Chapter 64: Chekov London

　　 In 1891, the British Empire was still in full swing, the economy and culture were in its heyday, and the "empire that never sets in the sun" was worthy of the name.
　　 The whole world is shrouded in the shadow of the British Empire. Although the bears still claim to be challengers, France is engaged in small moves in East Africa, and Germany's quiet activities in South Africa are still crushed to death!
　　 is like the same London minor:
　　 Oh, Britain’s greatest wealth
　　 is undoubtedly an honest worker...
　　 saw thousands of people meet
　　 really happy
　　……
　　 (Forget it, let’s omit it, it’s a nice little tune, the translation has become nondescript!)
　　 During this period, London was the most prosperous city in the world. Londoners are sharing the prosperity and hope brought by the industrial revolution in the first half century.
　　 People’s diet has also changed. In addition to potatoes and bread, beef and lamb have also come to people’s tables, and milk has become a daily necessity.
　　 Housing conditions have also improved, soap prices have become cheaper, houses have become tidy, and individuals have begun to pay attention to hygiene.
　　The people live and work in peace and contentment. The increase in wages allows people to cope with their daily expenses and have spare capacity to pursue decency.
　　 In short, everything is going for the better.
　　 In Chekov’s eyes, London, as the capital of the British Empire, is the "dream city" in the hearts of elites all over the world.
　　 On October 28, 1891, the Bulgarian delegation headed by Chekov arrived in the "dream city"-London.
　　 The thick smoke fills, and it really feels like a dream. Oh, it's a pity that there is a strange smell mixed with it, destroying this beautiful scenery.
　　 I am proud of the good relations between the two countries. The Chekov delegation came to make a big purchase again this time, so they received good treatment.
　　 The British Foreign Secretary-Robert Arthur Gascoyne-Sisi hosted a welcome banquet for them.
　　 Oh, there are still many people attending the banquet, and the British business industry has sent representatives.
　　 Well, Chekov found that he was thinking too much, and he was not taken seriously as he thought. Although there are a lot of people, most of them are capitalists. The goal is very clear, which is the order. The charm of money is unlimited.
　　 Feasting, this kind of life is really not suitable for Chekov, nor is it suitable for the delegation. They have never seen such a scene before, so they can only be cautious, for fear of saying the wrong thing and being laughed at.
　　 A group of Bulgarian elites instantly turned into buns at the banquet. Although it may be a gentleman's demeanor, no one said anything; but the contempt in his bones still inadvertently revealed in his eyes.
　　 Honest man, Chekov, waited until the dinner was over before dragging his exhausted body back to the hotel, awake all night.
　　In the early morning, the fog is white and humid, and then it becomes more like smoke. The small particles in the air are mixed with soot, making people's breath feel dry and stinging.
　　 At some intersections, the traffic was completely blocked and people had to abandon some buses and trucks.
　　 Chekov’s London dream is shattered, and neither the feasting upper class society nor the terrible air is acceptable to him.
　　 London's smog not only harms human health, but also poses a threat to buildings. The soot in the smog can blacken the building, and the smog contains a lot of sulfide, which becomes acidic when combined with water vapor, forming an acid mist that is lethal to the building, which can gradually erode the building.
　　 In order to combat the smog, the British also specially developed anti-corrosion building materials. In fact, the smog in London lasted until after World War II before it was managed.
　　The cause is also very strange, the German blockade, London lacks fuel. The British government has adopted a strict rationing system to control coal burning and promote electric energy.
　　 The dream is broken by far more than one Chekov. As long as anyone who has been to London in the 19th century, it is difficult to mention a good impression.
　　……
　　 No matter what the weather is, work will continue. In order to leave London as soon as possible, the delegation exerted twelve points of energy to negotiate with the capitalists.
　　 Oh, Robert Arthur Gascoigne-Sisi, the big man, except for showing up at the welcome banquet, he never talked about Chekov and others.
　　 No way, why does Bulgaria have a low presence? The Bulgarian cabinet minister is not yet qualified to be personally received by the foreign minister of the British Empire. If the cabinet ministers of Germany, France, and Russia are changed, the treatment will be different.
　　……
　　 Since the British inventor Bessemer invented the low-cost converter steelmaking method in the 1950s, Britain has gradually become the world's steel center, and the steel industry has also become an important contribution to the British economy.
　　Chekov’s purpose is to first go to the British steel plant to do a field investigation. The results of the Bulgarian iron ore test have already come out. He needs to tailor the complete set of equipment based on the actual situation.
　　 Oh, although the government’s slogan is very loud, the annual output of steel is 500,000 tons. The equipment capacity that Chekov ordered this time was much smaller, with a capacity of only 100,000 tons.
　　……
　　 "Mr. Vic Thomas, we have checked the equipment of your company, and the quality is very good. But unfortunately, he is not suitable for us!" Chekov said with a regretful expression
　　 "Mr. Chekov, you must know that the machines in our factory are the best in the world..." Victor introduced diligently
"However, it is also the most expensive in the world! Although in terms of production capacity, your company's products have the highest tapping rate, but the maintenance cost is also the highest! We must comprehensively cost-effective, and using your machine, the coke requirements are too high! "Chekov tears through Vic Thomas
　　 Obviously, the Bulgarian delegation was regarded as a fat sheep. The capitalists don't need to consider their morals, and Vic Thomas has no burdens in his heart.
　　 If there is no accompanying professional, it is estimated that Chekov has been pitted by Vic Thomas.
　　 Like all passionate intellectuals, Chekov also likes to pursue the best and the most advanced, and often overlooks the cost-effectiveness.
　　 "Flashy"!
　　 This is the evaluation of the Victor Thomas equipment by peers, and there is no buyer in the UK.
　　 Of course, Vic Thomas himself knew better that this set of equipment was only a test product, and many technical difficulties had not been overcome.
　　 In order to avoid the patents of the Bessemer converter and the Siemens-Martin open-hearth furnace, the Victor Thomas factory had a big brainstorming and was preparing to develop more advanced technology, but it was later discovered that it could not be done.
The experimental products developed in the early stage can not be wasted, and they are all used, so this set of equipment has been added: the material is sent to the top of the blast furnace with a hoist, and belt conveyors, trains and hand-cranked rail cars are used to move the furnace and The main rolling span.
　　 These technological advances have greatly increased the output of the blast furnace, and at the same time, due to the immature technology, the maintenance cost has also risen sharply.
　　 Vic Thomas seems to have been accustomed to being rejected, and continued to fight: "Mr. Chekov, I am very sincere and negotiate the price. It is only slightly higher than similar, but the production capacity has also been greatly improved!"
Chekov didn’t take this set. UU read www.uukanshu.com confessed to death and said:
What about the maintenance cost? At present, the increased production capacity and the increased cost are almost the same, and as time goes on, It may continue to increase!"
"But we are in stock! Mr. Chekov, if you want to order the equipment, it will not be completed until the end of next year at the earliest, plus the commissioning time, and then shipped to Bulgaria for installation. You will have to wait at least three years before it can be put into production!" Vik Thomas See the poor picture
　　 That's right, if it wasn't the spot, Chekov would have stopped talking to him. Bulgaria has no experience in establishing large-scale steel plants and underestimates in many aspects, including equipment ordering.
　　 Unless Chekov learns from Zhang Zhidong, he doesn’t know if he’s worthy of the package, so he’s forced to mount! But now he already knows that the quality of the ore must be taken into account in the factory equipment, otherwise the product qualification rate will be low and doubtful.
　　 Vic Thomas may not be the best choice, but it is indeed the most suitable for Bulgaria right now. Now that the showdown has already happened, it is natural to bargain.
　　…… (When talking about the price, hundreds of thousands of words are omitted, the author is afraid that this will be written out, so he will be scolded!)
　　 Finally, Chekov bought the complete set of equipment for two million pounds. It includes six large factories such as pig iron factory, hemp steel factory, steel factory, rail factory, iron cargo factory, wrought iron factory, etc., as well as machinery factory, cast iron factory, iron factory, fish fillet hook and nail factory, etc. .
　　 The procurement of supporting facilities for the steel plant is just one of the episodes. There are also many industries that have signed large and small procurement contracts, and there is no talk of taking advantage or losing money.
　　 Bulgaria obtained the industrial equipment needed for development, and the British capitalists made a fortune from it. The total purchase contract totaled 8 million pounds, which caused a sensation throughout London at that time.