Chapter 324 Zhuhai Trade Zone
The rebellion of the Ndebele people disrupted Constantine's good mood to continue to tour the city of Dodoma. If it was the natives of other regions who rebelled, Constantine himself would have thought it was natural. After all, the natives were just less civilized, not fools, and they knew how to resist.
But East Africa gave enough face to the Ndebele people in Zimbabwe and co-governed the Matabele Plateau with the Ndebele people, because East Africa and the Ndebele people were both invaders to the local Shona people, who occupied more than 80% of the population of the Matabele Plateau.
Just as the British would use Indians in Africa, the East African government intended to use the Ndebele as Indians and support them in suppressing the local Shona people. However, it seemed that they ended up losing more than they gained.
However, although the Ndebele rebellion was large-scale, it was not a threat to the East African Kingdom. The Ndebele people started out as a military force, and so did the East African Kingdom. Moreover, the total number of Ndebele people was not much more than the East African army in Zimbabwe.
It took only forty to fifty years for it to develop from the Zulu Kingdom to the Matabele Plateau. After decades of intermarriage and development with the local Shona people, the entire ethnic group, including the mixed-bloods, is only a few hundred thousand in size at most.
To the Shona, the Ndebele army was invincible, but the Ndebele people couldn't even defeat the Boers, so East Africa didn't take the Ndebele people too seriously.
However, in order to punish the Ndebele people for their ingratitude, Constantine has decided to send the entire Ndebele people to eastern East Africa to dig a canal for ten years.
…
April 3, 1871.
Zhuhai Trade Zone is located in the coastal area east of Tangjia Town, Xiangshan County, Guangzhou Prefecture, on the west bank of the Pearl River Estuary, facing Qiaoao Island across the sea. It is a trading port established in Xiangshan County in accordance with the Treaty of the Two Easts after the establishment of diplomatic relations between East Africa and the Far East.
The city of Zhuhai did not exist at that time. East Africans came here earlier than Jiaozhou, but their development was much later than Jiaozhou.
There is no special reason. In Jiaozhou, East Africa can do whatever it wants as long as it can deal with the local bureaucrats. However, in Xiangshan, it is a bit difficult to just deal with the officials. After all, the locals are knowledgeable. To the south is the Portuguese-stolen Macau colony, and there are also British activities in the local area.
After East Africa had finally managed to scare the Qing government into giving them local privileges, they ran into a local powerful family, the Tang family.
Tang is a local surname. The Tang family of Tangjiawan in Zhuhai can be traced back to 1205, when Tang Jujun led his family from Zhuji Lane in Nanxiong (in today's Shaoguan) to Fuyong in Xiangshan (today's Tangjiawan in Zhuhai). Tang Jujun, also known as Shaoyao, is the ninth-generation grandson of Tang Jie, the prime minister of the Song Dynasty, and the ancestor of the Tang family in Tangjiawan.
The Tang family is not only powerful in the local area, but their words are also influential, so much so that if the East African government wants to work here, they have to both greet the Xiangshan officials and discuss with the head of the Tang family.
The Tang family was rather wary of the East African Kingdom setting up a trading port here. After all, there was the Portuguese experience, and no one could guarantee that the East Africans would not take over their place.
The Tang family itself had enormous power within the Qing government. With the rise of Tang clan compradors such as Tang Tingshu, Tang Tingzhi, Tang Tinggeng, Tang Jichang, and Tang Qiaoqing, the economic strength of the Tang family and clan was further enhanced, and clan and temple assets increased rapidly.
Take Tang Tingshu as an example. He was one of the civilian representatives of the Far East's Westernization Movement and had a very good relationship with Li Hongzhang. His achievements included founding China's first civilian enterprise, the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, the first coal mine, the Kaiping Mining Bureau, and the first large-scale insurance company, the Renjihe Insurance Company. He presided over the construction of the first railway, the Tang-Xu Railway (Tangshan Xugezhuang), the drilling of the first oil well, and the laying of China's first telegraph line. The famous "Report" in modern Far East was also founded by him. He was one of the "four major compradors" in the Far East in the late Qing Dynasty.
Now Tang Tingshu still works for the British as the chief comprador of Jardine Matheson. He has huge assets and many investments, but he is just one of the more representative figures of the Tang family in the business world. Therefore, it is very inconvenient for the Xiangshan Consulate in East Africa to carry out work here.
For example, if the Tang family didn't ask for land, East Africa couldn't buy it at all. Then the Xiangshan Consulate protested to the Xiangshan County Government, but it turned out that they were in cahoots and kept delaying the response. At the same time, they privately forced the local people not to have business dealings and normal exchanges with East African businessmen and officials. Okay, so that's how it goes, right?
So on March 7 this year, a company of the East African Kingdom was sent to land in Tangjia Bay. This was the first time that the East African Kingdom sent troops to an overseas country.
Although there are armed personnel from East Africa in Jiaozhou, at least in name they are not the East African army. East Africa also respects local officials. After all, they cooperate well and they should be given some respect.
The East African troops dispatched to Xiangshan alarmed the then Guangzhou prefect Mei Qizhao, who came from Guangzhou specifically to mediate the matter.
Xiangshan County Government Office.
Mei Qizhao reprimanded the Xiangshan County Magistrate, "Look at what you have done. You insist on making trouble with the foreigners. Aren't you afraid of a diplomatic incident?"
The Xiangshan County Magistrate hesitated and said, "Land is freely traded, and we cannot interfere. Besides, the people are unwilling to interact with foreigners, so we can't ask too much..."
Mei Qizhao: "Okay, stop quibbling. I know the morals of the village clans. How much benefit did you get from the Tang family?"
The Xiangshan County Magistrate: "Well, this humble official is a person..."
Mei Qizhao: "Humph! If you don't want others to know, then don't do it. The current dynasty is in the midst of the Spring and Autumn period. The court is deliberately reforming and learning Western skills to control the barbarians. It needs time for peaceful development. If you stir up trouble and undermine the national plan, can you bear the responsibility?"
Xiangshan County Magistrate: "What do you think?"
Mei Qizhao: "You will prepare generous gifts and go with me to apologize to Consul Hume. As for the Tang family, warn them not to provoke the barbarians. If a conflict really occurs and causes a diplomatic incident, be careful that your official hats will be lost."
The Xiangshan County Magistrate said with shame: "I will do it right away."
…
Tangjiawan Town.
Mei Qizhao: "Consul Humes, this is all a misunderstanding. The local people were deceived by the Portuguese, so your country was accidentally hurt. I apologize to your country on behalf of the local people."
Humes: "Well, we in the East African Kingdom didn't want to make a big fuss about this matter, but the Tang family, as the local boss, blocked our normal trade everywhere, intimidated the local people, and prohibited us from interacting with our merchants. I think we should punish them severely."
Mei Qizhao: “Cough cough cough!”
The head of the Tang family said: "Consul Hume, this is a complete misunderstanding. It is all because I was away from the family some time ago and was on a business trip. Now that things have come to this, I am deeply ashamed. As for your country's leasing of land, building of ports, and trade, our Tang family absolutely supports it!"
Humes was about to speak.
The head of the Tang family suddenly threw out a HSBC check and handed it over: "This is a small gift from our Tang family. I hope the envoy will accept it and resolve the misunderstanding between the two countries."
Humes took the check calmly, and then said, "It doesn't matter if it's a misunderstanding, but this land matter..."
The head of the Tang family: "Rent, rent!"
After that, he asked someone to bring a map and pointed to the southeast of Tangjia Bay: "This is the place with the best port conditions in Tangjia Bay. We fully support your country in developing this place."
Hume said: "Very good, Mr. Mei Qizhao, we in East Africa are developing this place and we hope that Guangzhou can provide more convenience. After the commercial port here is built, fair trade will be guaranteed."
Mei Qizhao: "Of course, Consul Humes, I will do my best to promote it to business people in Guangzhou. But Consul Humes, the misunderstanding has been resolved. Your country's army..."
Humes: "Don't worry, we are just following the treaty with your country. We will not do anything out of line. This is the spirit of the contract. You must abide by it. Otherwise, it will be bad if something goes wrong like this time."
Mei Qizhao: "Of course, of course."
Under the threat of force from East Africa, the Zhuhai Trade Zone was finally established and was mainly responsible for exporting industrial products and food from East Africa in the Pearl River Basin, while importing the goods needed by East Africa.
(End of this chapter)
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