Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 229 Congo III

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Due to the shortage of domestic mineral resources, finding suitable sources of raw materials from outside became the only way to maintain the development of Han's industry.

Congo has fertile land and a wide range of mineral resources. Its most abundant copper reserves reach 6 million tons, ranking fourth in the world. It has approximately 6000 million tons of high-quality coal resources and 1.9 million carats of diamond reserves. As for metal mineral resources such as iron, chromium, zinc, manganese, and aluminum, the reserves are all above 100 million tons, which is fully capable of supporting the development of large-scale industries in the country.

Congo is an underestimated virgin land. In 1816, the British Navy sent Colonel Dukey to lead a well-equipped expedition team to explore deep inland along the Congo River. However, due to the rapid flow of the river and unsuitable climate, all members of the expedition team died.

In 1874, Stanley, a British explorer who was a journalist, organized a large expedition of 342 people. Despite the obstruction of the Han army stationed in Congo, they entered the northern Congo for exploration. As a result, they were attacked and killed by local black natives near Bemba a month later. The remaining explorers persisted in Bemba for five days and were rescued by the Han army that came to check the situation. However, because the black natives had smeared poison on the bows and arrows they used, most of the injured explorers died after escaping from Xianjing. In the end, less than explorers survived.

Stanley's expedition was a civilian expedition. After the expedition plan suffered a huge failure, not only did the financiers behind the expedition resent the dead Stanley, but the colonial officials who led Britain's African colonial plan also believed that there was no economic benefit in developing the interior of Congo, and were not optimistic about the Han Dynasty's occupation of the Congo region.

The Congo region was first occupied by the Han State. Stanley, who was a pioneer in exploring the interior of the Congo, unfortunately died in a conflict with the natives. King Leopold II of Belgium completely lost the possibility of occupying the Congo region as a colony. In desperation, Leopold II could only use his diplomatic talents to maneuver between European powers, hoping to obtain a colony from other regions.

Eliminating the hands of most competing countries reaching out to Congo, the Han government established a preliminary ruling foundation in Congo. First, Huang Naishang was appointed director of the African Colonial Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Secondly, four battalions of National Defense Force soldiers and two battalions and one company of Foreign Legion soldiers were dispatched to be stationed in Ebolowa, Kismayo and Mtwara in Congo and Cameroon respectively. Finally, a small number of refugees were transported by ocean-going ships to strengthen the strength of Han's colonial strongholds in Congo.

In Li Mingyuan's order to Huang Naishang, Congo was to be built as a core colony. Therefore, after receiving the first batch of refugees from Fujian Province, Huang Naishang and Xue Yizhong took a team of 200 National Defense Force soldiers, Foreign Legion soldiers, refugees, four doctors, and more than black natives, and boarded a pioneer team consisting of three small gunboats with a displacement of tons and five steam sailing ships, and sailed inland along the main channel of the Congo River.

At noon on April 1st, the fleet departed from Matadi and arrived in Kinshasa. After leaving some supplies for the local garrison, the fleet headed north along the Congo River, passing through trading points in Mbandaka, Bemba and other places, and finally arrived at its destination, Kisangani, on the morning of the 4th.

Kisangani is located in the middle reaches of the main channel of the Congo River. There are many tributaries nearby. It can quickly reach the northeastern, southwestern and southern regions of Congo through waterways. It is an important hub for controlling the interior of Congo.

Huang Naishang and Xue Yizhong had just ordered the soldiers to unload axes, machetes and other tools from the front gunboat when they saw a group of natives covered in black appearing in the forest in the distance.

The sudden appearance of the black natives caused a slight commotion among the refugees. Xue Yizhong stood in the middle of the team and ordered the soldiers to maintain order forcefully. Only then did the panicked refugees slowly calm down.

Looking back at the nervous Chinese refugees, Xue Yizhong smiled faintly and said, "Master Huang, your fellow villagers don't have your courage. They have been in Congo for ten days and are still a little scared when they see the black natives."

"It's not their fault. The fleet suffered two attacks on the way. They may have mistaken the people of the Wuermu tribe for the attacking natives." Huang Naishang looked at the native chief surrounded by hundreds of black people and still some distance away from the river, and explained, "Lieutenant Colonel Xue and I have been out to sea for several years and have seen foreigners and black natives. These fellow countrymen from the mainland have never been out to sea. It is normal that they find it difficult to change their mindsets in a short period of time after just coming into contact with the black natives covered in black. After they have been in Ganga for a year or so, they will slowly adapt."

"Master Huang is right. We should give them some time to adapt."

Xue Yizhong nodded, and when he was about to continue talking to Huang Naishang, he saw a soldier hurriedly running towards him.

"Sir, Zheng Er and Huang Song's wounds are starting to fester. Doctor Wang suggests sending them back to Matadi for treatment immediately!"

"Aren't there any poison on the natives' bows and arrows? How come their wounds are getting worse?"

One of the two injured was an old brother who followed him to immigrate to Han from Australia. Hearing that their wounds were festering and worsening, Xue Yizhong could not help but feel angry: "What are these doctors doing? Since the year before last, dozens of strong brothers have died every year because of minor illnesses. Doctor Wang and Doctor Sun have been researching and treating them for more than two years, but they haven't found any results. Tell Doctor Wang that if they can't cure Zheng Er and Huang Song this time, I will apply to His Highness to remove these quacks from their positions!"

"Yes!" The soldier saluted neatly and was about to turn around and leave when he was stopped by Huang Naishang.

"The plague is rampant in Africa. The two brothers may have been infected by accidentally touching dirty things after being injured. The most urgent task is to send the two brothers back to the base for treatment. Lieutenant Colonel Xue, you can't let your subordinates act impulsively because of your concern. This may not only cause Doctor Wang and other doctors to suffer injustice, but also delay the treatment of the two brothers."

Dozens of soldiers die every year. Huang Naishang understood Xue Yizhong's feelings and consoled him, "Doctor Wang and his team have done their best. Three years ago, the first team that arrived in the interior of Congo was unfamiliar with the local environment and suffered from diseases that killed more than a hundred people. In recent years, Doctor Wang and his team have gone deep into the jungle to investigate poisonous plants and animals and water sources that may cause disease, helping the troops reduce the loss of hundreds of people. We need to be more patient and give Doctor Wang and his team more time to find ways to prevent and treat tropical diseases."

Huang Naishang was the person in charge of the Congolese colonial outpost. After his persuasion, Xue Yizhong felt that he had not controlled his emotions just now, so he softened his tone and said, "I am not unaware of the difficulties of the doctors, but losing more than 30 brothers a year, and most of them died from an insignificant wound or minor illness. It is really not worth it."

"Your Highness has ordered the mainland to increase the amount of quinine supplied to the Congo region. What we need to do is to remind the soldiers and immigrants to abide by the epidemic prevention guidelines set by the doctor and try to reduce the number of troops reduced due to illness."

(End of this chapter)