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In Potsdam Palace, Berlin, Germany, a priest in his fifties is energetically presenting his ideas to the emperor. "Since the founding of the German Empire, the number of people has increased much faster than the growth rate of food production, and at the current rate, it is estimated that within ten years the local food production will not be able to supply the needs of the domestic population.

However, insufficient grain production will cause prices to rise, increase the cost of living for residents, and is not conducive to social stability.

At the same time, the inability to self-sufficiency in food production and the rising cost of living will also lead to a large number of citizens dissatisfied with their domestic living conditions and choose to emigrate abroad, and the large-scale loss of citizens will not only waste human resources, but also weaken the overall strength of the empire.

Second, the British and French governments are planning to enact trade protection policies and increase taxes on the industrial and commercial products of the Empire, and once Britain and France formally implement the trade protection policies against the Empire, the industrial and commercial system that has just begun to flourish in the Empire may produce the risk of overproduction and economic stagnation of the country.

”

The tall German priest was so agitated that it would have been difficult to associate him with a devout believer if he were not dressed in a black priest's robe.

"Many of the problems encountered in the development of the German Empire had to be solved by acquiring overseas colonies."

"Your Majesty, Count Bismarck,"

The German priest reminded William I and Bismarck, and took out a thick stack of information: "At the end of the Franco-Prussian War, the Imperial Government proposed a high compensation of 5 billion francs to the French for the purpose of curbing France's recovery of strength, and signed a contract to station troops in France, but beyond the expectations of the Imperial Government, the French paid off the reparations of 5 billion francs in just three years, forcing the Imperial army to withdraw from France ahead of schedule, which led to the failure of the plan to curb the development of France."

”

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Father Fabley,"

The German diplomat, who had met and talked with Hu Yaqi last time, stood up and said: "I don't understand what France's payment of 5 billion reparations has to do with the expansion of the empire's overseas colonies? ”

"I'll explain it to you, Baron Edrewin."

The German priest was interrupted by someone else, and with a look of displeasure on his face, he quickly returned to normal, explaining that "French merchants are known to make high profits on the European continent by lending usury, but in Asia and Africa, French colonists and smugglers were able to make several times more profits from the natives of the region with a few hundred muskets."

Ladies and gentlemen, the Church of Hamburg and Bremen had trade associations in Asia and Africa, where the merchants saw with their own eyes the great profits made by the French, and the price they paid for it was only a few dozen soldiers who died of illness and some cheap muskets and ammunition.

The French merchants used the vast wealth they had plundered from the colonies to pay off the reparations, and when the French regained their strength, they would inevitably choose to unite with other countries against the Empire, which would be in a very dangerous situation. ”

The German priest looked worried about the future situation in Germany, and then changed his tone and said, "If the empire has vast colonies in Africa, then the fertile land of Africa can provide abundant food supply to the country and reduce the cost of living for the residents.

Secondly. The migration of too many people from the country to overseas colonies can alleviate domestic social conflicts on the one hand, and on the other hand, the fertile land and abundant resources of Africa will allow the immigrants to live a prosperous life, increase their loyalty to the empire and strengthen their control over the colonies.

Finally, the vast African colonies were able to provide the empire with cheap raw materials and reduce the cost of industrial production, while at the same time providing a consumer market for domestic industrial and commercial enterprises, which was conducive to the development of industry and commerce. ”

The German priest expounded on the economic, political, and social benefits of colonial expansion to Germany, and then said: "

The economic benefits of Cameroon's aluminium mines are huge, and it is very cost-effective to use a few small islands and commercial bases with limited economic value in exchange for the aluminium mines in the hands of the Han State.

The Church of Hamburg Bremen and the Church of Church belonged to the Church agreed to a colonial exchange agreement with the Han State, and, in order to protect the property interests of German citizens in Africa, the Church of Hamburg Bremen implored His Majesty to bring South-West Africa and Tanzania under the colonial rule of the Empire, and the Church would mobilize the members of the local Chamber of Commerce to cooperate with the actions of the Imperial Army. ”

"Father Fabry once led missionaries to Southwest Africa, so he should be aware of the natural environment in Africa, right?"

After patiently listening to the other party's explanation, Prime Minister Bismarck retorted, "Cameroon aluminium is the richest mine ever discovered, and in order to protect the economic interests of the empire, I agree to include Cameroon under the colonial rule of the empire, but I do not agree to expand colonial power in other parts of Africa except Cameroon." ”

"Hasn't the Count discovered the economic value of the colony yet?"

Father Fabley asked rhetorically.

"My opposition to the blind expansion of colonies in Africa was a deliberate decision."

Bismarck did not take into account the other party's opinion, and said strongly, "Most of the colonies with huge economic value in overseas areas have fallen into the hands of Britain and France, and except for Cameroon, where a giant aluminum ore has been newly discovered, the economic value of other regions in Africa is limited, and it is not worth the empire to send a lot of manpower and material resources to build.

Second, Africa's indigenous people are backward and uncivilized, and are often prone to rebellions against colonial rule, and if the empire wants to maintain colonial rule there, it will have to spend a lot of money and troops to suppress it, and the gains outweigh the losses.

There was also the epidemic of disease in Africa, the inability of white immigrants to survive on a large scale, and the inability to allocate enough officials to manage the affairs of the colony.

So Fr. Fabley, what you think is that the aggressive expansion of overseas colonies is not actually of any obvious benefit to the Empire, but rather requires the Empire to spend a lot of money to maintain order in the colonies.

I will not agree with your suggestion. ”

"Count, things are not as bad as you think.

The Han state had improved the technology of quinine production, and the imperial government could negotiate with the Han government to buy quinine at a low price to supply the needs of immigrants in Africa, and if you really thought that the direct administration of the colonies by the imperial government would not outweigh the losses, the churches and merchants in Hamburg and Bremen were willing to follow the model of the British East India Company and manage the affairs of the colonies instead of the government. ”

Although Fabley engaged in colonial activities as a priest, the main members of the Chamber of Commerce were German small and medium-sized businessmen, small citizens, landless peasants and other lower classes of society, who were oppressed by the Junker landlord class represented by Bismarck in Germany, and desperately wanted to obtain overseas colonies like Britain and France and other powers, and then make a good life in the colonies by exploiting the local natives, and get rid of their status as the bottom of society.

There is a natural contradiction between the ruling class and the ruled class, and even though the Junker landlord class such as Bismarck played a huge role in the Franco-Prussian War, in order to safeguard the interests of the landlord class itself and to fear that the expansion of overseas colonies would intensify the contradictions with Britain and France, Bismarck has always opposed the expansion of overseas colonies.

Even though the discovery of aluminium in Cameroon proved that the overseas colonies had enormous economic benefits, Bismarck did not agree to completely open the door to the expansion of overseas colonies.

Wilhelm I rarely objected to Bismarck's opinions, but this time he intended to correct Bismarck's ideas.

"Small and medium-sized countries such as the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain all have overseas colonies, and King Leopold II of Belgium also sought imperial support last year to seek overseas colonies,

Many small European countries had colonies of considerable size, and the German Empire, as a European power, needed to have a colony size commensurate with its status as a great power.

Your Excellency Prime Minister, Cameroon's aluminium mines are of great interest to the development of domestic industry and commerce, and the vast areas of southwest Africa and Tanzania in which imperial merchants are involved are likely to be similar to Cameroon's aluminum.

Something should change in the Empire's foreign policy, and I hope you will support the Empire's efforts to expand its overseas colonies. ”

"I have great respect for Your Majesty's opinion, but I still stand by my opinion that the Empire should not invest a lot of money in colonies with limited interests."

"The Prime Minister's thoughts are very steady." William I nodded in agreement, and continued, "Father Fabley, in a few days the imperial government will claim sovereignty over Cameroon, Southwest Africa, and Tanzania, except that Cameroon is directly administered by the imperial government, and the administrative management of Southwest Africa and Tanzania is entrusted to your chamber of commerce. ”

"Thank you for your trust, the Hamburg and Bremen chambers of commerce will not let your majesty down."

Fabli bowed deeply.