Chapter 234: Brothers at Odds
In Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace, Franz confronted his brother Ferdinand, the Commander-in-Chief of the East African Navy. Franz expressed his displeasure with Ferdinand's position in East Africa, but Ferdinand confidently asserted his authority, emphasizing that the East African Navy would develop and play a significant role in blocking the Gulf of Aden.
Franz, however, knew that East Africa's ability to block the Gulf of Aden was limited, given its current military power. The East African Army could potentially seize British and French colonies in the region, posing a threat to the Mandeb Strait, but the strategic implications were complex. The British might welcome such a move as it could eliminate the need for the Suez Canal.
Franz and Ferdinand continued their heated discussion, with Ferdinand revealing the true reason for his visit to Vienna – to visit their mother and Karina. Despite their arguments, they were still brothers, and Franz inquired about Ferdinand's activities, including his inspection of gunboats in the Trieste shipyard.
Ferdinand explained that he had been busy in East Africa, overseeing the training of sailors and preparing the fledgling East African Navy. He returned to Vienna to visit family but also to discuss cooperation with Franz, at Ernst's request.
Ferdinand handed Franz a list of potential cooperation between Austria and the East African Kingdom, a list that had been deliberately manipulated by Ernst to conceal the true extent of East Africa's resources. While East Africa had vast land holdings, its resources were limited. Ernst wanted to ensure that Austria's interest was piqued without revealing East Africa's full potential.
Franz studied the list carefully, which included information about mineral resources such as coal and iron ore in southern Tanzania and Kenya. Ferdinand explained that the East African government aimed to develop southern Kenya, and the key to their cooperation was the construction of a railway in East Africa to transport these resources to the port of Mombasa for export to Austria.
Franz saw the potential for cooperation, considering the reduced transportation costs due to the Suez Canal's opening. Ernst's plan was to strengthen the position of the German-speaking population in Austria and Trieste, as Trieste was a crucial channel connecting Germany and East Africa.
To address Trieste's demographic issue, the Hechingen Consortium had been recruiting Italian immigrants to the city. While reducing the Italian population had limited success, the influx of German immigrants to work in grain processing factories showed promise. Ernst was determined to resolve Trieste's population problem in the long run.
Cooperation between Austria and the East African Kingdom seemed promising, with mutual benefits in terms of resources and economic development. As brothers, Franz and Ferdinand began to see the potential advantages of this partnership and the opportunities it could bring to both their homeland and East Africa.