Chapter 149: The Throne
Evening was approaching in the East African colony, and the educational programs aimed at spreading knowledge had significantly reduced the outbreak of diseases locally, thereby improving immigrants' health and survival rates.
Currently, the colony's disease-prevention performance is much better than that of those South American colonies that have been developed for hundreds of years.
Yes, the East African colony is evidently still under construction, appearing poor and far from prosperous. This can be seen especially in the ugly, rough architecture – the earlier it was built, the more makeshift it looks, since there was no template to follow, so aesthetics weren't a factor. Clothes, too, are uniform and monotonous. But all this is just the external side of things.
In other respects, East Africa's spending far outstrips that of any same-era colony or independent country at similar latitudes, particularly in education, sanitation, and infrastructure. For example, while the colony's roads aren't of high quality, the government has been diligently building them to at least address whether or not there is a road at all—most places at the same latitude haven't had such opportunities, or more accurately, they never got one.
A colony, by definition, is where colonizers exploit resources, especially in this era when Western powers typically drain their colonies. But Ernst treats East Africa as a real state in the making; the approach to exploitation is quite different from other colonial powers that overuse local resources.
Moreover, East Africa stands free of major hostile forces on its periphery, so it can develop in peace, while no one has yet paid attention to this obscure corner of the world.
People's basic needs basically boil down to four priorities—food, clothing, shelter, and transport—and for East Africans, the colony primarily focuses on "transport" and "food." Clothing and shelter remain temporarily passable. In this climate, temperatures never fall below ten degrees, so there's little to worry about.
As for food, the colony engages in large-scale agriculture, with vast land and sparse population. In terms of diet, the immigrants exceed the world's average level, so there's no urgent concern there. The main issue is transport. That's why the government invests heavily in infrastructure, building roads and canals, as well as increasing livestock numbers for transportation.
With better transport, Europe's goods and equipment can reach the colony, and East Africa's grain can be sold externally. It's a two-way economic question. Around a hundred thousand local "laborers" fight on the front lines of road construction, contributing to the colony's transportation network. Building roads isn't just a matter of flattening a path; in East Africa, it's crucial to handle drainage. So deep channels line the roads. They can't be small; they must cope with the colony's rainy-season downpours, preventing roads from being washed out.
Without any specialized machinery, the colony uses vast numbers of native workers to complete these tasks. East Africa is building not just roads but also a water network, channeling rainwater during the rainy season. Rather than letting it spread across the savanna, they direct it into rivers, lakes, and low-lying areas. That reclaims potentially arable land in places that used to be flooded.
Rainfall here is scattered, so these channels can also help form an irrigation network. Diverting the water into depressions or lakes creates some temporary "wild reservoirs," preventing it from running off into the Indian Ocean unused.
…
Berlin.
Hechingen Estate.
"Ernst!" Prince Constantin suddenly rose from his chair, clearly agitated, and shouted at his son.
Holding onto the chair arm in one hand and a newspaper in the other, Constantin asked excitedly, "Have you seen today's paper?"
With a calm expression, Ernst sipped his tea, adding a little hot water before replying, "I have, Father—it's just trifles."
"Heavens, your nerves must be of steel. You call such an event 'trifles'? This could sway the European order," Constantin said, still rather tense.
Then he exclaimed, "This world is changing so fast—who'd have thought!"
Ernst consoled him. "The continental setup can shift however it wants, so long as it doesn't affect our interests."
"That's true, though it's not entirely irrelevant. Spain's ****** has fled to France, so the monarchy faction there will surely be selecting a new king from among Europe's royal houses," Constantin hinted.
"Father, Spain's situation is quite poor—especially looking ahead, it will continue to decline at a pace visible to the naked eye. Domestically, there's no unified vision; local autonomy is strong," Ernst said rationally.
Constantin remained somewhat uneasy. "But what if it does succeed?"
Ernst said only one word: "France!"
Constantin instantly grasped it. "Seems I was too hasty!"
"In truth, anyone would be tempted by such a massive opportunity, Father. But we shouldn't step up as the first to try. It's not worth the risk," Ernst replied, reassuring him.
"Spain's still one of today's major powers, and who wouldn't covet it?" Constantin sighed. As for risk, the possibility of a monarchy enthronement is indeed alluring.
"Our House of Hechingen's interests lie in Germany and East Africa, not Spain. Maximilian I is still perfectly fine in East Africa; that's lesson enough, so we should learn from it," Ernst said.
"Right—given Spain's tangled politics, even someone like me who's spent years in the political arena might not beat the old hands there, especially since they wield military power," Constantin commented.
"Those complications aside, Spain is simply too old. So many things can't be changed—no worthwhile investment. East Africa is in a far better situation: in terms of landmass alone, second only to Russia if it were in Europe. And it's not wasteland. By year's end, we'll be near two million inhabitants, and overall resources already surpass those of many European countries." Saying that, Ernst felt deeply satisfied.
More importantly, the colony is new enough that the entire system of rules is his to set. Right now, he could practically declare himself local emperor without objection. Going to Spain would be nowhere near so easy, brimming with wily veterans and entrenched powers. Frankly, even the Habsburgs have more influence there than the Hohenzollerns do.
Late in September 1868, Spain's military government overthrew the rule of Isabella Alexandra Marie, and the queen fled to France, leaving the throne vacant. True to history, the Spanish first set their sights on the Hohenzollern family—thanks in no small part to Prussian Prime Minister Bismarck's maneuvers.
The House of Hechingen, however, showed zero interest. After discussing it, father and son said plainly they wanted nothing to do with Spain. That left the baton for Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen next door. Leopold himself wasn't keen on that messy Spanish pond, but family and national interests left him wavering. Soon enough, though, the French would help him make up his mind.
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