Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 265: Aftermath (Part )

December 12, Black Shark Island (now Guadalupe Island, Mexico).

When Captain John Stone of the Beagle set foot on this seemingly desolate island, the surprise on his face became increasingly apparent.

Unexpectedly, such a desolate island has such a large fortress built and more than a hundred armed soldiers stationed there.

Deep down in his heart, he couldn't help but feel a stronger interest in this "pirate force" that called itself New Continent China.

"Perhaps, they can really bring us sustained and substantial benefits." John Stone took a deep breath and followed Mr. Han towards the fortress ahead.

A month earlier, they had successfully defeated the Spanish resistance and captured Panama City after suffering only minor casualties.

Sadly, they arrived a few days late.

Large amounts of gold and silver from Peru have been transported by mule and horse teams across the jungle-covered Isthmus of Panama to Porto Bello on the Atlantic side.

So they could only set their sights on Panama City and its nearly a thousand residents.

The town hall, treasury, church, merchants' houses, and many ordinary residents' homes were completely looted by them.

Gold coins, silver coins, jewels, accessories, and countless personal valuables were all picked up and then piled up in the city hall in different categories, and the spoils were divided according to the pre-agreed distribution ratio.

The Indian allies of the new Chinese people received almost all the production and living materials, from the captured muskets, gunpowder, and swords, to the cloth, food, farm tools they urgently needed, and even the tableware, hardware, and tools used in daily life. Even the towels, shoes and socks used by the Spanish residents were not spared, and all were prepared to be packed up and taken away.

The English received gold and silver coins and their equivalents worth about 20,000 pounds. The harvest was not too abundant, but it was barely acceptable.

After all, this landing and robbery did not seem to be very difficult, and there were no major casualties.

At most, it's just a waste of some ammunition.

In the following two days, they followed the Indians to attack several Spanish estates around Panama City and looted thousands of pounds of property.

After staying there for four days, they estimated that the nearby towns and cities should have received the news and started organizing the army and militia to rush towards Panama City. Everyone then prepared to pack up and evacuate to avoid retaliation from the Spanish.

Just when the English were thinking about whether to continue heading north to the more prosperous Mexican region to plunder, the new Chinese extended an invitation to them, saying that they wanted to do some business with them.

The Xinhua claimed that they had a secret base near Mexico, where they stockpiled a large amount of oriental goods, some of which they could sell to the English and bring back to Europe to make huge profits.

John Stone was skeptical after hearing this, wondering if the New Chinese wanted to rob their fellow criminals and trick them into going to that secret base, where they would kill them, seize their ship, and take away their hard-earned wealth.

You say that a robbery pirate gang has gold, silver and valuables in their hands, so who the hell would hoard a large amount of oriental goods?
During this period, there were not many people who could trade in Oriental goods. The Dutch were one, the Portuguese were one, and the Spanish were half (engaged in trans-Pacific trade). Could it be that you New Chinese are also doing this!
When Mr. Han was questioned by him, he burst out laughing and pointed his finger at him, mocking them for being blind.

He mentioned that since five or six years ago, they have been shipping large quantities of oriental goods to the Americas, and then selling them to Peru, New Spain, and even mainland Europe through Spanish smuggling partners.

If calculated based on the total value of goods, they provided almost 50% to 60% of the Spanish re-export trade.

However, they were currently engaged in a war with the Spanish American colonial authorities, so they temporarily interrupted trade and subsequently stockpiled a large amount of oriental goods.

To be honest, John Stone and others were very tempted by the suggestions of the new Chinese.

Dealing in oriental products is definitely a highly profitable industry during this period!

Although the pirate business requires no capital investment and the way to make money is quick and easy, if you are lucky, you can be like Drake, a veteran in the industry, who can not only reap a fortune that ordinary people can hardly imagine, but also be canonized by the royal family, which is a great ending with both fame and fortune.

However, this promising career comes with extremely high risks. You may encounter fierce resistance from the hijacked merchant ships, resulting in casualties. You may also be hunted down by the Spanish Navy, leaving you with nowhere to hide and living in constant fear.

If caught, they would definitely be hanged at the port without any chance of mercy.

Furthermore, pirates' income was highly unstable, with successful robberies limited in number. Furthermore, as the Spanish and other navies intensified their offensives, piracy became increasingly difficult. Even more detrimental to all pirates was the fact that when they tried to sell their looted goods, they would be ripped off by unscrupulous merchants, who would charge them less than 30% of the original value.

Coupled with sea storms and various diseases, the mortality rate was still very high.

In other words, being a pirate is a job that requires you to hang your head on your belt, and it is exchanging your life for an uncertain future (wealth).

If there is a better option, where you can make a lot of money without having to live on the edge of a knife, which good person would be willing to become a pirate?

The Eastern trade was basically monopolized by the Dutch East India Company. The lucrative spice trade, the silk and porcelain trade of the Ming Dynasty, the indigo, pepper and saltpeter business of India, and the silver trade of Japan were all controlled by the Dutch, squeezing out many European partners.

That is, the British East India Company established several trading posts in India through its connections with the upper echelons of the Mughal Empire, barely maintaining some marginal trade, but the profits earned were not high.

As for the Caribbean and the American continent, the Kingdom of Spain strictly adhered to the principle of "keeping the meat in the pot" and prohibited any European country from trading in their colonial territories.

Of course, you can also, like many European businessmen, avoid the inspection of Spanish officials, engage in smuggling secretly, and earn some hard-earned money.

But the profits from the smuggling trade were not very high. It was time-consuming and laborious to travel back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean, and it was not as profitable as making money from robbery.

Moreover, not everyone is qualified to participate in the smuggling business in the Americas. Many routes and trade commodities require government approval and a stable supply of goods.

Without a deep background and extensive business channels, ordinary people simply cannot get involved.

Being a pirate is relatively simple. All you need is a large ship with some weapons, a group of hard-working people who are brave enough to go to sea and fight, and then apply for a privateering license from the Minister of the Navy or a maritime official, pay a full deposit, and you can go to the depths of the ocean to "harvest" your own wealth.

At present, the capture licenses issued by the English royal family only target Spanish subjects, and it is strictly forbidden to plunder merchant ships of the country's subjects, friendly or allied countries.

Otherwise, if they are found to have captured an inappropriate target, the deposit they paid before going to sea may be confiscated, or they may even be tried in a maritime court.

You see, although being a pirate doesn’t require much investment, the returns are not high either, and it is also subject to many restrictions. Not everyone can successfully replicate Drake’s “great feat”.

After John Stone and others followed the new Chinese into Shajing Fort, they ignored their fatigue after the long voyage and immediately couldn't wait to see the oriental goods they had stored there.

Several huge warehouses were opened one after another, and the shelves were filled with bundles of silk and rolls of raw silk, as well as various crystal clear and beautifully shaped porcelains, and barrels of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. from the Spice Islands.

A rough calculation showed that even if the Beagle and Carmarthen they were driving were fully loaded - of course, the premise was that they had sufficient purchasing funds - they might not be able to empty it.

"We're rich!" John Stone and Captain Samuel Nelson of the "Carmarthen" looked at each other, and both of them showed ecstasy on their faces.

Although no one knows exactly how much profit the Dutch made from their Oriental merchandise business, countless people with ulterior motives can still infer from the amount of dividends they gave to shareholders that the Dutch must have made unimaginable profits.

Spices were one of the most important commodities of the Dutch East India Company, with profit margins usually reaching 8 to 10 times, or even 20 times.

Silk from the East (China and India) is highly sought after in the European market for its high quality and exquisite craftsmanship, especially raw silk and finished silk from the Ming Dynasty, which are particularly popular, with profit margins conservatively estimated to be 5 to 10 times.

As for Ming Dynasty porcelain, it was regarded as a luxury by European countries, especially blue and white porcelain and painted porcelain. Its price was far higher than the purchase cost at the place of production, and the profit was as high as 10-15 times.

The Dutch East India Company's ships that returned from the East every year were called mobile gold ships by many coveters.

Such high profits not only made the Dutch East India Company one of the richest companies in the world at that time, but also made it the leader of global trade, making all European merchants jealous and crazy.

"If you're interested, we can provide sufficient supply for anyone willing to deal in Oriental goods." Han Jian said with a smile, "I believe this is a great opportunity for you."

"Although this trade involved certain risks, such as the possibility of being intercepted by the Spanish, and the need to circumnavigate the entire American continent, covering tens of thousands of miles and crossing the treacherous Strait of Magellan, trafficking in highly profitable Eastern goods was ultimately more profitable than piracy, with more stable and sustainable returns."

"You chose to become privateers primarily because you lack opportunities in legitimate trade and lack suitable trading channels. Well, we now offer you a stable supply of goods at favorable prices. I believe this will make you a better choice."

(End of this chapter)