Chapter 920 Food Sources

In fact, most Japanese workers did not have the opportunity to farm. Canal construction and land reclamation are two very labor-intensive activities.

Yes, it is labor-intensive.

Let alone the amount of work required to dig the canal itself, just staying in the rainforest for a long time, which is full of poisonous insects and plagues, is enough to make people feel terrified.

Land reclamation is also not an easy job. Although Spain established a colony here in 1524, the Spaniards have always been in a state of not caring about burying people.

Their extensive management of the colony is simply outrageous. In more than 300 years, less than 20% of the land in Nicaragua has been developed.

There are also very few descendants of the Spanish, and there are still a large number of indigenous Indians living in the jungle.

The large-scale land reclamation after the Austrian Empire took over undoubtedly broke the fragile balance between the indigenous people and the colonists.

These indigenous peoples were able to survive under the eyes of the Spaniards for hundreds of years, so they were naturally very capable, so the Japanese workers who were pioneers suffered.

The Japanese laborers who could go to the rear to farm the land with peace of mind were carefully selected after many lives and deaths, and their obedience and loyalty were naturally guaranteed.

In addition, the feudal society has also made great contributions to the shaping of people for thousands of years. They have a strong sense of hierarchy.

This is different from the relationship between serfs and lords, hired farmers and landlords in the West. They can easily develop a worship mentality for a group.

There are indeed some wild warriors among the Japanese laborers sent to Central America, but these people are often the first to surrender to Austria, and their loyalty makes the local officials of Austria ashamed.

As for those Japanese laborers who were born as untouchables, they have long been accustomed to being submissive, and compared with the life of long-term hunger and frequent unprovoked beatings in Japan.

In the Central American colonies, they can at least have enough food and will not be beaten for no reason. However, if they are lazy or not working hard enough, they will still be whipped, but for most of them, it is already a good life.

At the same time, it is time for the theory of voters in religion to play a role. Religion has always been very effective in maintaining stability, otherwise it would not be sought after by so many rulers in ancient and modern times.

Generally speaking, the Central American colonies of the Austrian Empire at this time ushered in a bumper harvest, and there was enough food to be shipped back to Europe to solve the food crisis.

The West African colonies mainly planted cash crops, but this did not mean that the local Austrians could not forcibly requisition the rations of the indigenous people.

In fact, the tribal chiefs who cooperated with the Austrian colonists were themselves big slave owners. They took out the rations of slaves to exchange for some more valuable commodities. They had no guilt and even felt that this was natural.

In addition to those tribes, some early feudal kingdoms and religious groups were also very happy to take out their own country's grain in exchange for Austrian goods, and even lent it to the Austrian Empire.

On the one hand, the Austrian Empire's reputation was indeed very good, and on the other hand, Franz's prestige was built by sending troops to sweep the coastal tribes several times.

The East African region was originally a planned grain production area, but with the end of the Indian Civil War, the demand for overseas grain dropped significantly.

The Oman Empire did not dare to hand over its food security to the Austrians. It must be said that Said was worthy of being the greatest emperor in the history of the Oman Empire. His strategic vision was indeed very advanced.

In order to prevent Austrian grain from completely occupying the Omani market, Emperor Said even abolished agricultural taxes and even collected taxes from merchants to subsidize farmers.

Said was naturally for the future of the Oman Empire, but his actions violated tradition. Merchants in the Arab world have a very high voice.

Said's actions put a lot of pressure on him and his court. His eight sons expressed their willingness to abolish agricultural subsidies to merchants.

Especially his two heirs, Suweini, Governor Suweini of Muscat, and Majid, Governor of Zanzibar, these two filial sons are ready to overturn all the national policies formulated by their fathers at any time.

Majid, who is closer to the Austrian East African colonies, is fine. Suweini, who should be the next Sultan, has already connected with the British.

To be honest, Suweini can't understand his father's actions at all. He doesn't think the so-called Austrian Empire is worthy of being an ally of the Oman Empire.

After all, the Oman Empire had become the most powerful empire in the Arab world at this time. Suvini felt that his old father was too accommodating to his allies, and the pagans in the West were not worthy of trust.

In addition, Suvini also felt that his old father favored his sister too much. Since Sineka had married into another family, she had nothing to do with them.

Sayid should not gamble the future of the country to protect the country of that shitty son-in-law.

The Austrian East African colonies were actually not peaceful. The previous large-scale invasion of the East Bantu people caused continuous wars, and with the arrival of the rainy season, floods easily washed away the shoddy projects of Indian workers.

The floods flooded the farmland, causing more than one-third of the crops to be unharvested, but even so, compared with the demand and exports of the Tanzanian colony itself at this time, there was still a surplus.

However, although the food in East Africa was almost free, the freight was not cheap. Before the opening of the Suez Canal, the goods in East Africa were very tasteless for Austria, except for spices.

With the continuous supply from the colonies of Mexico, Central America, West Africa, and East Africa, Franz dared to say that he could solve the food crisis in the Papal States.

Food from the Austrian Empire was also being transported from Venice to all parts of Austria. Although Franz had built a reserve warehouse before, he did not want to use it unless it was absolutely necessary.

After all, there were too many uncertainties on the sea. Weather, equipment, personnel quality, and disease could all affect the outcome of the war.

For example, no one had expected the British to lose their dominance in the Mediterranean, let alone imagine that the entire Mediterranean fleet would be annihilated.

Although the Austrian Imperial Navy had achieved an epic victory at this time, Franz did not think that the Austrian Navy could suppress the British Navy.

If the Austrian Navy wanted to completely destroy the British Navy, then such an epic victory would have to be won at least ten more times.

This was on the premise that the British did not continue to build warships. With the current shipbuilding level of Britain, if the state machine was fully operational, they could build several more fleets in half a year.

In addition, the British could also requisition those large armed merchant ships. In the early nineteenth century, large merchant ships with less than thirty gun positions were not insured.

The firepower of the Great Eastern mentioned in the previous article was much stronger than that of the third-level battleship.

As long as the British want, it is entirely possible for them to temporarily put together a few more fleets.

In order not to be strangled by the British when they clash, Franz must keep enough backhands.

However, Franz did not think that the British would really tear their faces apart at this time, after all, the two sides had just reached a peace agreement.

The reason why Franz stayed in Rome was not because he liked the feeling of being admired by the people, but because the Frankfurt Parliament was too tricky.

To keep the hope of Greater Germany, Franz could not refuse this crown, but he who wears the crown must bear its weight.

"Heavy is the head who wears the crown."