Chapter 469: All Acting

  Chapter 458 All in a play

The British small action did not hide the Austrian Minister in Portugal, the news first time back to Vienna. This time it was the turn of the Vienna government confused, completely unaware of how the British suddenly ate dynamite.

The South African crisis is only potential, now Austria is busy operating the newly occupied territory, not to seek the British bad luck.

Not long ago the colonial minister Josip Jelacic retired honorably, now presided over the work of the acting colonial minister Stephen.

Stefan is also a legend, in the process of Austria’s opening up the colony, he was still a lieutenant colonel of the army was temporarily appointed as the mayor of Neubrueck, and then opened up the road to the green clouds.

He served as Governor of West Africa, Governor of the Congo, and then was transferred back to Vienna as Undersecretary of the Colonial Department, which he presided over after Josip Jelacic’s retirement.

After so many years of development, the Colonial Ministry is no longer the dispensable department it was at the beginning, but a powerful department second only to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Defense.

Colonial Minister Stephen explained, “Your Majesty, it has been verified that in recent times, we have not had any major conflicts break out with the British in the African region.

Just last month, the Governor of West Africa also communicated with the British on the issue of British colonial strongholds in the West African region, and there was a breakthrough in the negotiations, and now we are only negotiating on the issue of price.”

Clearly, this Anglo-Australian South African crisis was not instigated by the Austro-African colonial government. The colonial bureaucrats are no fools, and even if they were to take on South Africa, it would not be now.

Wouldn’t it be better to wait for the railroad to pass through and then hit the South African region?

Besides, the conflict in West Africa can be solved by negotiation, but the conflict in South Africa is not impossible.

There may be warmongers, but people will not choose the British as an enemy. This opponent, the land is good to clean up, to the sea victory or defeat will be reversed.

West Africa because of the gold issue, we have been deadlocked for more than ten years, and now Austria successively settled the Dutch, the Portuguese, the French, relying on the force is not coercion, mainly because of the gold mine is finished.

Precisely is the countries control area, has found and have mining value of the gold mine, was mined seven or eight.

There is no economic interest, and does not have the strategic value, the rest of the problem is naturally easy to deal with. Colonies, as long as the price is right then can be sold.

If someone offers a high price, Franz does not mind selling a few colonies. The Austrian colonies spread all over the world, add up to more than 17 million square kilometers, in which there are a lot of areas do not have too much value.

Look at the degree of importance to know, Franz value African colonies, not because of the richness of this place, not because of the high strategic value of this place, mainly because of this place is close to, and the potential for development is large enough.

Asia and the Americas may be more favorable natural conditions, but the distance determines the weak control of the Vienna government over those areas.

The transatlantic telegraph was still in the process of being set up, and the Vienna government had to decentralize the colonies before it could guarantee instant communication.

To be able to obtain the benefit is enough, now overseas in addition to the strategic value of the Central American colonies is important, is a constraint on the Americans of the sharp weapon, other areas are only economic interests.

Tragic ones such as Alaska had to pour money into them every year. Franz by the way and circled a few uninhabited islands near Canada, ready to be used to disgust the British.

Foreign Minister Weissenberg analyzed, “According to the intelligence we have gathered, the British are acting very strangely. If they can pull in the Portuguese, they can indeed dominate in the South African region.

In fact, although they do not have an alliance, the two sides have long stood together on the issue of South Africa. Our expansion has been so fast that the Portuguese have been very wary, and very often they have favored the British.

However, for them to come right out and make an enemy of us, the Portuguese should not be so unwise.

Even if they expelled our forces from South Africa, it would only be temporary. Once both sides have torn their faces off, even with the support of the British, Portugal will not be able to keep its African colonies.

If we are willing, we can end Portugal’s colonial empire at any time. Against this background, I don’t think Portugal dares to jump out.

We can think of it and so can the British. I’m afraid there’s a big problem here when you know you can’t do it.”

Weissenberg could see that there was something wrong, and so could Franz, unfortunately not knowing exactly what it was that prompted the British to do it.

It wasn’t impossible to pull Portugal in, and if the stakes were high enough, the Portuguese would probably fall for it.

However, Franz didn’t believe that the British would be willing to give it. Besides, even if the British were willing to promise, would the Portuguese dare to believe it?

It is not bragging, these days the credibility of the British, that is only a little better than the Russians.

Portugal is the ancestor of the Great Powers, these sets are they have played, want to fool the past is not easy.

Could it be that the gold reserves in South Africa have been exposed, so that the British are desperate to take it down, even at the expense of turning their backs on Austria?

Afterwards, Franz again dispelled this idea. To explore the gold reserves is not so easy, just found a few gold mines, even if the discovery of the Rand mining area, is not enough to make the British risk.

It is not that the temptation of the Rand mining area is small, the key is to say that no one will believe. 60,000 tons of gold reserves, that is a joke, the world has been mined out of the gold add up to whether there is so much, are a big question mark.

With the prospecting technology and mining technology at that time, at most, it is valued at two or three thousand tons of reserves, it is impossible to be more.

Ninety-five percent or more of the gold mines in later years, this era are not mining value. Including many rich mines, because of the natural conditions also have no mining value.

Otherwise, the gold in West Africa would not have been mined in more than ten years. It is not that the gold mines have been emptied, but mainly the gold mines with economic value have been mined out.

Since it’s not for gold, naturally it can’t be for diamonds, the price of which is not yet speculative.

Most people are thinking about food and can’t afford to consume such luxuries. The rich people are not good at fooling, and do not take diamonds too seriously.

“Pay close attention to the movements of the British, not just the African region, as long as it involves our interests, we must be vigilant.

No matter what the British want, just find a way to sabotage it. Since they are pulling in Portugal, let our people stir up trouble.”

Not being able to figure it out, Franz simply didn’t bother to think about it and just do the sabotage. In case it was just a false move by the British, it wasn’t impossible that the real target was someone else.

This kind of thing, Franz also played around. A lot of times putting out false information is to bring off the enemy’s line of sight.

If you are led by the nose, you will be trapped, so it is better to respond to the inconvenience.

Anyway, even if it is true that Britain and Portugal join forces, at most, Austria in the South African region temporarily suffered some losses, and now the loss of up to three to five years back, but not threaten the core interests of Austria.

……

Lisbon, the British and Austrian ministers have acted, the atmosphere of the Portuguese government is also tense.

This is not a good choice, if the British and Austrians went to war, then Portugal naturally on the side of the British.

Anyway, on land there are France and Spain blocked, the sea has the British Royal Navy, Austria’s tentacles can not reach Portugal.

Unfortunately, the two countries are only colonial conflict, the distance from the outbreak of war is still worse than ten thousand miles, this time to stand on the side of the danger.

No matter who you support, you will offend another. Big country game, who can’t help who, but retaliation against Portugal can be done.

The tension in the government soon spread to the people. It was clear to many that the time had come to decide Portugal’s fate.

Now Portugal is divided into two factions, in general still support the British more, but Austria’s requirements are lower, need to take less risk.

Simply let them neutral, do not need to directly participate in the confrontation of the big powers, so gained the support of the neutral faction, now the two factions are equal.

As a businessman engaged in overseas trade, Ralston is also very concerned about international politics, watching the British and Austrians each show their skills, he even put off the recent ocean shipping business.

There are many opportunities to make money, but definitely not now. This tense time to go to sea, not afraid of encountering pirates?

No need to doubt, once the Portuguese government mishandled, the chances of them encountering pirates will greatly increase.

Powers of the knuckleheads is so high, see you are not happy to be behind the back of the black hand. Britain and Austria are world empire, want to avoid their sphere of influence, simply impossible.

For security reasons, in recent times, Portugal’s merchant ships have greatly reduced the frequency of the sea, offshore trade is also so-called, ocean trade are very cautious.

Sacked by pirates, there is still a chance of survival; if the unfortunate navy sacked, then dead.

Pirates to shear wool, usually will not kill the passing merchants, which is their bread and butter; change the navy robbery is not the same, in order to reputation must also be silenced.

Of course, under normal circumstances, the national navy is not going to skewer the pirates, occasionally a few black sheep, that is also understandable.

This luck is best not to bet, after all, the British and Austrian knuckleheads are not high. In case the government stood up to the enemy’s retaliation just after sailing, they people would be in danger.

In this day and age, with thousands of ships meeting with accidents every year, and more than two hundred ships going missing, ocean trade was a real high-risk endeavor.

Just below the Foreign Office building, Ralston met old friends. Without asking he knew that they were all concerned about this Anglo-Australian conflict.

“Julian, how is the situation?”

Ralston asked expectantly, if it kept dragging on like this, it was going to miss the best ocean season. This era was mainly sail powered, and the sea monsoon was also a very important factor.

Julian shook his head and teased, “Still no results, these officials are still arguing as if Portugal’s position really matters.”

Ralston said in the same vein, “Damn mongrels, if it drags on like this, we’re going to be eating dirt this year!”

The Portuguese bourgeoisie had long been dissatisfied with the government, and Louis I, despite some reforms, still hadn’t been able to satisfy the capitalists.

Now the government’s hesitation has galvanized the capitalists’ discontent. In the opinion of most capitalists, taking sides now is a joke.

Britain and Austria are indeed pulling Portugal together, the problem is that their attention is very general, and does not give too much benefit.

If this is the case, then why risk taking sides, neutral is not good? Participate in the Anglo-Australian conflict, a bad thing is a bloody head.

Think so can, do so can not. Portugal has long been in decline, they can keep a large part of the colonies, relying on the left and right of the diplomatic means.

Louis I also wanted to declare neutrality, not to participate in the British and Austrian affairs, however, things are not he can say.

The British were not willing to let go, and Austria wanted to see what the British were selling, so the Portuguese government could only play along.

(End of chapter)