In early February, Alfred Milner, the commissioner of South Africa and governor of the Transvaal and Orange, went to London to resume his duties. As the hero who killed Joubert, Henry went to London with Alfred Milner. p>
Roark did not go to London with Alfred Milner. An investigation team from London was about to arrive in Johannesburg and needed security services from the Johannesburg Police Department. Roark, the police chief, really couldn't leave.
The purpose of this investigation team is to investigate whether Cecil Rhodes committed any dereliction of duty during his tenure as Cape Prime Minister and whether he was responsible for the outbreak of the Second Boer War.
Sure enough, the war is not over yet, and the British government has already begun to look for scapegoats.
The day before the investigation team arrived in Johannesburg, Cecil Rhodes Jr., son of Cecil Rhodes, and Frank Rhodes, brother of Cecil Rhodes, came to the Johannesburg police station to visit Roark. Previously, Cecil Rhodes Jr. and Frank Rhodes lived in Rhodesia. Rhodesia is now nominally part of the Cape, but it is not managed by the Cape Colonial Government, but by the British South Africa.
Directly managed by the company.
The British South Africa Company was founded by Cecil Rhodes in 1889.
In the Cape, the South African Company is an undisputed giant. When the company was founded, it received a charter from Queen Victoria.
In the charter, Queen Victoria officially confirmed that the South African Company had the right to make treaties, organize local governments, and form an army in the vast area north of British Bechuanaland, west and north of the Republic of Transvaal, and west of Portuguese East Africa.
Privileges such as working with the police, doing business, setting up banks and joint-stock companies, building roads, and exploiting land, forests and mineral deposits.
In other words, Rhodesia under the control of the South African Company is Cecil Rhodes' private kingdom.
Rhodesia during this period included the future Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and part of Botswana.
Even excluding Botswana, Rhodesia's area exceeds 1.26 million square kilometers, which is larger than the combined area of the four Cape Colonies.
As the first heir of the Rhodes family, Cecil Rhodes Jr. is the true chosen son.
Reincarnation is really a technical job!
"Hello, Mr. Cecil Rhodes - Hello, Mr. Frank Rhodes - nice to meet you -" Facing two members of the Rhodes family, one of them was Rhodes.
The first heir to the Si family, Roque did not dare to neglect him.
Just kidding, this lineup, even if it goes to London, is worthy of being received by the Prime Minister.
The three of them sat down on the sofa, and Cecil Rhodes Jr. expressed just the right surprise to Locke: "——It's unbelievable, Director Locke, the reason why I am respected is because my father is Cecil
Seal Rhodes, and you, you came to Cape Town a year ago, and in just a year you are already in a high position - if you get the chance, you should talk to my father, who was also
Coming to the Cape penniless, then setting up a South African company and serving as Prime Minister of the Cape - you are one of a kind."
Comparing Rock to Cecil Rhodes?
Rock really didn't dare: "Please don't compare me with Mr. Cecil Rhodes. I have full respect for Mr. Cecil Rhodes. Without him, there would be no situation in Cape Town today. We should all be grateful to him."
."
From the British standpoint, we should really be grateful to Cecil Rhodes.
No matter how history evaluates it, as a fanatical colonialist, Cecil Rhodes is definitely qualified.
Cecil Rhodes' first business in Kimberley was selling ice cream, and then he got involved in the mining industry and monopolized Kimberley's diamonds.
After becoming Cape Prime Minister, he personally planned the annexation of Rhodesia.
And because of his greed for the Rand gold mine, he single-handedly instigated the Second Boer War.
So, Rock really doesn't dare to compare with Cecil Rhodes.
"Not everyone is grateful. Director Locke, you should already know that an investigation team will arrive in Johannesburg tomorrow." Frank Rhodes took over the topic.
Unlike what Rock imagined, Frank Rhodes, the brother of Cecil Rhodes, is about fifty years old this year. He is not senile, and his body does not have the bloated body, hair and beard that are common in middle-aged and elderly people.
He is even more meticulous and neat. From all aspects, Frank Rhodes is a very self-disciplined person.
"Yes, I know." Roque answered honestly. It was no secret that the investigation team was about to arrive in Johannesburg. Considering the power of the South African Company in Cape Town, the South African Company might have already received the relevant information before the investigation team left London. "Look, those damn politicians are shameless vampires. This is how they treated an imperial hero. What Cecil deserves is glory and flowers, not trials and investigations-" Frank Rhodes was emotional,
He started yelling in front of Rock.
"Sorry Director Locke, Uncle Frank has a very good relationship with my father, so——" Little Cecil Rhodes is relatively sensible.
"It's okay, Mr. Cecil Rhodes, I can understand -" Rock smiled, no matter whether Frank's anger was true or false, Rock would play along.
"Call me Cecil, Director Locke." Little Cecil Rhodes had a sincere expression.
"Okay, Cecil." Roque followed suit.
Cecil Rhodes Jr. and Frank Rhodes looked at each other and smiled, apparently satisfied with Rock's performance.
"Locke, you know, my father served as the Governor of the Cape. Although my father has a clear conscience, since he holds a high position, he has to withstand rain and wind. Even my father cannot satisfy everyone, so
Locke——" Cecil Rhodes Jr. left plenty of space for Locke.
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"I understand, Cecil." Rock smiled and nodded. Even if Cecil Rhodes didn't say anything, Rock knew the purpose of Cecil Rhodes' visit.
"Very good, Director Locke, you have gained the friendship of the Rhodes family." Frank Rhodes said carelessly.
If it were anyone else, he might be flattered, but Rock felt a bit bad.
Although the current Rhodes family is full of flowers, it is actually a raging fire cooking oil.
If there is no accident, Cecil Rhodes will die of illness next year, and the South African company will go from bad to worse after that.
In 1904, the British government would take back the jurisdiction of Nyasaland (Malawi).
Then in 1923 and 1924, Britain would regain jurisdiction over Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and Northern Rhodesia (Zambia).
At this point, the South African company ceased to exist.
Even the now arrogant De Beers Unified Mining Company will be defeated by the Anglo-American company founded by Sir Ernest Oppenheimer in a dozen years, handing over its dominance in South Africa's mining industry.
Looking at it this way, Cecil Rhodes Jr. is right, his father is indeed very powerful.
But that does not mean that everyone in the Rhodes family is very powerful. When Cecil Rhodes was alive, the status of the Rhodes family in South Africa was indeed unshakable, but Cecil Rhodes
After death——
Haha, Rock doesn't like this feeling of being given alms.
What made Rock a little regretful was that Cecil Rhodes Jr. did not think Frank Rhodes' words were too exaggerated. After Frank Rhodes finished speaking, Cecil Rhodes Jr. also smiled.
Look at Rock, waiting for Rock's response.
It's normal. If Cecil Rhodes Jr. had his father's talent and strategy, the Rhodes family would not decline.
Of course, for the current Roque, Roque cannot ignore the friendship of the Rhodes family, so Roque's response was very timely: "Thank you, Mr. Frank. I think everyone in Johannesburg hopes to be a good friend for Sisi."
Mr. R. Rhodes do something."
It was obvious that Cecil Rhodes Jr. was pleased with Rock's reaction.
So the next day, little Cecil Rhodes asked Rock to go hunting with him.
This is considered a normal upper-class activity.
To Rock's surprise, little Cecil Rhodes did not go to a nearby hunting ground with Rock. Instead, he led Rock to a farm on the outskirts of Johannesburg.
There is only one house on the farm, and except for the large area, the appearance of the house is unremarkable.
When he came to the house, Rock discovered that there was something else going on.
The structure of the house is not wooden, but made of stone. From a distance, because of the reflection of the trees, the house does not seem to be very tall. When I got closer, I discovered that the height of the entire house is more than fifteen meters, with one floor.
The ceiling is seven or eight meters high. The decoration in the room is extremely luxurious. Gold jewelry and gemstones can be seen everywhere. Silver jewelry common in middle-class families cannot be seen here at all. Every ordinary lampshade is made of crystal.
, based on the technological level of this era, it should be impossible to be man-made.
When he entered the door, a majestic tiger startled Rock.
"Are you okay, Paul? Say hello to our Mr. Locke. You haven't seen a stranger for a long time, right?" Little Cecil Rhodes rubbed the tiger's big head affectionately and turned around.
Smiling and explaining to Rock: "This is my father's pet. It's called Paul. Do you know why it's called this name?"
Rock shook his head. If he knew this, he would be a fool.
"Because of Paul Kruger." Cecil Rhodes Jr. said the answer lightly.
Rock suddenly realized that Paul Kruger was the former president of the Transvaal Republic and an old rival of Cecil Rhodes, so——
If you hate someone, you name your pet after the enemy?
This brain circuit is a bit strange, a bit like a cantilevered head, a cone and a thorn in the buttocks.
"Please come in Locke, you are the first guest here in three or four years." Cecil Rhodes Jr. said lightly.
Rock understood this level of overture and followed Cecil Rhodes Jr. through the door.
A servant tiptoed over to take Paul away. It was quite a luxury to raise such a big tiger just for guests to take a look.