Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 20 New Industries
Abdullah and his entourage have left Austria. Over the past three weeks, they visited cities including Vienna, Prague, and Trieste, touring local schools, factories, parliaments, and other institutions. They also met with Archduke Charles of Austria (Emperor Ferdinand, who is known for his mental illness, rarely sees people).
This trip broadened their horizons. Religious figures, represented by Hariri, were shocked by the local religious situation; if it were Persia, it would have caused a huge uproar.

However, the local factories were indeed highly productive, and they needed such machines to revive the economy and boycott foreign goods. They also began to analyze everything they had witnessed.

They had by then arrived in Berlin and were preparing to meet with King Frederick William IV of Prussia.

They had arrived in Altmarkschenhausen, where the local mayor and Prussian Foreign Minister Karl were responsible for receiving them.

Welcome to Prussia!

According to the schedule, the delegation will stay here for a day before heading to Berlin to meet the King. The scenery here is beautiful, and the local people are mostly from the Junker class, so you can often see large estates.

These men formed the backbone of the Prussian military, and therefore the government treated them with exceptional favor. Of course, most of them were hot-tempered and prone to duels.

As Abdullah passed by a manor, the noise inside nearly deafened him.

"I'm saying, your people can't control themselves and come here to steal things. Don't you think you're taking me too seriously?"

"Where did you see that? That's your lie."

"Let's have a duel, let the guns in our hands decide who is right."

Abdullah had never heard such a loud noise before; it was like a lion's roar. He wanted to get out of there quickly to avoid being affected. Out of curiosity, he asked the mayor who lived there.

"You mean this guy? He's a tough one. I heard he dueled with others 19 times while he was in college. He was originally going to be a clerk, but he quit. After his mother passed away, he and his brother split the estate. But he has a terrible temper."

"What's this person's name?"

“…Hmm, Otto Edward Leopold von Bismarck? Yes, that’s him.”

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After deciding to tour the other three provinces, Nasser al-Din began sending messages to the destinations, demanding that all officials attend. He also brought a legion with him to demonstrate his strength.

A Persian newspaper began publication, named the National News of Iran. The first day's 500 copies sold out instantly. From Ulimah government officials to small vendors, anyone who could read would try to get a copy.

"I never imagined that the outside world was so vast, and that this could do a year's worth of work in a single day."

"That's not all. I heard they also have tools that can cover a hundred miles in a day, and all sorts of things we've never seen before. They're all made in the West."

"Sigh, why wasn't I sent abroad to study?" People dreamed of these advanced things, but also worried that they would change their originally peaceful lives. But when they thought of the oppression they suffered at the hands of Russia, they felt that it wasn't so bad after all.

Recently, many foreigners have been arriving in Tabriz, and the things they bring have aroused curiosity. One person promoted something called potatoes to them, saying that it yields more than wheat and can be cooked and eaten directly.

They didn't believe in such miraculous things, but the governor still supported the planting of potatoes. He also brought other planting methods and books, including knowledge of sericulture and forestry that could change the local situation.

"Your Excellency Amir, I sincerely suggest that you discuss with the Governor the possibility of extending the railway from Ardabil to Mazandran."

Railway engineer Scott explained the benefits to Amir: extending the railway would allow for faster freight transport, boost economic development, and facilitate quicker troop deployments. It was a brilliant plan that killed three birds with one stone; building only the Tabriz-Ardabil railway would be a waste.

"Mr. Scott, you must understand the effort the Governor put into building this railway. It was already a great achievement to have this railway at all, let alone extend it."

If the railway brings profits, the governor will continue construction; if not, he will have to pay for its demolition.

Upon hearing the word "demolition," Scott immediately objected, "Sir, I can assure you it's possible. You'll certainly reap many benefits from it, it just takes time."

"I hope the governor's choice is correct."

Scott explained railway construction to Amir, firstly, that railways cannot be straight. The Russian railway was built because the area was mostly plains, so there was little resistance. But in Persia, plateaus and mountains make up the majority of the terrain, so tunnels and bridges had to be dug, and the railway had to be routed around some areas before it could be completed.

Exploration is only the first step; then comes the raw materials. Rails, locomotives, sleepers, and other items all need to be imported. Tabriz is about 180 kilometers from Ardabil, and it is estimated that 120 million tomans will be needed.

The money came partly from the Governor's Office and partly from the Tabriz Bank. The initial funding was provided, and the remaining amount would be figured out later.

Amir's top priority is industry, and boycotting Russian goods is paramount. He also provided support when merchants established the Persian Industrial Confederation. A third of the newly published newspapers are dedicated to industry.

Ten months have passed since the beginning of the year, and 233 new factories have been established in Azerbaijan, primarily in the textile and silk industries. The country also saw the emergence of Persia's first paper mill, first food factory, and first match factory.

These factories had capital ranging from 500 tomans to 10000 tomans, but most were founded by emerging merchants. The remaining factories, founded by the governor's office, started at 10 tomans, including heavy industries such as mining, machinery, and military.

The governor recently established a new enterprise after discovering a coal mine near Tabriz and is now commencing operations. Persian coal reserves are only slightly better than those of Italy and Japan, making each deposit incredibly valuable. Therefore, the governor allocated 20 tomans from the treasury to establish the Tabriz Coal Mine, with a projected annual production of 2000 tons of coal.

The establishment of a series of new enterprises began to change the local economic structure. While the adoption of machinery in production was initially limited to military applications, its influence, due to the inherent capabilities of the machines themselves, inevitably extended beyond the military sector, leading to their adoption in civilian production as well. This enabled rapid economic development, thereby achieving the goal of national prosperity.

(End of this chapter)