Chapter 455: Pointing the Sword Toward the South Seas
The purpose of the military exercise was to prepare for the unexpected. Although East Africa didn't face the same level of national defense pressure as other countries, it was still very easy for rival powers to try to provoke or test it.
After making his appearance at the drill, Ernst quickly returned by train. His presence was more symbolic—a show of importance placed on the military. He had more pressing matters to attend to.
July 1875 — Bagamoyo Port
"This time, our fleet's mission is to depart from East Africa, pass through the Strait of Malacca, circle Kalimantan Island, and finally arrive in the Far East for diplomatic visits to several countries," Archduke Ferdinand briefed the naval officers.
This announcement excited the young Austrian officers—an opportunity this rare might not have come even when they served back in Austria.
The East African Navy had a significant number of Austrian officers, which made sense—they, along with Archduke Ferdinand, had laid the Navy's foundation.
Now, East Africa's navy was no longer green. With Austrian assistance, it had developed rapidly. And with two new ironclads commissioned just last month, the total number of East African ironclads had reached three.
As for why their first naval voyage targeted the Far East? It wasn't just for show—no, wait, it was partly for show, but more importantly, it was to project national power.
After all, East Africa had just loaned a huge sum to the Far Eastern Empire to support its war with Russia. Although the interest rate was high, Ernst feared the Far Eastern Empire might play games and default.
In reality, the chances of default were slim. The Far Eastern Empire valued its image highly. Even historically, it had repaid 8 million taels of a loan from HSBC within a year—despite over 3 million in interest.
So, the debt collection was a mere excuse. The true purpose of the East African Navy's Far East mission was scouting.
Ernst had been eyeing the East for a long time. Of course, in this context, "East" meant the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. To East Africa, everything east of the continent was "the East."
The Indian Ocean was important, but its central expanse only held a handful of islands—all controlled by Britain or France. Meanwhile, with the commissioning of ironclads and growing control over islands, the western Indian Ocean had effectively become East Africa's backyard.
What really intrigued Ernst was the Southeast Asian archipelagos.
Even just the Strait of Malacca held irreplaceable strategic value—though it was currently beyond East Africa's reach. However, the region had many islands.
Among them: the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Borneo (Kalimantan), the Philippines, and Sumatra—all significant. Technically, these all belonged to the Dutch East Indies. There were also many small islands with strategic importance.
In this complex web, the Netherlands held the most sway, followed by Britain, Spain, and finally Portugal (in East Timor). Borneo was already on Ernst's radar.
Borneo had several players: the Dutch, the Kingdom of Sarawak, and the Republic of Lanfang, plus four other small republics.
The Dutch controlled three regions on Borneo—northwest and southern segments. The Lanfang Republic lay nestled between them.
The Lanfang Republic, also called the Lanfang Company or Grand Consulate Republic of Lanfang, was a Chinese state established in 1777 by southern Chinese immigrants from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.
Its political system was quite unique. Known as Asia's first republic, in reality it was governed collectively by prominent Chinese families—more like a hybrid between a confederation and a colonial company.
For Ernst, these historical details were secondary. What mattered was Borneo's geographic value. Southeast Asia was the crossroads of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and Borneo was the hub of that crossroads.
Ernst told his father-in-law:
"This voyage, we're making the Lanfang Republic a priority. It could become our first colony in the East Indies. The Navy should subtly assert some demands on Lanfang—to lay the groundwork for our future political and economic influence."
In other words: pick the softest fruit. The Lanfang Republic was Ernst's soft fruit—and a familiar one, too.
With the Navy as backing, Lanfang wouldn't dare disrespect East Africa. The Republic had already been struggling in Southeast Asia. It faced the same challenges as many minor powers in the region.
Archduke Ferdinand asked:
"You value Lanfang so much—is it because it's a Chinese state?"
It was a long-standing question. Ernst's actions often suggested he prioritized Chinese people—second only to Germans.
Ernst replied:
"That's part of it. I've studied Chinese history in depth. But the main reason is—Lanfang is an independent country. That's vital. We don't need to clash with other European powers just yet. To gain a foothold in the East Indies without conflict, we must target either unclaimed lands or independent states. Tell me, Father, which has more value—a colony with existing development, or unclaimed wasteland?"
"Of course, a developed colony has more value."
"Exactly. Before the Industrial Revolution, the Chinese had the most advanced civilization in the East. Seres was one of the four great powers during Rome's era. Long before Rome even existed, China was already far more advanced than Greece or Egypt. The Lanfang Republic, being Chinese-led, symbolizes this historical strength. Even today, its people represent advanced productivity in Southeast Asia—at least pre-industrialization."
"They are indeed disciplined, hardworking, and brave," Ferdinand agreed, thinking of the Chinese sailors in the navy.
Ernst continued:
"All East Asian regions influenced by Chinese civilization show similar traits. Southeast Asia, however, doesn't fall into that category. The region only 'opened up' when colonized by Europeans—and their efficiency wasn't much better than Africa."
Industrialization and colonialism prioritize efficiency. Most Southeast Asian islands (except volcanic ones like Java) had poor soil and underdeveloped civilizations. Turning their indigenous people into industrial labor was as difficult as doing so in Africa.
That's why a Chinese-led nation like Lanfang was ideal. Judging by the success of ethnic Chinese in modern Malaysia, they made excellent colonial subjects.
And since Lanfang was still independent, East Africa could start with economic infiltration—then slowly bring it into East Africa's sphere of influence. No need to fight the Dutch. Even if a conflict arose, Ernst didn't fear the Dutch.
Another reason Ernst focused on Lanfang: to unite overseas Chinese against other colonial powers.
East Africa's overseas influence was weak. In Southeast Asia, it had nowhere near the reach of the Dutch. Many unclaimed islands existed—but claiming them offered little value. Even if East Africa planted flags, powers like the Dutch could ignore them.
What East Africa needed was a springboard—a base of operations. And Lanfang was the perfect candidate. Culturally similar, easier to cooperate with.
Ernst wasn't sure if Lanfang's leaders would agree in spirit—but under naval pressure, he believed they'd comply.
Besides, East Africa's demands weren't unreasonable—just trade and investment rights.
And a few years later, stationing troops would become the next "logical" step. With the Dutch looming nearby, Lanfang might even ask East Africa for protection.
Once troops were in place, the rest would follow: promote German-language education, spread Germanic values, and transform Lanfang into East Africa's strategic base in Southeast Asia.
In Ernst's mind, this was all perfectly logical. After all, even Singapore had adopted English as its official language. So why couldn't Lanfang adopt German?
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