Chapter 355 Taking advantage of the situation
Patent disputes are very common, and in most cases they end in settlement. One party takes the money and leaves, and the other party monopolizes the market, and everyone is happy, just like the dispute between DC and AC.
This is why Parsons licensed steam turbine technology to the Vladivostok Shipyard.
After all, there is money to be made from licensing. Otherwise, if George insists on copying the product, Parsons may not be able to get a penny in royalties.
It is actually not difficult to operate this matter at the official level. It is reasonable and legal, and there is no problem at all in terms of procedures.
Britain insists on copying George's wireless telegraphy, but it can actually do so. The key depends on whether the price paid is proportional to the benefits obtained.
Through the Malay Peninsula, George had proven that he had the means to counter the British Empire.
The UK does not have much to do with George. Until now, Vladivostok cars are still prohibited from being sold in the UK.
In fact, it doesn't matter. The Vladivostok cars were exported to France first, and then they were given a nameplate in France and continued to be exported to the UK as French goods. George should earn a lot of money.
As for losing face——
There is nothing you can do about it. If you want dignity, you cannot lose face.
How can it be such a good thing to want and want at the same time? George is not the one who makes the decision in the two houses of parliament in the UK.
Alfred's meaning is very clear. If the authorization of wireless telegraphy cannot be obtained through normal channels, the UK will organize copycats.
If George initiates a lawsuit, the British court will first investigate for a few years, then delay the court hearing for a few years, and then delay the trial process for a few more years. Over time, the patent protection period for wireless telegraphy will expire.
At that time, the British will pay George a symbolic compensation of hundreds of thousands, which will not hurt or itch.
So even Mikhail suggested to George that it was best to accept the British request.
George would never accept it.
Others were afraid of the Royal Navy, but George seemed to be nothing more than a paper tiger.
The British colonies all over the world are an advantage, but they are also a weakness. George has a way to make the British bloom everywhere.
Alfred is at a loss, but Maria is making progress.
Although Maria and Alfred were in love, Maria's situation in England was not good. The queen and princesses did not like Maria, calling her arrogant, stubborn, and defiant.
This is also understandable.
Members of the Russian royal family are well-paid. Although Maria is married to Alfred, she can also enjoy a royal allowance of 25,000 pounds a year.
As a prince, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Alfred's annual allowance is only 15,000.
George, his natal brothers, and Nicholas, her natal nephew, are Maria’s source of confidence.
Before Nicholas married Alex, he went to England to meet Alex on the pretext of visiting Maria many times, and George also accompanied him there.
Maria knew how good the relationship between George and Nicholas was.
So when Alfred was at a loss, Maria sent a telegram to Nicholas.
The next day Alfred came to find George again, feeling particularly confident.
"Okay, okay, I can't talk anymore. Have you learned to take the wife route?"
The angrier George acted, the happier Alfred became.
It’s rare to see George deflated.
"The authorized production fee is 2 million, and a patent fee of 10,000 pounds will be paid for each unit produced."
George made a substantial concession.
Maria aside, Nicholas must be given some face.
A telegram worth 6 million pounds, this is a big deal!
“One hundred thousand! Five thousand!”
Alfred’s small ways lead to great things.
It can’t be said that a small gain makes a big difference. After all, George funded Tesla’s research on wireless telegraphy and invested a total of US$300,000, which is equivalent to about 65,000 pounds.
“Dream!”
George didn't need this little money to send the beggar away.
"George, the Royal Navy has 21 battleships, 44 cruisers, and there will be more in the future-"
Alfred threatened and induced.
At this year's celebration of the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne, the United Kingdom held a naval naval review, with 144 warships participating.
Not to mention small warships.
Just installing wireless telegraphy on a large warship would cost hundreds of thousands.
This is just a warship.
The British shipping industry is very developed, and large civilian ships also have a need to install wireless telegraphs.
If a ship costs 5,000, it adds up to millions.
"In that case, why not bring the Royal Navy warships over and I will help them install them. One ship will be worth 3,000 yuan."
George had bigger plans.
Modification of warships is very troublesome and requires a thorough understanding of the structure of the warship and the power supply system.
If the Royal Navy brings a warship over and asks George to send people to modify it, George doesn’t have to pay for it.
After several rounds of negotiations, Alfred finally raised the licensing fee to 300,000.
Although this price is not good enough, George can accept it because Alfred is interested in new armor and electric drive systems.
Ordinarily, these latest technologies cannot be sold casually.
But since Nicholas has spoken, George doesn’t care.
George has only one request. The relevant technology obtained by the British from Vladivostok cannot be used on Japanese warships.
Russia’s enemy is not Britain or even Germany, but the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires, as well as Japan. The navies of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire would not pose a threat to Russia, so George only needed to target Japan.
As for Germany -
After George licenses the technology to the UK, he will then send people to Germany to promote it.
The arms race between Britain and Germany has not officially started yet, but it has already begun.
The United Kingdom attaches great importance to advanced technology, and Germany also has demand for it.
So roll them all up for me——
Roll to death!
George not only sells technology to external parties, but also buys technology.
In 1893, the French used the 45-caliber 305 main gun on the battleship "Bouvet".
The performance of this main gun is excellent, with a muzzle velocity of 815 meters per second, a maximum range of 12,000 meters, and an armor-piercing projectile weighing 340 kilograms. It can penetrate a 610 mm thick steel plate at a distance of 1,800 meters.
Russia’s latest 305 main gun has a caliber of 35 times, and the muzzle velocity is only 610 meters per second. Compared with the French artillery, its power and range are far behind.
Russia and France are now allies and are in their honeymoon period.
Through the Navy Department, George purchased 6 45-caliber 305 main guns from France for research.
The French will not sell if they buy less.
Alfred and Maria stayed in Vladivostok until the end of November before leaving, returning home with a full harvest.
George gained even more. Through the transaction with the United Kingdom, George's investment in scientific research in the past two years was fully recouped, and he also made a slight profit.
This is just a British family.
Vladivostok is negotiating technology transfer with the Germans, French, and Americans, and the profits will be increasing in the future.
In early December, news came from Thierry that the United States was actively preparing for war with Spain, and the war was expected to break out within 3 months.
That’s right, George was so focused on money and railroads during this period that he almost forgot about the Spanish-American War.
George couldn’t remember exactly when the Spanish-American War broke out. He only remembered that Spain sold the Philippines to the United States after the Spanish-American War.
Spain can sell the Philippines to the United States.
Can the Netherlands sell Borneo to Aceh, or to the Russian Empire?
This is not impossible -
Of course, compared to "selling", George is more willing to use the traditional skills of the Russian Empire and grab it!
George would definitely not do it himself.
The Sultanate of Aceh now even has cruisers and should learn to solve its own problems.
So on Christmas Eve, the flagship "Amur" of the Amur River Fleet, together with the light cruiser "Coconut City" which was about to be delivered to Aceh, headed for Aceh to join the "Amur" which was already serving in the Aceh Navy. The cruiser USS Qi reunited and conducted a four-month joint exercise in Aceh.
Peter went with the team as the commander-in-chief of the combined fleet.
Before Peter set off, George handed Peter over to Yuriev Palace to see Peter off.
“Once the Americans take action in the Philippines, they will launch an attack on Kalimantan and completely eliminate the Dutch power.”
George took advantage of the situation and it was time for the colonial empire of the old colonial era to completely withdraw from the stage of history and make concessions to emerging forces.
“There must be a reason——”
Peter rubbed his hands together excitedly. This action was too indecent.
“There are Russian businessmen on Kalimantan, and the Dutch are massacring the local indigenous people. As an imperial naval officer, shouldn’t you go to Kalimantan to protect the interests of Russian businessmen from infringement?”< br>
George was furious. He was obviously a very smart person, but he was not imperialistic enough at this time.
Does imperialism need a reason to launch a war?
Required.
So there is no reason to look for excuses. The appearance of the Dutch in East Asia at this time is a mistake in itself.
In other words, Peter, a member of a good family, has not yet completely gotten used to George's style.
If Alexeyev is to handle this matter, Alexeyev promises to do it beautifully.
So no matter who you are, as long as you put it in the right position, even a piece of rotten iron will shine.
“Understood——”
Peter made it clear that by then everyone will be paying attention to the United States and Spain, and no one will pay attention to the fate of the Netherlands.
Just after Peter left, Commodore George Dewey of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet arrived in Vladivostok.
George Dewey came to negotiate the purchase of a heavy cruiser.
The heavy cruiser built by the Vladivostok Shipyard for the Siberian Fleet has undergone two sea trials and performed extremely well, attracting attention from the outside world.
The U.S. Asian Fleet only has 4 cruisers and two gunboats, while the Spanish Navy has 7 cruisers in Asia. The U.S. military is at a numerical disadvantage.
But in terms of quality, the US military has the advantage.
Of the seven Spanish cruisers, 5 have a displacement of only 1,100 tons.
The four cruisers of the US military all have a displacement of more than 3,000 tons.
The U.S. Navy has an advantage regardless of the number or power of its artillery.
Considering that Spain might dispatch fleet support from the mainland or from other regions, George Dewey hoped to urgently purchase this heavy cruiser built by the Vladivostok Shipyard for the Siberian Fleet to participate in the war.
For this purpose, George Dewey offered 8.9 million rubles.
Almost 1000 rubles a ton.
At this time, the Siberian Fleet had already sent sailors to the ship for internship, so George had no say in this matter and Alexeyev had to agree.
(End of this chapter)