Chapter 182 Choice
March 1869.
After inspecting the company in Vienna, Ernst visited the Austro-Hungarian royal family. After a short stay, he returned to Hechingen.
1869 was a critical year. The opening of the Suez Canal at the end of the year alone would have a profound impact on the East African colonies.
The opening of the Suez Canal does not only mean a change in the waterway, but also affects various affairs in East Africa.
The strategic position of Cape Town will decline accordingly, and Britain and France will also launch a series of competitions over the control of the Suez Canal.
Ernst believes that this is also an important factor for Britain to allow Prussia to challenge France. France is indeed too strong now.
Now, all European countries know that Prussia is accumulating strength, and the changes in the European continent are also in Prussia's next decision-making. All countries are focusing on Europe, which is a good thing for East Africa.
The opening of the Suez Canal has weakened the position of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, the East African ports, in the main shipping lanes of the world.
The impact on the East African colonies can be good or bad. It can reduce the vigilance of other forces against East Africa, but East Africa, including the entire Africa, will also be very passive in terms of economic and strategic status in the future.
Just like why the United States is chasing and intercepting Russia like that, the Americas are still too isolated geographically relative to the World Island as a whole. If a country like Russia, which straddles the European continent, is allowed to spread its influence to the entire World Island, the United States can really only do America is king.
The same is true for Africa. In the past, the world's commercial shipping routes had to go around the whole of Africa. The Mediterranean coast of North Africa has always been the main traditional commercial route for Europe and the Middle East, while the coasts of East, West, and South Africa are the only way to the Far East.
After the opening of the Suez Canal, the coasts of East, West and South Africa will decline. Of course, there is a premise that there is no world power born in Africa.
If sub-Saharan Africa gives birth to a real world power, like the United States, it can bring sub-Saharan Africa back into the world trade system and occupy a huge share. Otherwise, South America will be the ceiling that Africa can develop in the future.
"Ernst, what have you been up to lately? I've seen you writing in your study recently. Didn't you just come back from building a business in Vienna a few days ago?" Prince Constantine came behind Ernst and looked at his son. Asked the table full of information and documents.
Prince Constantine has now completely bid farewell to the affairs of the kingdom, and is at home. His main task is to take care of the territory every day.
In another year, Constantine will be 70 years old. In the past, Prince Constantine had a rough life and had no heirs in his previous life, so he was basically active in Prussia in his later years, and finally died in Prussia's Green Mountain City.
In this life, after having Ernst, Constantine's attention to politics was significantly weakened, and he was not active in Prussian politics.
For example, the famous Hohenzollern Royal Family Medal in the previous life was jointly founded by Constantine and Prince Karl Anton of Sigmaringen. Prince Constantine was very enthusiastic about the cause of the entire Hohenzollern family.
Prince Constantine put most of his attention on the cultivation of Ernst. The Order of the Hohenzollern Royal Family still appeared, but this time only Prince Karl Anton took the lead.
In the early stage, Ernst was still young, and Constantine stayed in Hexingen most of the time in order to take care of Ernst. After Ernst awakened, Ernst grew too fast, causing Constantine to lose Enterprising spirit, after all, his son is so successful, he should also enjoy the rest of his life.
"Father, I am planning the upgrade of the first town, intending to build the first town into a modern city with a high level." Ernst held a book and flipped through the relevant knowledge of urban construction.
"The first town is the temporary political center of the East African colony?" Constantine asked.
Now there are two colonies under the name of the royal family of Hexingen, East Africa and Alaska. Compared with the real trading procedures and documents in Alaska, the territory of the royal family of East Africa is only the claim of the royal family of Hexingen.
The political center of the two colonies is Hexingen. As the nominal owner of the Hechingen royal territory, Constantine naturally knows something about it.
"Yes, father, the first town is the political center of East Africa, and in the future it will also be the temporary capital of our royal family of Hechingen to set foot in East Africa, so I have to do a good job in the local construction in advance to facilitate the subsequent migration work." Ernst said bluntly Said.
"It seems that you really like East Africa, and you have completely decided to put your family's future in East Africa!" Constantine said with emotion.
As a European, Constantine certainly has deep feelings for Europe, but his only son wants to gamble his family's future in East Africa, and he will not stop him.
Nobles should focus on family business. In the area of East Africa, the single cluster data is indeed not comparable to that of the little Hexingen.
Heixing is basically a small country that is dispensable in Europe. Although it is Prussia's nail embedded in South Germany, its strategic position is negligible for the current Kingdom of Prussia.
After the unification of Germany in the future, there will be almost no sense of existence. To put it bluntly, it will be the valley area. Of course, the entire southern Germany adjacent to the Alps Mountains is almost the same terrain.
"There is no way to do this. The interests of East Africa are too huge, especially now, as long as anyone knows the real data of East Africa, I am afraid that they will be moved." Ernst gave a real-time updated map of East Africa, Passed to Prince Constantine.
"Indeed, such a large colony cannot be kept secret for long. If it is exposed, it may really attract the attention of interested people." Constantine looked at the East African colony that occupied a large area in Africa on the map and said seriously. .
At the beginning, Ernst was just painting a pie for himself, but now that this pie really appeared, Prince Constantine had to pay attention to it.
"Father, here are the various data of the East African colonies last year, please take a look." Ernst took out a folder from the drawer under his body, which contained the annual statistical reports on the East African colonies, recorded from 1866 to 1868 , a total of three.
Prince Constantine pulled over a chair, sat in front of the conference table, and began to look carefully.
After browsing the data on the economy, food output, resources and population, and the army, Constantine's brows became tighter and tighter.
"Father, I plan to go to East Africa within a year or two, go to East Africa in person, and take charge of various affairs in East Africa." Ernst told his plan honestly.
"This is not possible. East Africa urgently needs someone with sufficient prestige to sit in the town. Otherwise, the hidden dangers of remote control command are too great. I don't believe that there is anything bigger than the Hohenzollern family controlling East Africa, and you can sit there." Stop!" Constantine reprimanded Ernst in a rare and severe tone.
Ernst fell silent. Of course Ernst wanted to fly to East Africa immediately to sit in charge, but Ernst has always been entangled in three points.
One is his only relative, Prince Constantine. In his previous life in Africa, what Ernst couldn't let go of most was his parents in his hometown, but he had to travel overseas to make a living.
In Africa, Ernst's working location is uncertain, and he often has to work with the company across the country, and he is alone in a foreign land as a stranger. Therefore, Ernst attaches great importance to family ties. As a result, Ernst died in a foreign country. Ernst can't imagine that his parents in his previous life knew the news How heartbroken it will be afterwards.
So, in this life, Ernst is naturally worried about his father who gets along day and night. This is also the biggest psychological obstacle for Ernst's delay in making up his mind to go to East Africa.
The second point is to coordinate the coordinated development of the East African colonies and the Hexingen Consortium. Ernst tried to convince himself that the current weight of the Hexingen Consortium is above East Africa, but the rapid expansion and development of East Africa is crushing Ens In Ernst's mind, the position of East Africa in Ernst's heart is indeed unshakable.
Of course, the Far East is definitely important in Ernst's heart in terms of feelings, but Ernst knows that in the face of the chaotic situation in the Far East, he is not that material, and he is a German, so there is no reason to interfere in the past life in this time and space. The politics of the motherland can bring countless Far East refugees and low-level people to the East African colonies for development. This is already Ernst’s greatest help to the Far East. However, Ernst has never had illusions about the Far East in this life, and he really can’t go back. .
The third point is that Ernst is waiting for an opportunity to declare the sovereignty of East Africa at the right time, at least the majority of the powers must agree.
The above three points are the reasons for Ernst’s struggle. Anyone who really faces a choice will have a choice. Ernst is not a person who is too hard-hearted. Since Ernst did not directly exterminate the aborigines, he can It can be seen, but Ernst is not weak, so many things can be done. If it is really the Virgin, the East African colony would not exist.
"I probably know what you are worried about!" Prince Constantine sighed.
Looking at his usual high-spirited son, he fell into a rare silence, and Constantine vaguely guessed part of it.
"Ernst, you have to remember that life and death are inevitable, and no one can be arrogant, especially for us nobles. From the moment we were born, our destiny is no longer under our control. Family interests Always come first," said Prince Constantine.
"I know, I have become an obstacle in your heart now, but I am old, and I can see many things. If you have an idea, go ahead and do it boldly. I shouldn't be your obstacle on the road of life." Every father hopes that his son can achieve something, and he doesn't want himself to be a stumbling block in their growth."
Hearing this, Ernst knew that Constantine might have understood the first point of his worry, but this was only Ernst's main knot, and the other two points could not be ignored.
So, he explained to Constantine: "Father, thank you for your selflessness and love for me, but things are not what you think, and the East African matter is still involved..."
Ernst shared his predicament with Constantine one by one.
"Is that so! It seems that it is indeed a difficult choice for you to go to East Africa now, but it is also a problem not to go..." Prince Constantine also fell into thought after hearing his son's reasons.
"That's right!" Suddenly Constantine seemed to think of something.
He stood up and said: "I have thought of a way to get the best of both worlds, do you think it will work?"
"What way?" Ernst was confused.
"What do you think of me going to East Africa to sit for you?" Prince Constantine said to Ernst.
Ernst lost his composure for a moment. Of course, his old father could solve the problem if he went to East Africa, but the road to East Africa is not very friendly to an old man.
"No, father, you are so old, you will definitely not be able to stand going to sea." Ernst said firmly to Prince Constantine.
"Hmph, you just look down on me. When I led Heixingen across Europe, you weren't even born yet! In order to take care of you these years, I basically meant to retire in Heixingen in advance. Now the physical fitness is no worse than you young people, isn't it just going to sea? Why don't you believe in the physical fitness of a father?" Constantine said to Ernst.
"But…"
"But what? Let's stop arguing. I've made up my mind. Now it's not about you alone, but about the entire Hechingen royal family and the entire Hohenzollern family. As the current Hohenzollern family ——Heixing root patriarch, I have the final say on this matter." Constantine deprived Ernst of the right to speak with one word.
Originally, Constantine was the main candidate for the position of patriarch of the entire Hohenzollern family. However, for Ernst, Constantine handed over the position of patriarch to Prince Karl Anton in the early years. After all, it is a big European family The patriarch of the country had a lot to do, and after being incorporated into Prussia, Constantine had to deal with the affairs of the Hechingen territory and Prussia at the same time.
Therefore, Constantine handed over the position of patriarch to Prince Karl Anton, and at the same time, he only had a nominal position in Prussia and received an extra salary. At that time, Hechingen was merged into Prussia, which actually reduced the number of Constantine. After all, Heixing is a small country at all, and there is no real name, so what is there to fight for? Moreover, Constantine has a son in this life, so he is no longer keen on participating in Prussian government affairs.
In the previous life, he didn't even have any heirs, so he could only consider for the family. This life is naturally different.
"You arrange the ship now. I will go to East Africa immediately to continue the great cause of our Hexingen royal family. Don't look at me for these years. I can't bear it anymore. For me, power is impossible. I just gave up, but in the past, Heixingen restricted the stage for me to play, and now there is a big stage of more than two million square kilometers, continue to show my revenge, do you have the heart to cut off the dream in the heart of a father?" Constance In order to make Ernst compromise, Ding deliberately began to perform spiritual mysteries.
As the king of a small country with real power in the past, Prince Constantine, like most European monarchs, has full diplomatic ability.
Ernst's diplomatic talent is the same in the eyes of Prince Constantine. In terms of grasping people's hearts, the old fox is more experienced.
Finally, the father and son had a brief confrontation, and the experienced Prince Constantine was naturally not something that a little kid like Ernst could handle.
Helpless, Ernst could only agree to Constantine's decision, but he also managed to obtain some compromises, that is, for the sake of Constantine's safety and health, Ernst must be fully prepared, and Constantine wants to leave immediately. East Africa is out of the question.
The trip must wait until Ernst coordinates and arranges the company's best ships and service personnel, and East Africa also has to rush to prepare a good living environment for Prince Constantine.
(end of this chapter)