Chapter 238: One Month Is Too Long, We Must Seize the Day.

The one-month deadline proposed by Franz was too long, which was beyond Friedrich's expectation. He was quite confused by the former's proposal.

"One month? Are we going to settle here for a long time?" Friedrich teased.

"Wouldn't it be good to let those natives help us build a fortress?" Franz said.

"Are you really going to stay here?" Friedrich said in surprise.

"Why not? Didn't you see the unexpected encounter we encountered today? Do you still expect to rely on this group of strange natives to protect our safety? I am sure that this sudden attack is just the beginning. Someone doesn't want us to colonize here. They covet our development potential." Franz made his own judgment.

"Are you talking about that... King Cabrennon and King Gezo of Dahomey?" Friedrich didn't care too much about the so-called behind-the-scenes manipulator. In his opinion, they are all indigenous tribes anyway, what's the difference?

"No, you are wrong. They are not the ones behind the scenes. Someone wants to divert our attention by misleading." Franz said.

"Is it as complicated as you say?" Friedrich was a little confused.

"It could be the Portuguese slave traders, or it could be the British, French and other forces behind the scenes. I don't know the truth yet, but the other party will definitely not let it go. You wait and see, they will not give up, and there will be other actions next, so we'd better be careful." Franz reminded solemnly.

"Then why don't they come out and do it directly, but have to use these natives?" Friedrich asked back.

"You think too simply! In fact, war is often the lowest priority option. It serves politics, not the other way around. And if we really make a hasty decision to attack the Kingdom of Dahomey, we will definitely offend all the slave traders on the 'Slave Coast'."

"So what?"

"Do you still remember the story of the Spanish?"

"You mean pirates?"

"Yes."

"It's the 19th century now, and pirates are no longer as glorious as they used to be. Are there still blind guys who dare to attack warships?"

"Pirates never attack warships, but merchant ships. Not everyone is as lucky as Drake. This... This is Africa, not Europe. Our fleet cannot stay here for a long time, and we don't have the capital of the British to directly form a West African fleet.

There is a saying: A thief can steal for a thousand days, but he can't guard against thieves for a thousand days. Do you really think that those slave traders are all individual acts? Most of these legal slave traders are backed by countries or financial consortiums, and they are not ants that can be crushed at will. "

Franz's words made Friedrich feel incomprehensible. He felt that the primary purpose of a big country's navy is to protect its maritime rights and interests. Although the Austrian navy is relatively weak now, they have never lacked the courage to fight with real swords and guns.

Whether it is against the Barbary pirates who came to Italy to plunder the population, or the Moroccan pirates who are the hegemon of West Africa, the Imperial Navy can always beat these invading enemies and flee in panic. It is their pride not to bow to any powerful enemy.

"Franz, I believe you will become a great monarch famous in Europe in the future, but I am just a soldier. As a member of the glorious Imperial Navy, I will never bow to my enemies." Friedrich said solemnly.

Franz scratched his head. He really didn't expect that the other party would take honor so seriously.

"Alas, my uncle Friedrich, I have no intention of offending your loyalty to duty and adherence to honor. But now we don't have time to stay here any longer."

"What do you mean?" Friedrich asked puzzledly.

"One of the purposes of our trip is to discuss business. We have made a lot of money in Ivory Coast and Togo. However, this trip to West Africa is not over. Next, we need to meet the chiefs in Cameroon and Congo."

"Wait a minute, aren't you going to wait here for them to visit us and then sign the contract?" Friedrich felt that he had guessed what Franz meant. He wanted to use the so-called thirty-day deadline to confuse the other party.

In the following month, the Austrians asked the native chiefs in Togo to send a large number of workers to build a fortress for them at the dock.

At the same time, Franz and Friedrich had led part of the fleet to Cameroon, and Britain was now the largest colonial power here.

But the British in Cameroon did not show an exclusive attitude, but enthusiastically recommended their goods to Franz. Since British law prohibited the slave trade, they could not participate in Cameroon's most profitable business and could only choose to engage in side businesses, such as providing catering, accommodation, repairing ships, and selling local specialties.

The British government felt that this place had great potential, so it continued to invest manpower and material resources. The cause of all this was that a British explorer discovered gold at the mouth of the river in Cameroon and brought it back to the British Isles.

From then on, the British were fascinated by the rumor that there was gold in Cameroon. They spent a lot of money and resources on it for decades, and even built cities here, but they never found the long-awaited priceless treasure.

In fact, gold is indeed stored in Cameroon, but it is not at the mouth of the river in the west, but in the east of the source of the river. This secret was not discovered until the 21st century.

However, the British sailors and workers here could not understand the actions of their own government. They hated the harsh environment here. The annual mortality rate of soldiers and workers serving in Cameroon is about 4%, most of whom die from malaria and mosquito bites, and some suffer from mental illness.

When the senior British colonial officials here heard about the purpose of Franz's trip, they strongly recommended Kribi to the guests as an Austrian trading post. There is a natural deep-water harbor in the area, and the indigenous people who live there are very friendly. According to the people, they seem to regard the white people as gods.

Everything is as the enthusiastic British said. The local chief signed the contract as fast as lightning. Moreover, the chief, who is only 1.4 meters tall, is very versatile and can actually speak Portuguese, Spanish, English, French, etc. at the same time. four languages.

But Franz soon discovered a problem. The local black people seemed to be extremely short, with few of them exceeding 1.5 meters. Compared with them, Friedrich's height was simply outstanding.

In fact, the main local race is the Pygmies, a small ethnic group with an average height of less than 1.4 meters. Franz, on the other hand, had no understanding of this nation. He could only marvel at the vastness of the world and its wonders.

It's no wonder that the Pygmies were not spotted by slave traders and brought to the United States, because no plantation slave owner would pay for a group of "dwarfs."

The diminutive chief, who also went by the English alias Lewis, was intrigued by his knowledge of cotton and cocoa cultivation and asked his Austrian guests what his tribe could gain from the trade.

Franz showed him one by one the weapons, cotton cloth, and other industrial products brought by this voyage, including cigarettes and sugar.

Lewis was very happy with so many novel objects. He expressed on the spot that his tribe was willing to grow cotton and cocoa for Austria, and that he would recognize Franz and Friedrich as his father.

This sudden request made the two of them very embarrassed. On the one hand, the other party treated them with the highest etiquette, but on the other hand, for European nobles, especially the adoption of a child by the royal family, it was a big deal.

European adopted sons can not only inherit property, but also inherit titles. That is to say, if Franz adopts Lewis as his adopted son today, then one day it is very likely that a black man will inherit the throne of the Austrian Empire. This is Habbs. The Fort family would not accept it no matter what.

Friedrich was also unable to do this. His father was the richest and most powerful nobleman in Austria. If he agreed today, he would most likely be pinned to death in the bathtub by his father and eldest brother when he returned.

Because he could not accept it, he could only reject Lewis, but he looked very disappointed, which made Franz and Friedrich a little bit intolerable.

After all, the other party not only agreed to become Austria's protectorate, but was also prepared to fully accept Franz's suggestion and build its territory into a plantation.

"Let's do this. If you make a request, as long as we can fulfill it, we will definitely help you complete it." Friedrich said sincerely.

Franz also nodded, "Have you seen our fleet? We can help you destroy your enemies, expand your territory, and avenge you..."

When Franz saw a group of dwarfs, he naturally felt that they would be bullied often. Moreover, eliminating some hostile tribes can not only expand Kribi's territory, but also enhance Austria's influence in Cameroon.

After all, if the original history had been followed, Britain would have taken tough measures this year, asking the chiefs of Cameroon to stop the slave trade and destroy all slave stations in the coastal areas.

But in fact, the Pygmies of Kribi during this period were not weak, and they often even defeated surrounding tribes to surrender and pay tribute.

Then Lewis’s eyes lit up and he made a very embarrassing request.

"I want a white woman to be my wife."

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