Chapter 317 Big Guy’s Shocking
Global Navigation is of greater significance to mankind than profit, and it can also give mankind the pleasure of conquering the world.
The earth is so huge. Every landmark voyage around the world will be recorded in the annals of human history, and its impact on mankind and the earth will be huge.
The Australasian airship's global voyage has now become one of the topics of concern to humans around the world.
People are curious about whether a novel vehicle like an airship can achieve the greatest achievement in navigation, sailing around the world.
People are either curious, doubtful, admiring, or disdainful. But in short, in April 1912, the eyes of the world were already focused on Australasia and on the airship that was gradually moving away over Sydney.
For this round-the-world voyage, the first leg of the journey was difficult. According to the sailing plan, the first stop was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in the United States Territory of Hawaii.
There is nothing special about this stopping point. Arthur chose to stop here just to be on the safe side and to conduct maintenance on the airship on the way across the Pacific Ocean.
The straight-line distance between Sydney and Hawaii is 8,200 kilometers. If you take the fastest cruise ship currently, such a long distance will take more than half a month.
But the Dawn airship took only nine days and four hours from its departure on April 10 to its arrival in Honolulu, Hawaii.
After docking in Honolulu for more than ten hours to overhaul the airship and replenish certain living supplies, the Dawn airship took off again, heading directly to Los Angeles, the largest city in the western United States.
After arriving in Hawaii, we are actually very close to the mainland of the United States. Hawaii is only 4,097 kilometers away from Los Angeles, which is nearly half the distance between Sydney and Hawaii.
In order to accomplish what Arthur said, while successfully voyaging around the world, we must also shorten the time of the circumnavigation as much as possible and increase the influence of this circumnavigation.
Therefore, after setting off from Hawaii, Director Teodor ordered the airship to move forward at a faster speed.
On the 14th day of the circumnavigation, that is, April 24, 1912, the Dawn airship finally arrived over Los Angeles and arrived at the largest city in the western United States.
Speaking of the history of Los Angeles, it can be traced back to the late 18th century, which is more than 100 years ago.
But in fact, until the mid-19th century, although the Western Gold Rush attracted a large number of immigrants to Los Angeles, the population of Los Angeles at that time was only about 1,600.
The period when Los Angeles truly rose rapidly and became the largest city in the West was actually the period at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
Because of the discovery of oil, Los Angeles' economy quickly entered a period of prosperity, and the city's size also expanded rapidly.
Of course, the city's peak is definitely not now, but after the two world wars. Due to the gradual prosperity of modern industry, commercial finance, tourism and the growth of immigration, it became Los Angeles after becoming a megacity in the United States.
As the Dawn airship's second and last stop in the United States, the streets of Los Angeles have already gathered a lot of American media and people.
People are still very curious about unknown things, especially actions of great significance such as circumnavigation.
In the past, American people thought that they had seen a lot of things in the world. Whether it was cars, airships, or airplanes, the United States had a wide variety of them.
But it wasn't until news of airships traveling around the world came from Australasia, but there was no news from all airship companies in the United States, that Americans realized that the United States was not omnipotent in some aspects.
I don't know when, a black spot suddenly appeared in the distant sky. The black spot became bigger and bigger, and slowly turned white.
"It's an airship! It's that airship called Dawn!"
someone on the street said excitedly.
"Oh, damn, this thing looks bigger than a building. How did the Australasians make it fly?" "Isn't
it made of steel? This is really a masterpiece of God, Australia The people of Las Vegas are not going to use this thing to attack us, are they?"
"Damn it, didn't you ever think that it would fall? Find a place to hide, you fools!"
Seeing the airship getting closer and closer, Los Angeles There were more and more exchanges on the streets, and the streets even gradually became silent.
Even the vehicles passing by couldn't help but stop and look at the big thing in the sky.
Of course, most of these are just ordinary people in Los Angeles. As for those capitalists and wealthy businessmen with small capital, they were of course standing in the skyscrapers and watching with interest.
"John, is this the Australasian airship? It's really a big guy." In a high-rise building in Los Angeles, a rich-looking American said to his companions.
"If nothing else, the Australasians are really capable of making such a big thing fly. Daniel, don't you have plans to set up a circumnavigation company? Why not just use such a big thing? Gimmick Australas The people of West Asia have already created it for you. If you start an airship sailing company around the world, I am afraid that you and the company will become famous the next day." The friend next to the rich man said to the rich man with a smile.
"This is a big guy, and I'm afraid it will require a lot of funds. Are you interested in joining me for a big deal, John? Taking over the entire American airship sailing industry, we are the new giants in this industry!" The rich man nodded, He didn't refute his partner's point of view, but looked at his partner next to him with interest and asked.
The wealthy businessman named John did not rush to answer Daniel's question. Instead, he glanced at the airship in admiration, and then replied unhurriedly: "Well, I admit that such a big guy cannot be rejected at all. If Australia The Atlantic Ocean successfully sailed around the world this time, and I am willing to invest US$5 million."
This is actually the difference between the views of the top people and the bottom people. While the people at the bottom look at the airship in surprise, capable people may already be thinking about the role behind the airship and the value it brings.
Within Los Angeles, there are many capitalists paying attention to this airship. Many capitalists who could not come to Los Angeles also sent their subordinates, or were also paying attention to the news about airships.
Once the airship truly succeeds in circumnavigating the world, that will be the arrival of the prosperous age of airships. Airship navigation companies will bloom everywhere and enter the golden age of airship business.
After this day, a photo taken from the tallest building in Los Angeles went viral across the United States, and even spread to most of Europe.
This photo is actually very simple, because the city has not yet been polluted by industry, and the sky is blue.
In the upper center of the entire photo, an airship with the Australasian flag and the royal emblem is soaring in the blue sky, with the city of Los Angeles below.
City buildings that usually look huge look so small in front of this huge airship. The airship covered the sky and the sun, bringing a huge shock to the entire city.
People in the city raised their heads and looked at the Dawn in the sky, while people on the airship stood at different angles and looked at the not-so-busy Los Angeles city below.
"Is this an American city? It doesn't look like much."
Looking at the seemingly small city in front of them, some people couldn't help but said with a little disappointment.
"You're standing too high, brother."
The words of the person next to him woke up like a dream. It wasn't that the city wasn't huge or prosperous, but that he was standing too high, making the city look a little small.
Coupled with the scenery outside the window of the airship, looking at the small city below, and imagining the admiring eyes of those in the city, the people on the airship couldn't help but feel proud and enjoy themselves very much.
Fortunately, the airship did not stay in the sky of Los Angeles for a short time, and such a big thing was destined to land in the suburbs.
On the outskirts of Los Angeles, after consultation with the US government, a flat airship parking lot has been prepared. At this time, there are already many Americans and media watching.
Even the mayor of Los Angeles, the governor of California, and officials from the U.S. military gathered around the parking lot to watch.
Those capitalists are weighing the value and role that airships can bring, and so are the politicians and the military.
Most of the civilians were there to watch the excitement. After all, the parking lot was the best place to watch the airship up close. After all, the airship had to dock here for a period of time for maintenance and replenishment of supplies.
Because of the agreement with the US government, six passengers will be taken on board in the United States to experience the airship's global voyage.
Director Teodor did not know that the six airship tickets in the United States had been sold for tens of thousands of dollars, but they were still expensive and unavailable in the United States.
Although we don’t know who actually pocketed these six airship tickets, what is certain is that anyone who gets any of the airship tickets is definitely either rich or expensive.
Unlike ordinary people, politicians and the military were silently remembering something in their hearts while watching the airship. Especially the US military officials, when they saw the airship, they were already recording something in detail, and they even wrote more and more urgently. The eagerness in their eyes was obvious.
After the visit, the US military officials got into military vehicles and left in a hurry.
After getting in the car, the American major said urgently to his men with some doubts and worries: "Immediately report to the general that this ocean-going airship of the Australasians has become a weapon with sufficient threat. If such an airship is fully equipped with weapons, it can cross any terrain restrictions and reach any place in the world in an incredible way. This will be a great enhancement to military strength, not only can it be used Transporting strategic supplies can also be used for long-distance bombing and assassination."
After saying that, the American major smiled bitterly and laughed at himself: "If the Australasians want to bomb Los Angeles, as long as they are in the sky, I'm afraid none of us will Nothing can be done to stop it."
His subordinates also understood the importance of the matter, so they quickly reported to the general the major mentioned.
"Tell the general that the United States must establish an airship force. This must be done without delay. In the past, the United States could have the advantage of two oceans without worrying about threats to its homeland. But with such ocean-going airships, the United States' homeland will no longer be Safe, unless we have a sufficiently powerful airship force." Afraid that his report would not impress his superiors, the major thought for a while and continued to add.
He firmly believes that as long as European countries see this airship that can travel around the world, they will definitely continue to promote the research and development of airships.
If the airship is designed as a weapon capable of bombing, it will become the world's first terrifying weapon with a bombing range covering the entire world.
More importantly, if the country being bombed does not have a large enough airship force, then even if it is in danger of being bombed, it can only witness it but cannot do anything.
Thanks to the trend of airship research led by Arthur, European countries generally have a large airship industry.
However, the research and development of airships has been in a tepid state. Even the German Empire, which is making rapid progress, does not yet have an airship capable of traveling around the world.
As long as the airships of European countries cannot cross the ocean, then the United States does not have to worry about the security of its homeland even if it does not have an airship force.
But from this moment, when the Dawn arrived in Los Angeles, USA, everything changed completely.
If the United States cannot possess an airship force, Australasia, which is on the Pacific coast with the United States, will sooner or later become one of its competitors.
At least for now, it seems that the United States has no countermeasures against such high-altitude airships.
If the opponent drops a large number of bombs from high altitude, do Americans have to catch them with their hands?
Even if the other side's bombing is not accurate, the panic caused by large-scale bombing is enough to plunge the United States into a certain degree of chaos.
Arthur may not have known how much of a change his plan to travel the world by airship would bring to the U.S. military.
Of course, if Arthur knew about it, he might be happier.
After all, no matter how rapidly airships develop now, as long as the development of airships does not surpass the times, there will be no ability to resist in the face of aircraft.
The main reason is that European and American countries have not paid too much attention to the research and development of aircraft, and their aircraft performance is not too powerful.
This also led to them not discovering that the military role of aircraft is much greater than that of airships. Otherwise, I am afraid that aircraft in various countries have been updated many times.
In the United States, the major's report was widely disseminated and supported by the U.S. military. Among the American people, the photo of the airship and the news about the airship also became the front page headlines in the United States.
Even the six Americans boarding the airship in one photo were exaggeratedly called by American newspapers and the American people: "The ones who are about to get close to God's favor." In an
era without airplanes and airships, the sky was important to everyone. Generally speaking, it is a fantasy place that can only be imagined.
Being able to ascend to the sky is dreamy and exaggerated enough for Americans who have never had such an event happen before.
Perhaps it is because of people's fear and dream of the sky that the price of airship tickets has risen.
Of course, it cannot be ruled out that Americans are rich. You know, the cost of building a Dawn airship is only more than 40,000 pounds, which translates into only about 200,000 US dollars.
Judging from the value of airship tickets in the United States, with 58 Americans on board, the profit from one flight can be as high as more than $580,000, enough to build three airships.
Although the price seems a bit exaggerated due to the hype surrounding the first circumnavigation of the world.
But we can also see the value and significance of the airship's global voyage. This is why those capitalists value the airship and this global voyage.
The Dawn airship stayed in Los Angeles for a whole day, not only undergoing long-term maintenance to ensure that there would be no problems on the subsequent trip.
At the same time, a large amount of daily necessities were replenished, six Americans were also carried, and then the voyage to London began.
So far, this circumnavigation has taken 15 days. The time consumed was neither long nor short, and for Director Teodor who had a preliminary plan, this time was acceptable.
The next day, under the watchful eyes of the media and Americans, the Dawn airship set sail again. This time, the purpose was to cross the entire United States and the Atlantic Ocean and head to London, England, in Europe.
In a spacious seat on the Dawn Airship, John and Daniel, who had been laughing and chatting on a high-rise building in Los Angeles, were sitting.
In fact, the two of them had already been interested in airships. When airship tickets were publicly sold in the United States, they spent a lot of money to buy two tickets.
Now sitting on the airship, looking at the clouds passing by from time to time outside the window, Daniel finally understood how shocking the airship was.
"Daniel, don't say anything. When you return to Los Angeles, start the establishment of the airline immediately!" John, who was beside Daniel, was looking at the scenery outside the window intoxicated and said impatiently.
For rich people like Daniel and John, tens of thousands of dollars spent on an airship ticket is nothing.
Sitting by the window of the airship, looking at the clouds flashing outside the window, the two of them suddenly felt that the ticket price was worth it.
What's more, the time an airship can save is sometimes much more valuable than the ticket price.
"You are right, John. But I estimate that there will be many people coveting the big cake of aviation. It seems that we need to attract some partners." Daniel nodded in agreement and said with a smile.
The two originally thought that with their tens of millions of dollars in assets, they would be enough to start an airline that would monopolize the entire U.S. aviation industry.
But now it seems that this is far from certain. Only by recruiting more partners can it be possible to eat more from the big cake of aviation.
"We should be thankful that the Australasians chose Los Angeles as the docking place for the airship instead of New York in the east. If it were in New York, I'm afraid we would have more competitors, and our advantage would be gone by then. John looked at his friend with a firm face and said with a little luck.
Although Los Angeles is the largest city in the western United States, its current development is still slightly behind compared to the core eastern United States.
As the most prosperous and developed city in the United States, New York not only gathers a large number of top American capitalists and companies, but also numerous high-ranking officials and nobles.
Prominent families, conglomerates with huge assets, deep-rooted capital, and various upstarts in the political arena. None of these forces can be shaken by John and Daniel.
If Australasia had chosen New York as its stopping point, I'm afraid Daniel and John would only be able to eat scraps no matter how interested they were in the aviation industry.
"You reminded me, man. Why don't we go to Australasia first? Anyway, only Australasia can manufacture airships that can travel around the world. We have a monopoly on the sale of airships in the United States. Isn't that equivalent to Do you have a monopoly on the US aviation industry?" After hearing his friend's words, Daniel suddenly woke up and said to John as if he was holding a pot for initiation.
The two people's eyes instantly focused, and they understood each other's intentions instantly. However, considering that there were many Americans around them, they just nodded tacitly.
"You're right, Daniel. I have a suggestion. Anyway, the destination of this voyage is Sydney, so we won't go back yet. If we can negotiate a cooperation with Australasia on the sale of airships, it will be better than taking the lead in launching an aviation company. The company is much more valuable." John said to Daniel in a low voice with excitement on his face.
Let’s take a break today with a single chapter of 5,400 words.
(End of chapter)