Chapter 1217 – Grain Reserve Reform

Huh, what is this, gold. A yellow, glowing, precious gold.

No, the gods, I’m not a wandering believer; this thing, just a little bit, can make the black into white, ugly into beautiful, wrong into right, lowly into honorable, the old man into a young man, cowards into warriors.

Shakespeare so praised gold, fully explains the natural monetary properties of gold.

Depending on how many years ago, the Pan-Africanist leader of the British Gold Coast disappeared over North Africa, Britain was able to borrow this gold-rich colony to enrich the value of the pound.

Over the course of a decade, Britain has accumulated a reserve of 5,500 tons of gold through the hard work of a recently appointed cabinet secretary.

In terms of the total volume of the British economy, this number of gold reserves on the pound is said to be solid gold. But even if there is a huge gold reserves, in the face of two hundred and twenty tons of gold trading, even the Prime Minister Aidan, can not be indifferent.

Learning of this news Aiden, the eyes of the Soviet Union immediately from a threat to Britain’s security of the life and death of the enemy, into overriding the Anglo-Soviet special relationship above the special relationship between Britain and the United States.

“Alan, this is a big deal.” Aiden rare solemn reminder, the Cabinet Secretary in front of the Cabinet has just taken office, although loved by Whitehall up and down, but has not yet a hard war record to prove the ability.

“Honorable Prime Minister, I understand very well. The Curmudgeon thinks so! If two bars of gold were placed in front of each other, which one would be noble? And which one is vile? No one has an answer to that, so this matter does not involve a third party country, it is entirely a matter for the Soviet Union and Britain themselves.”

Alan Wilson’s meaning was simple, both and both, two hundred and twenty tons of gold Britain was to take it all, simple as that.

“I’ll call the Overseas Commissioner back home, and figure out what to do with the food production in the colonies first.” Seeing Aiden nodding, Alan Wilson continued, “For the colonies, we only need to come up with pounds, if we are a bit stingy we don’t even need to come up with pounds, if the colonies are not enough, there are also the Commonwealth countries of Canada and Australia, and it can be ascertained that the colonies in the southern hemisphere or the Commonwealth countries are the main ones, and if it’s not enough, it’s in the talks with Canada. ”

“When I investigate and understand the food situation in the colonies. For reasons of concealment of the true purpose. At this point I have a suggestion.” Allen Wilson laid out his plan in a nutshell.

“What’s it going to be?” Aiden asked as he gripped his pen and leaned his body forward in an exploratory posture.

“When we once acquire food on a large scale, other countries will surely find out, after all, it’s not a small amount. We are able to conceal our movements in the colonies, but as soon as it involves the Commonwealth countries, we may be noticed. At this point we need a reason to acquire grain.” Alan Wilson pontificated, “The Prime Minister can claim to be establishing, a food reserve system for the UK, the current self-sufficiency rate of food on the mainland is seventy-five percent, and with fodder then annual imports would be fifteen million tons. If you count only staple foods, the shortfall is 10 million tons. We justify the purchase of grain by completing the national grain reserve system.”

The UK also has a system of grain storage, which is dominated by cereals, mainly including wheat, barley, oats, rye and other types, whose harvest and distribution determines the UK’s food security or lack thereof.

Britain’s own food self-sufficiency rate is actually not high, but after two consecutive world wars, Britain’s food self-sufficiency rate has improved, after all, before and after just over twenty years of the two wars, did leave a deep impression on the British citizens, the food self-sufficiency rate from less than fifty percent, to more than seventy percent.

Don’t underestimate this improvement, Britain produces twice as much food as Japan with half the population. Although it could not accomplish a self-sufficiency rate of one hundred percent, it was not comparable to that island nation in the Far East.

Although Britain and Japan are both island countries, the United Kingdom is a little smaller, but whether it is the industrial base or the agricultural base, the two are not on the same level, the United Kingdom’s basic conditions are too much better.

Alan Wilson hopes that Prime Minister Aidan, to be able to reform the British food reserves in this matter, in the House of Commons to discuss the discussion, do not necessarily have to pass, as long as mention it on the line, the rest will be handed over to him as the Cabinet Secretary General on the line.

“There are times when, as the prime minister of the country, I must also shoulder the responsibility.” Aiden smiled and said it was fine.

“There are also times when we have to do business with the bad guys, as well as abandon the occasional uncooperative good guy.” Alan Wilson understood, and leaving 10 Downing Street, he simply informed the Permanent Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Principal Private Secretary Wick, to call back the Overseas High Commissioner through the Overseas Assets Management Board.

This is the first meeting of the Overseas Commissioners after taking office as Secretary General of the Cabinet, after all, not as free as before, Alan Wilson can not continue to follow the customs of the country, leaving London to go to the meeting.

Of course where to meet, Alan Wilson still say, because this time the purpose can not be declared. He chose his own lair, Hawksin Manor, prepared meeting room, can see the emerald house he built.

Pricing power is a good thing, depends on the promotion of high commissioners around the world, emerald has also come to a considerable revenue for the United Kingdom, the profit has been looming ten million pounds, thanks to the Chinese throughout Southeast Asia, as well as the Far East, Japan and Korea, but mainly in the Southeast Asian countries of the Chinese as the main consumer.

“Wheat from North and South Rhodesia and Malaya are to be shipped to the mainland.” Alan Wilson said in a commanding tone, “The commissioners everywhere will immediately procure local wheat, and the big headache will fall on your three colonies. Remember, do it secretly first, and hide it as long as you can.”

“North and South Rhodesia have small populations, but Malaya has seventeen million people, and a quarter of the area planted with wheat as with rice.” Richard laughed bitterly at this, “This may cause prices to rise.”

“That will test the wisdom of the High Commissioner.” Alan Wilson crossed his fingers and replied unhurriedly, “That place in Southeast Asia won’t starve to death, isn’t there Burma and Thailand around. No wheat can eat rice.”

This is a problem? Allen Wilson does not think it is a problem, have to eat flour? Rice is not the same to eat.

“The point is, Malaya’s rice has to be exported to Japan, Korea, and even the small island of Changgong.” Richard said it wasn’t Malaya’s own problem, it might also disrupt the food market, “If Japan and Korea and other places purchase through Australia later, although Australia is also a Commonwealth country, after all, it’s not as good as a colony that can generate income directly.”

“Australia?” Alan Wilson said in his heart, “You think Australia will pick up the slack this time? Australia’s wheat will be exchanged for Soviet gold by Britain just the same, “It can’t be helped, in suffering a few of America’s little followers.”

Those are pro-American forces, what’s that got to do with Britain? Honestly, it’s better to starve the bastards to death.

Alan Wilson knew that the food self-sufficiency rate of the fraudulent island was less than fifty percent, and Japan, which had lost Hokkaido, was even lower at thirty percent. Korea was barely over fifty percent, with a population of over twenty million.

But what about it? Because these places rely on overseas imports, Allen Wilson will not exchange gold?

The honored guests of the Soviet Union are buying food with gold, compared to gold, the price of goods is nothing. Even the outbreak of famine that is also worth it.

Even Alan Wilson is looking forward to the outbreak of famine, if Japan and South Korea because of food prices rise, may also be able to slow down the pace of their development, as for the island of fraud, the collateral effects are inevitable, tolerate a little on the past, quit using patience.

Hearing Richard mentioned the Malayan food exports, Alan Wilson seems to recall that the Soviet Union in the seventies to buy food, directly pushed up inflation in the United States.

This is also a sense of supply chain problems, to the United States tossed a lot. This time around, in response to the Soviet Union’s grain purchase numbers, there could indeed be inflation.

The UK is not an agricultural empire like the US, but the UK has the advantage of being a colonial empire that can do that, cost the colonies out and make the money locally. As for whether Japan and Korea would be affected? What does it matter to him.

“Your three colonies, clear all the wheat for me. Don’t think it’s hard, it might all be a bit insufficient.” Alan Wilson coldly began to spread out the task, only when the colonies’ reserves were insufficient would Britain think of a way out from the Commonwealth countries.

“Understood, Secretary General.” The high commissioners from all over nodded their heads, and they heard Alan Wilson continue, “The food supply of the kingdoms in the Middle East must be guaranteed, those are all friendly countries of Britain. As for the Far East, if there is a problem with the food supply, don’t be polite, the price increase is enough to deal with the difficulties of these countries, and you might even be able to make a profit on the price increase.”

Things came to a head, the Cabinet Secretary put on the brakes again, from the overall consideration, pro-British countries or to take care of. But Japan and South Korea swindled the island that is the United States, not Britain’s business.

Hawksin Manor meeting at the same time, Princess Margaret dusty rushed to Perth, brother-in-law busy business can not leave the country at this time, it is her to bring a personal letter to the female president.

The Soviet Union secret purchase of grain, that is a secret to others, to his wife is certainly not a secret, personal letter in which expressed the love of his wife’s thoughts, after the private part of the end, the remaining things are mainly two, silver should be sold in the first half of the year clean, and can not be delayed.

The rest is the key battle on the road of grain merchants, can and the traditional meaning of the four major grain merchants, or even beyond. Depends on this time the Soviet Union to buy grain, can not seize the opportunity.

“Don’t think it’s shameful to borrow from the Soviet Union to make a profit, Pepsi can call itself the people’s Coke in the Soviet Union. Say Coca-Cola is the Coke of capitalism. Get it right this time and you’ll be on a par with the four major American and French grain merchants.”

After reading the handwritten letter, Pamela Mountbatten copied the phone without thinking, never doubting any of her man’s judgment.

“Grain production and reserve data for Australia this year, contact Hardison Bay Canada and send me the produce data.” Pamela Mountbatten spoke with a slight lurch, “Sell the previously acquired American silver mines, and look for opportunities to sell off the finished silver, on a six-month cycle, don’t disrupt the market.”