strong combat effectiveness, and the small and thin-skinned puddles have not attracted any interest from the War Department. It's not surprising.

  Many army officers said mockingly; “The Wild Wolf tank is a mobile machine gun tower. As long as it is hit by any grenade over 20 mm, the money for the coffin will be saved.”

This is not unreasonable. The two corps A and B are equipped with a test tank battalion in advance, and a total of 72 light tanks (including four backups). Although these two tank battalions made a big splash in the war, they also suffered heavy losses. The battle damage ratio is extremely high.

After the initial extreme panic, the southern rebel forces quickly discovered that the Wild Wolf light tank could not withstand artillery fire at all. No matter what caliber of artillery fire, as long as it hits, it will be reimbursed. Even heavy machine guns can penetrate the side armor. Put the crew inside in a pot.

  After finding a way to deal with it, the tank battalion was a tragedy.

  At the end of the war, there were only 7 tanks left in the test tank battalion of A Corps, and only 12 tanks were left in the test tank battalion of B Corps.

  Such a serious casualty, and the price is expensive, how can you expect the military to like the wolf light tank?

  Fortunately, under the support of the strong technical force of the military, it has made many important technical contributions to perfect the Dongfanghong 2.0 crawler tractor chassis, and added a lot of professional machine tools and machinery equipment for mass production.

The   Tank Battalion was very popular in the war. It also accumulated a large amount of first-hand data during the months of war, exposing many hidden problems and filling the last shortcoming for the final technical improvement.

  The 2.0 crawler tractor chassis has completely entered the mature stage, and it has the value of large-scale promotion and application.

  The company’s main shareholder Zhao Qishan Baron (a noble for life, awarded for the tractor project), although he is not highly educated, he respects science very much, and believes in experts, he has been investing in supporting this project.

  Experienced the trough from 1891 to 1893, crawler tractors can only be promoted on some large farms in Australia. For example, Xingxinghu Ranch is one of the first places to apply crawler agricultural machinery and has achieved excellent returns.

  However, most of the promotion of Dongfanghong Machinery Company in Europe and the United States has failed. Many farmers are not cold about this kind of machinery without wheels, and are unwilling to spend a lot of money to try. It is quite difficult to promote it.

The change appeared in 1893. In this year, Dongfanghong Machinery Company participated in the World Exposition held in Chicago, USA at its own expense. In the actual operation display of muddy farmland, it was reported by dozens of media with stunning results. It rang loudly in an instant.

  Thousands of farmers flocked to Chicago, wanting to witness the extraordinary ability of the crawler tractor, the rumored field artifact.

  So, during the World Expo, the most glorious scene of crawler tractors appeared.

  The surrounding area of ​​23 acres of land outside Chicago attracted a crowd of more than 3,700 people, most of whom were farmers from all over the United States, as well as agricultural machinery practitioners, journalists, businessmen and a small number of military personnel from various countries.

In a four-day live demonstration, a crawler tractor independently harvested barley grown on this large area of ​​land, crushed barley straws back to the field, plowed the soil, raked, and ditched, completing a complete set The farmland operation facilities did not have any failure during the period, and the state of use was stable.

  Especially this last point, which is particularly pleasing.

We must know that the most troublesome problem for American farmers now is the high failure rate of steam machinery. Steam ploughs will have serious failures almost every 8 to 9 hours. Repairs take longer than working hours, which is really a headache. crack.

  The high efficiency and high reliability of the crawler tractor, its comprehensiveness in farmland operations, especially adapting to muddy field operations, immediately captured the hearts of American farmers.

  As end users, farmers are the group with the most say.

  Although the price of a crawler tractor is high, a basic model costs 2750 Jinyang, which is equivalent to US$6,600, or the price of 6 small walking tractors.

  But buyers are still extremely enthusiastic. During the Expo alone, 720 orders were received, most of which came from major farms in the eastern United States.

  At this point, the Dongfanghong crawler tractor became an instant hit, and then it was unstoppable. Orders from European and American countries flew in like snow flakes, and the production capacity in the next few years will be fully occupied.

  It is under such circumstances that the second factory of Dongfanghong, which has expanded its production scale by five times, began to develop civil engineering projects in Qingdao, and it will soon be completed and will be put into operation.

  There is a reason why crawler tractors are expensive. Even if the military's large investment is not counted, the shareholders of Dongfanghong Machinery Company have invested more than 300,000 pounds in the project over the years.

  Such a huge amount of research and development costs need to pay back, so in the early stage of product launch, it is necessary to maintain a certain degree of profiteering, because the annual production capacity is four to five hundred units, which is still the expanded production capacity.

  Today

  The factory in the Da Chuan District can produce more than 600 crawler tractors every year, which is simply unable to cope with the increasing number of overseas orders. This is the actual demand for the construction of the Qingdao factory.

  It can be seen from the development history of small 4-wheel tractors that the price of a tractor was as high as 1,300 pounds at the beginning. After more than ten years of development, with the continuous increase in output, the production of a large number of complete sets of accessories, the price has dropped sharply.

  Nowadays, the price of a small 4-wheel walking tractor is only more than 280 pounds, which is almost 1/5 of a decade ago, and it can still maintain a considerable profit margin.

   Therefore, expanding the scale of production is a top priority.

   "Congratulations, Sir Zhao." Foreign Minister Tang Zhaoyi attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony in person. All the noble squires present felt great honor and their faces were bright.

  "Tongxi, Tongxi, Mr. Tang was able to come here during his busy schedule. It's a great honor. It's the unbeatable joy of my father and fellow villagers in Qingdao. Thank you very much."

  Sir Zhao Qishan blushed with fists and thanked him, and he personally led the way to the very center of the ceremony, and invited Viscount Tang Zhaoyi to cut the ribbon in the center. He and the mayor of Qingdao, accompanied by one left and one right, cut the colored silk together.

  Instant cheers, firecrackers, gongs and drums, the opening scene evolved into a sea of ​​joy.

  Above the celebration

  The gray-haired Daddy Mike, Daddy Anderson, Zhao Qishan, Ma Weimin, Mai Guangtian, and Sir Lu Qiang who came from afar, gathered together. The former "chopper group of 4" are now all successful.

  Now looking back on the past, I am full of emotion.

  In the office of the chairman of the Qingdao plant, old friends gathered together. Foreign Minister Tang Zhaoyi, as the most important guest of honor, was surrounded by stars like a moon, and talked about the parents’ shortcomings with a smile.

  "Master Tang still has a vision. If it weren’t for Master Tang to persuade us to buy a stake in Qingdao Port, our brothers are still ranchers who are ignorant in the countryside. How can there be such a beautiful scene?"

   "Yes, I don't forget the well digger, Mr. Tang has worked hard, I must offer a few more glasses today."

   "Lao Ma, can I just toast a few more glasses?"

   "Hahaha, I am a man of mine, I am not a stingy person. Recently, I bought a few ancient paintings from the Manchu and Qing Dynasty. I know that Mr. Tang likes this tune, and I am ready for it long ago."

   "Well, it looks a little bit like, if we are a little bit stingy, we should be ashamed of you!"

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Tang Shaoyi smiled and waved his hand. He is now one of the major shareholders of Qingdao Port. He also has a stake in the vegetable base and also a stake in Dongfanghong Machinery Company. In addition, everyone here has been friends for more than ten years. I will take time to come to Qingdao from my busy schedule, otherwise, who is so busy?

  What do you say about this stuff, let everyone carry it!

"Qishan, Aqiang, both of you are now nobles. I won’t say anything extra. The nobles must have a good reputation and are enthusiastic about public welfare. It is indispensable to build Fu Sangzi and actively participate in the election of state councilors. It’s to leave a good fortune for future generations. Ma Weimin and Mai Guangtian should pay special attention to this point. You two are lagging behind!"

"We can't compare with Lu Qiang. He is now an expensive hereditary baron, the famous tobacco king in West Xiangzhou, and the founder of Lumen City. Who knows that this guy can create such a big situation in Shangri-La? "

   "Yes, just like your Majesty said, the potential of human beings is endless."

   "Your Majesty is a person like a **** in the world, and speaking is naturally a firm truth."

   "I didn't see it at all at first, it is strange that Lu Qiang still has such ability."

"Lao Ma, you haven't noticed that much. Do you know that the kid from Lu Qiang's family is now pursuing the daughter of Brother Qishan? Your daughter-in-law is about to be carried away. She is still stupid and doesn't know anything. ."

   "Ah...really, Brother Qishan?" Ma Weimin was really taken aback, and asked Zhao Qishan with both hands.

  The three sons of their family all like Zhao Qishan's baby girl, which almost everyone knows in Qingdao.

  Zhao Qishan is married to Daddy Mike’s eldest daughter, Susan. The two have only one baby girl. This is a mixed-race little beauty. She is now 17 years old and she looks really beautiful and stunning.

  Who knows that all three sons can’t do just one son. How can this make sense?

   "Be calm, how old are people, can you be a little calm as a middle-aged man?" Zhao Qishan shook it in disgust, but didn't get rid of it. I can only say; "You know the personalities of Susan and I. I never wronged my precious girl. I recognize whoever she chooses. Even the poor boy on the street, I can be an old man. Hold him up, so the girl’s liking is the most important thing. If your son has the ability, he will go after him. I have no objection, but don’t expect me to intervene."

   "Brother Qishan, we are brothers who have been entrusted with lives for more than 20 years!"

   "Lu Qiang, isn't it?"

"But he abandoned our vow of living and dying together and flew solo. We are ashamed and in the company. From his father, we can see how his son is like. Unlike me, he has been following Qishan over the years. Brother will never leave..."

   "Okay, don't be disgusting. Being a brother is not a wife who gets tired of being together every day. Your rhetoric is useless to me."

   "Brother Qishan, do you want me to open my heart and show you?"

"roll!"

  Everyone roared with laughter, the brotherhood of the old youth has returned, some two, some axes, but it is really sincere, and you can show you the kind without hesitation.

  Haha...As for whether you want to watch it? Will it be disgusting to eat? That's not a question that brothers should consider.

  Well, just get used to the bad taste.

  Lord Tang Zhaoyi smiled very happily. Compared with wearing a fake face to deal with diplomats in the European and American society, he prefers to be unfettered with friends. This kind of life without intrigue is really good.

  Unfortunately, the leisurely vacation is coming to an end soon.

  On the order of your majesty, he will follow the heavy cruiser Qinglong on a journey to Europe in a few days, and accompany the crown prince to travel around the kingdoms of Europe and start a new round of intensive and busy diplomatic work.

  For Ocean Kingdom, this is an important foreign affairs activity.

  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs faces many things. The main battlefield is now in Europe, so he, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has not been in Europe for a short time. It is his important task to create a good international environment for the Ocean Kingdom.

  This trip to Europe will stop at the Kingdom of Thailand.

This is because the king of the Kingdom of Thailand sent a marriage request through a secret channel. The target is the second princess Shirley, who is 15 years old this year. According to the secret order of his majesty, Lord Tang Zhaoyi is going to see with his own eyes whether the Thai prince who is preparing for the marriage is worthy of the marriage of the Ocean Kingdom. .

  The situation of the new Kingdom of Thailand is not good. To the west is the French Indochina Peninsula across the Mekong River, and to the east is Burma occupied by the British. The Kingdom of Thailand is caught in the middle and is the only remaining South Asian kingdom, and the situation is critical.

At this time, they desperately wanted to find a thigh hug. The traditional oriental country Manqing had been torn by the Fusang people. The last layer of hypocrisy was concealed. It was too far-fetched to be called a mud-footed giant, and no one wanted to step on it at this time. A broken ship leaking wind everywhere.

  Looking around the entire Western Pacific region, it seems that only the powerful ocean kingdoms can rely on. Marriage, as a means of maintaining dignity and safeguarding special interests between kingdoms, was naturally mentioned.

  Not only the Kingdom of Thailand, but the down-and-out Kingdoms of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Burma have all made marriage requests to the Ocean Kingdom, but ~ His Majesty did not pay attention to them.

  The rising ocean kingdoms are now receiving widespread attention in Europe, and even Greece and Bulgaria have proposed marriage intentions. Whether they are sincere or not, at least their attitude is impeccable.

  (End of this chapter)