Chapter 39: President of the Chamber of Commerce and Deputy Mayor

"I heard you two are planning to invest in a shipyard in Salvador?"

The speaker was the first German nobleman Zhang Hainuo had encountered since coming to the Americas, Sir Manfred von Bär, the honorary chairman of the German Chamber of Commerce in Salvador, a pure-blooded German, and also a powerful businessman in the Salvador area.

"Yes, Sir von Bär! We came this time with the intention of investing in the shipbuilding industry in Brazil, and after some investigation, we find that Salvador is quite promising in all aspects!"

Zhang Hainuo said with a slightly humble tone, after all, his current identity was that of an ordinary Austrian businessman, while the man in front of him was a Prussian nobleman. Just the day before, he had asked Florence if she knew of anyone who could provide a good introduction. The German girl, full of Brazilian charm, had told him that there was no one in Salvador who knew more local elites than Sir von Bär!

"I wonder what scale of shipyard you two are planning to invest in?" Sir von Bär's words were very tactful, basically asking how much capital they were prepared to invest.

"Well, because we plan to transfer our family business to Brazil this time, we hope to invest in a relatively large-scale shipyard! Sir von Bär, it seems that Salvador still does not have a shipyard capable of building ten-thousand-ton freighters, so we would appreciate your guidance!"

Zhang Hainuo recited the prepared words. If this nobleman really had connections, investing in a shipyard would be much easier.

"When it comes to ten-thousand-ton freighters, Mr. Linke, in fact, there is currently no shipyard in all of Brazil capable of building ships of that size. Large freighters, cruise ships, oil tankers, and even small warships are all ordered from England and the United States! If Mr. Linke and Mr. Braun have the means to invest in such a large shipyard, I believe not only the municipal officials of Salvador but even the Brazilian government would warmly welcome it!"

Apparently concerned that these two young Austrian businessmen lacked experience, Sir von Bär continued, "I don't know if you two have operated shipyards domestically before, but to establish a shipyard capable of building ten-thousand-ton freighters requires very substantial capital. Various equipment, dry docks capable of accommodating ten-thousand-ton freighters, and professional shipbuilding technicians and workers are needed. Oh, before, no British or American investors came to Brazil to build such large shipyards precisely because Brazil's industry is very underdeveloped, and all the necessary equipment has to be purchased from foreign countries. Moreover, local Brazilian shipbuilders lack experience in building large ships!"

"You don't need to worry about that, Sir von Bär. Both of our families were engaged in the shipbuilding industry during the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph, so we have accumulated some shipbuilding experience. If we decide to invest in Brazil, we will hire shipbuilding technicians and workers from Europe! I'm sure you're aware of the current situation in Austria. The former ports are no longer part of the country, so we can only continue our ancestors' business abroad!"

From pride to helplessness, Zhang Hainuo successfully conveyed the mentality of an Austrian ship merchant after the end of the war. Although this performance was far from professional, Sir von Bär evidently had no doubts.

"Well, in that case, I will introduce you two to Mr. Heidewoedt, the deputy mayor of Salvador, in the near future. By the way, Mr. Heidewoedt is also a German immigrant, and he is specifically responsible for industrial construction and business investment in Salvador!"

"Oh? That's excellent!" Zhang Hainuo and Otto exchanged a glance. It seemed that it was convenient to do business in a country with many German immigrants!

With a good start to the shipyard investment, Zhang Hainuo and Otto were not idle while waiting for the deputy mayor's reception. On one hand, they conducted investigations into the local industrial situation, and on the other hand, they hired a small freighter in Salvador to have Elga and others transport some daily supplies and 20 crew members to U148 lurking in the offshore waters, as well as bring back the relieved crew members to Salvador. In this way, the problem of supplies and crew morale for U148 temporarily hiding at sea was largely solved. Of course, to completely solve these problems, a safe submarine base was still needed.

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long. On the fourth day after meeting with Sir von Bär, he sent someone to inform Zhang Hainuo and Otto to attend a ball. At this gathering of extravagantly dressed participants, they met Heidewoedt as agreed, a German-Brazilian resident who had made his fortune in the timber business before entering politics.

Previously, from Florence, Zhang Hainuo and Otto had learned about the general situation of German immigrants in Brazil: at the bottom were ordinary workers, followed by technicians, businessmen, and small capitalists engaged in agriculture, mining, and forestry. Many also held various roles in the Brazilian government. Among them, the most famous was the founder of the Brazilian Royal Cigar Company, Denamann. This legendary figure arrived in Brazil in the second half of the 19th century and later established his business empire here. In 1867, Denamann ambitiously founded the Denamann Tobacco Company. In 1883, during a royal visit, the Brazilian king granted Denamann the title of "Royal Cigar Manufacturer." In 1889, Denamann became the mayor of São Félix, and it was he who completed the construction of Brazil's first railway suspension bridge.

"I heard you two are planning to invest in a shipyard in Salvador. I am truly honored!" The deputy mayor of Salvador was over fifty years old, slightly overweight, and seemed to have swollen eyes, perhaps due to insufficient rest. His eyes were not very sharp, but his face was full of smiles, giving people the impression that he was very shrewd.

"It's my honor to meet Deputy Mayor Heidewoedt! Zhang Hainuo said politely, holding a glass of red wine. Like many gentlemen of this era, he also put his left hand in his pocket while speaking. After a gentle clink of glasses, he said humbly, "I am new here, and I hope Deputy Mayor can offer us your guidance in the future!"

"Haha, Salvador welcomes all guests from afar, especially friendly investors like Mr. Linke and Mr. Braun!" Heidewoedt spoke German fluently, reportedly having spent his first twenty years in Germany before moving to Brazil with his family.

"Deputy Mayor is truly a kind-hearted person!" Zhang Hainuo politely complimented, but unfortunately, such a ball was not the time to discuss details. So he asked, "Could you please offer us some guidance on the investment?"

Heidewoedt said very skillfully, "How about this, Mr. Linke, you two come to my office tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock, and we'll have a more detailed discussion!"

"Okay, we will be there on time!"

Zhang Hainuo knew very well that to establish a shipyard in Salvador as soon as possible, it was very important to establish connections with the upper class. If they could obtain Brazilian citizenship, trading in the Americas in the future would be much more convenient!