The Congo

"Your Excellency, in any case, the dignity of the British Empire does not allow her to abandon her allies," Gladstone said casually.

"Your Congolese committee is too whimsical. It is impossible for you to establish an effective government agency to maintain order in the Congolese region."

"Our ally Portugal is different. With the help of the British Empire, Portugal is the best choice for the Congolese master."

Constantine couldn't bear Gladstone's arrogance any longer and stood up: "Since the British government is so confident and firmly supports the management of Congo by Portugal, I will immediately inform those employees who have just passed the committee that their work in Congo is pointless. Let them retreat immediately."

"Let the Portuguese compete with the French, but I don't know if they have the guts, and whether the British will fight a war with the French for the Portuguese Congo," Constantine said solemnly.

Hearing that Constantine threatened to withdraw the Congo Commission, Gladstone hesitated and lowered his head in thought.

If the Congolese Committee retreats, then there is no doubt that the colonists of Brazza, supported by the French government, will soon reoccupy the area. You know, the two sides are in the north and south of the Congo River, and they are now facing each other.

It was easy to seize Congo from the Congo Commission. After all, it was only a privately funded organization with limited financial resources and no courage to rebel against the authority of the British Empire.

However, if the French take advantage of the retreat of the Congolese Council and completely occupy the Congo River basin, the British will have nothing to do.

Unlike the weak Congolese Committee, France is an old opponent of the United Kingdom. If you don't make a fight, you don't even want to take food from the French population. An old European power like France will not give up because of the verbal threat of the British population. Mouth fat.

When Gladstone heard Constantine's rebuttal, he was also in a dilemma. The Congolese Committee, which he despised, really didn't know how to deal with it.

Let the Congo Commission retreat, the French will take over immediately, no matter how powerful the British are, they cannot quench their thirst from afar, and the French are on the north bank of the Congo River, within easy reach. Just relying on the Portuguese colonial forces in Angola, I really dare not do anything to the French.

If the Congolese Committee does not withdraw, then after the Berlin Conference, the international community will inevitably recognize the Congolese Committee's management rights over the Congolese region, because the reason why this Berlin Conference is held is to resolve disputes in the Congolese region in name, and by the way countries Divide the sphere of influence in Africa.

"Your Excellency, don't worry, I need to discuss colonial affairs with other cabinet ministers."

After all, Gladstone left in a hurry.

Only Constantine and Banning were left in the reception room.

Banning walked back and forth, looking very uneasy. After all, in the past few years, he was the one who went to Africa to help Stanley lead the complicated affairs of the Congolese Committee.

And now, it's finally time to find out.

"His Royal Highness, do you think the British would agree to hand over to our Congolese Committee to manage the Congo?" Banning looked at Constantine on the high-backed chair and closed his eyes. Banning, who was unfamiliar with international diplomatic affairs, faced with today's impossibility. Opponents like the controversial world hegemons really have no confidence in their hearts.

Naturally, he couldn't be as calm as Constantine.

"Banning, you don't have to be anxious, Congo can't lose it, it can only be owned by our Congolese committee."

"It's you, you should think about how to get the international community to allow us to collect tariffs in Congo," Constantine said solemnly.

In fact, obtaining the management rights of the Congolese Commission is only the beginning, which does not mean that Constantine can sit back and relax in the future.

After the Berlin Conference, if the management right of the Congo can be obtained, then another thorny issue will be faced, which is the source of the money to maintain the order of the Congo River.

The Congo region has a population of about 20 million and an area of ​​about 2 million square kilometers. In such a large area, the establishment of an effective judicial system, administrative system, garrison issues, and transportation issues will inevitably require stable income to maintain.

If you continue to let the royal family pay for the expenses that just passed the committee, I am afraid that the royal family's finances will soon go bankrupt, which is not realistic at all.

This level of expenditure has far exceeded the limit of personal burden.

The historical Belgian King Leopold II, in order to maintain the early development funds of the colony, begged his grandfather to tell his grandmother in front of the bankers, racking his brains to get a loan.

In a primitive Africa, far from the civilized world, it is expensive to maintain an organization with effective management capabilities.

Colonies in Africa, especially those in the tropics, are actually unprofitable.

Colonies don't make money? Wasn't the colonial power out of his mind? Why are they fighting for colonies?

Not all colonies do not make money, but most colonies in Africa do not.

When you talk about colonies, you may think of India in Britain, Indonesia in the Netherlands, Vietnam in France, and so on.

Indeed, of course, these colonies can make huge profits. To colonies like India, they have a large area of ​​arable land, high food production, dense population, and a population of hundreds of millions.

British domestic industrial products that come to India are like rats coming to the rice vat, eating their brains and intestines. In fact, the reason why the British Empire has become a British Empire is that India is a great contributor.

The same can be applied to Vietnam, Indonesia, because they have something in common.

For example, it is densely populated, rich in grain, rich in products, and can produce some special commodities.

For example, Vietnam's Hongji Coal Mine produces high-quality anthracite coal and is located in coastal areas. It is used as thermal coal for merchant ships traveling to and from the South