Chapter 271 Industrial Development and Aircraft
Australasian industrial development has been smooth sailing, especially with the help of Germany and Britain, the construction of industry has been in a state of rising steadily.
So far, Australia's total annual steel production has reached over 3.1 million tons, including 1.7971 million tons of iron and 1.3142 million tons of steel.
Although the number of steel production seems to be a lot, it is currently just above the level of Italy, the last power, and is only less than half of Russia and France at the same time, and a little more than one-fifth of Britain.
Although it has surpassed orthodox European powers such as Italy, Arthur still has no joy at all.
Although Italy claims to be one of the European powers, it only sounds powerful. Its real status is definitely at the bottom of the European powers, perhaps just a little better than the current island countries.
Besides, it is only the steel production that exceeds Italy, and there is really nothing to be happy about. Australasia is still a long way from the traditional European powers. If it wants to really be on par with or even surpass the European powers, it may only take a shortcut by two wars.
The good news is that the industrial construction in Australasia is becoming more and more complete. In addition to the steel industry, various chemical industries, civil industries, machinery factories, glass factories, fertilizer factories, cement factories, etc. are also in a state of blossoming everywhere.
In particular, the James Machinery Factory funded by the Royal Consortium has now developed into the largest machinery factory in Victoria and the second largest machinery factory in Australasia, becoming a leader among many private enterprises.
As for the largest machinery factory, it is naturally the Royal Machinery Factory controlled by the Royal Consortium itself. The Royal Machinery Factory has orders from automobile factories, engine factories, various military factories and various other factories. The annual production of machinery and equipment accounts for 60% of the Australasia market, and the number of workers is as high as more than 20,000.
All factories and enterprises under the Royal Consortium have more than 400,000 employees, covering various industries and fields in Australasia, and are absolutely giants among Australasia enterprises.
The Royal Consortium pays the government taxes of up to 10 million Australian dollars every year, and its own net profit exceeds 50 million Australian dollars.
However, the Australasians are very welcoming to the various enterprises of the Royal Consortium. After all, the Royal Consortium not only provides them with jobs, but also the welfare benefits and policies of any factory and enterprise belonging to the Royal Consortium are definitely the best in Australasia.
This is why when the Australasian people are looking for jobs, the first choice is definitely the Royal Consortium enterprises and factories.
There is a very good news. After nearly two years of construction, the initial construction of the Leonora Industrial Base has been officially completed.
At present, the Ministry of Industry is discussing the specific list of enterprises to be stationed in the Leonora Industrial Zone. These enterprises are undoubtedly giants in various industries in Australasia.
Because the purpose of the construction of the Leonora Industrial Base is to build a comprehensive large-scale industrial cluster, this time the invitation of enterprises to settle in will definitely take care of more industrial types and fields.
For example, the chemical industry, agricultural industry, machinery factory, etc. that the government has vigorously developed before will be the main target of this invitation to the industrial base.
In order to highlight the importance of the industrial base, Arthur and the government discussed and decided to divide the entire Leonora Industrial Base into a city-level direct-controlled area, which is directly under the management of the Ministry of Industry.
The rank of the head of the Leonora Industrial Base is directly equivalent to the rank of the mayor of the capital city of Africa in Australasia.
The head of the industrial base is appointed by the Ministry of Industry for a term of four years.
This also represents Arthur's attitude. Except for the cabinet government, no one has the right to interfere with the Leonora Industrial Base.
Starting from January 1910, the initially built Leonora Industrial Base officially began to invite companies to settle in.
The initial goal is to invite thirty large companies and hundreds of small companies, and prepare ten super-large storage areas for these companies.
Long before the construction of the industrial zone began, the railways and roads connecting the industrial zone had begun construction and were completed before the completion of the industrial zone.
The current Leonora Industrial Base is not only connected to the industrial railway of Australasia, but also to the strategic highway network, which can quickly reach the east and west coasts of Australia.
Conservative estimates show that even the first phase of the construction of the Leonora Industrial Base can create more than 50,000 jobs and create at least 20 million Australian dollars in output value for Australasia each year.
All enterprises in the industrial zone can conservatively generate millions of Australian dollars in tax revenue for the government every year. Even if the development is better, two or three million is not too difficult.
What if the industrial base is fully built? Create 200,000 jobs? Create a production value of 100 million Australian dollars? Generate tens of millions of Australian dollars in tax revenue every year?
Although these figures are a bit unimaginable, many people in the cabinet government feel that these can be achieved, and they are more supportive of the construction of the Leonora Industrial Base.
Of course, no matter what the attitude of others is, Arthur attaches great importance to the Leonora Industrial Base, and even instructs the Minister of Industry Pierre to visit the industrial base frequently if there is nothing to do, and to ensure the quality and quantity of the construction of the industrial base.
Pierre did not dare to be careless about Arthur's instructions. He basically went to the Leonora Industrial Base once every half a month, for fear that any accidents would happen in the construction of the industrial base and make him bear Arthur's anger.
For Minister of Industry Pierre, who has been in the position of Minister of Industry for three terms, if he wants to stay in the cabinet government, he can only take a step forward in the position of cabinet minister.
But there are many cabinet ministers like Minister Pierre, and there are only so many cabinet seats to take a step forward. There is also competition with two people who have served as prime ministers, so the pressure is not small.
If they can gain Arthur's favor and support, it will be a decisive help for them to take a step forward.
Of course, Arthur didn't know all this, and he wouldn't care if he knew.
For Arthur, it's just a matter of words to let anyone take the position, but why say this?
At this time, Arthur has come to the aviation laboratory, and his attention is all on the new aircraft of the aviation laboratory.
After more than four years of precipitation, the military aircraft of the aviation laboratory has also been successfully developed to the third generation, and its performance has been greatly improved compared to the second generation of aircraft.
If we only talk about the current manufacturing and technological mastery of aircraft and military aircraft, Australasia is definitely the world's number one, even ahead of the world's second by a large margin.
If the second generation of military aircraft can only be used in actual combat and initially reach the level of World War I, then the third generation of military aircraft is equal to or even exceeds the level of military aircraft of various countries in the late World War I. Even if Australasia stops the development of aircraft now, it will be difficult for other countries to catch up with Australasia in five or six years.
But is it possible to stop the development of aircraft? It is impossible.
Arthur is paying more and more attention to aircraft development, and the funding of the aviation laboratory is also rising.
However, the aviation laboratory is Arthur's private property, so it does not cost government funds, but is funded and controlled by the royal consortium.
The current aviation laboratory costs Arthur at least 500,000 Australian dollars every year. Such a costly research and manufacturing of aircraft is naturally much more advanced than the aircraft privately researched by other countries at the same time.
It is no exaggeration to say that Australasia has currently attracted at least two-fifths of the world's aviation talents, and this proportion is still expanding.
If other countries want to surpass Australasia in aviation and aircraft manufacturing, they can only do so within a few years if they can control the remaining 30% of aviation talents and then spend a lot of money.
But is this realistic? The remaining 30% of aviation talents are distributed throughout Europe and the United States, and have received more or less attention from local governments and even some countries.
Moreover, there are many patriots among these people, and Australasia cannot win them over even at a high price. Arthur does not believe that any country can control the remaining 30% of talents.
Let's talk about the current third-generation military aircraft.
The first is the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft, which is also the fastest and longest-range aircraft among the three military aircraft in Australasia.
Like the second-generation aircraft, the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft still adopts a design with two seats in front and back, but its size is smaller than that of the previous generation of reconnaissance aircraft.
Of course, if the two additional auxiliary fuel tanks are included, the size of the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft is even larger than that of the previous generation of reconnaissance aircraft.
The maximum range of the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft without auxiliary fuel tanks is 700 kilometers, and the maximum range of the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft with two auxiliary fuel tanks is even 1,100 kilometers.
This is not the end. The Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft uses the aircraft engine specially developed for it by Diesel. The average flight speed can reach 215 kilometers per hour and the maximum flight speed can reach 240 kilometers per hour.
The average flight speed of the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft alone has exceeded the maximum flight speed of the previous generation of reconnaissance aircraft, which is enough to show how much the performance of the engine has been greatly improved.
Of course, in order to take into account the speed and range, the weapons on the reconnaissance aircraft are relatively simple, just a MA-107 Maxim machine gun.
However, with the terrifying flight speed and range of the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft, even if it faces the enemy's reconnaissance aircraft or fighter jets, it is completely no problem to run away if it can't defeat them.
Looking at the brand new Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft in front of him, Arthur couldn't help but have a question. Can the strongest military aircraft of other countries beat the reconnaissance aircraft of Australia, which is only used for intelligence reconnaissance?
Even if it is only equipped with a heavy machine gun, this is the latest product developed by Arthur's military factory after more than ten years since the last heavy machine gun. Its performance is definitely first-class among heavy machine guns.
In the original history, it seems that most military aircraft in World War I were only equipped with heavy machine guns or other weapons. The equipment method was relatively simple, far from being as advanced and powerful as the aircraft in World War II.
Thinking about what might happen in the future, Australia's reconnaissance aircraft slaughtered fighters and bombers of other countries, Arthur couldn't help but want to laugh, but he finally held back.
After all, in public, it would be detrimental to the king's dignity to have some loss of composure.
Anyway, such a scene is not a bad thing for Australia. If it happens, let those countries be surprised!
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