Chapter 252: The Road to Colonization

  Chapter 244 The Road to Colonization

The refugee crisis in the Balkan Peninsula didn’t have the attention of the outside world, even though there were quite a few media outlets that reported on it, it was just a passing comment.

It’s not a matter of concern. In any world is universal, this era Ottomans in the hearts of Europeans impression is not good.

It could almost be seen as a synonym for barbarism, and with the addition of an infidel, it would be the kind that had no human rights.

Of course, people can’t pay attention to it, their own people’s stomachs are still not full, who is in the mood to care about the Ottomans’ death or life ah?

The outside world is not concerned, Franz is also happy to do so. The kind of white left standing and talking in the latter part of the world is still in the primary stage, and there is no right to speak.

Everyone’s eyes are converging on Constantinople and the Crimean Peninsula, the Near East war has been fought to the present, and the warring sides have begun to compare speed.

If the Russians capture Constantinople first, then they have gained a strategic advantage and can cut off the Bosphorus, and Britain and France, in addition to compromising, will have to fight them to the death in the Balkans.

On the contrary, Britain and France captured the Crimean Peninsula first, then they occupied a strategic advantage, they can go along with the situation to destroy the Russian shipbuilding industry in the Black Sea, and the Battle of Constantinople is no longer necessary to continue.

Do not look at the Black Sea Fleet is finished, the Russians are not prepared to counterattack. This era of sail battleship construction is not difficult, the Russian shipyards in the Sea of Azov did not stop working.

After suffering a loss, the Russians in the Black Sea coast of the shore artillery, are overhauled, the tsarist government bureaucrats, even if they are incompetent, but also know that can not continue to be passive.

Important military ports, shore guns have been redeployed. The British and French navies are not stupid, naturally, they will not take warships and shore guns against the bombardment.

According to St. Petersburg’s plan, as long as Constantinople is captured, then the British and French fleet into the Black Sea has become rootless, slowly grinding can also be the enemy to grind to death.

The Sevastopol fortress began to crumble, Constantinople also fell most of the time, the moment to decide the fate of both sides has arrived.

History had changed, and the Russians, with Austrian support, exploded into an even stronger fighting force. After the intervention of Nicholas I himself and the clicking of a few logistical officers, the Russian army in the Crimea was finally successfully reorganized.

However, the logistic supply also became more difficult. The more advanced the modernized weapons were, the greater the logistic pressure was, and it was a big challenge for the Russians who relied on the transportation of oxen and carts.

Vienna.

Franz was looking at a map of Africa, and colonies were not something to be started haphazardly. Land with owners can’t be touched, and right now Austria is not in a position to start a major conflict with the old colonial empires.

Secondly, poor and without resources, without any potential for development, Franz is not ready to touch. Colonization also depends on the cost, always will lose money business, doomed to do not long.

Lastly, the powerful natives could not be messed with, in case they were not taken down, it would be a great shame.

After eliminating these three factors, there were not many options left.

The closest was of course to attack the Ottoman Empire, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt were the closest options. After thinking about it, Franz did not hesitate to put a cross on these three options.

The timing is not right, now the Ottomans and Britain and France are still allies, venture to cause Britain and France to intervene, Austria will do the graft for them, and in the end can not get hair.

The most valuable South Africa, coastal areas have fallen into the hands of the British, Algeria has been the French bowl of meat, Morocco at the same time by the British, French and Western countries peeping.

Franz helplessly found that the good places are other people’s homes. Morocco has not yet been divided, intervene in a share of the pie can be, of course, this must be a good point of entry.

In this era, the land that has not been targeted by the great powers, almost does not exist. It doesn’t matter, as long as it is not eaten, we can all rely on our own means.

The list of options came out at once: Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Gabon, Congo, Namibia, Kenya, Tasania, Somalia, Zanzibar, Madagascar ……

Landlocked was not on the table, nor were areas farther beyond Africa in the plans, and Franz was very skeptical of the Austrian Navy’s oceanic capabilities.

Franz asked, “Plans can’t catch up with changes fast enough, the outbreak of the refugee wave in the Balkans is a trouble as well as an opportunity, and since it’s stumbled upon it can’t be wasted.

Trying to migrate to the African continent from the country is very difficult, just look at the British and French countries, the people would rather go to the American continent on the other side of the ocean rather than the African continent which is close by.

The quality of the refugees in the Balkans is also not good, but even worse than the natives, the development of the colony of the pre-population has, then our colonization plan to start earlier.

This is a map of the African continent, these unmarked ones are unclaimed lands, everyone think about it, what is the best place for us to start from?”

Mineral resources gods and goddesses, this era all belong to the unknown, the European colonizers have not been able to complete the exploration, so now everyone’s way of judging is very primitive.

Directly look at the degree of development, the local rich enough or not, colonization can be profitable. The Austrian government also has to consider one more thing, whether it is suitable for agricultural development, and whether it can support these immigrants.

Prime Minister Felix analyzed: “Your Majesty, Guinea can be considered, the coastal plain area is easy to control, the local water supply is sufficient, suitable for agricultural development, the establishment of the initial colonization base is very good.

In terms of distance, this is also the closest. There are not many competitors here at the moment, namely the French who have fooled a few chiefs into signing a treaty and do not have much influence in the area.

Nigeria is also good, with favorable natural conditions and relatively high economic value. But the local natives are relatively strong, and the British have penetrated deeper.

Then there was the Congo region, with water passages going deep inland and relatively easy to control. The produce in there is also good, and colonizing the area shouldn’t lose money.

At this stage, these three places are more suitable. There is no guarantee that we will be able to gain much profit, but at least within five years, these three places will be able to break even.

Together with my immigrants sent over from the Balkans, after a decade or so of operation, a small market can also be formed in the area, and it will be a small supplement to the domestic industry.”

Other regions are naturally postponed for the time being, colonization is also to consider the cost, of course, to choose the region with the most suitable interests.

Strategic location, future development, these are not in everyone’s consideration. Now can make money colonies, is good colonies.

Future issues, we’ll talk about that when the time comes. Everyone is a realist, and a colony is not a homeland, so don’t expect people to think far ahead.

Colonization, again, is a long-term investment, and it is the pursuit of the colonists to be able to recoup their costs as soon as possible and achieve profitability.

Of course there are colonies that don’t make money, and it’s not possible for a country to simply calculate the administrative costs of profit and loss.

If the colonial market can promote the development of domestic industry and commerce, or to make up for the lack of certain domestic resources, to bear a certain loss, is also acceptable.

In this regard, the history of the Germans is a negative example, the occupation of the colony area is not small, but unfortunately the development is limited, as of 1914 Germany in the continent of Africa in the immigrants only 20,000 people.

The German colonial operation has been in a state of loss, the vast colonies did not contribute much to the development of domestic industry and commerce, in foreign trade, the colonial market contributed only 0.5%.

Franz naturally want to learn a lesson, the first is to control the cost of colonization, the domestic management mode obviously can not be used.

Metternich suggested: “Your Majesty, we have just started overseas colonization, we can only succeed but not fail, it is not appropriate to take risks now.

Let’s make a move in the Guinea and Congo regions first, the competitors in these two places are not strong, as long as we are fast enough to cause established facts.”

Colonies were different from the mainland, and the targets that Austria had set its eyes on only seemed to belong to regions that were of some, but not much, value right now.

Now that the war in the Near East was at a critical juncture and everyone’s attention was drawn to it, it was the perfect opportunity to take action.

The opening of an African colony in this era was a mixture of risk and opportunity, and Britain and France would not make a big fuss over two chicken-ribbed colonies.

That’s right, it’s the chicken ribs colonies. Britain and France had too many areas suitable for agricultural production in their hands, and the Austrian target could not see anything special at the moment.

More critical is that these two places, there is no local unity of power, once the Kingdom of the Congo has long been in decline, there is no blocking the strength of Austria.

In contrast, Nigeria is not a soft touch, at least it seems to have some strength. The Fulani Empire, which ruled here, still had the strength to wage jihad, as can be seen.

Of course it’s not that Austria can’t take it down, it’s mainly a matter of give and take. The Fulani Empire, no matter what, can’t change the fact that they are just an agricultural country with a population of a few million.

The population of Africa in the latter half of the world’s largest country, and now even the shadow has not yet. The entire African continent has a total of just over 20 million people, spread over 30 million square kilometers of land, sparsely populated to the point of despair.

This is also the reason why Metternich is against taking the risk, religious beliefs are also very crazy, once it is unleashed, it is also enough for Austria to suffer.

In addition to the sparseness of the land, if these religious fanatics were to cause destruction, it would also be a headache. Although the human bomb has not yet been born, but suicide attacks have already appeared.

Austria can’t send hundreds of thousands of troops to exterminate these fishes just to maintain the rule of the colonies, right? Cost is the core of the establishment of the colonial empire, can not control the cost, then the colonial empire is not far from the collapse.

Without hesitating for a long time, Franz made a decision: “Let’s take these two places as the first step of our overseas colonization!

The general staff immediately start military deployment, this time the army and navy should act jointly, don’t make any jokes, when the time comes everyone’s face will not look good.”

Marshal Radetsky replied, “Yes, Your Majesty!”

Obviously Franz’s words also had the implication of knocking, the matter of the Balkan refugee tide had not passed, not holding the General Staff responsible, that was only for the sake of the government’s stability, it did not mean that it would not be held accountable.

If this time the matter is done well, then will be redemption of the crime will be uncovered; if there is a problem, even Marshal Radetzky, will inevitably have to be grayed out.

(End of chapter)