Italian Labor

After hearing Primo's explanation of the funding for industrial construction, Carlo nodded and asked, "When will industrial construction begin? What will be our initial construction goals?"

"I plan to establish a small industrial base in Seville, Andalusia, and increase our steel production. Once our steel production is improved, we will invest in railway construction, aiming to increase our railway mileage to over 6,000 kilometers within the next five years, connecting all regions of Spain from east to west and north to south," Primo replied.

Don't underestimate the impact of railway construction on industrial development. The steel rails required for railways necessitate steel mills to ramp up production, which in turn drives the development of a series of related industries. Spain possesses significant coal and iron ore reserves in Andalusia, which are quite convenient for industrial development. Although most of Spain's coal is of lower quality, it's sufficient for initial industrial production. After all, steel production in most countries during this era wasn't as massive as the tens of millions of tons seen in later times.

Currently, the United Kingdom has the strongest industrial sector, but even their annual steel output is only around 300,000 tons, not yet on an exaggerated scale. However, Spain's steel production is even lower. Due to the neglect of industrial construction during Queen Isabella's reign, Spain's current annual steel output is only in the thousands of tons, a mere 2,000 tons. While part of this is due to a lack of excellent iron and coal reserves, it's still a rather dismal level for a second-tier European nation with a population exceeding 16 million.

"Once our steel mills are operating at full capacity, we hope to increase our steel output to over 10,000 tons within the next five years. At the very least, our steel production must meet the domestic demand for industrial construction. Spain is incomplete without industry," Primo stated.

Building 1,000 kilometers of railway in five years might seem slow, but it's not easy for Spain, given its meager steel output. In the nearly 30 years between 1840 and 1869, Spain only built 5,000 kilometers of railway, a construction speed far behind countries like Britain, France, Germany, and the United States. Spain's mountainous terrain makes railway construction essential for better inter-regional connectivity. This not only strengthens the Kingdom Government's control over various regions but also accelerates population movement and economic exchange between them.

"I approve your plan, Prime Minister Primo." Carlo nodded without hesitation after hearing Primo's complete explanation, approving the Prime Minister's plan. It was evident that this industrial plan was crucial for Spain. Although the investment wasn't enormous, it represented a good start for Spain's industrial development.

"Your Majesty, there's something that perhaps only you can accomplish." After Carlo approved the industrial plan, Primo nodded with a smile and then quickly presented another request to Carlo.

"Oh? What is it?" Carlo asked curiously.

"Whether it's building industrial bases or laying railways, we need a large labor force. But Your Majesty, as you know, the Black laborers we purchased from Africa are not very compliant and are a source of instability for Spain. Compared to these lowly Black laborers, I believe importing foreign White laborers is a more suitable choice. When I visited Italy, I found that a large number of its agricultural population were choosing to emigrate overseas. If possible, could we contact the Italian government to import some Italian immigrants and laborers? This would not only solve our labor shortage but also accelerate our industrial construction. I believe it's very necessary to try," Primo said.

To construct industrial bases and lay railways, a substantial labor force is indispensable. This is difficult for Spain to achieve. Although Spain has a large agricultural population, these people are scattered across its vast territory and own their land. They are unlikely to travel across half of Spain for the meager income of laborers. However, these Italian farmers are different. They are already struggling to make a living in Italy, which is why they are choosing to emigrate overseas. Therefore, why not find an opportunity to attract some Italian immigrants to Spain and simultaneously fill the void of Spain's labor shortage? It's worth noting that most of Italy's agricultural population is in Southern Italy, which was recently under the rule of the autocratic Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. These farmers have experienced long periods of autocratic monarchical rule and are much easier to govern than Black laborers or republicans. This is one of the reasons Primo is targeting Italian laborers; workers who are diligent, capable, and don't cause trouble are welcome everywhere.

Carlo was somewhat surprised by Primo's suggestion. Importing Italian laborers was already part of Carlo's plan, and it would also benefit his rule. After all, Carlo was born into the Italian Royal Family, and these Italians coming to Spain would certainly not oppose his rule. Moreover, compared to native Spaniards, Italians would feel a greater affinity for Carlo. For such a request that was entirely beneficial to him, Carlo naturally wouldn't object.

"For the development of Spain, I am certainly willing to do so," Carlo said with a smile. "If the government is ready, then our industrial construction can begin immediately. I will handle the labor issue, and I hope our industrial construction proceeds as smoothly as expected."

Primo nodded respectfully and said, "As you command, Your Majesty."

Ultimately, Carlo had too few people at his disposal. Currently, the only usable individuals he had were Giotto and Loren. Giotto needed to manage the palace guard, leaving only Loren available to travel to Italy to negotiate labor matters. Fortunately, this wasn't a major issue; Italy wasn't lacking thousands of laborers. Coupled with the good father-son relationship between Carlo and Vittorio Emanuele II, reaching an agreement with Italy to import laborers wouldn't be a problem.

As expected, Loren returned from his trip with a "Labor Importation Agreement" in just over ten days. Carlo's requirements weren't high; an annual influx of several thousand to tens of thousands of laborers from Italy for the first few years would suffice for Spain's development needs. Once Spain achieved some construction results and the living standards and incomes of its people steadily rose, it would naturally attract people from across Europe who were struggling in their home countries to immigrate to Spain.

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