Austria is located on the Adriatic Sea, and overseas trade requires a circle around the Italian peninsula and then through the Strait of Gibraltar before leaving the Mediterranean.

This route is not very reliable, both in terms of distance and safety. For the sake of future development, it is essential to have a safe route out of the Mediterranean.

Four years ago, Franz proposed to dig the Suez Canal, and also sent a team of experts to conduct field exploration.

As for the masters of this area, it is a pity that the Government of Egypt and the overlord have forgotten to inform them of the Government of Vienna.

After determining that it was technically feasible, the Austrian government intensified its penetration into the Egyptian region, and Franz was very self-aware and did not go to Cairo to grab territory with Britain and France, but instead aimed at the Sinai Peninsula.

Not to mention this era, even in the 21st century, the Sinai Peninsula is the most backward region in Egypt, and now it is a desert island in the eyes of the public.

The peninsula is arid and rainless, most of the area is desert, and the local population has relied on camel breeding for generations.

Before the Age of Discovery, it was also connected to the Ottoman Empire and Egyptian trade routes, and the local residents lived by selling camels to passing merchants.

Since the beginning of the 19th century, Egypt has become independent and cut off trade routes with the Ottoman Empire, and the region has completely declined.

On the 61,000-square-kilometer Sinai Peninsula, with a permanent population of less than 30,000, the largest city of Arish is not as prosperous as a small town in Austria, or even a newly opened African colonial stronghold.

What was once a city to be exact has now degenerated to the village level, a nomadic tribe station. In addition to sand and sand, there is the occasional small oasis, which is a precious resource.

The local poor clanged and did not collect any taxes at all, and the Cairo government did not pay attention to it, and the power was directly delegated to the nomadic tribes.

Against this background, the Viennese government began its colonization activities in the Sinai Peninsula.

……

Looking at the endless desert in front of him, Leo Haval said in disbelief: "Andrea, are you sure that the domestic order is for us to create an excuse here and take the opportunity to take this wild land?" ”

What he saw in front of him was beyond Leo Haval's ability to accept. The topography of the Sinai Peninsula is still good, and everything else is good to say except for the lack of water.

It is a pity that there is only one Nile River in the whole of Egypt, not to mention the rivers on the Sinai Peninsula, and small streams are rare, which is destined to be unsuitable for human habitation.

Before the discovery of oil, there was no economic value at all. Strategic value, which was also after the opening of the Suez Canal, is now not worth anything.

Andrea, who was also confused, replied uncertainly: "It seems to be yes!" ”

The two looked at each other strangely, and then were speechless for a long time.

After a moment of silence, Leo Haver proposed, "If you don't bother to make excuses, let's just take Arish."

Anyway, it's just an indigenous tribe, and if you gather the people on the ship, you can occupy this place, and you don't need to wait for domestic troops to send troops at all. ”

"It's not good to do this, we have to have an excuse, otherwise it will be difficult to do diplomatically." Andrea objected

Leo Haval said indifferently: "What are you afraid of? Everyone is doing that, and the British and French colonists have done so many bad things, and they have gone even more than that.

Occupy the place first, and then bring some goods down from the ship as if they were captured stolen goods. If there are casualties, add them to it.

Let's just say that our caravan was attacked by local nomadic tribes, and we only passively organized a counterattack.

Let the Ministry of Foreign Affairs go and talk to them about the latter matter, anyway, no one will care about this kind of small thing, just have a rhetoric, it doesn't matter if it's real or not. ”

After hesitating for a moment, Andrea said fiercely: "Wealth is in danger, do it!" This is our first pot of gold, and hopefully we can catch some good stuff. ”

Franz was very generous to the colonizer death squads who had the courage to expand, and all the seizures would be distributed by the colonization team, and the Vienna government would not covet this little spoil.

This is the reason why the two of them changed their plans, after all, they took this place with their own hands, and the goods here are their personal belongings.

If they follow the original plan and just make excuses for doing things, then they will get a bonus at most.

Stimulated by profits, this nascent civilian colonization team took the first step in colonization.

……

There was no suspense in the battle, and the two led a colonial team of more than 100 people to launch a surprise attack on the indigenous tribes that ruled here, and soon won the victory.

However, after seeing the casualties, the faces of the two suddenly became gloomy, and the three deaths and seven injuries were already a big injury to the vitality of this colonial team.

Andrea complained unwillingly: "Damn bastards, they have caused us such a lot of casualties, we definitely can't spare them!" ”

Leo Haver said calmly, "Okay, Andrea. To embark on this path, one must be prepared to sacrifice, and it is said that thousands of people die in the colonial movement in Britain and France every year.

Now it's better to count the loot and set up the scene to make it look like they are looking at the war.

Then send a signal to the military to come and take over here, otherwise the regular army of the Egyptians will come, and we will not be able to withstand it. ”

Andrea adjusted her emotions and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine." It's just that I feel a little uncomfortable watching a few of the young men we brought out die. ”

Leo Haver said calmly: "It's good to get used to it, it's impossible to do this business without dying people." People can't be resurrected after death, and what we can do is to give their families an extra pension when we go back. ”

This colonial team was formed by the two of them, and due to their limited strength, they did not have the ability to open up colonies overseas on their own, and their main business was to undertake orders from the military.

Specifically go to do some dirty work that the military is not suitable for, and get paid for commissions.

If he is strong enough to occupy an overseas land alone, Franz will not care.

Obviously, this is only theoretical, and without the support of the state, even if it opens up overseas colonies on its own, it will not have enough strength to keep it.

Now that Austria's overseas colonization activities have just begun, the great nobles at home will not invest their money until they see results.

Most of the civilian colonial teams that have emerged now are small organizations of 180 people, which have neither the strength nor the financial resources to support the operation of a colony.

Most of these small groups can only follow the government's pace to participate in colonial activities, such as exploring the African continent, encircling and suppressing the natives who threaten the security of colonial strongholds, or building their own colonial strongholds and selling them to the government.

A strong team can also operate in partnership with the government. In other words, the government provides them with security, the colony team manages the colony and pays taxes to the government, and the profits from running the colony go to the team.

Those who have made a large contribution to the colonization activities can also obtain a title fief, and in addition to paying a small amount of taxes, all the internal affairs of the fief are handled by the nobles themselves.

……

Obviously, these two rookie colonists did not know how much impact their actions would have on future generations. Now the two are still feeling indignant that they have gained too little.

"God, how can this indigenous tribe be so poor, except for a herd of camels and sheep, there is only a pile of furs.

Where did the gold and precious stones used by the natives to sacrifice go? ”

Andrea agreed: "I also want to ask where the gold and precious stones go!" Just now I went over and opened the treasure that they had hidden tightly, and there were actually several jars of salt inside.

God, when did table salt become a treasure? Didn't you say that this was originally a trading hub between Egypt and the Ottoman Empire, so why didn't there be any treasure at all? ”

Leo Harver said angrily: "The bullshit trade transit station, that's all from the last century." Since the trade routes were cut off, the locals have left, and now all that remains are nomadic tribes.

Not only here, but the entire Sinai Peninsula is said to be inhabited by nomadic tribes. Without business travel, there was a severe shortage of water in the area, which could not grow food, and now it has degraded to primitive times! ”

In primitive times, this is definitely an exaggeration. At least muskets appeared among the nomadic tribes, although it is still unknown what age of flintlock pistols were, and that also entered the age of thermal weapons.

However, in terms of living habits, it is no different from primitive society. It is still stuck in the nomadic era, and there is no modern atmosphere at all.