Australian Storm 1876

  Chapter 844 Situation in the Arabian Peninsula

Until the second Pacific Fleet was sent out hundreds of nautical miles from the coast of East Africa and watched them embark on a long voyage to the Far East, the African Squadron led by Major General Jason Ardenne drew a beautiful turn and turned around. Drive to the nearest port of Xi'an.

  Sunset

  Amidst the clamor of seabirds, the squadron has arrived in Xi’an, Djibouti, the pearl city of the Horn of Africa.

  On the wide sea outside the port, there are many ocean-going vessels from various countries anchored on the anchorage. These are all cargo ships that go to and from Europe and Asia. They are docked at Xi'an Port to replenish coal, water and living materials, and carry out cargo transfers here.

  Cargo destined for Mozambique, Congo and South Africa in southeastern Africa. Cargo destined for West Asia is unloaded here, and then loaded with Mozambican cotton cloth, dried fruits, grain or other materials and set sail again to the destination port.

Limited by local water resources and the environment, Xi’an has maintained a population of more than 500,000 for more than ten years, and watched the rapid rise of the central city of Humen, from a small town of less than 10,000 to a population of nearly 700,000. Big city, leapfrogged to the largest city in Somalia.

  In recent years

  A company called Somalia Water Company was established. It ordered more than 20 500-ton shallow water tank ships to take water from Eritrea on the Red Sea and transport it to Xi’an, in order to alleviate the conflict of water resources needed for economic development.

Saidite River is the only ever-flowing river in Eritrea. It has a total length of 180 kilometers and is 670 kilometers away from Xi’an. The Somali Water Company draws water here during the dry season and the largest Mahe River in the rainy season, which is only 361 kilometers away from Xi’an. The river basin covers an area of ​​24,000 square kilometers, with abundant river water for eight months of the year.

  Tank ships filled with fresh water went up the river course on the side of Xi’an until they arrived at the outskirts of the Somali Water Company base, where they unloaded the fresh water, where it was settled and disinfected in several large cement ponds and sent to thousands of households.

The Somali Water Company, which was born in response to the times, made up for the biggest constraint in Xi’an’s economic development. It provided millions of tons of fresh water resources each year, and contributed to the rapid growth of Xi’an’s population in recent years, breaking through the 600,000 mark, and becoming one of the top leaders in the empire. City ranks.

  On the edge of the oasis on the outskirts of Xi’an, the apples, grapes and cantaloupes growing on the sandy soil are particularly crisp and sweet, and they have become famous local products and praised as "the magical gift of nature."

  Xian's thousands of lights in the night, like a dazzling galaxy.

This is a jewel city standing in the Horn of Africa, a dream city for seafarers on the Eurasian route, and a miraculous city standing on an oasis, intertwined with prosperity and depravity, it is for adventurers going to East Africa and West Asia. paradise.

  Such a prosperous place is far from the mainland, it is inevitable to attract people's attention.

On both sides of the coast of Djibouti are high plateaus, with an average altitude of about 130-170 meters, about 10 kilometers away from Xi’an. A coastal gun fortress is built along the east and west wings, and the bay less than 20 kilometers wide is tightly closed. The blockade has formed a terrifying crossfire.

  The eastern fortress is called Eastern Fort, and the western fortress is called Western Fort. The entire bay is protected by large-caliber shore artillery to deter enemies with bad intentions and form an important support point for the coastal defense system.

In Xi’an, the army has a garrison force, the navy’s African squadron maintains the sea power of the second cruiser and the eighth drive all year round. The cruiser "Takachiho" and the cruiser "Naniwa" are stationed. The destroyer is composed of five old-fashioned 1,300-ton seagulls. The second type is the main type, and there are also three seagulls with a displacement of 2,000 tons.

  This is the defensive force on the surface. There are two paramilitary forces in Xi'an that are not to be underestimated. One is an armed militia with more than 3,600 people, and the other is a Somali mercenary guild with a reputation in Asia and Africa.

  If necessary during wartime, it can also be supported by a large number of troops from Humen City, and it can be reached by railway transportation one day and one night.

  If you try to conquer such a fortified city goal, don’t even think about it without the support of a large fleet, plus the elite troops with more than 20,000 to 30,000 people.

  Don’t forget, the Red Sea Sky Fortress in the Mande Strait has the ability to completely close the Eurasian route during wartime, so that the enemy cannot go beyond the mine pool.

  A British infantry battalion of more than 500 people is stationed on the Red Sea Sky Fortress. This is an important supply port of the Royal Navy's Suez Canal Squadron. In the residential area on the island, there are more than 140 members of the Royal Navy.

  The pleasant climate on the island is much better than the Suez Canal area.

  There are regular boats between Humen and Xi’an. It takes only a dozen hours or so, so it’s very convenient.

  The close relationship between the Ocean Empire and the United Kingdom, along with the rapid economic development of the Ocean Empire, has continued to improve and become closer. This is a substantive relationship that stems from the non-allies of the Commonwealth and is closer than the allies.

  All ports in the Ocean Empire are open to the Royal Navy and are treated as their own fleet. The same is true for ports in British overseas colonies, but the ports in the British Isles are not included. This is the only difference.

  Therefore, to the Indian subcontinent in the east, the Suez Canal in the west, and South Africa in the south, it is surrounded by the colonies of Britain and the Ocean Empire. The security environment of the entire Somalia state is excellent and there are no real enemies.

  After arriving in Xi'an, the African Squadron issued its last enemy observation report, and the officers and soldiers of the fleet began to take vacations.

  Under the cool sea breeze, Xi’an at night ushered in the busiest and busiest moment of the day. The streets and alleys were brightly lit and crowded.

In the snack street exuding the strong aroma of food, you can see enchanting ladies from time to time. There are Arab women, Western women, Fusang women and black girls. These are all the sisters of the nearby brothel Chu Pavilion, which seems to be at night. Waking up from a day's sleep, revealing the most beautiful and alluring face.

  Fat and drink, and the wonderful nightlife will begin.

  The royal police on duty in the street wear short-sleeved shirts and big shorts. They wear leather shoes with stockings on their feet. They have revolvers and batons at their waists. They patrol in groups of two to maintain law and order on the street.

  In Somalia, the Royal Police has a very high prestige, and they are generally held by veterans. No one is allowed to shoot the police under any circumstances, or they will be killed immediately.

  Even unruly mercenaries, once they are on the blacklist of the Royal Police, they will be immediately expelled from the Mercenary Guild, and they will never be hired anymore, and even the factory will not hire such people.

  So, the rate of gun ownership in Somalia is very high, but the law and order is also very good.

Rough foreign sailors dare not make trouble here easily. People who are drunk and make trouble are beaten up and thrown in the alley outside the bar, but the world is evaporated. Maybe they are buried in the Gobi on the outskirts. In the beach.

There are brothels and prostitutes and tea houses, hotels, western opera houses, Chinese theaters, and recently popular movie theaters. People can enjoy the ultimate pleasure here. There are cockfighting and dogfighting gambling stalls, and there are even repeated prohibitions. The absolute opium museum, this is a city full of money and desire, attracting many adventurers.

  In a bungalow villa

  Major General Jason Ardenne took off his military uniform and handed it to the black maid. He walked into the bathroom. In the steaming bathroom, there were already two beautiful black girls waiting, and then...

   half an hour later

  Major-General Jason Ardenne walked into the study refreshedly, lit a cigar, stood by the window and looked at the brightly lit metropolis, full of pride in his heart.

  His mind at the moment has flown to the distant Arabian Peninsula. According to the order of His Royal Highness, Major General Jason Adenauer will use the powerful strength of Somalia to develop power in the Arabian Peninsula.

  The Arabian Peninsula at the beginning of the 19th century

  The entanglement of various foreign forces, the territory is broken, especially the power of the British and Germans, and the entanglement of the Ocean Empire, Citi and Russia, the situation is quite complicated.

The Jerusalem area to the northwest of the Arabian Peninsula is a British colony, accounting for about 1% of the entire peninsula. The Kingdom of Jordan is the British protectorate. The neighboring Oman region and the Mesopotamia Iraq region are nominally Ottoman territory, but in reality Britain is powerful, and it is also a traditional area of ​​British influence.

  The Germans built a railway from Berlin to Baghdad in Iraq at the end of the eighteenth century, which infiltrated the Arabian Peninsula and made the situation more complicated.

  This strategically significant land passage starts from the Bosphorus Strait, passes through Baghdad to the coast of the Persian Gulf, and is constructed in three sections.

In the late 1880s, Germany pursued a policy of eastward advancement in order to contend for world hegemony. It extended its power into the Near East and tried to build a railway to connect it with the European Railway, which became a direct line from Hamburg and Berlin via Constantinople and Baghdad. The Great Railway in the Persian Gulf.

  This method reminds people of the Southern Extension Project of the Australian Coastal Railway and the Tsarist-Siberian Railway Project. The three are quite similar, and they are all important means for a powerful country to extend its influence.

  This railway not only brought German power deeply into the Ottoman Empire, but also seriously threatened the Caucasus, Persia and other regions and British India.

  As a result, it was opposed and obstructed by Russia, France, and especially the United Kingdom.

It is a pity that under the strong promotion of the German Empire, the weak Ottoman Empire could not stop the advancement of the German tanks. The efforts of Britain, Russia, France and other countries have all failed.

  In 1888, Germany obtained the concession right from the Ottoman Empire to build the railway from the Bosphorus to Ankara, and established the German Asia Minor Company to engage in the construction.

  According to the instructions of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the German Asia Minor Company obtained the concession right to extend the railway to Konya from the Ottoman Empire in January 1893.

  Britain strongly opposed it, and Germany immediately threatened to oppose British interests in Africa and forced Britain to make concessions.

  In 1896, the railway line from Berlin to Konya was completed.

  In 1903, Germany again obtained the right to build a railway from Konya to the Persian Gulf through Baghdad.

Britain and France strongly opposed this. This time, the Ocean Empire was added. After complicated negotiations, Britain and the Ocean Empire firmly disagreed with Kuwait as the end of the railway line.

  Promises don’t work, and treaties can be torn up.

  No one is stupid. It is not only cargo that is transported along this railway line, but also arms and the German army. Who wants to see this happening?

In the north of the Arabian Peninsula is the Yasser emirate of North Yemen. Its capital is Abha. It belongs to the traditional sphere of influence of the Ocean Empire. Humen mercenaries have great influence here, occupying many coastal towns as smuggling strongholds. A staging area for smuggling and trafficking in human beings.

  The capital is located in South Yemen in Sana’a. It is also deeply influenced by the Somali mercenaries on the other side of the Strait. This is the place where Xi'an mercenaries often go.

  More than half of Sara’s villas belong to Xi’an mercenaries. Many Xi’an mercenary leaders enjoy the life of drunkenness. The chiefs entrenched in the city can only secure the throne of chiefs if they get the support of the military from Somalia. Otherwise, they will die in minutes.

  There are regular shipping schedules between the two places, with two flights a week.

In the eastern part of Yemen, there are the Emirate of Muscat and the State of Oman. The territories are mostly deserts and Gobi. Only the coastal areas are large oasis, dominated by nomadism, poverty and backwardness are the dual influence of Britain and the Ocean Empire. The small Arab countries under power have a population of hundreds of thousands.

In the hinterland of the Arabian Peninsula, the largest in the region is the Nezhan area, with a total area of ​​2.4 million square kilometers. More than 95% of them are barren deserts and Gobi deserts. The largest city is Riyad, located in the hinterland of the desert, with a total population of only More than 70,000 people.

  There are many powerful Arab chief tribes ruled in the entire Neizhi region, behind which are supported by British, French, German, Russian, and Oceanic empires, each living on one side, which cannot be regarded as a kingdom in the true sense.

  The area along the Red Sea of ​​the Arabian Peninsula belongs to the Hanzhi area, with a total area of ​​more than 400,000 square kilometers. The area under the jurisdiction of Hanzhi extends to the western border of the Kingdom of Jordan in the north and the coastal zone of the Yasser area in the south.

  The topography of Hanzhi along the Red Sea is long and narrow from north to south, and narrow and flat from east to west. Facing Eritrea across the Red Sea region, there are Hijaz Mountains running from north to south, with many deserts in the northeast and oasis dotted in the southwest.

  Hanzhi area is famous for its religious birthplaces, Mecca and Medina. These are two holy cities. In Medina, there is the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad, and outside the city there is the tomb of the legendary Eve (Eve).

Both Neizhi and Hanzhi belonged to the overseas provinces of the Ottoman Empire in name. In fact, they were beyond the reach. They could neither collect taxes nor manage the nomads here. They were basically in a state of herding sheep, which also gave powers outside the region a chance to take advantage of. .

  The chief of the Shamar tribe in the northern region, Muhammad bin Rashid, occupied Riyadh in 1891 and replaced the Saudi emirate as the de facto ruler of the Nezha region.

  Faisal’s youngest son, Abdul Rahman, led the rest of the Saudi family to escape to Kuwait, taking refuge in the Viscount Humen’s forces.

  The Hanzhi area is ruled by several powerful Bedouin tribes. The family of the Faisal chiefs who have passed away has great influence here. It is a bit similar to the offspring of the Mongolian Golden Family and is regarded as an authentic heir.

  The problem is that the Abdullah-Rahman family has no guns, no one, and no money. There is no way to hire mercenaries. They now organize a 370-strong Arab camel cavalry in Kuwait City occupied by the Viscount Humen to provide armed escorts for the smuggling caravans.

  It's okay to negotiate a small amount of manpower at this point. If you want to attack Riyadh, you should wash your sleep.

  The Shamar tribe that occupies Riyadh is a large nomadic tribe with a population of 37,000, and there are many small and medium-sized tribes who are the only ones who dominate the population of nearly 200,000 people.

  According to the nomadic tribe’s tradition of being a soldier, the cavalry that can organize tens of thousands of soldiers is not a powerful opponent that the Abdullah-Rahman family can contend against.

  Except for Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula has a population of approximately 1.1 million people, most of whom live in coastal areas. For example, Jerusalem and Jordan in the north of the peninsula, the Hanzhi area along the Red Sea on the west of the peninsula, the coastal areas of Sana'a and the State of Oman on the south of the peninsula, and Kuwait City and the surrounding coastal areas on the east of the peninsula.

  The hinterland of the peninsula is full of deserts and Gobi deserts. It can be described as uninhabited for thousands of miles, with a total population of less than 200,000 people, and there is nothing poor.

  After years of tribal wars and human trafficking, the population is far smaller than in history.

  (End of this chapter)