The journey starts from the Titanic

Situ Nan turned around and warned Sinclair. He circled Algiers, the Mediterranean port of Algeria with a red pen, and then circled several basins in the southern desert area of ​​Algeria.

Before deciding to conduct oil exploration in Algeria, Chevron Petroleum commissioned a French geological prospecting team to enter the southern desert to investigate the local geographic structure and find some iron ore coal mines, but no oil fields.

This is normal. The previous geological explorations are only preliminary results. If you want to be real, you have to burn money to drill dozens or hundreds of exploration wells with a depth of hundreds of meters. Only large oil companies have the ability to conduct oil exploration.

Preliminary geological exploration results were enough for Situ Nan. After darkly contrasting several target areas, he roughly found an area with greater certainty.

"If you really find oil, what should I do next?" Sinclair asked casually, frowning, "The inland area is too far from the port."

"Let's talk about it if you find it! Someone will pay for it." Situ Nan encouraged.

"Okay! I believe we will have good luck." Sinclair laughed.

In order to enter the international market, Chevron Oil Company urgently needs to open up new oil sources in areas closer to Europe. Anyway, he cannot go back to the United States for the time being, and can only fight overseas with Situ Nan.

With the support of Situ Nan, Sinclair left France with the enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and went to North Africa. He first established a base of Chevron Petroleum in the port of Algiers, and then organized technicians from the United States to enter the southern desert. .

Chevron Petroleum's actions are in the eyes of the French, and they are happy to see the results.Soon after Sinclair left, another French giant came to his door.

"Mr. Renault, are you also interested in oil? I very much welcome you to join our adventure." As soon as I met Situ Nan, I quipped the largest French industrial giant.

"No!" Renault shook his head.

"Oh! That's a shame. The damn Africa is really not a suitable place for investment. I faintly regret it." Situ Nan's expression was a little disappointed, and he wondered what the old guy came from.

"Oh, no! In fact, I also like Africa. I came to you today to talk about cooperation in Africa!" Renault smiled.

"Please speak!" Situ Nan was a little confused.

It turned out that Renault was not interested in oil, but the iron ore found by Situ Nan in Africa. The steel resources in France were not rich enough, although they took back Lorraine and Alsace from the Germans.

Although the iron ore mines of Situ Nan in Algeria are far away from the port, they are of high grade and have reserves of up to 400 million tons. They are easy to mine. The only problem is transportation.

After calculations, Renault’s staff found that building a railway to enter the mining area could solve the transportation problem. Naturally, the Renault company would not be responsible for such a large investment in the construction of the railway. The best way is for the government to come forward and use government money to do things.

The best reason is to accelerate the development of the local economy and meet the supply of raw materials for French industry.

"Mr. Renault is so smart! To be honest, if it were not for bad traffic, I would also like to develop that iron ore." Situ Nan smiled, secretly admiring the influence of industrial giants like Renault.

"You make a price! I want to buy the iron ore in your hand." Reynolds said with air, looking at Situ Nan confidently.

Renault is famous for making cars and is also a large French steel manufacturer.

Limited by the output of iron ore, France has always been suppressed by Germany in the steel industry. Even the Germans under the pressure of the Versailles jump will not lose to the French in steel production.

The discovery of iron ore in Algeria allowed Renault to see the hope of expanding steel production. After obtaining the iron ore, it pushed the government to invest in the Algerian railway.

"Ask?" Situ Nan looked at Renault with an eager expression in amusement. It would be no big deal to give up the iron ore to the French. Anyway, he would not be able to develop the iron ore for a while.

"That's a good guy. It is said that the real reserves are much higher. I need to think about it before I can give an answer. However, I am willing to cooperate with Renault."

Situ Nan smiled and said, there was a sense of reservedness in his eyes. I didn't expect this guy to be uninterested in oil, but instead took a fancy to a few fresh iron ore?

"Okay! I hope to get an answer soon." Renault smiled and nodded without being discouraged. When he left, he left a sentence, "Without that iron ore, there would be no railway."

"I will think about it." Situ Nan put Renault in the car and understood what the other party meant, but something happened suddenly. Although he did not object to cooperating with Renault, he also considered it carefully and sold it at a good price.

In fact, if the railway can really be built, it will also help transport the oil from the south.Seeing the Renault car go away, Situ Nan thought to himself.

Renault's arrival was just a small episode in Paris. After Situ Nan consulted Algeria's iron ore report, he already had an idea in his heart and replied to Renault, willing to sell half of the shares to the other party for a price of 1 million US dollars.

Situ Nan’s offer did not exceed Renault’s upper limit. Renault responded positively and the two parties immediately completed the transaction.

As Renault promised, Renault is promoting the construction of related railways in Algeria soon.This plan has aroused the interest of some consortia.

The French National Petroleum Company, which has been following Chevron’s adventure in the southern desert, also showed a positive attitude towards the railway plan. They secretly prayed that Sinclair’s adventure would succeed, so that there would be even more reason to build a railway in Africa.

The French didn't have much interest in tossing Situ Nan in his back garden, even though he provoked it.Compared with the African Railway Project, he is more interested in China's Southwest Railway.

For this reason, he met with the shareholders of CABIC several times and convinced them to follow the model of the Guangdong-Guangxi Railway to build a railway from Guangxi to Yunnan while simultaneously connecting the Guangxi Railway and Annan Railway.

According to Situ Nan's plan, the ownership of the railway belongs to China. After the railway is completed, a French company can be employed to participate in the management, and the proceeds of the railway company can be used to return the debt of the French bank.

"Mr. William, this is not in line with our practice. You know that in Annan, we built a railway, and they are all..."

Peel, chairman of CAB Bank, shook his head.

"No! In fact, inviting French companies to participate in the management is already the biggest concession. Without the participation of Chinese people, they would not agree to build this railway, and they would not be supported by the people.

You know, the local people have a considerable impression that the railway passes through places. If their enthusiasm is hit, the project will be difficult to complete.You should have heard enough of the suffering during the construction of the Southern Yunnan Railway?"

Situ Nan retorted that he had already said something similar to the other party once.Had it not been for the deception of the French to invest money in infrastructure construction in the Southwest, he would have done it himself.

Peel hesitated. The Chinese had already built the Guangdong-Guangxi Railway. It shouldn't be too difficult to connect the Annan Railway to Nanning, Guangxi.In this way, the French power can extend along the railway to the more affluent Pearl River Delta and even Central China, which is greatly beneficial to strengthening the development of CAB Bank in China.

After all, the Guangdong-Guangxi Railway and the Yue-Han Railway are already connected, which means that the three places of Wuhan, Guangzhou Bay and Annan Saigon of CABIC will all be closely linked by railway...

Thinking of this, Peel secretly made a decision.However, his face was indifferent, and he bargained with Situ Nan: "Almost all the money is from us. I ask us to take 51% of the railway company's shares! This is very reasonable."

"No! Sir, I can only guarantee your 40% of the shares, and the local government will hold 30%. Of course, this part of the money is borrowed by you, and 10% is reserved for other international investors. The rest is from Chinese businessmen raise funds. At least legally, Chinese people’s shares must exceed 51%, so all parties are more satisfied, right?"

Situ Nan explained.

The railway from Guangxi to Yunnan and the railway from Guangxi to Annan will have a total investment of more than 20 million U.S. dollars due to the difficulty of the project. Without the French, the pressure will be greater.

"Okay! I'll go back and discuss with the shareholders." Peel nodded in satisfaction, and then left.

"Master, is this appropriate? The French are wolfish ambitions?" He Xiangu looked at Situ Nan with some worry, not optimistic about the negotiation with the French.

"It is not appropriate, but if the southern government maintains a tough attitude, the French will not be too arrogant. Letting the French occupy the nominal majority shareholder in exchange for the economic development after the railway is opened should be worthwhile.

Compared with the lost interests, the rise of Chinese businessmen in Annan is my favorite.The French develop our resources, don't we also get what we want from the resource-rich Annan area?"

Situ Nan explained with a smile.

A few days later, Peel replied to Situ Nan, and Alibaba Group agreed with Situ Nan's suggestion.Affected by this, the long-dormant Guangxi army began to march into the Yunnan border, and the war in the southwest began.

Chapter 24-Sun Liren's Arrival in Paris

The arrangements for the 1924 Paris Olympic Games were not as intensive as later generations. From May 4th to July 27th, Situ Nan could calmly arrange a lot of things during the period of time for Chinese athletes. Cheer for the outstanding performance in Paris!

In the just-concluded football knockout, the South China team ran into the better-skilled Swedish team. Unfortunately, they scored a goal at the last minute and were eliminated.

"Damn!" Dai Chuanxin stepped down from the arena with a look of irritation. He left his gloves on the ground fiercely, and kicked the door frame fiercely.

I almost saved the ball just now, just a little bit, I lost, and the results of 90 minutes of persistence were gone.

"It's a pity!" Zhang Bangxian said with regret. This team has become a banner of South China Sports and has an inspiring effect that cannot be underestimated in the Chinese world.