MTL - African Entrepreneurship Records-Chapter 17 Dar es Salaam
Chapter 17 Dar es Salaam
February 1, 1865, Dar es Salaam.
Dar es Salaam means "safe harbor" in Swahili. The largest city and port in Tanzania in later generations, the national economic and cultural center, an important port in East Africa, and the capital of Dar es Salaam. It is a city along the "Maritime Silk Road". Zheng He, an ancient East Asian country in the Ming Dynasty, once visited the coastal area here on his voyages to the West.
At present, the Suez Canal is not open. Dar es Salaam is the only place for European ships to go to Asia. Many merchant ships dock here to rest and replenish fresh water and supplies.
There are also some Portuguese and Dutch merchants who trade here. The Sultanate of Zanzibar encouraged Arabs to go to the interior of Tanzania to hunt slaves and capture ivory. The locals also planted cloves and other special products. European merchants returned from Asia. Buy goods here to bring products such as ivory and cloves back to Europe to earn higher profits.
Today the temperature is about 30 degrees, the salty sea breeze is blowing from the Indian Ocean, the coconut trees are swaying in the wind, and the tide gently beats the white sandy beach. Come gradually.
The Dutch flag was hoisted on the ship, and it slowly sailed into the port of Dar es Salaam under the command of the pilot.
A team of more than 2,000 people with live ammunition got off the ship and boarded the pier of the port. This team was the German colonial team hired by the Hechingen Bank.
The team was led by a Prussian veteran officer who had just retired. Many of them were veterans who had retired from the Prussian army and had just participated in the Second Schleswig War.
The deputy in the team is an old mercenary who has been in the Asian sea all the year round, and has been active in the Dutch Far East colony.
Of course, most of them are unemployed people recruited from all over Germany. After equipping them with second-hand weapons retired by the Prussian Army, they were sent to Africa for colonial activities.
This large-scale colonial group that landed with "advanced" weapons and equipment brought panic to the local Zanzibar Sultanate. A colonial team of this size is enough to fight a war of extermination in this era.
The Sultanate of Zanzibar is an authentic Arab country. It is the African part after the division of the Oman Empire, the former Indian Ocean power. Part of the coastal area, opposite Zanzibar Island is the port of Dar es Salaam, which is also the core ruling area of the Kingdom of Zanzibar.
As the former overlord of the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar has dealt with Western colonists a lot. These people are ruthless. Zanzibar has fought against the Portuguese. Gibal Sultan did not dare to act rashly, so he sent someone to negotiate.
Europeans in this era naturally look down on small countries like Zanzibar. Except for Europe, other regions are barbaric and uncivilized places in the eyes of Europeans. But remembering the tasks assigned by the boss, it's better not to cause trouble.
The representatives of the colonial team followed the representatives of Zanzibar to the palace of the Sultan of Zanzibar. The sultan arranged a banquet to receive the representatives of the colonial team, and began to insinuate the purpose of the colonial team at the meeting.
"I don't know how to address you?" the Sultan of Zanzibar asked.
The leader of the colonial team replied: "Your Excellency the Sultan can call me Yarman."
"Your Excellency Yarman, are you Dutch? It seems that your attire is a little different from those of the Dutch." The Sultan of Zanzibar said curiously: "But you came here on a Dutch ship, so for a while I don't know where you guys come from."
"Your Excellency, Sultan, we are the Kingdom of Prussia from the great German region, and this time we came to your land on a ship from the Netherlands."
Prussia! The Sultan of Zanzibar frowned. The German Sultan of Zanzibar had heard of it, but Prussia didn't know much about it. He turned to look at his foreign minister.
Seeing Sudan's instructions, the Foreign Minister leaned into Sudan's ear and explained softly: "Your Majesty, Prussia is one of the powerful countries in Europe. I heard that they have a strong army in Europe, but I have never heard that Prussia has Portugal and Prussia. A navy like England can only see a handful of Prussian businessmen here."
Well, the Sudan understands that the people who came here are not ordinary people, and they should not be offended easily. After all, the Portuguese are already very powerful. This so-called Prussia is actually a powerful country in Europe, and its strength should not be much worse than that of the Portuguese.
"Then I don't know what is the purpose of your coming to Zanzibar? Zanzibar is just a small country, and there is no outstanding resource development." The Sultan of Zanzibar asked.
"Your Excellency Sudan, we Prussians came here with sincerity. We mainly operate agricultural production in Tanganyika and will not threaten your country's rule in Zanzibar." said the head of the group.
The Sultan of Zanzibar did not believe the lies of the Europeans, and asked cautiously: "The land in Tanganyika is actually not as good as imagined, especially in the inland areas. There are more lions and beasts than people. Even our country There is no way to develop the inland, and I am afraid it will be difficult to complete it when you come from afar."
Head Yarman explained: "Don't worry, Your Excellency Sudan. To tell you the truth, we are actually going to develop farms inland and grow tobacco and some tropical plants. These are rare things in Europe, so we chose this place."
The Sultan of Zanzibar was still worried and asked: "Although I am not interested in whether your country develops the inland, our country also has many interests in the inland, such as the savages there, and ivory, which are impossible for our country to give up. How do you ensure that the interests of the Zanzibar people are not harmed?"
"Your Excellency, Sudan, I can assure you that I will not interfere with your country's inland interests. At the same time, we can cooperate and sign an agreement, because we develop the land to drive away the wild beasts and savages in the inland. Although these things have certain value, Our team still doesn't like it, and it can be sold to your country. This time we are only the first batch, and there will be others in the future, so confrontation is a dead end, and both parties have a harmonious future." Asia Erman's slightly threatening persuasion.
Thinking of the 2,000 "elites" at the port, the Sultan of Zanzibar had an alarm bell in his heart, and said without a trace: "Your Excellency Yarman, the peaceful development of both sides is also the pursuit of our Zanzibarians, but an army is under our noses." Underneath, I don't think the king of any country can sleep!"
Seeing the subdued Sultan of Zanzibar, Yarman smiled contemptuously in his heart, and comforted him: "Don't worry, Your Excellency, as a show of sincerity, we can leave in two weeks, and we will not be in Dar es Salaam. Long-term residence, of course, with the support of your country, it can be faster."
The Sultan of Zanzibar understood such an obvious hint in seconds, and said boldly: "Your Excellency, you are welcome, we will do our best to help our 'friends'." But his heart hurts.
Yarman explained: "Don't be anxious, Your Excellency, we just need to build some tools for camping in the wild. After all, you can't live in the open air in the wilderness, right?"
Zanzibar was relieved when he heard what Yarman said, and quickly responded: "Your Excellency Yarman is polite, we can still provide some additional support."
Unexpectedly, Yarman received it without hesitation: "There are really other things that need your country's help."
"Grand... don't tell me if you have something to say!" the Sultan of Zanzibar thought to himself, getting ready to be blackmailed.
"Our follow-up materials and personnel still need the help of your country's port for transit. I hope your country can provide us with convenience."
It turned out that this was the case, and the Sultan of Zanzibar had expected it a long time ago. Such a large group of people did not move, and they must need a transportation channel to connect with Europe. However, to be cautious, the Sultan of Zanzibar still mentioned: "It is no problem to borrow the port. We can set aside a piece of land for your country’s use, but your country cannot have troops stationed in the port and in Zanzibar, and your staff at the port cannot carry weapons.”
Hearing this sentence, Yarman knew that the matter was almost done, but he still bargained: "There is no problem, but the safety of the staff stationed in Hong Kong must be guaranteed, so we will leave an armed group of 20 people to protect them." Staff are safe."
Hearing that there were only twenty people, the Sultan of Zanzibar agreed. Although the Sultanate of Zanzibar is a small country, it still has strength, but it is afraid that it will lose both sides with this group of Prussians, and the Portuguese next to it will be ready to move.
However, the conditions put forward by the Prussians are barely acceptable as long as they do not threaten the rule of Zanzibar. This group of Prussians knew well, otherwise the Sultan of Zanzibar would not have let these Prussians enter the inland through Zanzibar.
(end of this chapter)
