Chapter 220

Chapter 220: Preparing for Baby Boom

A group of young Austrian naval officers stood before Archduke Ferdinand, and he greeted them with satisfaction. These officers were part of the East African Advisory Group formed by the Imperial Navy to serve under Ferdinand's command in East Africa. Captain Blair introduced them to Ferdinand, emphasizing their role in supporting the East African Navy.

Ferdinand expressed his confidence in their abilities and assured them that East Africa should be considered their home. He recognized that some of them might have faced challenges or had modest backgrounds within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but their skills were valuable in East Africa's development.

Meanwhile, in the Qiweit Palace, Prince Constantine received a report from Von der Leyen regarding a Mozambican mission that had arrived at the port of Dar es Salaam. The mission sought cooperation with East Africa, and there were indications that they intended to carve up the Kingdom of Malawi in collaboration with East Africa.

Constantine was surprised by this development, as he had expected the Mozambican mission to protest East Africa's actions in the Kazenbe Kingdom. He speculated that Mozambique lacked the strength to take on the entire Kingdom of Malawi and sought an extraterritorial partner to share the burden.

Von der Leyen raised concerns about the potential loss of territory to Mozambique through cooperation. He suggested that East Africa might be giving away too much, particularly in the southern part of the Kingdom of Malawi.

Constantine acknowledged the concerns but stressed the importance of stabilizing the situation for the time being. East Africa was currently engaged in conflicts on multiple fronts, and it couldn't open another front with Portugal. Instead, they would use this opportunity to consolidate their gains in the Kingdom of Malawi.

Von der Leyen further expressed his apprehension that East Africa might eventually have to contend with Portugal, and the division of interests in the region could complicate matters in the future.

Constantine agreed with the assessment and emphasized the need to maintain the current pace of development. He acknowledged that East Africa's population was growing rapidly, with an anticipated baby boom. This posed challenges related to manpower and food supply. He instructed Von der Leyen to gather data on the population growth and discuss the issue with Ernst.

The sudden increase in the birth rate had caught Constantine off guard, and he now recognized the potential challenges it could pose to East Africa's development. The young immigrant population, combined with the unique land and distribution system, was driving the fertility rate up. As a result, East Africa might face a significant increase in its population in a short period, requiring careful planning to address the accompanying challenges.