The Rise Of Australasia

"A 102-story skyscraper presents a huge challenge for the circulation of people within the building. How many elevators are designed for the building, and will they be able to meet the normal operational needs of the skyscraper?" Arthur inquired.

"This has been a major focus for Starrett Company and the result of numerous designs and revisions," Governor John pointed to a section of the skyscraper’s elevator blueprint to respond to Arthur’s question, "The skyscraper is planned to house 75 elevators, among which 40 will be dedicated to office and commercial areas, 2 to the public observation deck, 12 to the sky hotel, and 2 more to the private observation decks.

The remaining 19 elevators are public elevators that can reach all floors except for the 102nd.

With such a design, these 75 elevators should be able to meet the operational requirements of the entire building and avoid congestion."

A full 75 elevators! Arthur was somewhat astonished. If there were any more, there might almost be one elevator per floor.

However, for a massive building that rises higher than 381 meters, having 75 elevators isn’t that exaggerated.

"Apart from the elevators, what about other passages? In case of an accident, will the people in the elevators have enough space and time to escape?" Arthur raised another question that he considered important.

For a skyscraper this tall, the primary concern must be safety. Fire is an all too common hazard, and it’s normal for a fire to short out the electrical system and cause a power outage.

But then, without power, elevators can’t operate, and suddenly those 75 elevators that seemed excessive are just useless hunks of metal.

"There are four sets of staircases designed in the building to accommodate the public’s need for an escape in special circumstances," Governor John replied.

"Hmm," Arthur nodded, temporarily satisfied.

Nonetheless, such a building requires due caution. If completed, it would indeed be a miracle and a famed urban landmark, but a failed construction would be a blow to both the government and the royal family.

"The cost of the skyscraper is 50 million Australian dollars?" Arthur glanced at the final estimated cost on the blueprint and furrowed his brows slightly, turning his gaze towards Governor John.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Without a doubt, this is a very huge project. If the skyscraper is completed, it will aspire to claim the title of the tallest building in the world, and will undoubtedly be the definitive landmark of Sydney.

To ensure the magnitude and safety of the entire building, an investment of at least 50 million Australian dollars is necessary to meet our construction needs," Governor John nodded, offering an embarrassed explanation.

He understood just how extravagant a budget of 50 million Australian dollars was, second only to the Ministry of Defense or a few key Cabinet departments that receive such an annual fiscal budget.

Even as the Territory of Sydney, home to the largest population of Australasians, the fiscal revenue that could be retained each year is typically less than 10 million Australian dollars.

This also means that a significant portion of the fiscal budget required for the Kingdom Tower would need to be borne by the Kingdom Government.

Benchmarked against the Territory of Sydney’s annual fiscal revenue, it would take perhaps eight years or more for Sydney alone to accumulate the construction cost of the skyscraper.

Not to mention the high annual maintenance costs after completion, which also represent a significant expense.

But on the other hand, once the skyscraper is built, generating income is inevitable. Rent from the office and commercial areas, including the operation of the top-floor sky hotel, would create a substantial revenue.

Considering the projected investment of 50 million Australian dollars, a return on investment within ten years is entirely feasible.

Don’t underestimate the commercial value brought by such a skyscraper. As Sydney continues to develop, and due to the skyscraper’s location in the bustling city center, the rent within the building will only increase over time, thus increasing the revenue for the Sydney City Council and the Territory Government.

"So tell me, how much can Sydney invest in the construction of the skyscraper?" Arthur eyed Governor John somewhat irritably and asked.

"Around 7 million Australian dollars," Governor John carefully watched Arthur’s expression to ensure there was neither anger nor dissatisfaction before somewhat sheepishly stating the figure.

"7 million Australian dollars? You think you can build a 50 million Australian dollar skyscraper with just 7 million? John, have you lost your mind or have I?" Arthur slapped the blueprint onto Governor John’s face, his tone serious and critical as he rebuked.

"Your Majesty, please believe that the returns from the 50 million Australian dollar investment will unquestionably be manifold," seeing that Arthur wasn’t truly angry, Governor John quickly explained, "But there’s no choice. For a national landmark of this scale, Sydney alone simply does not have sufficient funds.

I can apply for a 40 million Australian dollar loan from the Royal Bank on behalf of the Sydney City Council and the Territory Government.

Once the skyscraper is completed and officially operational, the City Council and the Territory Government guarantee to pay back this loan within the stipulated time."

Arthur wasn’t actually angry. After all, except for its high cost, the construction of the so-called Kingdom Tower would be beneficial to Australasia.

However, it’s still necessary to criticize actions like Governor John’s, who planned such a large-scale project without adequate funds.

Otherwise, if officials from all states were to follow suit, would the kingdom government’s finances still be able to be maintained?

"It’s not necessary to go through all that trouble," Arthur instructed, "You’ve said it yourself; it’s a national landmark building, so naturally, the Kingdom Government should be involved.

Here’s what we’ll do, since the total budget is roughly around 45 million Australian Dollars, the royal family will contribute 15 million Australian Dollars, securing a one-third stake in the building.

As for the remaining funds, you can apply for them from the Cabinet yourself. How much you can obtain will depend on your ability, and if that doesn’t work out, handing over the construction of the building to the Kingdom Government is also an option," Arthur said with a sneer.

We cannot allow these officers to rely too heavily on the Royal Bank; the construction in each state should proceed according to each state’s economic situation.

Blindly engaging in large-scale construction, despite the support of the royal financial group, poses the risk of biting off more than one can chew.

Sydney, as a city, could be an exception, after all, it is the former capital of Australasia and its current largest city, with a population close to 4 million; supporting a super skyscraper is not a problem.

But apart from Sydney, Melbourne is the only other city eligible to build such a large-scale structure.

Any other city, when counted, fails to meet the necessary requirements in terms of population, economy, and industry.

In doing so, Arthur was not only striking a blow at Governor John but also making it clear to other state governors and governors that such opportunistic methods won’t work, and gaining Arthur’s approval would be very difficult.

To truly earn Arthur’s recognition, one must present a practical plan that reflects the actual situation of one’s region and can bring real development and long-term benefits to that area.

However, while it was a move to reprimand Governor John, Arthur had no real intention of making Governor John apply for the funding for the construction of the building himself.

In fact, from what Arthur had said, it was clear that he was very much in favor of constructing this Kingdom Building.

And the one-third investment pledged by the royal family was essentially telling Governor John and the Cabinet that since the royal family has invested, shouldn’t you follow suit?

Having invested also means agreeing to the building’s construction; the officers aren’t fools, and they wouldn’t reject the building’s design for various reasons.

Clearly, Governor John understood Arthur’s intentions. With Arthur’s promise secured, Governor John left Arthur’s office contentedly and happily headed to the Cabinet to request their financial support.

Although Arthur resolved the one-third, namely 15 million Australian Dollars in funding, there was still a shortfall of approximately 25 million Australian Dollars for the project; this would have to depend on the support of the Cabinet Government.

When Governor John laid out the plan for the Kingdom Building in front of Prime Minister Raul, Raul was completely taken aback.

But upon hearing from Governor John that Arthur had already pledged a 15 million Australian Dollar investment from the royal family, Prime Minister Raul quickly came around, indicating that the Kingdom Government could also invest 15 million Australian Dollars to obtain a one-third stake in the Kingdom Building.

Indeed, when Arthur spoke of the royal family’s 15 million Australian Dollars contribution, he did so with deeper implications. With large-scale construction plans, the finances weren’t that well-off.

While it was possible to come up with tens of millions of Australian Dollars, it was clear there was no need to completely deplete it on the construction of the Kingdom Building.

Therefore, a 15 million Australian Dollars investment each from the royal family and the government was the most suitable choice. As for the remaining 15 million Australian Dollar funding shortfall, it was up to the City of Sydney Government to figure out a solution.

And where could they find a solution? Governor John had mentioned it before, seeking help from the Royal Bank.

As the largest support of the monarchy, the Royal Bank has become one of the world’s largest banks, as well as the biggest and most popular bank among Australasians.

Why is it considered the monarchy’s largest support? Beyond the massive scale of the Royal Bank, it is also the only monetary institution in Australasia, with the Australian Dollar’s value largely determined by the Royal Bank.

As the royal family’s money-printing machine, just the annual income the Royal Bank brings to the royal family is guaranteed to be at least 50 million Australian Dollars.

Yes, it’s that astonishing. From the common people of Australasia to the governments at all levels in Australasia, the preferred lending bank is none other than the Royal Bank.

Furthermore, the Royal Bank’s high deposit rates and low borrowing rates have made it beloved by the public and the government, affectionately referred to by the populace as "His Majesty the King’s Conscientious Bank."

While other banks try every means to encroach on the funds of depositors, the Royal Bank not only safeguards the interests of its depositors but also makes deposits and withdrawals less troublesome.

In other words, at present, Arthur is the creditor of most Australasians and even the governments at all levels of Australasia.

Merely relying on that modest interest income, the Royal Bank can already sustain its operations.