Chapter 157: Closed East Africa
On November 5, 1868
In the first town located on the banks of the Little Rhine in the northwest, a significant transformation was underway. Originally part of the second town, the expansion and upgrading of the East African colony had elevated the status of the first town. As the seat of the East African colonial government and the capital of the Central District, it was poised for expansion, and this expansion led to the annexation of the neighboring second town.
Residents of the former second town had witnessed the arrival of a group of strangers over a month ago, which was quite unusual considering they hadn't seen new faces for nearly half a year. East Africa required immigrants to fill the newly occupied lands, but regions closer to the coast, like the second town, had fewer newcomers. This was primarily because areas further inland had already seen significant development, leading to larger populations.
Residents of the second town, many of whom were immigrants themselves, could immediately tell that these newcomers were different from typical immigrants. They recalled their own experiences when they first arrived in East Africa. These early immigrants had arrived in a state of disarray, often lacking decent clothing.
Upon arrival, they had been provided with uniforms issued by the East African colonies, which were essentially modified versions of Prussian military uniforms. Even European immigrants hadn't been dressed particularly well, but their clothing hadn't been confiscated.
In contrast, Chinese immigrants had arrived with a collection of tattered garments, often incomplete. To ensure hygiene and ease of management, Ernst had provided new clothing for immigrants, confiscating the worn-out attire of the Chinese immigrants. This also served the purpose of cultural assimilation, aligning the immigrants with East African standards. Hair braids were cut, and clothing with Oriental characteristics was replaced.
European immigrants, whose clothing was relatively intact, had their attire cleaned and returned to them. Some even brought ancestral clothing pieces with them to replace their uniforms. These new clothes, despite being military uniforms, were a valuable addition for the less fortunate immigrants.
Interestingly, European immigrants often chose to switch from their original attire to the Prussian military uniforms, creating a unique sight in East Africa. Visitors from European countries would be greeted by the prevalence of Prussian military uniforms throughout East Africa, giving the impression of being in a Prussian military camp.
One such immigrant, Professor Anton Perutz, who had been hired by Ernst at the East African Institute of Tropical Agriculture, initially hadn't noticed the prevalence of these uniforms. In the port cities like Dar es Salaam, foreign exchange was essential, and immigrants weren't issued military uniforms to avoid alarming friendly nations.
Ernst couldn't afford to close the traditional ports of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, which were vital for international trade. Blockading these ports would only invite intervention from allied forces like the Anglo-Portuguese, French, and Dutch. Ernst had succeeded in establishing the East African colony, thanks in part to the political climate and Prussia's unification of Germany. Relations between Prussia and Britain were generally positive at the time.
East Africa was not a prime target for colonial powers, as it wasn't deemed as lucrative as other regions in Africa. West Africa had the Gold Coast, Ivory Coast, Slave Coast, and Pepper Coast, regions that attracted colonial interests due to their resources.
North Africa's coastline had been significant since ancient times, and Portugal had maintained a few stable colonies there for centuries, albeit with minimal growth.
The European scramble for Africa around 1880 was a response to the economic crisis of 1873, as capitalist countries sought new outlets for capital investment and raw material production. However, at this time, East Africa was relatively unaffected, and its resources remained hidden from the world's gaze.
Ernst had the luxury of maintaining the status quo at ports like Dar es Salaam and Mombasa. Besides serving the colonists' needs, these ports were vital for international trade. As long as he kept East Africa's resources hidden, there was little interest from external powers.
To avoid drawing unnecessary attention, Ernst required all immigrants except the regular army to wear civilian clothing at all ports, maintaining the appearance of normalcy in the eyes of ships from various countries.
Inland areas were not of concern. Aside from immigrants and members of the Hexingen Consortium, no outsiders ventured deep into East Africa. The Arab merchants and slave traders, once active in the interior, now awaited the East African colonies' goods at border markets, simplifying trade and minimizing interactions with external forces. East Africa's geography and indigenous tribes acted as natural barriers, further isolating it from other countries and colonies.