Compared with other parts of the peninsula, the situation in Port Elizabeth is still good.
After all, Port Elizabeth is also located within the Mesopotamia and has abundant water resources. In 1909, the area around Port Elizabeth was not entirely desert. There were many trees in the city, among which date palms and phoenixes were the most common. Outside the city at the end of the last century, there were
There is a lot of arable land, but it has only been abandoned in recent years.
Some of the habits of desert peoples are really bad. They don’t have much sense of belonging to the land. When the environment in an area deteriorates to the point that it is unsuitable for human survival, they will migrate to other areas. Regarding environmental protection and sustainable development, they
There is no relevant awareness at all.
The thinking of the Chinese is completely different from that of the desert people. The subtropical grasslands of Nyasaland were not suitable for human survival. The wasteland that was reclaimed through hard work produced more weeds than crops. If it were Africans or Africans,
White people simply don’t have the patience to persevere.
The Chinese are different. They just pull out the weeds that grow. If it doesn't work in one year, it will take two years. As long as you persist, the desolate grassland will sooner or later turn into a prosperous farm.
The same is true in Port Elizabeth. Those abandoned lands are not completely worthless for farming. After thousands of years of cultivation, even the most fertile land will always have its fertility depleted. If there is no fertilizer, fertilizer must be replenished. If the water source is insufficient, the
If water conservancy projects are not feasible, date palms or mesquite trees should be planted, which can also play a role in soil consolidation and slope protection.
Consolidating soil and protecting slopes is a fantasy for nomads. If they had a strong attachment to their homeland, the desert on the peninsula would not become larger and larger, and the living space of human beings would not become smaller and smaller. p>
When Reed began to take over Port Elizabeth, Rock was inspecting the troops with the new Governor of Southern Africa, Viscount Glaston.
Viscount Glaston is here to inspect the status of the troops in Southern Africa, and then decide whether to continue to subsidize funds to Southern Africa. Compared with the British local army, it is more cost-effective for the British government to pay for the formation of troops in Southern Africa.
Since we want to support the scene, the Northern Rhodesian Division and the 1st Cavalry Division are definitely the best choices.
The condition of these two divisions is indeed good. The troop members are all young people under the age of thirty. With continuous intensive training, the physical fitness and mental outlook of the soldiers are not at all like colonial servants with low morale.
Not bad at all compared to Europe's elite troops.
Coupled with the various new weapons equipped by the troops, what appeared in front of Viscount Glaston was a strong army and high morale.
Although Rock was not a soldier in his previous life, he had seen so many military parades, and of course he knew how to show the most powerful side of the army. Therefore, Viscount Glaston was very satisfied with the state of the southern African army, and the topic naturally couldn't be discussed.
Starting an arms race in Europe.
"I'm sorry, Lord, if a war breaks out, the troops in Southern Africa are now fully capable of launching an attack on Southwest Africa and Tanganyika, but they are still not strong enough to support Europe. You also know that our biggest bottleneck is the size of the troops.
Small. Currently, there are only 70,000 people in Southern Africa available for foreign operations in these four divisions. Moreover, there are many other problems when going to Europe to fight. For example, the clothing of the troops is a big problem. The troops in Southern Africa do not need cotton-padded clothes.
"Of course Rock still complains. How much money can be given to do as many things as possible? The British government only gives so many millions every year, and half of it is divided by the federal government. When it comes to the Ministry of Defense, it is almost a drop in the bucket.
Otherwise, southern Africa would not have implemented compulsory military service. The Ministry of National Defense really has no money and no ability to form more troops composed of professional soldiers.
"Locke, five million pounds is a lot. The cost of a dreadnought is less than two million pounds." Viscount Glaston said meaningfully. The British government has also spent a lot of money to win over southern Africa. In the current arms race,
It’s not easy to squeeze out the money.
"But it is impossible for dreadnoughts to reach land. Even if the Germans build ten dreadnoughts a year, it is impossible to shake the empire's naval superiority. So what about the European continent?" Rock is not anxious. It is the British government that should be anxious. "There are French people on the European continent, so we don't have to worry." Viscount Glaston is still full of confidence in France. He certainly can't imagine how poorly France will perform after the war begins.
"The results of the Franco-Prussian War have proven that the French are no match for the Germans. Even if the French are now heavily armed, after the war broke out, the French still could not withstand the powerful German offensive. During the Tanganyika rebellion, the southern African troops
It has been proven that the Germans are no match for us." Roque stated the facts and reasoned. This is actually a concept of secret exchange. In Africa, the Germans were on an expedition. Once they went to Europe, they would switch to southern African troops to fight away from home.
It’s still unclear who will win and who will lose.
Roque is not desperate for money. The environments in Europe and southern Africa are completely different. In southern Africa, Nyasaland, Rhodesia, and Bechuanaland are all subtropical areas. It does not snow all year round. In Europe, there are severe cold winters.
Whether the southern African troops can get used to it when they arrive in Europe is another matter.
Rock also chose to bring the troops to the Okavango Swamp for exercises in order to adapt the troops to various climates. However, the environment in the Okavango Swamp is still different from the environment in Europe.
"It is not yet possible to draw conclusions prematurely. The French Army is still capable." Viscount Glaston admitted that the Southern African army performed well in the Tanganyika Rebellion, but at the same time he did not think that France had completely fallen.
Unlike Britain, which was desperately building warships, France has been strengthening its army after the Franco-Prussian War, trying to wash away its shame. Now France has maintained an army of nearly one million, and can recruit more troops at any time, so Viscount Glaston will
Have confidence in France.
Unlike southern Africa, when European countries measure military combat effectiveness, numbers are still the main factor.
"Just because of their Miss No. 75? The French are also stubborn and stupid. Fast firing speed is important, but power and range are more important. The Germans' technology is not inferior at all compared to the French." Roque said that the French troops were not bad at all.
To be polite, although France's blockade technology against Germany played a certain role, it objectively forced the Germans to go further and further down the other road.
Which one is better and which one is worse can only be proven after the war breaks out.
"I will try my best to continue to give you interest-free loans in the future, but you must also guarantee that if the empire needs it, you must prove that the money the empire gives you has not been wasted." Viscount Glaston finally agreed to help, but the specifics
There is no commitment to the amount.
The "Governor-General" of Viscount Glaston has much less power than the previous Earl of Selborne and Adelaide. In southern Africa, Viscount Glaston is a mascot and the nominal head of state. What is actually going on?
Regardless, in southern Africa, Viscount Glaston can only serve as a link between southern Africa and the British government.
Even so, if Southern Africa can contribute when Britain needs it, this will also be Viscount Glaston's achievement, so Viscount Glaston will agree to help.
"That's for sure. The Ministry of National Defense is the most honest force in the federal government in Southern Africa. Its accounts can withstand any review. Even waste is not allowed. Corruption and misappropriation do not exist at all." Roque is confident in this regard, even if he is far away.
Most of the junior officers of the Third and Fourth Divisions in Cape and Natal have also received training from the Nyasaland Army Academy. The Ministry of National Defense still has a high level of control over the troops.
Viscount Glaston did not respond. No one has imagined how cruel the next war will be. Compared with the world war, the Boer War is just an appetizer. When the war breaks out, the British government will discover their investment in southern Africa.
How wise.
The troops in southern Africa are indeed worthy of the description of "elite". When the Northern Rhodesian Division first arrived in the Okavango Swamp, it was not used to the more rigorous training content. Now the officers and soldiers of all four divisions are undergoing training.
At the very least, he can get a good score, which makes Viscount Glaston really unbelievable.
In the view of Viscount Glaston, the training content in southern Africa is also almost harsh. Although Viscount Glaston does not know the specific situation of the French and German troops, Viscount Glaston is very sure that even if the French and German troops
After receiving such training, the best you can achieve is passing.
To say that it has passed is actually an compliment. If nothing else, there are only a few troops in the world who can do 20 kilograms and 50 kilometers of cross-country.
In the evening, Viscount Glaston and Rock dined together in the officers' mess of the Northern Rhodesian Division.
It’s not that Rock is out of touch with the masses, it’s actually that the army these days is so hierarchical. Officers and soldiers are two completely different groups. Soldiers who can serve as officers have at least been in the army for several years.
He studied at the Nyasaland Army Academy and then became qualified to serve as an officer.
Some of these soldiers have just immigrated to southern Africa. They do not speak English or Chinese well and have not made any contribution to southern Africa. If Roque wants to promote equality for all, and others don’t say it, the officers in the army will not do it first.
Happy.
Compared with the food for soldiers, the officers' canteen is quite good. It has a dedicated chef and you can order food. Viscount Glaston and Roark must be of the highest standard. You can eat whatever you want.
When you come to the Okavango Swamp, game will definitely be the staple food on the table, and Rock has to recommend it to Viscount Glaston, so that Viscount Glaston is willing to try the taste of animal offal.
I only tasted it briefly, but Viscount Glaston's favorites are French fries, potato stew, and vodka made from potatoes.
There is no way, there are too many potatoes in southern Africa, so there are many delicacies related to potatoes.