Chapter 410: Naval Issues
In this altered timeline, the actions taken by Leopold II in establishing the East African Kingdom had already set a precedent, granting him a newfound confidence when it came to Belgian colonization. The proposed Belgian Congo encompassed an extensive territory, including the majority of what was formerly known as Congo (Brazzaville), Luanda in Angola, a significant portion of Gabon, and parts of southern Cameroon, eastern Guinea, and western Central Africa. This vast expanse covered at least 600,000 square kilometers, and the degree to which Belgium could claim this territory depended on the resources it was willing to invest.
The primary factor that seemed to pose a potential threat to the Belgian Congo was France. However, at this juncture, it was quite certain that France would not pose any challenges to Belgium. Instead, France aimed to strengthen its relationship with Belgium. The rationale behind this was straightforward – France, having faced defeat at the hands of Prussia and seeking allies to deter potential future conflicts, recognized Belgium as an appealing partner. Belgium's strategic location between France and Germany, coupled with the strategic interests that Belgium's colonies represented, made it a crucial target for France's diplomatic overtures.
The colonial presence of Portugal in Angola was essentially ignored by the Belgian government. Portugal's stature had declined significantly when compared to Belgium in terms of population, economic strength, industrial capacity, and global influence. Consequently, Belgium had no real reason to be concerned about Portugal's colonial activities.
The one entity that did pose a certain level of concern to Belgium was the East African Kingdom. This arose from the fact that the Kingdom controlled the westernmost region of East Africa, which included the Bangui region and the navigable Ubangi River. This strategic geographic position allowed the East African Kingdom to extend its influence deep into the Congo Basin. Recognizing this, Leopold II, with considerable foresight, decided to use the Ubangi River as the delineating boundary between the Belgian Congo and the East African Kingdom. This decision was astute and aimed at averting any potential conflicts.
Leopold II, keen to keep the East African Kingdom informed about Belgium's colonization plans, used diplomatic channels to relay this information through his sister, Princess Charlotte. This ensured that the news reached Constantine and Ernst, who were in the East African Kingdom at the time. Archduke Ferdinand, accompanying Princess Charlotte during her journey, initiated a discussion about Belgium's intentions.
Ernst, in the presence of Archduke Ferdinand, appreciated Leopold II's skill in colonization and his ability to navigate international diplomacy effectively. Ernst further acknowledged Leopold's meticulous planning, as evident by his use of a red pen to outline Belgium's control over the western side of the Ubangi River on a map, meticulously avoiding any overlap with East African Kingdom's influence.
Ernst, despite not having a vested interest in the Congolese rainforest, highlighted the strategic advantage that East Africa possessed by controlling the upper reaches of the Congo River and its tributaries. This control allowed East Africa to maintain a strategic initiative in the region, even though they had not actively colonized the rainforest region.
At this point, Archduke Ferdinand inquired about Belgium's expansion plans along the west coast of Africa, explicitly raising questions about how this would impact East Africa. Ernst and Constantine responded, emphasizing that Belgium's aspirations were aligned with East Africa's interests. They argued that controlling Central and West Africa, especially considering the natural obstacle posed by the Congo rainforest, would be challenging for both East Africa and Belgium.
Ernst then disclosed a plan to construct a dual-use port at Richard's Bay, South Africa, which was previously part of the Zulu Kingdom. Archduke Ferdinand, who had taken a stance against the notion of expanding the navy, grew increasingly critical. He expressed concerns that adding responsibilities for the East African Navy would strain its limited resources.
Ernst acknowledged the navy's limitations and the difficulties faced by Archduke Ferdinand in maintaining it. However, he reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing the East African Navy. Ernst revealed that he intended to use funds earned from North America to purchase new ships for the navy. This investment aimed to address the navy's inadequacies and bolster its capacity to safeguard East Africa's extensive coastline effectively.
(End of this chapter)