Chapter 83 The Birth of a Practical Automobile
"You're right, Governor Aníbal. History has taught us that we must never be too merciful toward the natives. As the saying goes, 'those who are not of our race must have different hearts.' In pursuit of Australia's rise, even if it means sacrificing all the natives of New Guinea, it is a cost we must bear." After a moment of silence, Arthur responded with firm resolve.
Seeing Arthur agree with his viewpoint, Governor Aníbal Enrique Hernández was pleased and quickly added, "Your Highness, rest assured. As long as I have a force of two thousand troops, I guarantee that all of New Guinea's natives will become the strongest driving force behind Australia's development."
With his mind made up, Arthur didn't hesitate. Looking at the eager Governor Aníbal, he smiled and said, "Governor Aníbal, I'll allocate two thousand troops to you. Your task is to provide no fewer than ten thousand natives per month for labor in mainland Australia. Also, the development of New Guinea's mineral resources must not be disrupted. Can you do that?"
"Gladly at your service!" Governor Aníbal immediately stood and responded with firm eyes and tone, clearly expressing his commitment.
Satisfied with Aníbal's promise, Arthur nodded and ended the discussion.
How the plan would be executed was now Aníbal's concern. Arthur's responsibility was simply to make the policy.
Afterward, accompanied by Governor Aníbal and other colonial officials, Arthur inspected New Guinea's garrisons, mines, government offices, and cities, and gave a public address in the central plaza.
It had to be said, New Guinea's geography and resources greatly elevated the strategic value of the land.
Australian New Guinea was extremely rich in mineral resources. The colony had already identified significant reserves of gold, copper, silver, lead, nickel, oil, and natural gas.
Because the Dutch East Indies lay directly to the west, New Guinea also served as a natural springboard for influencing and intervening in Southeast Asia. It was also Australia's geographic shield to the north.
Even more importantly, compared to New Zealand, which was relatively distant, New Guinea was located quite close to mainland Australia.
As the second-largest region in Oceania, securing both Australia and New Guinea meant effectively controlling the entire region.
After completing his inspection, Arthur encouraged all colonial officials, then returned to Australia aboard a warship under the respectful gaze of those present.
This trip to New Guinea brought at least one positive outcome. As long as the Dutch remained silent, Australia could still rely on New Guinea's natives to fuel its early industrial growth.
Even if that meant sacrificing the interests of those natives—or even their lives—who would care?
The history of industrialization in European countries was equally a history of exploitation across the globe's colonies. All anyone remembers is Europe's present prosperity, not the suffering of the people they exploited.
As the saying goes: backwardness invites humiliation. If Australia hoped to become a first-rate global power, then it would have to let other peoples make the sacrifice.
May 3, 1901 – Sydney.
Just a few days after returning to Sydney, Arthur received exciting news that prompted immediate action.
The news came from Benz. After requisitioning several workshops near Sydney, Benz and Diesel quickly established their laboratory and factory and began research and production on engines and automobiles.
Diesel had his latest engine design, while Benz had made significant progress with his automobile projects. The two quickly partnered to develop the world's most advanced car—intended as Arthur's personal vehicle.
Of course, this was also their way of demonstrating their abilities to Arthur. After all, since arriving in Australia, both of them had relied entirely on Arthur for research funding.
By showcasing their capabilities, they hoped it would make future funding requests easier.
Three months later, on May 3, they finally completed the vehicle after many late nights, and they eagerly invited Arthur to see it for himself.
Truthfully, when Arthur first laid eyes on the car developed by Benz and Diesel, he was somewhat stunned.
While primitive compared to the high-performance cars of the future, within the context of the current era, it was an impressive feat.
The unnamed vehicle was based on Benz's Viktoria model, which had been significantly modified.
It featured a diesel engine developed by Diesel himself, which greatly improved its performance.
In theory, the car could reach a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour.
More importantly, thanks to Benz's diesel engine design, the car could use a wide variety of fuels—not just traditional gasoline or diesel, but even unexpected sources like peanut oil and olive oil could power the vehicle.
Unlike the standard automotive layouts of the future, this vehicle had its steering wheel positioned in the center. It had a driver's seat in the front and three passenger seats in the rear.
From the perspective of the era, it was possibly the most advanced car in the world. Benz's engine ensured stability. While the engine noise couldn't be completely eliminated, the car could travel over 200 kilometers at a speed of 30–40 kilometers per hour, which was a remarkable achievement.
"Mr. Benz, Mr. Diesel—is this really the result of just three months' work? With a few minor adjustments, I think this could be marketed commercially. I have no doubt it would be wildly popular," Arthur said in astonishment.
Though its performance and design couldn't compare to future vehicles, in terms of practicality, it was already ready for the market.
That was exactly what shocked Arthur. This car, in terms of capability, was comparable to the Ford Model T that would debut years later—it was a fully practical vehicle that could spark a new automotive industry.
"To be precise, Your Highness, it's an improved version based on our previous research," Benz explained with a sheepish smile. "As far as performance goes, we confidently claim this is the best in the world. But the bad news is—it's far too expensive to produce, so there's no way it could reach the mass market."
Benz's earlier Viktoria model had faced the same issue. Though it was among the most advanced vehicles of its time, its high cost made it unattainable for most people.
(End of Chapter)
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