Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 250 Colonial Transactions Part
ps: Thanks to Tu Haitao for the reward of 500 coins and Lunhui de Sanzi for the reward of 100 coins!
At Potsdam Palace in Berlin, Germany, a priest in his fifties was energetically introducing his ideas to the emperor. "Since the establishment of the German Empire, the population has increased much faster than the grain production. According to the current rate, within ten years, the local grain production will be unable to meet the needs of the people.

Insufficient grain production will cause rising prices, increase residents’ living costs, and be detrimental to social stability.

At the same time, the inability to be self-sufficient in food production and the rising cost of living will cause a large number of citizens to become dissatisfied with their living conditions at home and choose to immigrate abroad. The large-scale loss of citizens is not only a waste of human resources, but will also weaken the overall strength of the empire.

Secondly, the British and French governments are planning to enact trade protection policies to increase taxes on the empire's industrial and commercial products. Once Britain and France formally implement trade protection policies against the empire, the empire's industrial and commercial system, which has just begun to prosper, may face the risk of overproduction and national economic stagnation.

"

The tall German priest looked excited. If he were not wearing a black priest robe, it would be difficult to associate him with a devout believer.

"Many of the problems encountered in the development of the German Empire needed to be solved by acquiring overseas colonies."

"Your Majesty, Count Bismarck,"

The German priest reminded William I and Bismarck, took out a thick stack of documents and said, "After the Franco-Prussian War, the Imperial Government proposed a high compensation of 50 billion francs to the French in order to curb France's recovery of strength, and signed a contract to station troops in France. However, what was beyond the Imperial Government's expectations was that the French paid off the 50 billion francs in compensation in just three years, forcing the Imperial Army to withdraw from France ahead of schedule, which led to the failure of the plan to curb France's development.

"

"I am sorry to interrupt you, Father Fabri,"

The German diplomat who had met with Houyaki last time stood up and said, "I don't understand what France's payment of 50 billion in reparations has to do with the empire's expansion of overseas colonies?"

"I will explain it to you, Baron Edrewyn."

The German priest was interrupted and showed a hint of displeasure on his face, but he quickly recovered and explained, "French merchants are known in Europe for lending at high interest rates to make high profits, but in Asia and Africa, French colonists and smugglers can earn several times more profit from local natives with just a few hundred muskets.

Gentlemen, the Hamburg and Bremen church merchant groups have merchant groups in Asia and Africa, where their merchants witnessed with their own eyes the huge profits made by the French, and the price they paid for it was nothing more than a few dozen soldiers who died of disease and some cheap muskets and ammunition.

French merchants used the huge wealth plundered from the colonies to repay the indemnity, and when the French recovered their strength, they would inevitably choose to unite with other countries to fight against the empire. In this way, the situation of the empire would be very dangerous. "

The German priest looked worried about Germany's future situation, then changed the subject and said, "If the Empire has vast colonies in Africa, then the fertile land in Africa can provide sufficient food for the country and reduce the cost of living for residents.
Secondly, the excessive population of the country emigrating to overseas colonies can, on the one hand, alleviate domestic social conflicts, and on the other hand, Africa's fertile land and abundant resources will allow immigrants to live a prosperous life, increase their loyalty to the empire and strengthen control over the colonies.

Finally, the vast African colonies can provide the empire with cheap raw materials, reduce the cost of industrial production, and provide a consumer market for domestic industrial and commercial enterprises, which is conducive to the development of industry and commerce. "

The German priest explained the benefits of expanding colonies to Germany from the perspectives of economy, politics and society, and then stated:

Cameroon's aluminum mines have huge economic benefits. It is very cost-effective to use several small islands and commercial bases with limited economic value in exchange for the aluminum mines controlled by the Han State. Therefore,
The Hamburg Bremen Church and its merchant guilds agree to a colonial exchange agreement with the Han Empire. In addition, out of consideration for protecting the property interests of German citizens in Africa, the Hamburg Bremen Church implores His Majesty to include Southwest Africa and Tanzania under the colonial rule of the Empire. The Church will mobilize local merchant guild members to cooperate with the actions of the Imperial Army.

"Father Fabry once led missionaries to Southwest Africa to preach. He should be familiar with the natural environment in Africa, right?"

After patiently listening to the other party's explanation, Prime Minister Bismarck retorted, "The Cameroon aluminum mine is the mine with the richest reserves discovered so far. In order to protect the economic interests of the empire, I agree to include Cameroon in the empire's colonial rule, but apart from Cameroon, I do not agree to expand colonial power in other parts of Africa."

"Hasn't the Count discovered the economic value of the colonies yet?" Father Fabri asked in return.

"My opposition to blind colonial expansion in Africa was a carefully considered decision."

Bismarck did not consider the other party's opinion and said forcefully, "Most of the overseas colonies with huge economic value have fallen into the hands of Britain and France. Except for Cameroon, where a huge aluminum mine has been newly discovered, other regions in Africa have limited economic value and are not worth the empire sending a large number of manpower and material resources to build them.

Secondly, the indigenous people of Africa were backward and uncivilized, and were often prone to rebellions against colonial rule. If the empire wanted to maintain its colonial rule in the local area, it would have to spend a lot of money and troops to suppress the rebellion, which would not be worth the cost.

In addition, African diseases were rampant, and white immigrants could not survive on a large scale there, and the country could not mobilize enough officials to manage colonial affairs.

So Father Fabri, the massive expansion of overseas colonies that you think of actually has no obvious benefits to the empire. Instead, it requires the empire to spend a lot of money to maintain order in the colonies.

I will not agree with your suggestion."

“Count, things are not as bad as you think.

The Han Kingdom has improved the technology of quinine production. The imperial government can negotiate with the Han government to purchase quinine at a low price to supply the immigrants' living needs in Africa. If you really think that it is not worth the loss for the imperial government to directly manage the colonies, the churches and merchant groups in Hamburg and Bremen are willing to follow the model of the British East India Company and manage colonial affairs on behalf of the government. "

Although Fabreis engaged in colonial activities as a priest, the main members of the Chamber of Commerce were German small and medium-sized industrialists, petty bourgeoisie, landless farmers and other lower classes of society. They were oppressed by the Junker landlord class represented by Bismarck in Germany, and they were eager to obtain overseas colonies like the great powers such as Britain and France, and then live a good life in the colonies by exploiting the local indigenous people and get rid of their status as the bottom of society.

There is a natural contradiction between the ruling class and the ruled class. Even though the Junker landlord class such as Bismarck played a huge role in the Franco-Prussian War, in order to protect the interests of the landlord class itself and for fear that the expansion of overseas colonies would intensify the contradictions with Britain and France, Bismarck always opposed the expansion of overseas colonies.

Even though the discovery of aluminum mines in Cameroon proved that overseas colonies had huge economic benefits, Bismarck did not agree to completely open the door to expanding overseas colonies.

William I rarely opposed Bismarck's opinions, but this time he intended to correct Bismarck's ideas.

"Small and medium-sized countries such as the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain all have overseas colonies. Last year, King Leopold II of Belgium also sought support from the empire to acquire overseas colonies.
Many small European countries have colonies of considerable size. As a European power, the German Empire needed to have colonies of a scale that matched its status as a great power.

Your Excellency the Prime Minister, Cameroon's aluminum mines are of great benefit to the development of domestic industry and commerce. Southwest Africa and Tanzania, where imperial merchants are involved, have vast areas and are likely to have rich resources similar to Cameroon's aluminum mines.

The Empire's foreign policy should make some changes, and I hope you can support the Empire's expansion of overseas colonies."

"I respect your Majesty's opinion very much, but I still stick to my own opinion. The empire should not invest a lot of money in colonies with limited benefits."

"The Prime Minister's idea is very prudent." William I nodded in agreement, and then said, "Father Fabry, in a few days the Imperial Government will declare its sovereignty over Cameroon, Southwest Africa, and Tanzania. Except for Cameroon, which will be directly managed by the Imperial Government, the administrative rights of Southwest Africa and Tanzania will be handed over to your Chamber of Commerce. Before obtaining clear benefits, the Imperial Government will not provide financial subsidies to the two colonies. Are you willing to accept the important task entrusted to you by the Imperial Government?"

"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. The Hamburg and Bremen Chamber of Commerce will not let Your Majesty down."

Fabre bowed deeply.

(End of this chapter)