The European colonization process in Southeast Asia was first completed by the Portuguese, who were the pioneer countries in the European Age of Discovery and the ancestors of modern navigation. Tianlai Novelｗｗ
Although Portugal started early, it was not the one with the last laugh. Due to the military conflict between the mainland and Spain, Portugal was once incorporated into Spanish territory, and its overseas colonies were inherited by the Spanish. .
However, Spain is not a country with a strong national fortune. Although they formed an invincible fleet, they were eventually defeated by the British. In fact, the core of Spain's colonial interests in its heyday was in South America, and Southeast Asia was Europe at that time was really too far away.
In Southeast Asia, the country that really filled the void of the Portuguese was actually the Netherlands. Sea coachmen were good at doing business. They did not engage in too much arms competition, but formed the East India Company and began to expand to distant Southeast Asia.
The Netherlands filled the gap left by the Portuguese. The Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, southern Kalimantan... the vast lands were controlled by the Dutch, and the rich spices here were monopolized by the Dutch and dumped to Europe.
In fact, until the 21st century, the Netherlands is still the largest market for spice sales in the world, and the price of spices listed there has become the reference price for spice merchants around the world.
Britain was a complete latecomer to Southeast Asia. At the end of the 19th century, the British colony in Southeast Asia actually only had one Singapore area. This was mainly to control the Strait of Malacca.
The British seem to have no interest in competing for territory with the Dutch. Of course, the Dutch's obedience is also one of the reasons. British interests can still be protected in the Dutch colonies. Coupled with the close relationship between the Dutch royal family and the British royal family, this makes The way the British eat is not that ugly.
The British controlled the Straits of Malacca, which they had captured from the Dutch. French colonies were also concentrated in Burma, Annam, India, and other places, and they had no colonies in the Southern Islands.
In fact, the colonial center of Britain and France was still in the Qing Dynasty. Although Southeast Asia was important, there was no need to rule it personally, and leaving it to the Dutch would not harm their own interests.
This is actually the basis for Xiao Letian's deep colonization in Nanyang. There are many European powers that Xiao Letian cannot afford to offend, but the Netherlands is an exception. Judging from the current strength of the Chinese, it is simply impossible to destroy the Dutch army in Nanyang. Easy as pie.
What Xiao Letian is most worried about is actually the defeat of the Netherlands and the eventual seduction of the British. This is a diplomatic problem. As long as the British can find a way to turn a blind eye, the plan to quietly seize the Dutch colonies can proceed smoothly.
Will the Dutch watch Xiao Letian's Chinese family grow bigger? The answer is of course no, otherwise the Dutch governor would not let a group of local kings spend money to hire their own warships.
The news of the end of the Battle of Borneo was brought personally by the Dutch warship Captain Malvik. After they retreated from the battlefield without a fight, they only stopped for a short time to pay attention to the situation on the battlefield and found that the Chinese had already secured victory. , and then immediately retreated south.
There is a military port belonging to the Netherlands in southern Borneo, where Malvik quickly telegraphs to Cebu and Jakarta. These are two important strongholds for Dutch control of Southeast Asia and the permanent seat of the governor.
The Dutch governor in Jakarta, Velijaka, was shocked when he received the telegram. He couldn't believe his eyes, "A hundred thousand indigenous coalition troops, supported by countless arms from us, were actually fought like this? How could they?" Can’t you hold on even for one summer?”
"God, why did you create a group of such incompetent humans! Prepare the warships immediately, I am going to Singapore to meet with the British Governor! Immediately..."
The Netherlands no longer has the courage to fight with the Chinese, and he has to bring Britain with him in any action he wants to take.
That night, a fast destroyer from Jakarta headed north and arrived in the Lion City of Singapore before the Zhiyuan arrived. As soon as he arrived in Singapore, Veliaka was stunned by what he saw.
I saw a large number of warships on the sea outside the port, with white sails covering the sky. Seabirds flew among the white sails like clouds, and the sound of their calls was the sound of British sailors training.
"Oh my God! Did the British gather all the warships in Southeast Asia to the Lion City? What is Governor Philip doing?"
"Governor, look, it's the battleship Melville! The main battleship that participated in the war against the Qing Dynasty..." An old sailor on the deck recognized the huge battleship at the front of the queue at a glance.
The governor pulled out his monocular and looked into the distance. Sure enough, a main battleship with three-story gun cabins was moored on the high seas, with busy sailors everywhere on the deck.
"The Melville and the Branham...are actually main battleships with more than 74 doors! Two of them are actually gathered together..."
"Also, Governor, look, the British destroyer fleet is also gathering... the Du Louis, the Conway, the Crocodile... a total of eight ships..."
"Transport ship? Why are there still ten transport ships? Do the British have any ocean missions? Still have to prepare for war... Damn it, what do they want to do again?"
Governor Wei Liyaka is a wise man. When he saw the main warships that conquered the Qing Dynasty gathered in the waters off the Lion City, he immediately realized that Governor Philip was about to make a big move. Could it be an armed intervention in Borneo? war?
Could it be that the cunning British also feel that the Chinese are too arrogant and should be curbed?
"Great, it must be like this... Enter the port immediately, I want to see Governor Philip!"
Diplomats, especially governor-level ships, have privileges in the port. After Veoliaka showed his identity as the Dutch governor, the pilot boat immediately approached the patrol boat and began to open a safe passage in the busy commercial dock area.
Not only that, the patrol boat also signaled to Veoliyaka, "I apologize to you, Dear Governor, the military port is currently full and we cannot arrange a dock for your warship. I hope you can land smoothly from the commercial dock. I wish you all the best." !”
How can Veoliaca have the time to practice diplomatic etiquette now? He knows that the Lion City guarding the Strait of Malacca is an important military stronghold for the British in Asia, and the scale of military port construction here is very large.
This place is crowded, which shows that the British fleet has been mobilized to gather here. This is a big deal!
Commercial docks are business. Now is not the time to fight for diplomatic face. The governor jumped onto the dock and soon there were guards and carriages arranged by the British to greet them. The group quickly rushed to the British Governor's Palace.
