Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

Qing Dynasty Li Hongzhang's accusations against the Netherlands made the world have a different view of the Far East.

Especially when the German Empire and Austria-Hungary suddenly showed their goodwill to the Qing Dynasty, other European powers joined the ranks.

On October 13, 1880, the Portuguese Ambassador to the Qing Dynasty held talks with Li Hongzhang. The two countries promised to strengthen cooperation. The Qing Dynasty proposed a firearms and talent plan to Portugal, and Portugal stated that it would send a team of technical personnel early next year. Delivered to Gyeonggi Province to help the Qing Dynasty develop its own firearms technology. Two days later, on October 15, 1880, the representative of the Tsarist Russia to the Qing Dynasty also met with Li Hongzhang. The Qing Dynasty was very polite to Tsarist Russia. Li Hongzhang finally reached an agreement with Tsarist Russia on peaceful cooperation in Northeast Asia. , the Tsarist Empire promised to support the Qing Dynasty’s suzerainty status in the situation on the Koryo Peninsula.

The Qing Dynasty recognized the security relevance of Tsarist Russia on the Koryo Peninsula.

The two sides promised to cooperate with the United Kingdom in various aspects at the local level. Among them, they clearly opposed the British intervention in the Korean Peninsula.

Tsarist Russia also clearly expressed its opposition to Japan's invasion of Goryeo, a subordinate country of the Qing Dynasty. For this reason, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs even directly condemned the Tsarist Russian Empire for "meddling in other people's affairs" and stated that Japan is a peaceful force in the Far East. There will be no malicious intent against the Qing Dynasty.

In addition, the Stephen government of the American Federation also extended a hand of friendship to the Qing Dynasty. The U.S. Congress passed a bill involving the Qing Dynasty. Those who support Stephen Kung Fu's proposal can allow Qing people to study in the United States and strengthen the ties between the people of the two countries.

Seeing what the United States did, other countries such as Germany, Austria, Portugal, and Russia followed the example of the United States.

As a result, in the original history of the Qing Dynasty, studying abroad actually exceeded the original 20 years.

And because the Qing Dynasty received tangible benefits from the talks with ambassadors from many countries, it is said that Li Hongzhang's title is about to be raised again.

At this moment, the Dutch media "Australia Post" suddenly "leaked" that after "cautious" talks between Chulalongkorn of the Kingdom of Siam and Joseph Beit, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the two countries reached an agreement to sign defense cooperation. intention.

According to the "Melbourne Post" report, the Kingdom of Siam in the West of the Netherlands has opened four bases this time, two of which may be located on the coastal strip of the Kingdom of Siam's territory in the north of the Gulf of Siam (also known as the Gulf of Bangkok).

"The Netherlands will rent a naval base in Prachuap Khiri Khan (Phatchu) in the west of the Kingdom of Siam (Thailand), with the Netherlands as the main force and Siam as the auxiliary to manage them. At the same time, the Kingdom of Siam will use Chanthaburi in the east and Port Rayong, which served as a temporary base for the Dutch navy to train the naval hinterland of the Kingdom of Siam.

The two navies have strengthened coordination and cooperation, and the Netherlands will do its best to help the Kingdom of Siam build a navy at the level of a regional power in the next twenty years. "

"It is unclear how many Dutch warships and troops will be involved in the four naval bases. In return, the Netherlands has offered to provide military assistance, including submarines, to the Kingdom of Siam so that the Siamese military can detect the situation in the Gulf of Siam and South-Hai .”

The newspaper also pointed out that according to the previous alliance agreement signed between the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Siam, the Kingdom of Siam allowed the opening of military bases in various ports across the country to the Netherlands, including the visit of Dutch warships to Samut Prakan Port (Samut) at the outlet of Bangkok with advance application. Bagan).

The Prachuap Khiri Khan Port, Petchaburi Port, Chanthaburi Port and Rayong Port announced this time clearly support the entry of Dutch warships. This is an agreement of the greatest trust between one country and another country without any coercion.

The news also pointed out that the two countries have reached an agreement to first station the Dutch Army troops in Bashu Port, and then expand the size of the port to facilitate the stationing of large-scale Dutch warships in the future. This is the first time in the history of the Kingdom of Siam that a Western power has been allowed to establish a military base of a Western country on the country's territory. It is considered to be an important factor for the Kingdom of Siam for the Dutch deployment of military forces in the Southeast Asian peninsula to deal with the expansion of the British and French in the Southeast Asian peninsula. And the Netherlands made a very significant direct confrontation move against Britain and France. has great significance.

The Australian Post reported on October 15 that a British Dutch official stated that the Netherlands hopes to reach a complete agreement this week on how many five military bases the Kingdom of Siam will open to the Netherlands.

UK, London, Buckingham Palace.

"Information provided by other newspapers in the Netherlands shows that Bashu Port will carry out many operations of the Dutch army on the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia, especially the strategic logistics center for the Dutch army in Southeast Asia, playing a key role in the Netherlands' intimidation and defense capabilities. As for the role, as you can see, on the Dutch East Indies, the waters between the Australian mainland and the Dutch East Indies (later the Indo-Nepal Islands) are currently being patrolled and defended by the Netherlands.

To the north of the Dutch East Indies across the Strait of Malacca is the Malay Peninsula, and to the west is the island of Sumatra itself."

Creston accused the Malay Peninsula of the Kingdom of Siam with the sign sitting on it, and said worriedly: "This is the territory of the Kingdom of Siam. We are in the north and south of the Kingdom of Siam, and threaten each other from three sides in the west. But now Chulalongkorn This guy actually went all over the place and tried to introduce the Netherlands to Bashu Port, which is close to our Burmese colony.

This is using the Netherlands to check and balance us, and we are now competing with the Netherlands for the control of the Straits of Malacca, and even Prachuap Khiri Khan Port was given to the Netherlands. I don’t think Chulalongkorn can keep the southern part of the Malay Peninsula far away from Bangkok.”

Crown Prince Edward immediately understood and clenched his fists and said: "The Prime Minister is saying that behind the news, the Netherlands or the Kingdom of Siam have reached other undisclosed agreements. On the Malay Peninsula, the Kingdom of Siam has made a larger concession"

Creston nodded and said: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is right. Currently, the Netherlands' influence in Southeast Asia is increasing day by day. Although we unite with France and seem to have the upper hand, France is currently strong on the outside and weak on the inside, and does not dare to really be tough with the Netherlands.

On the contrary, because of this, France's huge colonial physique sometimes became a concern for Napoleon III. He was afraid that the Far East would be left with nothing after failure. After all, William IV's attempts to plot against France were successful several times, and he had a shadow in his heart."

Finally, he said: "In addition, Japan's initiative to approach the Netherlands has given the Netherlands more energy to contribute to the Southeast Asian peninsula."

Speaking of this, he felt depressed.

Edward complained angrily: "We agreed to support the rise of Japan, so we built ships in Japan and applied almost the most advanced warship technology to Japan's large warships, so that the other side could win. In the far southeast, we can dilute the influence of the Netherlands. In the west, we can invade Goryeo and let the huge Qing Dynasty collapse day by day so that we can benefit. In the north, Japan can suppress Tsarist Russia's sea cucumber-Wei Port and encircle the spread of Tsarist Russia's influence and energy in the Far East. , especially disrupting the relationship between Tsarist Russia and the Netherlands, which may result in the establishment of a Pacific Naval Alliance Fleet to challenge us in the Indian Ocean in the future.

But we didn't expect that Lonnie, who couldn't hold himself up the wall, was frightened by Holland and went to Melbourne to "recognize his family". Our expectations were in vain. Your Excellency, Prime Minister, I think it is better to detain the delivery of Japanese warships and only deliver them to them when they meet our political expectations."

On the side, Queen Victoria objected to her son and said: "Behind the military agreement between the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Siam, Asia is no longer just Asia for Asians. Therefore, we cannot directly suppress Japan. Prime Minister, just give it a beating." OK, asking for benefits is true.”