Wild North America 1846

Chapter 574 Departure

Author: Portuguese toothless

Chapter 574 Departure

His Highness Li Xin of the Tang Dynasty was very interested in this expedition to Egypt, and was also very interested in opening up territory and establishing colonies in Northeast Africa. The expedition could not teach the Egyptians a lesson and then come back, but there would be a series of detailed colonial plans.

Now that we have gone, what will we get?

in this regard

The Holy Father did not give any clear advice, and His Highness Tang Li Xin had to figure everything out on his own.

Fortunately, His Highness Tang-Li Xin had many talented people around him and was assisted by experienced Colonial Department officials, so he was able to form a capable and capable team.

The leader is Lord Liu Daqing, the chief steward, a group of young and ambitious rising stars.

In a French luxury manor in Oak Bay

A dozen people headed by His Highness Tang Li Xin were having a meeting to study. In front of them was a large sand table including the Arabian Peninsula, Northeast Africa, the Red Sea and Egypt. It was carefully made according to the proportions depicted on the map, so that it could be seen more comprehensively.

The geographical structure and distribution of mountains and oceans in the area.

Lord Liu Daqing held a long pole in his hand and pointed on the large sand table and said;

“To establish a colonial area, we must first have a good geographical and natural environment, abundant water resources and fertile land, as well as a certain amount of local population and a hinterland for long-term development, in order to truly gain a foothold.

In summary

The natural environment of the Arabian Peninsula and Northeast Africa is relatively harsh, with an arid climate and low rainfall, and is dominated by desert and Gobi terrain. In the Red Sea coastal areas, only the coastal areas of Ethiopia, Yemen and Egypt barely meet the conditions.

Among them, Egypt is the main area penetrated by great powers such as Britain and France. It is also a key area that Europe has repeatedly tried to conquer since the Middle Ages. The regional competition situation is relatively fierce.

The remaining plateau area of ​​the Arabian Peninsula along the Red Sea is a narrow plain corridor, which is the traditional residence of the Arab nomads.

There are many tribes, with a population of about 350,000 to 400,000.

The rest is the Ethiopian coastal area on the other side of the Red Sea. This area is called Eritrea, with a total area of ​​about 130,000 square kilometers. Because it is located on a plateau, it blocks the moist moisture from the Red Sea, so there is abundant precipitation, numerous rivers, and relatively comfortable temperatures.

.

The Eritrean region stretches for more than 1,300 kilometers along the Red Sea from Djibouti in the southeast to the core town of Alamas in the northwest. It is inhabited by Semitic and Cushitic tribes, with a total population of approximately 2.67 million to 300,000.

between.

This area is an important place for guarding the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. If it can be obtained, it will greatly strengthen the empire's voice in the Asia-Europe shipping lanes. Even the United Kingdom cannot take it lightly.

The Arabian Peninsula plateau region and the Eritrea region must choose one of the two.

Only in this way

Only in this way can we truly defend the empire's right of unobstructed passage on the Asia-Europe waterways, without having to look at the British eyes and sit down everywhere.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs media;

Britain has rejected the Imperial Expeditionary Fleet's request to enter the Mediterranean from Gibraltar and then launch an expedition to Egypt.

Now we have only one route left, which is to enter the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Malacca and then expedition to Egypt.

It is this reality that highlights the importance of conquering the Red Sea coastal areas, which will allow the empire to have a stable logistics supply base in the region and have the right to influence the Asia-Europe shipping lanes.

If it turns its back, the empire has the ability to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and cut off the Asia-Europe route, and the so-called Suez Canal is nothing more than an expensive decoration."

As soon as he finished speaking, he received a warm round of applause.

Everyone started talking, and the atmosphere in the conference room became more and more lively...

"In this case, the expedition fleet will have to bring a certain number of immigrants, as well as sawing equipment, tractors, reinforced concrete and some masonry for brick kilns, as well as oil pressing and rice milling equipment, etc. Will this happen?

Too much burden? Too much consumption?”

"General Zheng is overthinking this matter. You can contact the Colonial Department for overall arrangements. After all, they have rich experience in colonization. The corresponding colonization allocation can be formed into a project and submitted to the parliament for voting. Paradise Island has no shortage of manpower and material resources, and everything is available.

It’s fully prepared.”

"This is reasonable. Starting from Paradise Island saves 2/3 of the voyage, and you can reach the Red Sea coast in more than a month. This is the most economical method."

"In view of the large scale of the fleet, we should immediately notify the ports along the British coast. At the same time, our personnel will take the lead in preparing sufficient supplies and wait for the fleet to arrive and replenish them immediately to avoid delaying the trip."

"Your Highness, how many people do you think should be the appropriate number of immigrants to accompany us?"

"Haha... Of course, the more the merrier. The exact amount will depend on the colonial appropriation applied for by the Colonial Department. It is estimated to be between 10,000 and 30,000 people. If we include the 3rd and 4th Marine Divisions stationed in the area in the future,

Division, there are already a lot of people."

"Your Highness's words are reasonable. I think the Eritrean region should be selected as the first choice for colonization. This region has a large area, a deep hinterland, good precipitation and light conditions, and is suitable for the development of agriculture and animal husbandry."

"Hey...don't forget there are black people there."

"This is not a big problem. In the early stages of building a colony, a large amount of labor is required. As long as a railway line of about 1,300 kilometers along the Red Sea can be built, the coastal ports and the entire colony can be firmly controlled. As for black people, they will eventually disappear.

, their existence...is just a blip in the pan in Eritrea.”

"Then how to ensure that ordinary soldiers and immigrants avoid having relationships with black women and giving birth to many troublesome mixed-race posthumous children? Don't say it doesn't happen... This situation has already occurred on the Nicaragua canal construction site."

"Why not make the Arabian Plateau the primary target, but it will be more difficult to conquer?"

"It's not higher, but much higher. Those Arabs are nomadic tribes in the desert. They come and go like the wind. Even if they conquer, there will be no profit. Moreover, those fields are more barren. The oasis is not only small in scope, but also has little rainfall. Colonization

It’s very difficult to get up.”

"My lords, I remember that the Arabs have always had a tradition of human trafficking. They can either conquer by force or pay to buy Arab women captured in tribal wars. Wouldn't it be good to solve the needs of soldiers and immigrants?"

"Wonderful, this plan works."

"Seconded."

"This is the best of both worlds, I second the proposal."

As one of the emerging colonial powers in the world today, the Tang Empire is very keen on conquering foreign races from top to bottom, and will not be limited by traditional Confucianism, which has become lonely at the imperial government level.

Except for the education sector, which often promotes traditional Chinese virtues and attaches great importance to the inheritance of education, other military and economic departments have all abandoned the corrupt Confucian theory, advocated active foreign colonial expansion, and made every effort to seize the international market.

This does not come with any gentleness and courtesy, and there is no room for everyone to play their part.

If you get something to eat, your mouth will be full of oil. If you don't get it, you will have to drink the northwest wind.

After a secret meeting of a group of young and energetic elites, they quickly decided on the various regulations for the expedition and then submitted them through established channels.

The expedition to Egypt is not a matter for the Royal Navy alone, but involves the close cooperation of various government departments of the empire. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for liaising with the British ports on supply matters, and explaining the empire's intention to expedition to Egypt to European countries to avoid unnecessary incidents.

Interpretation.

The Colonial Department took active action and fully cooperated with the expedition plan from manpower, materials to funding. This was originally a matter within the scope of colonial progress and was listed as the top priority at the moment.

The Army General Staff Headquarters has successively handed over some field artillery, cavalry equipment and supplies, and opened several strategic reserve warehouses to the expeditionary fleet, which include Montana bison jerky, canned Seattle wild yellow croaker, canned salmon,

A series of good things such as cowhide tents, emergency diesel engines, heavy machine guns, cowhide armed belts, and rainproof cloths are at the disposal of the expedition fleet.

Being able to get the Army General Staff Headquarters to cooperate like this is not unrelated to the fact that His Royal Highness, the Eleventh Emperor, is taking command of the expedition. Who can not care about the royal family?

As the expedition date of September 28 approaches, coal ships, cargo ships recruited by major shipping companies, and oil and water vessels of the Royal Navy have gathered at the Oak Bay port, loading cargo, coal, and coal.

Oil-water ships carrying lubricating oil, kerosene, diesel or other oils are also being prepared one after another.

September 28, 1871.

Warships gathered and war flags were hunted.

A grand expedition ceremony was held at the Oak Bay Military Port. Emperor Richard personally came to the ceremony, awarded the expedition flag to the expedition fleet, and led all the princes and ministers attending the ceremony to the altar, burning incense and praying to heaven.

His Royal Highness Tang Li Xin, Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Fleet, dressed in military uniform, Brigadier General Zheng Huaishan, Deputy Commander and Captain of the armored cruiser "Bad Wind", Colonel Pan Shouguo and Colonel Liu Daqing, as well as a group of senior officers, accepted His Majesty's review and solemnly swore an oath to set off for the expedition.

All the ships in the harbor sounded their whistles, and under the leadership of the flagship "Bad Wind" armored cruiser, they sailed out of the harbor one after another and embarked on a long journey of thousands of miles of expedition.

Standing by the pier

Emperor Richard watched the expedition fleet sail out of the harbor one after another, with a look of relief on his face. This expedition will be a very representative event.

The children of the royal family finally took up the banner of expanding the territory. The seventh prince, the ninth prince, the tenth prince and so on. Some of the princes are wise and wise, some have both civil and military skills, and some are brave and good at fighting. During the experience of the imperial army,

Show your talent.

The inheritance of the royal family of the Tang Dynasty is worry-free, which is a great and gratifying thing!

Tang-Li Xin, the eleventh son of the emperor, knew people well and had a good view of the overall situation. He was the prince whom Emperor Richard favored, and he intended to take this opportunity to give him some experience.

The expedition to Egypt is just a long journey, as long as we can reach it smoothly, it will be more than half successful.

The Ottoman Empire's navy is still dominated by old-fashioned sailing warships. Its local sailing fleet on the Red Sea side has old ships, poor weapons and equipment, and has no ability to compete with modern ironclads.

The most important battle will break out on land.

Although Egypt's traditional Mamluk cavalry has faded away, it can still be called a powerful force in North Africa. Ismail Pasha has always had close relations with European powers such as Britain and France. His army is also equipped with a large number of Western advanced guns and cannons, and its combat effectiveness is indispensable.

watch for.

All these pressures fell on the shoulders of the 3rd and 4th Royal Marine Divisions. Taking the city of Suez would inevitably lead to a fierce battle.

His Highness Tang Li Xin is more familiar with land battles. During the South American War, he once followed the cavalry on thousands of miles of raids and experienced more than a dozen battles, large and small. There is no shortage of experience and knowledge. What is missing is just the opportunity for practical experience.

Richard is looking forward to it, what kind of answer can the Eleventh Emperor give?

(End of chapter)