Chapter 388: The Problem of the Engine

The entire construction process of the Panama Canal was quite complex, and for Gao Da, there was no need to worry about the United States gaining control over the Panama Canal's construction in the short term.

At this time, the entity responsible for building the Panama Canal was a French construction company, which had taken over the project from another French enterprise under the guidance of the French government.

To prevent the French from gaining operational rights to the canal after its completion, the Americans went to great lengths to create trouble throughout the process of the French company building the Panama Canal.

The route of the Panama Canal designed by the French ran parallel to the Panama Railroad operated by the Americans; the reason for this design was to facilitate the transport of materials.

However, the United States did not cooperate at all with the French canal construction efforts; the railroad department set up multiple obstacles for the distribution of transport materials and adopted passive measures, delaying the progress of material transport as much as possible.

Forced into a corner, the French enterprise had to purchase this railroad, which was only worth 7. million dollars, at the exorbitant price of 25. million dollars, which also caused huge problems for the company's capital.

This was not the end of it. Although the French enterprise bought this railroad built by the Americans, for the sake of stability, they did not dismiss the American employees of the railroad department.

These American employees remained within the French company to continue causing trouble, making it impossible for the Panama Railroad, which now belonged to France, to effectively transport materials for the canal's construction.

If it were only this, the United States could only delay the construction speed of the canal to a certain extent.

In addition to such external pressure from the United States, the French canal construction company also had huge problems in operation and management. The executive team, led by de Lesseps, continued to recklessly embezzle funds from publicly issued canal stocks while the canal construction faced heavy obstacles.

To cover up the truth, they continued to issue various types of debt and used large amounts of funds to bribe local officials.

According to records, 150 ministers and members of parliament in the French government accepted bribes, which is the reason why this canal company was still able to remain unscathed even when the project construction could no longer meet expectations.

Of course, paper cannot wrap up fire forever. In 1889, this French canal company finally reached the end of its rope and was eventually forced to declare bankruptcy.

The French company currently building the Panama Canal took over the canal project under these very circumstances.

From this aspect, it can also be seen that the French government has a certain ambition for the sovereignty of the Panama Canal. They do not want the operation and management rights of the Panama Canal to fall into the hands of the Americans; after all, if the Panama Canal is completed, it will be a vital passage for traffic between the east and west coasts of North America, and collecting tolls alone would be enough to make one's hands tired from counting money.

Gao Da does not care when the construction period of the Panama Canal ends. For Gao Da, as long as the operation and management rights of the Panama Canal do not fall into the hands of the Americans, then whoever controls the Panama Canal is completely acceptable.

Of course, the best situation is for Spain to also become one of the shareholders of the Panama Canal, participate in the daily operation and management of the Panama Canal, and limit the development of the United States to a greater extent.

The main reason why the United States in history finally obtained the operation and management rights of the Panama Canal was that they gained the support of the United Kingdom, and the only competitor they faced was France.

But now, because the United Kingdom has already ended the Boer War, it is highly unlikely that the British government will give up ownership of the canal and let the Americans take advantage for nothing.

The French government is even less likely to do so. From the construction of the canal until now, it has always been French enterprises that have put in the effort. Although the previous French canal company's progress in canal construction was indeed too slow and the company's own operation and management problems were very serious.

But it is undeniable that this French canal company has already completed one-third of the total project, and the French are the contributors to the Panama Canal's construction to date.

As for the United States, which has always wanted sovereignty over the Panama Canal, they have made no contribution to the canal's construction and have even been constantly creating trouble for the French company.

It is undeniable that the United States has already surpassed its masters in terms of capital. Compared with European countries, the United States is an out-and-out capitalist country.

Capital holds supreme power in the United States, and this common commercial tactic is naturally second nature to the U. . government.

However, for Gao Da, these tactics used by the United States have just served as a reminder. Since the United States can use these dirty commercial tactics, why can't Spain use such tactics to fight back?

Gao Da is still very interested in these countries in South America. Although there is no true powerhouse in South America, the resources of these South American countries are still relatively abundant.

Brazil has extremely rich iron ore reserves, Argentina has large tracts of black soil that can be used for planting or animal husbandry, Chile has huge nitrate ore reserves, and Colombia possesses the Panama region, which is the best place for canal construction.

Besides this, most South American countries were once colonies of Spain, and the populations of these countries are basically mixed-race descendants of Spaniards and local indigenous people.

For Spain, most of the population from South America is acceptable, except for those black people.

This is no longer as simple as affecting the development of the United States; if Spain can bring South America into its sphere of influence and continuously improve its comprehensive strength, this is what Gao Da really wants to do.

Even if the development speed of the United States is slowed down, the land area and mineral resources of the United States are still there, and the comprehensive strength of this country will not be too bad.

Only by doing everything possible to improve Spain's own strength can we ensure that Spain has the confidence to fight the United States at any time.

As time drew closer to the 20th century, Gao Da finally felt a hint of urgency.

Starting from the middle of 1897, Gao Da asked the academicians of the Royal Academy of Sciences about their research progress almost every month, hoping that Spain could be one step ahead of other countries in fields like airplanes and tanks.

Currently, Spain has made certain breakthroughs in both the Sky project and the Water Cabinet project. The Sky project refers to airplanes, and the Water Cabinet project refers to tanks.

Because he knew that research and development in the field of airplanes is not so easy, Gao Da only provided some of his own ideas about airplanes to the Sky project, and then did not pay much attention to the progress of the Sky project.

Currently, it is said that the Sky project team is building the first airplane, and perhaps the first flight experiment can be conducted within two years.

Unlike the slow-moving Sky project team, the Water Cabinet project team, which is dedicated to developing tanks, has made some progress.

In fact, to put it bluntly, the most primitive tank design is also very simple. It is nothing more than a structure similar to a car, installing a thin layer of steel plate on the car, and then installing a machine gun or artillery.

If it were just such a tank with a relatively simple principle, Spain could currently build thousands of them in a short time relying on the production line of the Royal Mercedes-Benz Automobile Company. But the problem is that Spain does not need such crude tanks. Gao Da hopes more that Spain can possess true tanks before World War I and play an extremely important role in the land wars of World War I.

Especially in some offensive wars, whoever can achieve huge results first will naturally be able to get the largest share of the benefits after the war.

If the enemy is France, tanks might be used in the battle to attack Paris. If the enemy is Germany, tanks might be used in the battle to attack Berlin.

For Spain, it is not important who the enemy is; what is important is whether Spain can possess such an important weapon as a tank before the war breaks out.

The good news is that the current tank research and development has made some progress. The current tanks look somewhat similar to the tanks of later generations, and their role in war can already be reflected.

But the bad news is that because a layer of relatively thick steel plate is covered around the tank, this puts unparalleled pressure on the tank's power system.

Currently, there are no major problems with the tank's steel armor protection and firepower; the biggest problem is concentrated in the power aspect.

Such tanks often break down before they have driven a few kilometers. It just so happens that the power system is the most important thing for a tank; if the tank cannot move on its own, isn't this just a larger and heavier piece of artillery?

Seeing the problems reported by the tank research and development project team, Gao Da understood that Spain must conduct deeper research in the field of engines.

Currently, Spain has an engine laboratory, but this engine laboratory is responsible to the Royal Mercedes-Benz Automobile Company, and its main research field is the gasoline engines used in automobiles.

For a larger and clumsier machine like a tank, the power of a gasoline engine is clearly insufficient. There must be a more powerful diesel engine to provide power for the tank, which also means that Spain must also have its own engine laboratory for tanks.

This is not the end of it. Tanks need engines, and airplanes naturally also need engines.

Rather than waiting for problems to arise during the airplane research and development process, it is better to research airplane engines early and solve the problem of airplane engines one step ahead.

Thinking of this, Gao Da did not hesitate anymore and immediately ordered the Royal Security Intelligence Agency to pay attention to engine scientists across Europe and do everything possible to win these scientists over to Spain.

Because the research of engines is related to Spain's research and development in tanks and airplanes, Spain will spare no effort to win over talent.

If normal conditions cannot attract these engine scientists to join Spain, then it can only be done by forced kidnapping.

Anyway, for Spain, making these talents disappear is always better than letting these talents stay in non-Spanish countries.

Although such a scientist is only one person, the scientific research results they develop are sometimes more powerful than a division.

Soon, a list provided by the Royal Security Intelligence Agency was placed on Gao Da's desk.

Among the lists of many internal combustion engine scientists in various European countries, Gao Da saw at a glance a famous figure of later generations, Rudolf Diesel.

Without the slightest hesitation, Gao Da immediately ordered the Royal Security Intelligence Agency to kidnap Rudolf Diesel to Spain at all costs.

This internal combustion engine developer, known as the father of the diesel engine, has extraordinary strategic value. The diesel engine he developed became the main power source for submarines of various countries during World War I, and the diesel engine was also widely used in later generations; this point alone is enough for Gao Da to invite him to Spain at all costs.

The Royal Security Intelligence Agency also attached a file on Rudolf Diesel. This scientist, born in 1858, is not yet 40 years old.

Rudolf Diesel's parents were both German, but he was born and raised in Paris. When the Franco-Prussian War broke out, the Diesel family had to flee to London and finally returned to Germany.

In Germany, Rudolf Diesel received a good education and was valued by the famous mechanical professor Linde.

After working in Switzerland and Paris for several years, Rudolf Diesel resolutely resigned and founded his own engine laboratory.

After seeing these materials, Gao Da valued Rudolf Diesel even more and looked forward to the progress Spain would make in engine research after inviting him to Spain.

Although Diesel's research and development was more in the field of diesel engines, some of his ideas about engine structure are still widely used in later generations.

For such a scientific research talent, Gao Da has nothing but respect. If Diesel is willing to come to Spain, that would naturally be the best; Gao Da can provide him with the best research and development environment in the world and provide him with enough funds to research the internal combustion engines he wants to research.

Whether it is the diesel engine that Rudolf Diesel developed in the early stages or the bio-gasoline engine he wanted to develop later but did not have time to develop, Gao Da can give him all the support he can think of.

About a week later, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency finally brought Gao Da a piece of good news, which was that Rudolf Diesel was about to arrive in Spain.

Originally, he was unwilling to come to Spain. After all, in the past few years, Rudolf Diesel's research on engines had already achieved huge results, and the engine currently being tested had already shown extremely powerful potential.

Rudolf Diesel also received strong support from investors, which was his confidence in refusing the recruitment of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency.

But such a small number of investors were naturally not worth mentioning to the Royal Security Intelligence Agency.

It didn't even require the intelligence personnel of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency to take action; the Paris branch of the Mercedes-Benz Automobile Company could solve these investors.

In front of a large enterprise like the Mercedes-Benz Automobile Company, these investors were quite sensible and soon "voluntarily" gave up their support for Diesel.

It was precisely for this reason that Rudolf Diesel finally came to Spain.

For now, one update of 4, 00 words, there will be another update after 12 o'clock in the evening.

(End of this chapter)