Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 216 The East India Crisis

The Dutch had no idea what was happening in the East Indies, and it took a long time to get there to Amsterdam. All they knew was that the Dutch had sunk Iranian merchant ships, which was enough to start a war.

Meanwhile, at the Dutch Royal Palace, King William III summoned his ministers to discuss the situation. Prime Minister Justinus van der Bruhen said that Iran needed to be reassured, as he had a premonition that the attack on the merchant ships was likely a deliberate act by Iran, aimed at their East Indies colonies.

“Prime Minister, are we just going to drag this out like this? Some people are already talking about the Kingdom, saying they want to take away British colonies.”

"No one with a brain would believe such a thing. According to the treaty signed between our country and Britain, this problem has already been resolved."

According to the treaty signed in 1824, the Netherlands relinquished its territory of Malacca, while Britain recognized the Dutch occupation of the other East Indies. This issue has already been resolved; what is now being presented is merely to mislead them.

"So, the Iranians want a colony. We just signed a trade treaty with them, and they stab us in the back like this? Isn't that going too far?"

William III said he felt the Iranians were not very honest. Even if they stabbed someone in the back, it would take two or three years. How could they do this in less than a year?
However, there was nothing they could do; they were essentially blind and knew nothing about the situation in the East Indies. They simply ordered the colonial governor to provide a detailed explanation and prepared to send an expeditionary force of 1500 men to assist.

This number of troops is not enough. It was just a token force anyway. It's just Lanfang, let him have it. The Netherlands has plenty of land, we don't need him.

In reality, after the Netherlands regained its independence, its military was constantly being reduced. Its navy, while appearing impressive, was actually just a fleet of 7500 men and a few dozen ships. It looked intimidating, but its true strength would be exposed in a real battle.

Regarding the colonial issue, the Dutch government prefers a diplomatic solution. The specific outcome will depend on how the situation develops.

The situation within the Netherlands, however, was quite straightforward: it was all about taking action. No country could touch their sacred and inviolable East Indies, not even Britain. They demanded that the Netherlands mobilize its army to fight Iran, destroy their Far East fleet before the Iranian navy could develop, and then starve Kalimantan—wouldn't that solve everything?

Sentiment within Iran has also been stirred up, with people saying that the Dutch fired on Iranian merchant ships without cause, which is a provocation against the entire country and war should be started immediately.

"Please rest assured, Shah, the Dutch are a bunch of cowards who are afraid of death. As long as the British don't interfere, we will definitely get West Borneo."

Naser al-Din handed the letter to the Grand Vizier and the Foreign Minister, asking, "What are your thoughts on this matter?"

Amir spoke first, "Shah, Lanfang has volunteered to join our country. This shows that the Dutch are unpopular in the region, and there are still many compatriots in Sumatra waiting for liberation."

That's true; the Shah won't rest until the Dutch hand over these territories. Fortunately, the Iranian troops transported earlier are already in Saigon, and now it's time to use them.

"To be honest, we originally planned to have Sumatra and this place take it together, but we didn't expect this place to come first, which is not unexpected. The Netherlands has been lying around here for too long, how can they not move?"

The Lanfang crisis escalated to the point of armed conflict. The Dutch suffered repeated defeats on the Kalimantan battlefield, their fortresses falling one by one, and their auxiliary troops suffering heavy losses. They were horrified to discover that the Chinese army opposite them was not a ragtag bunch, but a well-equipped and powerful force. Their artillery was far superior to the Dutch, who had only a paltry 1000 men in Kalimantan. Although reinforcements were being sent, Iranian reinforcements were also arriving, and the entire local navy was moving towards Pontianak, putting immense pressure on the governor.

Not only externally, but even within the ruling center of Java, resistance emerged. Large numbers of Chinese merchants launched a withdrawal movement, leaving Java with all their assets, abandoning their local estates and selling them at low prices to other willing merchants. The effect was immediate, plunging Java's economy into recession.

The Netherlands sought help from all sides, but the result was neither entirely positive nor negative. Within Britain, there was a strong belief in Dutch conspiracy theories, and a large portion of these people were eligible to vote. To protect their voter base, they remained silent, and it was also beneficial to strike at the Netherlands to deter them from pursuing any further interests in Malacca.

At that time, telegraphs and cables were not yet widespread, and news from the Far East was often delayed. However, this situation required negotiation to resolve, and the Dutch Foreign Minister planned to travel to Tehran to discuss the matter with the Iranian government.

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Iran's Far East Fleet has arrived in Pontianak, but because the local docks have a shallow draft, the people on board can only disembark by small boats.

The local Chinese watched as they also set up camp in places like Pontianak and East Wanlu. Although they claimed to have joined Iran, only time would tell what they could actually achieve.

"The Grand Commander has indeed chosen the right path. The Governor-General has already explained to the Shah that there will be results in a while."

"Thank you so much, Governor. Otherwise, the Dutch would have continued to oppress us for who knows how long."

Luo Yuanhan presented the other party with two porcelain vases, saying they were from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty and were very precious.

"Haha, then I'll accept it. By the way, if all goes well, the commissioner appointed by the Shah will arrive soon, and then we'll see how you perform."

The message is clear: as long as the Iranian leadership is pleased, their entire family will receive unparalleled glory, including those who participated in the rebellion alongside them.

With the assistance of Iranians, Lanfang Gold Company officially became a commercial entity and prepared to expand production. Previously, Lanfang produced up to 28 tons of gold per year, equivalent to £380 million. This was a cash cow; it had to be nationalized.

Of course, this country is Iran. The gold they produce can only be sold to the Iranian government; if it is discovered that it has been sold to other countries, Iran has the right to confiscate the remaining shares.

Lanfang had no choice but to accept it all. Providing them with protection was already a favor; how could they possibly haggle? How dare they be so shameless!

Besides discussing this matter, Iran has also assembled a local government in Lanfang. The position of Grand President requires the Shah's approval and will be a lifetime appointment. The Grand President oversees two officials—one for civil affairs and one for military affairs—as well as various other government positions, all of which require Iranian appointment. However, they have promised to give priority to local Lanfang residents.

(End of this chapter)