The journey starts from the Titanic

Meihua Company suffered a lot of trade losses. Goods exceeding US$500,000 could not leave the port on time. The raw silk, tea and other materials we imported from China often failed to arrive on time.

The California shipping company's flights have been partially delayed. Some crew members have been infected. Often one person gets sick, and it spreads to the entire ship within a few days.We lost 50 crew members (sickness) and two of them suffered misfortune.The amount lost in shipping is close to US$200,000.

The most serious is the California Steel Company under Bethlehem United Steel Company. Our steel base in Fangta has become the hardest hit area.

Due to negligence, more than 100 workers were infected and 5 deaths...

These are the losses in California.In addition, the losses of the Eastern Equity Energy Company, Chrysler Company, Kodak Company, and Texas Occidental Petroleum Company cannot be counted for a while, but it is estimated that it will be more serious than here in California."

When he said this, Lin Yimin's voice became even lower, and he dared not make contact with Situ Nan's gloomy eyes."California has lost millions of dollars, and the east will lose at least millions of dollars. So, according to the current situation, this damn flu alone will cost us tens of millions of dollars?" Stuart Looked at Lin Yimin.

"I'm afraid this is the case, master! Another point is that, because of the flu epidemic, Meihua has now had to stop importing Chinese labor into the United States. After arriving in Hawaii, some ships were diverted to Panama to the Caribbean.

However, according to Chu Fu from BP Fruit Company, the epidemic has also begun to spread in South America, and many workers began to catch colds shortly after landing.He suggested temporarily stopping the import of Chinese labor."

"Okay! The immigrants to South America stopped in advance, but we can't stop eating because of choking. Let's go to Nanyang! Transport all Chinese laborers to Nanyang. Didn't Meihua company set up a large farm on Sumatra? Where is the need? A lot of manpower."

Situ South Road.Frowning, he was caught off guard by the Spanish flu. Not only was production in the United States affected, but overseas investments were also facing severe tests.Except that the Nanyang reclamation plan is fairly smooth, the oil development projects of Cuba's BP Fruit Company and Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo have been more or less disrupted.

The Spanish flu is really harmful!Why do you forget this thing?Situ Nan was a little upset.

The William Consortium alone has lost more than 10 million yuan, and other consortia in the United States have also lost a lot. Then the entire United States has lost even more. What if the scope is expanded to the world?How many people will die?

million?Million?Over 100 million?

Situ Nan thought for a while, but finally there was no answer.But he is sure that this is a catastrophe in human history!More serious than the ongoing world war in Europe!

"I really can't afford it!" Situ Nan sighed.

In contrast, the loss of the William Consortium was not so great.For Stuart, the loss of more than ten million US dollars was not enough to hurt the bones. The Bethlehem United Steel Company alone made more than 30 million US dollars in profits in the first half of 1918.

However, some losses cannot be measured by money or numbers, and Situ Nan could not turn a blind eye to them in any case.He felt that he should do something.

"Notify the major companies to pay close attention to the epidemic and do a good job of prevention. Notify Robles Securities to start life insurance business, and their opportunity is here. In principle, all our employees should have an insurance.

Also, set up the William Charity Foundation with an initial funding of 2 million US dollars, and donate 1 million US dollars to the Friends of Women, the Red Cross and other charitable organizations in the name of the foundation. You will later give Eleanor Roosevelt in my name. Send the report and she will know what to do."

Situ Nan told Lin Yimin.In the end, he acted selfishly and hinted that Lin Yimin first rescued the two major cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles.Especially don't miss Chinatown, treat everyone equally!

"This is a good opportunity! It can improve the image of Chinatown. Tell Zeng Limin and pass on my words to him. The Chinatown area needs to be cleaned up, to do some sanitation, and cooperate with the police to clean up the guys who usually do bad things on the street. Let the public feel the new image of Chinatown.

I can't come forward on this matter, and he is not easy to come forward personally. You can organize donations, volunteers and other charities in the name of Meihua Company or Zhi Gong Party.

This is very important to win the recognition of the public and to improve the relationship with the government.When the time comes, find a government official to attend, make a show, and let the newspaper say some good things. I believe that after some effort, others' image of the Chinese will change.The general idea is like this. You can explain to them to handle this matter flexibly, and you don't need to stick to what I said."

"I understand, young master." Lin Yimin nodded, understanding.

Chapter 214 Giant Medicine and Li Renqiao

The Spanish flu is raging around the world. After the Spanish government announced the flu epidemic, the governments of various countries have more or less announced the flu situation. Prior to this, because of the war, the governments of Britain, France, Germany and Italy deliberately concealed the flu epidemic.

Newspapers about the flu were all over the world for a while, and the level of attention even surpassed the several key victories of the coalition forces in the European battlefield.

Public panic, rumors, and gossip spread rapidly, and many people claimed that humans were killing each other, causing anger and resentment, and God was going to punish humans.

The credibility of the government is facing a great test. Officials from the Ministry of Health have successively convened medical scientists from Harvard University, the Rockefeller Institute of Medical Research and other major institutions to discuss ways. Unfortunately, apart from passive response, there was no better way to invent it. An effective treatment for Spanish flu has become a world problem.

But there are some people who don't care about it. For example, a certain chemist will not pay attention to such trivial matters as flu.

In the suburbs of Los Angeles, there is a pharmaceutical factory called Giant, which mainly produces medical supplies such as gauze and first aid triangle kits.Although the products are ordinary, they are of good quality and large in supply, so they have received many orders from the military.In particular, the triangular first aid kit produced in accordance with Situ Nan's instructions at the time has become an essential item for the U.S. military's logistics procurement, saving many soldiers' lives.

Since its opening in 1913, Giant Pharmaceutical Factory has been expanding with the support of military orders. From a simple workshop with only 30 workers to a factory with 2,000 employees five years later.

However, Giant has a single product. The products are mainly emergency triangle bags and medical cotton yarns. They are not too high-tech and seem to have little development potential.Such small companies abound in the William Consortium, so Situ Nan has almost never paid attention to it.

If there is anything special about this giant company, it seems to be very lucky.Since the establishment of the factory, it has received orders from Europe.The Spanish flu that is spreading all over the world now makes the masks produced by Giant out of stock.

It seems that the enthusiasm of the giant company can continue for some time.However, relying on the production of low-level products such as masks, although the current market is very good, after all, it is a bit misleading, and it is not a big pharmaceutical company, let alone a giant.

In addition to the poorly-named pharmaceutical factory, Giant also has a dye factory. Well, it specializes in the production of a red dye called Bailangduoxi. It also earns a little bit from selling it to textile factories every year. It can barely maintain the production of the factory, let alone No breakthrough development.

However, these are the rules set by Situ Nan. Giant has always abide by this regulation. In fact, the entire Giant’s management does not have much sense of innovation.However, in recent years, the market has been good, and the Giant Company is still alive and well.

The strangest thing is that there is a large-scale laboratory under the name of Giant, but the research is not about medical drugs, but irrelevant chemical technology, which is really unsatisfactory.

However, over time, the giant company and the laboratory have gradually adapted to this awkward relationship.Because the funds of the chemical laboratory have always been independent, Situ Nan invested a lot of research funds a few years ago and commissioned Li Renqiao to research a red dye.

After Li Renqiao succeeded, he handed over the technology to Giant.The people at Giant Company were also bored at first, and since Situ Nan had something to say before, they invested in a dye factory.

They had reported this to Situ Nan, but at that time Situ Nan was busy with Occidental Petroleum, so he forgot to go back and forth.Having successively owned large companies such as Robles Securities, Wells Fargo, Bethlehem Steel, and so on, Situ Nan took the tiny giant company outside of Los Angeles.

The Giant Lab has always had nothing to do with the Giant Company. The well water does not interfere with the river water. Although they are very close, they usually have no contact.

There are several senior chemical engineers in the Giant Lab, and they are all top talents in the industry.Unfortunately, because of a technology, they hardly paid attention to the outside world.

This technology is industrial synthetic ammonia. Only Germany has this technology in the world, and no other countries have it.The Germans rely on the industrial synthetic ammonia technology to be able to produce countless explosives after the sea saltpeter trade is cut off. This is one of their confidence to continue fighting.

Following the success of the Germans, chemists all over the world are studying the technology of industrial synthetic ammonia, but unfortunately not many results have been achieved.

"Oh, the experiment failed again. Damn it, why is it so a little bit worse? Didn't find a more suitable catalyst or did the temperature not get high enough?"

Li Renqiao grabbed his long, greasy hair and said annoyedly.The other team members nearby couldn’t help sighing. They have spent almost five years on this project and invested hundreds of thousands of dollars, but it feels just a little bit worse. It seems that there is a thin layer of paper, but it can’t be broken. .

"I feel that we are almost succeeding. Guys! Everyone, look back at the experiment, every step, every formula is recalculated, next time we will be successful."

Li Renqiao cheered up.Although he has said this countless times, he and his team members firmly believe that they will succeed.

Well, this is a group of scientific madmen, even if there is a world war outside, even if the street flu in Los Angeles is raging, they cannot be distracted.

In the early morning of this day, Li Renqiao walked out of the laboratory with bloodshot eyes, intending to find something to eat in the dining hall of the giant pharmaceutical factory opposite. He spent another sleepless night in order to recalculate a chemical reaction formula.

"Mr. Li Renqiao?" Just as Li Renqiao was walking and thinking, a voice interrupted his thoughts. He raised his head and saw a young Asian man looking at him with a smile, but compared with the other's vigor, he I was so desperate to think of a tramp.

"I am. Anything?" Li Renqiao asked lightly.

"I am Mr. Situ Nan's secretary, my name is Lin Yimin. Is it convenient for Mr. Situ Nan to see you? If possible, let's go!" Lin Yimin said politely.

Following the direction of the opponent's eyes, Li Renqiao saw a brand new car not far away.

"Situ Nan wants to see me? When will he be in Los Angeles?" Li Renqiao said to himself, and when he said the last sentence, he laughed, because he hadn't left the laboratory for half a year. Situ Nan returned to Los Angeles. I definitely won't know.Except for experiments, he doesn't care about other things.

"Okay! This car is not bad, it looks like that kid sent it again!" Li Renqiao smiled and got into the car generously.

"Lin Yimin, right? You are Situ Nan's new secretary? Tell me how he is doing? I haven't seen him for several years." Li Renqiao asked Lin Yimin about Situ Nan.

Speaking of it, Li Renqiao is a few years older than Situ Nan. When Situ Nan and Robles were at Harvard, Li Renqiao was a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology next door.However, in the past few years, he has been in the laboratory and has hardly contacted Situ Nan.After Situ Nan left a research fund for the laboratory, he left it aside.

Before coming, Situ Nan and Lin Yimin briefly talked about Li Renqiao, knowing that Li Renqiao is a technical madman.