Chapter 669 - 508: Interference
After inspecting Dili’s agricultural development, Arthur moved on to examine the state of its livestock farming, railways, and transportation infrastructure.
Thanks to stellar support from Australasia’s robust local livestock industry, Dili’s livestock farming has flourished.
Sir Henry, the rancher from Dili who generously donated his cattle and sheep during the influenza period, has found his livestock business thriving after being awarded the Victoria Memorial Medal and a knighthood. His efforts have garnered strong backing from the Timor government.
Currently, Sir Henry is not just the largest rancher in Dili, but also a member of the Timor Colonial Parliament. His status and position have soared considerably, gaining him immense respect in Timor.
Naturally, a visit to Henry’s ranch was unavoidable when Arthur surveyed Dili’s livestock industry.
Arthur had tremendous respect for this patriot, who was so generous during the influenza crisis. He had words of encouragement for Sir Henry, which left him feeling deeply touched.
Undoubtedly, being encouraged by Arthur, who holds an unchallenged position in Australasia, provided a boasting point in the coming years for those fortunate enough to receive it.
In fact, someone like Sir Henry might boast about it for a lifetime, given how rare it is for Arthur to personally meet and encourage anyone. In this regard, Sir Henry already has a substantial lead over others.
The development of the livestock industry is not something Arthur worries about. Represented by Sir Henry, the ranchers of Dili are proactively developing their livestock industry.
The fact that Australasia itself is a powerhouse in livestock farming naturally eliminates worries about the development of and challenges faced by the livestock industry.
Next, he checked Timor’s transportation situation.
Before the influx of immigrants, Dili had only one city — Emperor’s Power City — and a modest infrastructure. But the massive influx of immigrants has led to the development of two cities of different sizes and five villages, all of which are still expanding.
This has indirectly increased Dili’s transportation pressure. Previously, with just one city, the only requirement was to build city roads in Emperor’s Power City.
But now, roads need to be laid to connect cities and villages, and corresponding railways need to be built. After all, this is an island that spans a whopping 30,000 square kilometers. The future population is expected to be in the hundreds of thousands and might even exceed a million.
Without trains, satisfying the transportation demands of the entire island would be challenging.
Moreover, in the future, there will be a need for airports to ensure that the communication time with the mainland is minimized.
The Timor government has done pretty well in terms of infrastructure development. After all, it’s just a few small cities and villages connected by roads along with two city-connected railways. Not only is the distance short, but the manpower and resources consumed are also not too demanding.
Construction on Dili’s roads began in earnest when the Indigenous Peoples were there.
Although most indigenous people have been repatriated now, Dili’s transportation development has not regressed.
Interestingly, although it is only an island, the number of cars in Dili, boosted by the Timor Colonial Government, is not low.
Despite a population of merely 120,000, there are almost 2,000 vehicles in Dili. Most of these were purchased by the Timor Colonial Government and the engineering teams and are mid-to-small-sized trucks.
While there are over a hundred private cars, they are mostly owned by government officials and a minority of Timor’s high-income group, such as the nobility represented by Sir Henry.
After being conferred with a knighthood, Sir Henry immediately bought a Benz automobile, not only to show support for Arthur but also to present a well-to-do image.
After all, as a nobleman, how can one not own an automobile that signifies a high-income group?
This has indirectly improved the sales of Benz Car Factory in Australasia.
The Benz cars have always represented high performance at a low price. Not only do they cost less than other cars, but their performance and stability are also superior.
The current sales of Benz cars have exceeded ten million units. The profit accrued to Arthur from these sales is incalculable.
A quick approximation suggests that with a profit of 35-45 pounds per car, the sale of over ten million units would have made Arthur more than 300 million pounds.
Although some amount must be shared with a few auto factories that collaborated and account for Benz’s shares, Arthur could still have made close to two hundred million pounds in profit. This is a significant reason for the massive expansion of the Royal financial group.
With the Royal financial group break down into several smaller groups, even Arthur is uncertain about the size of the wealth he now controls.
All Arthur knows is that his income could surpass that of the Australasian government at any moment should he desire so.
Remember, Australasia has already entered the league of great powers and is now firmly among the top five.
If Arthur’s personal income can surpass that of an entire country, this is the real definition of being rich enough to challenge a nation.
Returning to the development of the Benz Car Factory, the landmark Benz One is truly the most representative car of today. It is also the most famous and highest-selling car.
Accompanied by over ten years of sales, the Benz One has become the first choice for numerous European and American households for travel.
Even middle-class families, after having taken care of the basic necessities of life, are highly likely to opt for a car for their commuting needs. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
After over ten years of development, car prices have come down significantly, making them completely affordable for the middle class.
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