Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 334: Population of Manila in 1869

The warring parties officially signed the Treaty of Manila on April 4, and since the subsequent withdrawal of troops would take time, some major celebrations had to be postponed.

The grand "Victory Day" celebration is scheduled for May 5, with a Victory Day parade and a parade of 1 people held on Manila's main Avenue of Glory.

This was to demonstrate the glory of military victory, and secondly to flex muscles to the great powers such as Britain, France, the United States, Russia, Germany and the Netherlands, and to show the powerful strength of the unity of the Chu State.

After winning this extremely significant victory, the King of Chu issued an edict that April 4th of each year would be designated as "Victory Day" and become a legal holiday in the Chu State.

After the Manila Treaty was officially signed, His Majesty the King of Chu issued more than a dozen imperial edicts in succession.

The content of the decree was all-encompassing, commending and rewarding all officers and soldiers in the army, rewarding them with fields, houses, shops, and women. Those who deserved promotions were promoted, and those who deserved to be sent to military academies for further studies were sent there. The whole army was filled with jubilation.

Among the army and navy, the Singapore Expeditionary Force received the most generous rewards. An ordinary soldier was often rewarded with hundreds of acres of land, and some were even rewarded with thousands of acres of land. After returning home, they would definitely become middle-class landlords.

The land awarded to officers was usually over a thousand acres, and it was not uncommon for officers at the battalion or regiment level to be awarded thousands of acres. They were also awarded at least two maids and a house in Manila.

This is because the Singapore Expeditionary Force's glorious military exploits were unmatched, and the name of the "Devil's Division" was known throughout the country, attracting the attention of the British and French powers, and became a well-known brand in the Chu army.

Generals with outstanding achievements also received plaques written by His Majesty himself. It was a great honor for a soldier, which attracted everyone's envy and became a hot topic for a time.

From 4 month 1 day
Manila's "World Weekly" was upgraded and reorganized into "World Journal", with a special military column reporting on the deeds of outstanding officers and soldiers every day, including both officers and soldiers.

This column is called "Star Shining in Da Chu". The hero of the first issue is the newly appointed deputy commander of the Sixth Division, Colonel Zheng Shiwei. His legendary combat experience was reported in detail, which attracted heated discussions across the country and made him a popular figure in the country.

Colonel Zheng Shiwei served as the commander of the former 3rd Battalion of the Royal Guards and the former commander of the 5th New Royal Regiment. He became famous in the Valley Battle against the British and French forces and was known as the "Iron Bolt".

His Majesty the King of Chu personally awarded him a plaque with the words "Hero of a Hundred Battles", conferred upon him the title of Viscount of the Kingdom, granted him land and fiefdoms, four maids, a precious sword, and allowed him to study in the officer class of the Manila Advanced Infantry Academy. His future military career is bright.

Dozens of officers were similarly rewarded, including many in the Royal Navy and the Army. They were all given plaques and promoted to higher positions to show the emperor's favor and favour.

His Majesty the King of Chu issued another decree,

From now on, the Ministry of Military and Political Affairs will be abolished and replaced by the General Staff Headquarters. The highest officer will be the Chief of Staff, who will be Army General Qian Jiang.

It is divided into the Army Department, the Navy Department and the Logistics Department, and the chief officers are all lieutenant generals, which is a clear improvement.

In the auditorium of the Manila Infantry Academy, King Zheng Guohui of Chu lavishly rewarded the military commanders who had made outstanding contributions. He conferred upon Prime Minister Li Hezhang the title of Marquis of Cavite, promoted Army Commander Qian Jiang to the title of Marquis and promoted him to the rank of General, and conferred upon Navy Commander Huo Haisheng the title of Marquis and promoted him to the rank of General.

There were also six new earls, 19 new viscounts, and 52 new barons, most of whom were military generals, accounting for 2/3 of the total, which greatly expanded the kingdom's aristocratic circle.

After this war

The State of Chu won the final victory against the invasion, expanded its territory, plundered a large amount of resources, highly consolidated the confidence of the people, and to a large extent shaped the national identity. It also pushed forward the originally required water-grinding education and publicity efforts by 20 years, and achieved fruitful results.

Officers and soldiers were promoted, made rich, and awarded land. Government officials had more job opportunities. Ordinary people traveling in Southeast Asia and around the world could receive respect befitting the status of a great power.

All these tangible and intangible benefits, coupled with the enthusiasm triggered by the victory of the war, led to an unprecedented outbreak of patriotic enthusiasm across the country. The fields and countryside were filled with laughter and a festive atmosphere.

The King of Chu issued an edict;

If the three states of East Malaysia, namely Sabah, Brunei and Sarawak, with a total area of ​​more than 20 square kilometers, are included in the territory of the kingdom, then the scope of the kingdom will be expanded from the original 30 square kilometers to 50 square kilometers.

A war expanded the territory by 20 square kilometers. What else is there to be dissatisfied about?
These are the obvious benefits, but where are the potential benefits?
The potential benefit is that the Chu State's influence has expanded to Australia, taking deep roots in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and New Wales, and occupying the mainstream of the local social population.

Major General Zheng Fu, commander of the Fifth Division, was promoted to lieutenant general for his merits, granted the title of earl, and awarded a plaque with the inscription "A Family of Loyalty and Bravery", 100,000 acres of pasture, a house, six maids, a noble gold seal and badge, and a number of gold, silver, and cloth.

After receiving the reward and expressing his gratitude, General Zheng Fuzhong followed the king's order to disband the more than 100,000 Australian expeditionary forces, allowing them to return to their hometowns and live a peaceful life.

Soon afterwards
Lieutenant General Zheng Fu also retired from the Chu army and settled in Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, living in a luxurious Gothic manor and becoming the leading Chinese rancher in the area.

While the State of Chu was busy preparing for the Victory Day parade, Earl Zheng Fu announced the establishment of the non-governmental organization "Chu Xianghui" after several grand dinners held in his manor, and appointed himself as its president.

The so-called Chuxiang means "Chu State is the hometown".

The "Chuxiang Association" is a Chinese organization spread throughout Australia. It is based on the former Australian Expeditionary Force and has established a strict organizational structure in each state, city, county and town. The former commanders of the Australian Expeditionary Force serve in important positions in various branches.

From the very beginning, it claimed to have 30 members, all of whom were strong Chinese men. It did not accept any female members, nor did it accept any elderly, weak or children.

Earl Zheng Fu then announced that he would run in the new Welsh Governor election, hoping to serve the people in a new area.

Members of the "Chu Xiang Hui" in other states, cities, counties and towns also announced their candidacy. Many places started the campaign on their own without waiting for the Governor-General of Australia to issue an order.

By the time the British realized what was happening, nearly 70% of the towns and villages had already elected their mayors and county governors, and the Governor of New South Wales had also been elected. As expected, Earl Cheng Fook was elected Governor. There was also an all-Chinese government, and even Chinese police were in place.

In the Dominion of Australia
Originally, each state had great autonomy. They could organize elections on their own, maintain the operation of local colonial governments on their own, recruit police and municipal and county-level civil servants on their own, and even make their own laws.

In the four parts of Australia where white people make up the absolute majority of the population, the dominance of white people has been completely lost.

Only in Melbourne, Victoria, do the local white people still have considerable power, able to compete on equal terms with the competitors put forward by the Chinese, making the competition quite fierce.

Most of these trivial matters are handled by the Chuxiang Association.

Invisibly, the Chuxiang Association has become Australia's largest political force, the largest civil organization and the largest Chinese gang, playing an important role that cannot be ignored.

Hundreds of thousands of Australian expeditionary forces were demobilized and returned home in the blink of an eye. The process was extremely smooth and did not cause any commotion. No one protested against pay or gathered to cause trouble.

The secret lies in

The corresponding rewards for the officers and soldiers of the Australian Expeditionary Force were awarded by the King of Chu more than a month ago. Most of the merits at all levels were related to pasture farming. They moved into the houses they were awarded and slept with the women they were awarded. They basically got all the benefits.

Of the gold, silver, and valuables looted during military operations, the portion that one personally keeps will belong to him, and the rest must be handed over, and a certain percentage will be distributed as a reward.

Those who did not want the reward in silver could also exchange it for physical objects such as land, shops or houses. Ninety-nine percent of the officers and soldiers chose the latter.

No one is stupid, especially the Chinese officers and soldiers who have a deep attachment to land running in their blood. The opportunity to obtain land should never be missed.

A little bit of money means nothing!

As long as you have fields, land, and pastures, and are willing to work hard, why worry about not making a lot of money?

The rewards for the Australian Expeditionary Force were mostly in the form of in-kind goods, and these in-kind treasures were looted from white ranchers, mine owners, and wealthy businessmen, without costing the Chu government a penny.

The vast majority of these white ranchers and miners died in the war, including those white cowboys who dared to resist and became casualties in the war.

Then these huge amounts of wealth will become ownerless.

During the period when European expeditionary forces dominated the governments of the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales, it was a simple matter to change land deeds and officially authenticate them.

Don’t white people know how to assert their rights?
Indeed, some blind white people, after the war, held up various petitions, angrily protesting how much land and property had been forcibly confiscated, how many relatives had been killed and insulted, how many shares and properties were missing, and how many mansions had been forcibly occupied...

Then there is no more then.

These fools who jumped out were quickly and accurately captured, which only took a little effort, and soon peace was restored to the world.

The few white residents who survived the war, after seeing the reality of society, wisely chose to keep quiet and live a peaceful life. Those white people who harbored resentment would often complain in the tavern, criticizing various injustices, including the visible and invisible obstacles that society faced in various aspects of white people's education, employment, and elections. They could not help but pour out their anger after drinking two cups of horse urine.

Thus, a familiar scene was played out again...

After several months of natural adjustment, Australian society has peacefully transitioned to its previous lazy days.

The sky is still as blue, the earth is still as vast, the scenery of the city by the bay is still as beautiful, and the chaos and darkness are all covered up.

“At the very beginning of primitive accumulation, capital exudes a foul, bloody odor from every pore…”

This sentence perfectly confirms the fact that in the early stages of its development, the Chu State grew rapidly through simple and crude colonization methods.

There is only so much social wealth and the cake is only so big. If you want to have an extra bite, then some people will have nothing to eat and some people will be exploited and oppressed.

It is undeniable
Such simple and crude colonial expansion really has an immediate effect.

Next to Glory Avenue

It was a large palace-like building with a large square at the entrance. A flagpole was erected in the small square, with flags flying on three flagpoles.

In the middle is the royal flag with the word "Chu", on the left is the national flag of Bagua Tai Chi, and on the right is the dragon flag, the emblem of the Chu royal family, that is, the five-clawed golden dragon stepping on the sea. Three huge flags flutter in the wind on the tall flagpoles.

Every morning

When the sun rises, the honor guard will hold a flag-raising ceremony here, and in the evening, before the sun sets, a flag-lowering ceremony will be held.

Day after day, especially after the news of victory in the war came, a large number of people would gather here every morning and evening to watch the flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremonies.

The palace-style buildings behind the square are the newly completed Prime Minister's Office of the Chu State Cabinet, also known as the "Yuehu Official Residence", after more than three years of large-scale construction.

This is because next to this palace-like building, there is a lake covering an area of ​​more than a thousand acres. Because it is shaped like a crescent moon, it is called "Moon Lake".

The solemn and majestic Prime Minister's Yamen is located on the bank of Yuehu Lake, so the Chinese people call it the "Yuehu Official Residence".

The overall architectural style of the Prime Minister's Office is that of a Han and Tang Dynasty palace building. The entire building is built on an elevated earthen platform more than ten meters high and can be reached by climbing 32 steps.

The overall shape is in the shape of the Chinese character "成". The "口" at the top is Yuehu Square, and the "王" at the back is a palace-style pavilion with three consecutive entrances.

The building is 5 stories high, connected by corridors, with golden roofs, red pillars, carved railings and painted buildings, and is full of the charm of traditional Chinese architecture.

Its top is covered with magnificent golden tiles, and the eaves are decorated with traditional ridge beasts, overlooking the entire capital from a high place.

It looks solemn and dignified, and particularly majestic.

There are corner gates on both sides of the Prime Minister's Office, which are guarded by armed guards on a daily basis and no outsiders are allowed to approach.

From here, you can go straight into the carriage and enter the official offices of the prime minister and ministers of various departments deep in the yamen, but only nobles with high positions and titles above the rank of deputy minister can pass through.

Ordinary staff members of the Prime Minister's Office still had to go to and from get off work in a proper manner and could not enjoy the treatment of high-ranking officials.

Fortunately, there is a fairly large horse farm on the shore of Yuehu Lake. Officials in the yamen can temporarily leave their horses here whether they are riding in a carriage or on horseback.

The service at the stable is very comprehensive. You can take care of the horses on a daily basis, feed them, and feed them some specified fine feed. You can also rent carriages, write documents for them, provide the four treasures of the study, and there is a duty room for the grooms to rest. A certain fee is charged according to the different services.

On the other side of the Prime Minister's Yamen, across the "Moon Lake", is the Chu State Parliament which is under construction. Its area is larger than that of the Prime Minister's Yamen. It is also mainly composed of a 5-story reinforced concrete structure with golden tiles and red walls. It is an architectural complex with a strong Han and Tang Dynasty palace style.

The construction of the National Parliament building has been going on for more than three and a half years. The main structure has been basically completed, but it will take some time to perfect the internal details of the building. It has not yet been put into use.

The National Assembly, a large building, is also the last of the various office buildings deployed by the Chu State over the years and will be completed and delivered before the end of the year.

At this point, the large government buildings of Chu State, including the Prime Minister's Office, Parliament, High Court, Nine Ministries and Three Agencies, Martyrs' Shrine, Lingshan Temple, Tianyuan Temple, National Museum, Library, and Shang Hospital, which are located on both sides of Glory Avenue, have been basically completed, completing the government structure of a country.

Together with a series of heavyweight corporate and financial headquarters buildings such as Nanyang Heavy Industries, Royal Nanyang Bank, Royal Colonial Bank, Bank of Communications, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Royal Nanyang Telegraph Office, and Nanyang Shipping Company, they have outlined the tall skyline on both sides of Manila's Glory Avenue, which is spectacular and magnificent.

These tall buildings are scattered in an orderly manner on both sides of Glory Avenue, and are accompanied by various commercial buildings that have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain. Most of them are 3 to 4 stories high.

There are a few buildings with seven or eight floors, which stand out from the crowd.

These urban buildings come together to outline the extraordinary grandeur of a great country, and they look extraordinary.

Now no one says that Glory Avenue is as wide as a big square. Over the years, the lush trees in the central park have grown lush and green, and flowers bloom all year round.

Central Park

There were streams, rockeries, pavilions, and even elegant teahouses, hotels, and restaurants, with public restrooms every two or three hundred meters. There were also women wearing heavy makeup, often appearing among the green trees.

On the west side of Glory Avenue

There is a towering Yunxiao Gate, which is more than 100 meters high and has five holes underneath, all made of huge stones.

The extremely heavy Yunxiao Gate has a base of 81 meters high, which is named after the meaning of "the ultimate of ninety-nine". On top is a three-story Chinese palace-style building, called the "Yunxiao Palace".

The "Yunxiao Palace" is 108 meters high. The Victory Day military parade starts from here. The officers and soldiers march eastward along the Avenue of Glory to receive the inspection of the King of Chu and the people of the capital. This is also a great honor for the officers and soldiers.

As May 5 approaches
The streets and alleys in Manila began to be decorated with lights and colorful lanterns. Every household put up red couplets, invited back the door gods, and hung red lanterns along the streets. The festive atmosphere was simply overflowing.

By early 1869
Manila's urban population has expanded to more than 62.5, and the city's area has more than doubled. A large number of new buildings have sprung up, and wealth from all over Southeast Asia has gathered, promoting the great prosperity of the city.

The city of Manila also became the largest city in the entire Nanyang region, far surpassing Batavia and comparable to Kolkata, the seat of the British Governor-General of India.

Kolkata's white area is full of European architectural features, especially Victorian buildings. It is a city with a strong European style.

Manila is dominated by Chinese architecture, with occasional typical Spanish palace and manor buildings, British Victorian architecture and romantic French architecture. It is an open city that integrates Chinese and Western architectural styles.

In some newly built streets in Manila, there are a large number of Victorian-style corridor buildings, with shops on the ground floor and residences on the upper floors. They are quite common locally.

Manila, a prosperous city, strictly implements the policy of absorbing immigrants on demand, so the overall growth of the city's population is not fast and is kept within a reasonable range.

At this stage

Thanks to the advanced construction of urban public facilities, including large sewer culverts, numerous and rationally arranged public toilets, and public horse-drawn carriage stations, the entire city of Manila appears orderly, clean and hygienic.

It is not easy to achieve this.

The larger the city, the greater the pressure on transportation, sanitation, and people's livelihood, and this is no exception in Manila.

The royal government has been strictly controlling the size of the city, and it is already very difficult for ordinary immigrants to obtain a Manila citizen identity card.

The royal government generally does not forcibly prohibit voluntary immigration. For those immigrants who are able to purchase boat tickets, the prices in Manila are high and houses are expensive, so it is not easy to buy property and settle down in Manila.

Therefore, the surrounding towns and villages developed rapidly, and various new buildings emerged like mushrooms after a rain, which just met the social needs.

(End of this chapter)