Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 421 Compensation
After receiving secret instructions from home, Zheng Yulan had a plan in mind. She planned to put extreme pressure on the Portuguese and resolve the Congo River issue quickly and decisively.

The prerequisites for resolving the Congo River issue still exist. With Portugal's current strength, it is simply unable to hold such a large West African colony and is unable to develop it.

Over 400 years

Only a series of Portuguese colonies were established along the Atlantic coast and the Congo River. After suffering heavy losses in the 19th century and the sharp decline in the power of the Portuguese kingdom, many white colonies were deserted.

The territory it can actually control does not exceed 20 square kilometers in diameter, and the vast Congo River basin in the interior is still under the scattered rule of hundreds of black indigenous tribes.

There are also 3 to 4 black indigenous kingdoms among the chaotic black tribal forces.

As one of the emerging world powers, Chu's military strength posed a real threat to Portugal, especially during the "Cabinda Incident", when it arrested dozens of Portuguese colonists who instigated the incident.

Using this as an excuse, the probability of success in launching a point-to-point war against the Portuguese colonists is extremely high.

It is precisely because of this realization, coupled with the presence of powerful European countries, especially Belgium and France, which are quite active, that there is a strong call among the German people to enter Africa.

When these powers rushed into Africa, Portugal was unable to stop them with its small size.

Thought of here
Zheng Yulan immediately cheered up and carefully planned a new negotiation strategy in the study. She wanted to both persuade and persuade the moderates in the Portuguese royal family and isolate the hardliners to create a situation favorable to her.

a few days later

After more than four months of arduous negotiations, the Chu State and the Portuguese royal family finally reached the "Chu-Portugal Congo River Boundary Treaty". At the cost of 4 million silver dollars, the Chu State acquired Portugal's West African territories from the Grand Bay City (Note: Douala in Cameroon) to Haimen (Note: Luanda in Angola), with a length of about 220 kilometers of Atlantic coastline and the vast inland hinterland of the Congo River basin, covering an area of ​​about 2050 million square kilometers. This delimitation treaty was officially recognized by the Kingdom of Portugal.

This news exploded like thunder over Europe, causing the Belgians and French to shout angrily, "Damn it! The Orientals have reached into our backyard."

Complaints may be made, but the legitimacy of the Chu-Portuguese-Congo River Boundary Delimitation Treaty as an international convention cannot be denied.

As the first white colonists to arrive in the region, the Portuguese have a history of colonial rule in West Africa that lasted for more than 400 years, and they are inherently just.

If the Portuguese have no right to claim to retain the colonies in the Congo River Basin, then the other European powers are latecomers, and no matter how much they say, they also snatched them from the Portuguese.

It is profiteering and unjust and cannot be generally recognized by the international community.

This is the importance of procedural justice. When King Leopold II of Belgium heard the news, he was immediately devastated.

His eyes were red, and he waved his hands in a frantic roar. "The Orientals have stolen the most dazzling jewel in the Belgian crown. This is a disgrace to all of Europe. All European royal families should immediately unite and launch a new expedition against the State of Chu. Belgium will send no fewer than 1500 soldiers to join."

When I woke up, the peach I had been coveting for a long time was picked by someone.

This huge loss immediately made King Leopold II of Belgium lose his composure. He hurried to Buckingham Palace in London overnight to meet his cousin, Her Majesty Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Her Majesty Queen Victoria is the most powerful monarch in the world today. She was just crowned Empress of India this year. Under her rule, the British Empire reached its peak and was unrivaled across the seven seas.

When she was a child, Her Majesty the Queen lived in the court of her uncle Leopold I and was very supportive of her cousin.

Leopold II came to Buckingham Palace and wanted to ask his cousin Queen Victoria to put pressure on the State of Chu, and to use force if necessary, to take back the Congo River basin that they had been longing for.

Her Majesty Queen Victoria had ruled the British Empire for 39 years and was an extremely mature and wise monarch. She certainly would not help Leopold II in his mischief. She simply commented, "This is no joke," and then walked away.

If it were an ordinary small South Asian country, there would be nothing wrong in helping cousin Leopold II vent his anger.

European royal families are one family, and they all have very close blood and marriage relationships. The saying "help your relatives, not your friends" is exactly this truth.

In the past, for the interests of British opium traffickers, Queen Victoria even instigated an Opium War and used powerful ships and guns to open the door to ancient China.

Why is it not possible for King Leofeld II of Belgium?

The key point is that the State of Chu is not easy to deal with. A few years ago, the British and French coalition forces of more than 100,000 people were defeated and suffered a heavy loss. The memory is still vivid. This is not something that can be solved by force.

Rules must be followed for those with power, such as the troublemakers like Chu and the United States, which have strong military power and are regional hegemons.

Once the war begins

Then the war spread throughout the entire region, all economic trade was cut off, and the lucrative Eurasian shipping routes were also interrupted. Europe needed Chu's kerosene, crude oil, copper, high-quality light industrial food, wool, sugar and beef, and also needed Chu's cotton market.

Fighting would only hurt both sides, while peace would benefit both. Seeing this clearly, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of England rejected her cousin's request without hesitation. At that time, the situation in Europe and the Balkans was like a powder keg, ready to explode at any spark, and Britain was completely unable to withdraw.

The Tsarist Russia was ready to make moves in the East. It not only secretly supported the continuous uprisings and riots of the West Slavic peoples such as Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria, Herzegovina, and Croatia, but also sent military instructors and weapons to people, instigating the Balkan independence movement.

essentially

This was the latest attempt of Tsarist Russia's westward expansion policy, which had been adhered to for more than 270 years. Tsar Nicholas II had always been resentful of the large tracts of land along the Black Sea coast lost in the Crimean War and was determined to seek revenge.

Queen Victoria saw it clearly

The Triple Alliance in today's Europe is not only a shackle around France's neck, but also greatly limits Britain's diplomatic room for maneuver and encourages the arrogance of the newly rising German Empire.

Do you really think Tsar Nicholas II was stupid?
The Triple Alliance was not only of great help in consolidating Germany's rising position, but also gave Tsarist Russia two more powerful arms out of thin air, and thus found a glimmer of hope in Britain's tight blockade.

Everyone knows
The backer behind the Ottoman Empire was Britain. For Britain's European strategy and layout, ruling the increasingly corrupt Ottoman Empire was an indispensable and important link, blocking the way for the Tsarist Russia's chariot to advance westward.

Once this old empire falls apart, Europe will face the terrifying Tsarist Russian serf soldiers, who represent the backward and ignorant death army and are notorious as the "steam roller".

A steam roller crushes everything into powder wherever it passes.

There are only wrong names, not wrong nicknames. The power of Tsarist Russia is so terrifying.

If the Tenth Russo-Turkish War against the Ottoman Empire were launched at this time, the international environment would be unprecedentedly relaxed.

First of all, Germany and Austria, as allies, would not participate in the war. The mutual defense treaty signed with Germany would be activated when Tsarist Russia was invaded. Russia's proactive attack on the Ottoman Empire was certainly not included, and did not meet the basic conditions for activating the treaty.

But this is enough. With Germany and Austria keeping a close eye on France, Russia has the confidence to take on Britain and the Ottoman Empire alone on the European continent and take back what it has lost.

In terms of European army combat effectiveness, Britain can only be ranked second-rate, the Ottoman Empire can only be ranked third-rate, and the infantry of Germany, France and Russia are definitely first-rate.

The Russian army was not only brave in combat, but also courageous and courageous, and had a large number of troops, able to overwhelm the enemy with its huge number of troops. The British Army was really no match for it.

At this moment

How could Queen Victoria possibly take advantage of Belgium's misfortune? The strength of Chu had grown to the point where Britain had to abide by the rules and it was no longer a weak kingdom that could be invaded at will.

Of course these
There was no need to talk to King Leopold II of Belgium, who was blinded by anger. Even if you talked to him, he wouldn't understand. Not every European monarch had a clear world strategic view.

He is like a spoiled child who only knows how to ask for the toys he likes.

Queen Victoria walked in the spacious and magnificent corridors of Buckingham Palace. She could faintly hear the angry shouts of King Leopold II of Belgium. As his cousin, her heart softened again.

He told the court minister, Baron Otto van Reis, “Now that the matter is settled, it is likely that the Chu State’s acquisition of the Congo River Basin was not a whim, but a premeditated plan.

Since it fell into the hands of the Chu State and it conforms to the international convention of territorial sovereignty transfer, the only way to get it back is through war.

Such a war for West African colonies would cost more than hundreds of thousands of pounds. The cost could reach millions or even tens of millions of pounds. It is really not worth it.

You should help Leopold II with some ideas. Africa is so big. If there is the first Gold Coast and the first Ivory Coast, there will definitely be a second one.

After finding it, Britain will definitely help Belgium to take over a large and fertile African colony."

"Your Majesty, it will be as you wish." The court minister Baron Otto van Reis replied respectfully.

In the middle of Queen Victoria's reign, Her Majesty's high reputation reached its peak in history. She was honored as the "Grandmother of Europe" and had the final say on major domestic and international affairs.

As Her Majesty Queen Victoria entered the later years of her reign, her early aggressive desire for external expansion and constant colonial wars was greatly reduced. The glory of the British Empire was already glorious enough, and there was no need to add any more colonies.

So, Queen Victoria was not interested in the so-called Congo River region of West Africa.

The world is so big, how is it possible to occupy it all?
Just for her cousin Leopold II, she, as his cousin, had to do something, so she had to find a colony in Africa that was big enough and fertile enough, even as compensation to Belgium.

(End of this chapter)