The Panama Canal was called the "Yinzhou Canal" in the Ming Dynasty. After this meeting, the project was officially launched.
Various parties began to contribute people, efforts, and money to this project.
As an imperial palace, the Panama region has the same status as the trinity of the Chief Envoy, the Chief Envoy, the Imperial Envoy, and the Metropolitan Commander.
The army establishment of a command division usually has three to five guards.
The Panama region is particularly important. It is an important transportation route between the two oceans and is also the border with the New Spain-Mexico region.
So there are currently five guards garrisoned.
However, these garrison troops are regular troops. Although Mexico will most likely not dare to move, these troops cannot be mobilized easily.
It is even less possible to do chores like "catching young men".
Zhu Zhujin took Zhu Jingyuan's order and prepared to summon three more militiamen in Xintianfu.
There is no need to prepare them all at once. This time, just bring one guard over and start working, and then slowly fill them in later.
In addition, each imperial village in Xintianfu has to arrange people to be "foremans".
These things are relatively easy to arrange.
The most important thing is the money issue.
Also included is the finalization of construction costs and budgets.
The initial psychological expectations of the imperial court and Xintianfu were basically at two million gold notes, which was equivalent to 100 million silver notes.
As a result, after the exploration was completed, the minimum budget reported by Wang Jinpeng already exceeded two million gold coins.
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Zhu Jingyuan directly chose the highest standard, and the cost immediately jumped to 10 million gold notes, equivalent to 500 million silver notes.
It is equivalent to the construction cost of ten 40,000-ton capital ships, which is already terrifying in the eyes of others.
The Minister of Household Affairs, the Minister of Industry, the Military Aircraft Department, the Cabinet, and even Emperor Zhu Jianyan of the Ming Dynasty.
When these people saw the budget report, they were all obviously in a daze.
"Building the Panama Canal is only 60 kilometers long, but it costs 10 million gold coins?"
"Why is it so high? It's nearly half of last year's budget."
"The local environment is probably complicated, and there are also mountains blocking it..."
"The key is that His Highness Prince Dashi means that this is only the first phase of investment..."
The first phase of investment was specially marked by Zhu Jingyuan.
Because Zhu Jingyuan personally felt that the budget of 10 million gold coins was still not enough.
Historically, the United States originally planned to build the Panama Canal for US$40 million, but it ended up costing US$360 million.
The purchasing power of US$360 million in the 1910s was very close to the current tens of millions of Ming Dynasty gold coins.
But at that time, the United States was building the cheapest small-scale lock canal.
What Ming Dynasty wants to build now is the largest direct canal, and the cost will definitely be much higher than the American plan at that time.
Zhu Jingyuan estimated that when the canal is finally completed, the cost will at least double.
Maybe even 20 million gold coins can't stop it.
So Zhu Jingyuan changed Wang Jinpeng's plan to ask for money and specifically marked that this was only the first phase of investment.
However, the past two years of the Ming Dynasty were the richest, with both the imperial court's fiscal revenue and the royal estate's revenue rising steadily.
Total income has reached four times that of Britain in 1914 and ten times that of the United States at that time.
At that time, Britain's GDP had been overtaken by that of the United States, but its fiscal revenue was still 2.5 times that of the United States.
Ten million gold coins were half of the U.S. fiscal revenue at that time, but only one-twentieth of Ming Dynasty's current fiscal revenue.
If the construction period is extended to five years, the annual expenditure will account for exactly 1% of the fiscal revenue.
Daming's current budget is relatively generous, which is when it is easier to get money.
Moreover, this kind of investment in engineering construction is different from investment in shipbuilding.
Most of this money will eventually be earned by the people of Ming Dynasty.
Including engineering machinery factories, engineering companies and construction teams, various craftsmen and foremen.
In this process, the court will also receive various taxes.
It can promote the circulation of market materials and labor services quite extensively, thereby promoting economic development.
It's completely different from a one-time deal to build a warship.
In particular, it can be said that Zhu Jingyuan came to ask for this budget personally, and Zhu Jingyuan himself also contributed money to participate in the shares.
This shows that Zhu Jingyuan is very optimistic about this project, or he attaches great importance to this project.
In this case, there is no way to stop it.
In the end, the Ming Dynasty court contributed 60%, the Xintianfu Imperial Mansion contributed 30%, and the Dashi Kingdom and Zhu Jingyuan personally contributed 10%. The construction budget was shared among the three parties.
According to the five-year completion plan, the budget for the first year is two million gold coins
Due to the huge amount, the imperial court opened a special account at Daming Bank.
Personnel were recruited from each of the three areas and a special supervision group was established to manage and verify the use of the budget.
When all the formalities were completed and the start-up capital of one million gold coins arrived, Zhu Zhujin and Wang Jinpeng had already set off back to Panama.
During this period, Wang Jinpeng and his fellow craftsmen adjusted the project construction plan again according to Zhu Jingyuan's suggestions and reminders.
First, the canal will be built simultaneously with roads and railways, a barbed wire fence will be built to isolate the canal construction site, and trees along the construction route will be cleared.
Dredging and regulating the Chagres River along the canal construction route and building dams and reservoirs upstream of the river.
Zhu Zhujin is the general person in charge. Wang Jinpeng's plan can of course be discussed with Zhu Zhujin before it can be implemented.
So after Wang Jinpeng made plans with the craftsman team, on the way back to Panama by boat, he went to Zhudi Jin to explain the situation.
In Zhudi Jin's room, the two of them sat on both sides of the coffee table.
Zhu Zhujin looked at the plan sent by Wang Jinpeng, and his expression became a little shocked.
For those plans to build railways, roads, isolation grids, and clear trees, they can be regarded as sharpening their swords and chopping firewood.
What Zhui Jin found excessive was mainly the plans related to the Chagres River.
The Chagres River is a natural river in the Panama Canal area. Although its length is relatively limited, its water volume is not small.
The overall planning of the canal will use part of the Cha River channel.
There is nothing to dredge and regulate the main channel of the river, which was originally used as the main channel of the canal.
The problem is that Wang Jinpeng planned two large and two small reservoirs, both of which are not on the canal route, and are as far away as more than ten kilometers away.
Zhu Zhujin immediately raised questions:
"Wang Gong, is there too much work on this reservoir?"
Wang Jinpeng also explained naturally:
“This is actually planned according to His Highness’s suggestion.
“The local climate is hot all year round, and precipitation is extremely high during the rainy season.
“If the river is not managed, flood peaks during the flood season may rush directly into the construction site.
“Not only will it be impossible to work during the rainy season, but the repaired rivers will also have to be reworked.
“So the river must be dredged in advance and the water source must be controlled with the reservoir.
“Release water at an acceptable speed during construction so that we can continue construction during the rainy season.
“The key is to be able to prevent river channels from being washed away by rainwater.
“After the four reservoirs are completed, two of the large reservoirs will be able to generate electricity to supply power in the canal project area.
“Two small reservoirs can be abandoned or used for aquaculture.
“The amount of reservoir work is not large, especially for the two small reservoirs, which is similar to building two sections of dams.
“Relatively speaking, when dealing with these rivers and water, the lock solution is more troublesome than this.
“But during the construction process, these rivers and water sources must also be controlled, and temporary reservoirs must be built.
“But when it is finally completed, this entire area and the three reservoirs in it will be connected into one.
"Turn this into a large reservoir that will serve as the ultimate canal channel."
During the construction of the historical Panama Canal, the reservoir "Gatun Lake" was built.
The canal project culminated in the "Lake Alajuela" reservoir.
Now Wang Jinpeng's project planning and ship lock plan also build a complete Gatun Lake.
If the canal is kept open for a long time, it will be divided into three parts.
Zhu Zhujin felt that Wang Jinpeng's explanation made sense, so he read the relevant instructions carefully.
The main reason is that after looking at the budget allocation, there are indeed no exaggerated figures. It is impossible to make big money here.
So Zhu Dijin accepted this statement:
"I understand what Mr. Wang means. After we start construction, we will first cut down trees, build roads, and build reservoirs. Then when can the main project of the canal start?"
Wang Jinpeng already knew it in his heart, so he said directly without hesitation:
“If there are enough workers, we can basically start work at the same time, with the front group cutting down trees, clearing the site, and building fences.
“The following ones built railways and roads, and at the same time built reservoirs, and the last ones started building canals.
“But early workers are obviously not available, and explosives and various engineering equipment also need time to be in place.
"It is estimated that the canal construction will start at least half a year later. The key depends on how many workers you can find as soon as possible."
Zhudi Jin suddenly felt the pressure on her body again:
"Then I can only say that as soon as possible, we will send everyone in Panama first.
"Works such as logging and installing barbed wire don't require complicated technology or large machinery. Someone can do it..."
When Judy Jin said this, she seemed to realize something:
"No, you don't have to wait for me to go back, work can start right now.
"I'll go to the telegraph room right away, use the radio to contact that place, and ask the ink slaves there to go logging now.
"Start recruiting people to work now. As long as the local Yin people can get three silver coins, they should be 'willing' to chop down trees and dig soil.
"I will not go back to Panama City. I will go directly with the Xintianfu militia to arrest people around Mahu.
“Uncle Dashi’s intention is obviously to clean up that area thoroughly first.”
When Zhu Dijin had an idea, he took action immediately and wrote an arrangement with Wang Jinpeng to send it to Panama.
Before the Ming Dynasty took over Panama, there were about 200,000 people there.
Among them, there are about 20,000 Taixi people, and about 50,000 mixed descendants of Taixi and Yin people.
There were about 80,000 pure indigenous Yin people, and finally there were more than 50,000 Mo slaves and free Mo people.
After the Ming Dynasty took over, most of the Thai people had left, and they basically went directly to the northern Mexico region.
Many Taixi people actually did not want to leave, but they were driven away by Ming soldiers.
If it's a place like Brazil, it's not easy for the Westerners to go to Western Europe or Mexico, so they are given the choice to stay.
But Panama is right next to Mexico, and Ming Dynasty cannot easily allow them to stay.
At that time, the mixed-blood Yin people living in the city, as well as those who believed in God, either took the initiative to follow the Taixi people to Mexico, or they were driven away by the Ming Dynasty officers and soldiers together with the Taixi people.
The Yin people belong to the extreme edge of the Ming ethnic group, and those who have mixed blood with the Westerners are even more unacceptable.
As for those who have believed in God, they cannot stay. It is already difficult or even impossible to wash them back.
Mainly, the officials of Ming Dynasty and the managers of Huangzhuang did not want to spend energy in this direction.
There are currently between 50,000 and 60,000 Yin people left in the local area, and most of them are relatively "wild" and have not been domesticated by the Taixi people before.
When the Taixi people left, they also took most of the Mexican slaves with them.
During the boom of the Mexican slave trade in the United States, a batch of these Mexican slaves were sold to the United States.
But there are still more than 20,000 Mexican slaves left in the area.
Mainly those whose masters had too many slaves and were confiscated, as well as the Mo people who had originally obtained all their freedoms.
After the Ming Dynasty took over the place, the males among these Mo people were purified, and the females were also controlled separately.
After the Ming Dynasty took over Panama, it immediately began to immigrate to the local area from the mainland, North Yinzhou, and Nanyinzhou.
In addition to the five-guard Ming garrison, there are now almost 80,000 Ming people in the local area.
Counting 50,000 to 60,000 Yin people and more than 20,000 Mo people, the total resident population is about 150,000 to 60,000, plus more than 200,000 soldiers.
Therefore, the canal project plan made by Wang Jinpeng included a maximum construction period of 150,000 people, which was calculated based on the local population.
When Zhu Zhujin and Wang Jinpeng went to Xintianfu to meet Zhu Jingyuan, they certainly did not take the entire management and design team with them.
After the news about Zhu Zhujin and Wang Jinpeng was sent to Panama City, the remaining local management and design teams immediately took action.
He hired Ming workers who had originally followed him to survey the environment, and took the remaining Mo slaves to cut trees along the canal route.
The direct purpose of the Ming Dynasty's immigration to Panama was to dig a canal and at the same time occupy the land of Panama with its own people.
Before the official start of the canal, these immigrants began to carry out infrastructure construction in Panama after arriving in Panama.
Build more residential areas and warehouses to prepare for more workers and store more supplies.
During the survey of the canal route, some immigrants followed to help.
Of course, no one knows exactly how to open the canal until the craftsmen's survey task is completed.
But roughly where the canal was to be built was clear to almost everyone.
The idea of this canal has existed for more than two hundred years, and the ideal location has of course been figured out long ago.
Wang Jinpeng's survey is to confirm the details on the route, local soil layer, altitude, water body information, and calculate the project volume, etc.
On both sides of the mountains in the central region of the Isthmus of Panama are the Chagres River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean, and the Rio Grande, which flows to the Pacific Ocean.
The closest distance between the two upper tributaries of the river is less than five kilometers.
As long as these five kilometers are dug through, the smallest canal can theoretically be built.
But to allow large ships to pass, it must be dug deep and wide, more than twenty meters downward and hundreds of meters to both sides.
However, the two rivers defined the canal's course, and early work on the project could be carried out along the rivers.
