The Rise of Australasia

About ten years ago, when the Benz automobile first went on sale, it was generally sold for around 150 pounds, with a profit margin of about 70 to 80 pounds.

Today, more than a decade later, the price of a Benz automobile has dropped to 110 pounds, while profits have stayed at the level of 30 pounds.

It should be noted that present-day cars have added some features compared to those from over a decade ago, yet prices are still in a state of continuous decline.

This does not even factor in the depreciation of currency and the rise in per capita income worldwide over the last decade.

It can be anticipated that, as long as there will not be a major economic crisis, car sales will not decrease. After all, there are still many wealthy people in Europe and America.

Car sales can stimulate the development of many other industries, which is also a good thing for boosting the economy of Australasia.

The method Arthur promoted for car sales in Australasia is simple; that is to use cars as rewards for people who have done a meritorious service, or offer them as prizes for certain projects, directly given to the targeted population.

Using cars as rewards is more practical than offering grain and other goods.

Firstly, the Benz car factory is an industry owned by Arthur; hence, they can take advantage of the costs of car production, making the expense of using cars as rewards not too high.

Secondly, as the transportation infrastructure of Australasia develops, cars have become one of the main modes of transportation for Australasians.

Most people do accept cars as rewards.

After all, the official price of a car, which can reach up hundreds of pounds, is equivalent to the income of an Australasian for nearly two years without any expenditure.

Currently, government officials, capitalists, the nouveau riche, small and medium business people, and not a small number of taxi drivers in Australasia are all major users of cars. This positions Australasia at the forefront of car use in the world.

According to sales data from the Benz Car Factory in Australasia, a total of 713,700 vehicles have been purchased in the Australasian market. On average, every 28 people own a car.

Although this figure is not high, it is quite good for this point in time.

With more immigrants arriving and an increase in per capita income in Australasia, the number of cars and average car ownership will naturally increase.

The frequent use of cars brings about one of the biggest changes to the world: the rise in oil prices.

Both small family cars and medium to large-sized trucks all use diesel or gasoline refined from petroleum.

Undoubtedly, this greatly increases the global demand for petroleum. According to the current situation, as of 1919, the price of petroleum is more than double what it was 19 years ago, and gasoline prices have tripled. This shows how vastly valuable petroleum becomes in the future.

As one of the countries with the most oil reserves in the world, the rise in oil prices is a good thing for Australasia.

So far, most oil-producing regions in the world are under the control of Britain, Russia, and Australasia.

Given the turbulent situation in Russia, not to mention whether they can develop petroleum, it is even uncertain who the right to develop petroleum domestically will fall into.

The British Empire controlling a portion of the oil reserves is also a good thing for Australasia.

After all, areas with oil are too vast, and the power of Australasia alone is insufficient to take full control.

But if the British are also part of the oil interests, the British will try to control the oil reserves in other countries hands to manipulate oil prices.

With the British attracting attention officially, Australasia taking advantage of oil supplies to make profits in the background will not invite the coveting of other countries.

Or in other words, if they covet Australasia’s oil supplies, they will have to consider whether the British agree or not.

Before the two major threats, France and the United States, are completely excluded, the British will not abandon their natural ally, Australasia, for a small profit in oil.

Therefore, while the various European countries are focusing on repairing their economy and industry that has been sabotaged by the war, Australasia has already made plans about oil extraction. They are establishing a comprehensive defense system in the Persian Gulf territory and officially beginning oil exploration and extraction.

Although Arthur is very certain that the Persian Gulf region holds more than 60% of the world’s oil reserves, he naturally cannot tell this data to others without completely extracting the oil reserves.

Let alone how startling it is that such an exaggerated data came out from Arthur negligently beforehand; before there is concrete evidence, too many people would not entirely believe the value of the Persian Gulf region.

September 1919, World Alliance.

Despite this being a regular meeting of the World Alliance, the participants’ faces are generally solemn as if something significant has already happened.

In the center of the meeting, sitting in the four most spacious seats are the four representatives of the Four Great Powers of the Allies, none of them looking in good spirits.

"Everyone, Russia needs your help!" Glenn Vasilyevich, the Russian representative to the World Alliance, said solemnly and urgently.

Delegate Glenn has requested assistance more than once, but the response has never been as great as it is today.

Hearing Glenn’s request for help, almost everyone turned their eyes to Billy Grey, who sat next to Glenn.

Billy Grey is the British Empire Representative to the World Alliance; his opinion essentially represents the opinion of the British Empire.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!