Chapter 15 Port of Dar es Salaam

On July 30, 1914, in order to defend the Kingdom of Serbia, which was also a Slavic, the Russian Empire declared war on the Austro-Hungarian Empire. On August 1, Germany declared war on Russia in accordance with the obligations of the Treaty of the German-Austrian Alliance.

The world war predicted by Bismarck when he mediated the Balkan crisis decades ago really broke out with the participation of Russia and Germany. Compared with the chaos in Europe, Africa is relatively calm, but this calm is more like the calm before the storm, and a storm is brewing in the land of Africa.

In Dar es Salaam, the capital of German East Africa, the light cruiser Königsberg, which originally planned to meet the Third Training Fleet of the Chinese Imperial Navy in the port, left the dock at 4:30 p.m. on July 31 and sailed into the Indian Ocean. Shortly after leaving the port, the three British cruisers quietly surrounded them. They were Hyacinth, Pergasus, and Goddess of Justice, the combined firepower of these warships exceeded that of Königsberg, but they were older and slower. Königsberg soon accelerated to get rid of these unintentional tailpers and sailed in the direction of the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. Go.

At about 10 a.m. on August 1, in the port of Dar es Salaam, tens of thousands of people crowded at the port. The vast majority of them were Chinese, and Heinrich. Governor Schne and the commander of the garrison, Leto. Fulbeck led German East African officials and officers to the harbor, and the military band continued to play military music.

"Coloon Leto, the Chinese fleet came at the right time!"

Looking at the three warships that are slowly sailing into the port, led by the second-class battleship Zhenyuan, which is the Japanese naval battleship Fuji captured by the Chinese navy, and the armored cruiser behind it is the Bismarck of the German Navy, and then the training ship Incheon.

"There is no larger fleet in the Indian Ocean now. To be honest, the major is really too cautious. If he stays here, maybe in a few days, there will be news of China's participation in the war, and we can attack British warships and merchant ships in the Indian Ocean with them!"

And Leto. Fulbeck responded casually. In fact, in German East Africa, many people know that Leto, as the commander of the garrison, Fulbeck and Heinrich? From the first meeting, the two sides have never liked or appreciated each other. They just had to stay together. Similarly, they rarely agree with each other's opinions. However, in any case, the rules are obvious. Like other German colonies, Schne, as the governor of German East Africa, has all the local military and The police force has jurisdiction, and this rule is greatly hated by soldiers.

Leto's attitude was in his eyes, but he just snorted in his heart. He turned his head with a smile and looked at the Chinese consul beside him.

"Consul Li, do you agree with me?"

"Of course!"

Li Zicheng nodded and then explained.

"Although China longs for peace, it will have to be involved in the war if it has to!"

Leto. Fulbeck snorted in his heart. He looked at the Chinese warships entering the port. It was hard for him to imagine that when the situation in Europe was unprecedentedly tense, China would send training ships overseas. Didn't they know that they would shrink their limited maritime military strength? The Indian Ocean is an English bathtub.

In this case, as an "ally" of Germany, China should definitely withdraw its warships in the shortest time, whether it is neutrality or declaring war on Britain. The Chinese navy with limited strength should concentrate all its strength, not as it is now, not only Instead of taking advantage of the unproclamation of war to withdraw the warship, the warship was sent to "comfort overseas Chinese".

Unusual behavior can't but arouse the suspicion of others, at least in Leto. In Fulbeck's mind, there may even be some conspiracy hidden. His experience in China made him understand that the Chinese are very good at plots and tricks.

That's why, Leto. Furbeck said to the governor of Shine before that he should politely refuse the visit of the [***] ship and remind them to return to China, but the short-sighted bureaucrat of Shine refused.

"But I don't know who to declare war on!"

Leto. Fulbeck said such a sentence. According to his original intention, he even wanted to mobilize the troops and at least withdraw the main force of the guard from Dar es Salaam to avoid possible dangers, but he was stopped by Shi Nei, and even ordered all 68 officers for the need to "show" the "strong strength" of German East Africa. 62 people participated in the welcome at the port.

Leto. Fulbeck's hostility was at least vigilant, and Li Zicheng only smiled in his eyes.

"Commander Leto, I believe that Your Majesty and the Congress have made a wise choice!"

While talking, Li Zicheng looked at the officers in the crowd. This was really a good time to get caught!

"You have to seize this opportunity!"

Looking at the Germans at the port from the balcony, Shao Qingling prayed softly in his heart, is there a more suitable opportunity than now? Perhaps, the German East African Colonial Garrison has 3,000 troops, but there are 2,742 Africans, and there is a 2,286 African soldier called "Ascari" which means warrior in Swahili in Swahili.

But the core is 68 European officers and 60 European non-commissioned officers, but now there are 62 officers and 6 non-commissioned officers to welcome the fleet at the dock, um, including the Leto. Commander Fulbeck.

Look at Leto in the telescope. Fulbeck, indeed raised the corners of his lips. He was a natural professional soldier. In 1900, he went to China with the German army to participate in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion, and then suppressed the indigenous uprising there in German Southwest Africa. It can be said that in the whole German [***] team, I'm afraid there is no other officer than this Leto. Lieutenant Colonel Fulbeck has a richer history of protocol. A year ago, he was appointed as the commander of the German Cameroonian Garrison, but before he left Germany to take office, he received a new appointment to go to the German East African colonies to hold the same position.

Leto. Fulbeck was a trouble. Almost after getting his information for the first time, Shao Qingling recognized this in his heart. In fact, as he guessed, this standard professional officer was simply a big trouble.

It was he who proposed to reject the fleet's visit to German East Africa, if not because of Heinrich? Governor Shi Nei is completely different from him. I'm afraid... The fleet can only attack German East Africa today!

In a word, Governor Schneider mentioned in the diplomatic intelligence information that "this man's mind is not open and lacks cultivation, giving the impression that he is stingy and despicable, not a trustworthy guy..." In short, he and Leto. The difference between Fulbeck is very obvious, Leto. Fulbeck is an excellent soldier with outstanding ability and a gentleman, while Heinrich? Shi Nei belongs to the typical class of lawyers. He is good at calculation and tricks. He is not a fool, but he is definitely not a gentleman, but the comments in the diplomatic intelligence file are the most accurate.

"A very interesting little person, no surname, with all the typical surnames of second-class civil servants!"

It is such a typical civil servant, but he was appointed governor of German East Africa two years ago. This position has always been held by professional soldiers or nobles, and most importantly, it is this civil servant and Leto. Fulbeck's "wrong way" made him insist that he must "invite" the training fleet to visit German East Africa.

"God bless!"

Thinking of the order given by Shi Nei before, Shao Qingling had only one impulse in his heart, that is, to catch the understanding Governor Shi Nei and kiss him. His Ling was equivalent to opening the door of the whole German East Africa in front of the training fleet.

"Mom, this is sent to the door for us to be captured!"

In a porthole on the battleship Zhenyuan, Shi Mingsheng looked at the port with a telescope and looked at the well-dressed German [***] officers on the dock. At this time, Shi Mingsheng, the marine commander on the Zhenyuan, was fully armed. Originally, it was supposed to be waiting for the opportunity to occupy it after entering the port, and the root According to the information sent by the consulate, the plan was temporarily changed to give these Germans a raid.

"Sir, the machine gun has been put on the top mast. The boiler team and the damage management team have pulled out 300 people, plus the other two ships, 1,200 people, and there is no problem to take Dares Salaam!"

"Let the brothers get ready. As soon as the ship docks, let's do it!"

In the Luojing bridge of Zhenyuan, Chen Jiliang, standing in a navy dress, just looked coldly at the approaching port. Although he knew that the port of Dar es Salaam had no coastal defense force at all, his expression was still very serious.

"Your Sir, the rifle has been fired, as long as..."

"I see!"

With a gentle response, Chen Jiliang walked out of the Luojing bridge. The reason why his expression was serious was not because of the sneak attack at this time, but because... This irrepresentation of war was illegal to some extent. Until now, he did not receive a telegram from the Admiralty, which meant that this sneak attack was actually out of His Majesty. Make your own decisions.

Maybe His Majesty holds the country's right to declare war, but he fights against the country without the approval of the House of Parliament. How... Shaking his head, Chen Jiliang sighed in his heart. As a royal soldier, he will never refuse His Majesty's order. In fact, for soldiers, he knows who he is loyal to, your majesty, so already!

The emperor's order cannot be violated! This is the only creed as a soldier. Therefore, despite all the ideas in his heart, the choice he made was still to obey the orders of the army.

Walking out of the Luojing bridge and showing some smiles, Chen Jiliang looked at the port of Dar es Salaam in front of him. At this time, this city with tropical scenery, will soon lower the German flag.

"Declare war on Germany! At least, you can still get this port..."

(to be continued)