Xiao Letian's idea was certainly not his own, because the Kiel Canal was originally an important waterway in Germany in its previous life and was built after the Franco-Prussian War.
The Baltic Sea is an inland sea where the Atlantic Ocean extends into the northern continent of Europe. It borders Denmark and Sweden to the west, Finland and Russia to the northeast, and Poland and Germany to the south.
Historically, the Baltic Sea and its coastal areas have been the site of long-term competition between European feudal dynasties and imperialism. During the Cold War, the Baltic Sea became the front line of direct confrontation between NATO and the Warsaw Pact, and its strategic position was extremely important.
The Baltic Sea is a very closed sea area. Between it and the Atlantic Ocean lies the Jutland Peninsula and Denmark's Funen.
There are 480 large and small islands including Zealandia, Lolland, and Bornholm.
In order for ships to enter the Atlantic from the Baltic Sea, they sometimes have to pass through seven or eight narrow and dangerous straits in a row. These straits are easily blocked in wartime.
At the end of the 19th century, the German Empire, whose ambitions for expansion continued to grow, spent 8 years digging a transcontinental sea in order to allow its fleet to travel freely between the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean without passing through the above-mentioned straits, thus turning the Baltic Sea into its "inland sea". Canal Kiel Canal in the Teresa Peninsula.
But the idea of building this canal is not something Prussia dares to think about now. Historically, the Kiel Canal cost a lot of money and it took eight years to complete! In that era without mechanized equipment, such canal projects could only rely on the most basic human and animal power.
What impressed Xiao Letian most deeply was the excavation of the Suez Canal. The excavation of the entire Suez Canal was entirely based on the bones of the Egyptian people.
The British and French development companies and their local garrisons brutally exploited Egypt's indigenous peoples and opened the canal in almost the harshest environment.
Prussia wanted to build such a canal, but of course they did not have the convenient conditions that Britain and France had to build Suez, because they were building this canal in their own territory, and there were no foreigners to exploit.
They can only use migrant workers from their own country to build this canal. In this case, the cost will be greatly increased. You must give each worker a sufficient salary and basic welfare guarantees.
Now Prussia has not unified the entire German Federation, and the so-called German Empire has not yet emerged. So in this context, all Prussia's thoughts are focused on war. Their primary purpose is to use war to unify the entire Germany, and Defeat their old enemy France with war!
In this context, Xiao Letian proposed the Kiel Canal plan. For Bismarck, it was a very, very bold hypothesis. It was so bold that he could not even imagine that it was true. It was really possible. Completed project.
Prime Minister Bismarck shook his head regretfully and said, "Dear old friend, I can see the benefits of what you said, but Prussia does not currently have the national strength to build such a large project!"
Xiao Letian secretly laughed in his heart. It seemed that Bismarck's situation was not big enough. He might not have calculated how much war reparations he could extort from France after the Franco-Prussian War.
After all, Prussia is now a poor family that settled in ruins and suddenly became rich!
They tightened their belts, drained the last copper of the entire nation, and tried their best to fight the war. This series of victories indeed enhanced their national pride.
But it is a pity that after all, they are used to being poor. A series of victories has not changed their vision. When they think about national affairs, they still think about problems according to the mentality of settling down in a small family in the past. .
So when Bismarck heard about plans like the Kiel Canal, he would definitely shake his head, and shake his head big time.
Xiao Letian knew very well that he could only wait until the end of the Franco-Prussian War, when Prussia completely defeated France, received huge compensation, and divided many of France's overseas colonies.
Only then would Prussia completely get rid of the poverty mentality of a small family and formally have the mentality of a big and powerful country. It was only after that that they would consider super projects like the Kiel Canal.
Just now, when the Prussian people dare not even think about it, Xiao Letian wants to do this favor. This favor is so big that it is boundless, and this favor is very, very good for the Chinese people.
Xiao Letian poured a glass of wine for Bismarck and said with a smile, "I know what dear Prime Minister is worried about, funds, manpower, materials? In the final analysis, the comprehensive national strength is not enough. Now Prussia is focusing all its energy on the war. You guys My first mission is to defeat France, I know this."
"But you don't have money, we Chinese do, and you lack manpower, so do we Chinese."
"You need to have a broader vision, and a little bigger. My dear friend, we can first set up a joint development company, temporarily inject part of the capital, conduct on-site survey of the land, and then accurately estimate how long such a project will need to be built. Time, how much money needs to be invested, and how much manpower needs to be mobilized.”
"With specific figures, we can proceed with the next step of planning, setting up a joint-stock company to see how much capital both parties can invest, and then can the remaining space be used for financing in the global capital market?"
"As for manpower, you don't have to worry. As long as Prussia is willing, we can immigrate from the Chinese to Prussia. How much does it cost? 100,000 or 200,000? No problem, I can even do it with 500,000!"
"You must know that although the Qing Dynasty experienced countless wars and a sharp decrease in population, it will always be the country with the most population in the world today."
Xiao Letian knew very well that after the civil war broke out in the Qing Dynasty in the future, there would definitely be a huge wave of refugees in the country. Where would these refugees be put?
Of course, the fortress plan can accommodate a group of people, but it will definitely not accommodate all of them. The remaining surplus refugee population can only carry out extensive immigration to Southeast Asia, Mauritius, and even South America and Oceania.
If the Kiel Canal can be built, then through a large number of immigrants and refugees to Prussia, several large-scale Han residential areas can be established in Europe. And with Xiao Letian's influence at the moment, he will definitely be able to make Prussia accept these refugee workers as Formal citizenship.
The Kiel Canal is a huge project, and one hundred thousand and two hundred thousand is just the basic number. If the number of immigrants exceeds 300,000 or 500,000, then the Chinese will have a certain foothold in Prussia.
This is a big business that is sure to make a profit, and there is no need to worry about the final profitability of the Kiel Canal! In fact, the Kiel Canal was still making money into the 21st century, and it was making a lot of money.
If a joint-stock company is established, the Chinese assets will be able to make money from this canal for a long time. When can they make money? I think there is no problem in making money in 2017 and 2018, and I can even make money in 2030 or even 2090.
Those who do not plan for the eternity will not be able to plan for the moment. A real politician must have a profound vision that transcends hundreds of years. Obviously, Xiao Letian is such a person.
