Chapter 103 Spain's Response
Because the Port of Santa Ana is remote and the local indigenous people do not have information transmission tools such as telegraphs. It was not until a week after the German army occupied Santa Ana that the newly dispatched Spanish governor to the Philippines, Boravisha, learned the news from the captive uprising army. Three hours later, the Spanish ambassador to Germany broke into the office of German Foreign Minister Mashar like a bull.
"Dear Mr. Maschar, I would like to ask you to explain what your country has done in the Philippines. A week ago, your fleet broke into the Philippine overseas territory to which our Spanish Empire belongs and sent troops to occupy the Port of Santa Ana. Can you tell me what is going on? The land of the Philippines was the inherent overseas territory of my Spanish Empire more than three centuries ago, and my Spanish Empire has undisputed sovereignty over it. Your country's move is a blatant trampling on and out of international law. I hereby protest against your country!" The Spanish ambassador said angrily.
Looking at the Spanish with a red complexion, Maschel took a sip of the coffee in his hand and said slowly: "Oh, it turns out that Mr. Ambassador is talking about this? Yes, according to the report sent by General Tirpitz, my Far East Fleet of the German Empire did enter the Port of Santa Ana last week and temporarily took over the governance there. However, the reason we do this is entirely because of your country!"
"More than a year ago, the Philippine natives under your rule began a new round of uprisings. This was not a big deal. After all, under your 'powerful' rule, more than three riots that occur on this land each year were successfully suppressed by your country. I think there would be no problem this time." Mashar mocked the Spanish with a needle hidden in his cotton, and then said: "However, this time, your country disappointed the whole world. After more than a year of battle, the resistance of the local natives has not been eliminated, but has become increasingly fierce. The 35,000 reinforcements sent by your country have not changed the situation where your country is suppressed by the group of indigenous people using cold weapons on the Philippine Islands. At present, they have occupied most of the territory of the Philippines, and your army can only defend in the city to barely maintain the front line."
The Spanish ambassador's face turned pale and said, "Even so, that's the internal affairs of my Spanish Empire. I'm afraid it has nothing to do with your country, right?"
"Who said it doesn't matter?!" Mashal suddenly slapped the table heavily, and the unprepared Spaniard was immediately startled. His face was gloomy and his face was frosty. He roared sternly: "Ten days ago, a German merchant came to the Port of Santa Ana to buy goods. The local natives were determined to find money and actually killed him with extremely cruel means and robbed all his property! This is precisely because of your country's incompetence and the loss of rule in Port of Santa Ana that the local barbarians were rampant, causing this tragic accident. For the culprit, I, Germany, naturally, will give him corresponding punishment!"
"But until now, our Spanish Empire has not received any news about the murder of merchants in your country. Even if this unfortunate thing happened, it was the sin committed by the local indigenous people in the Philippines and had no connection with our country." The Spanish ambassador was stunned by the sudden anger of Maschar. After a while, he realized and spoke.
Maschel snorted and said, "As far as I know, your country has lost all the northern and eastern parts of Luzon Island two months ago. All the troops have been huddled to the south. How could it be that the misfortune occurred in the Port of Santa Ana in the northeast corner? It is precisely because the criminals who killed my German merchants are local Philippine natives that my Majesty the Emperor ordered the Imperial Far East Fleet to capture the Port of Santa Ana and vowed to find the murderer of the sin. In addition, since many merchants in my German every year have to go to that port to purchase goods, your country can no longer maintain local order. In order to protect the safety of my German merchants and avoid such incidents happening again, it is necessary for me, German to temporarily take over the governance rights there to restore the normal order in the local area."
Hearing the Germans say this, the Spanish ambassador immediately understood everything. The Port of Santa Ana is located in the northeastern corner of the Philippines, hundreds of kilometers away from the capital Malila. On weekdays, even the Spanish army itself sent only a small number of troops to guard this area. How could foreigners go to such a place where birds do not shit? Germany, a country with almost no sense of existence in the Far East, is even more impossible for anyone to appear there! The Germans clearly regarded Santa Ana as a deep-water port with the conditions for large warships to be parked; therefore, they found such a clumsy excuse and forced to seize the property.
The port belonging to Spain! He clenched his fists and neighed: "Mr. Maschar, your country wants to infringe on our sacred sovereignty in the Philippines. Our Spanish Empire expressed firm dissatisfaction and strong protests! As part of the Philippines, Santa Ana has been the inherent territory of our Spanish Empire since ancient times. Our Spanish Empire has indisputable sovereignty over this. Your country ignores facts, distorts history, and forcibly sends troops to occupy Santa Ana. This is a serious provocation to our Spanish Empire! We urge you to stop this wrong act of trampling on international law as soon as possible; otherwise, all the consequences caused by this will be borne by your country!..."
Seeing that the Spaniard was still talking nonsense in front of him, Maschel's eyes showed unconcealed contempt and disgust. He patted the table a few times, and then said, "Mr. Ambassador, are you wrong? My German citizen was killed in your overseas colony. Your country should bear the main responsibility that cannot be shirked! His Majesty the German Emperor was kind and knew that this tragedy was done by the local barbarians and had nothing to do with your country, so he just ordered the Far East Fleet to go to the Port of Santa Ana to punish those savages. If we really want to pursue it, our fleet will not be just in Santa Ana, but will appear directly in Manila!" He glanced at the Spaniards in front of him and said lightly: "In this operation, we only sent one battleship with the worst combat power, and letting the other two battleships stay in the port is also based on this reason."
Faced with the naked threat of force in the Germans' words, the Spanish ambassador was filled with anger and hatred, and a strong feeling of unwillingness and desolation appeared in his heart. 300 years ago, when the late Emperor Philip II was in power, the Spanish Invincible Fleet traverseed the ocean and was the world's leading maritime force. With this fleet, Spain successively seized overseas colonies such as Cuba and the Philippines, and dominated the continental West. However, since the Invincible Fleet was defeated by the British, the once extremely glorious empire was like the scorching sun in the afternoon. Although the glory was still there, it was irreversible to decline and decline. Now, Spain has completely become a third-rate country in Europe, and faced the giant Germany, there is no chance of winning at all!
"Mr. Ambassador, it should be noted that the Port of Santa Ana is not only the main area for my German merchants to purchase goods, but also the commercial center for British capitalists to engage in trade activities. The good or bad order here is not only related to the lives and property of my German citizens, but also has a direct connection with the interests of British capitalists here. Your country's army was defeated by the indigenous people, which left the Port of Santa Ana in anarchy and turbulent. The British government has long been very dissatisfied with the chaotic situation there, and it is also quite small in the UK.
Ci. This time, my German Empire wiped out the barbarians and clarified the Yuyu. One is to protect the safety of my German citizens, the other is to protect the investment of British capitalists here from being damaged by unrest, and the third is to help your country eliminate the rebellious thieves and promote the power of white Europeans. Within a week, the British government will inevitably issue a statement supporting my German action. Since that is the case, I believe your country will not have any objections, right? "Mar, who is sure to win, said to the Spanish in front of you in a "controversial" tone.
The blood on the face of the Spanish ambassador faded, and fine sweat beads emerged from his forehead little by little. Since he knew that Spain was not a match for Germany, he wanted to pull the British's tiger skin as a banner and work harder on the moral high ground. But what he didn't expect was that the Germans directly brought out the attitude of the British! With the intimate relationship between the royal families of Britain and Germany for hundreds of years, it was entirely possible to wear a pair of pants with the Germans; the tone of the German Foreign Minister in front of him was so confident that even the British declared support for Germany was stated. This could only be a foregone conclusion that he would be so sure! The Spanish ambassador was confident in his heart that most of the British had reached a agreement to share the spoils with the Germans; this time in the affairs of the Philippines, the British would also stand on the German side!
At this point, the Spanish ambassador felt despair. At present, although the great powers have their own powers in the Far East, only Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan and the Qing Dynasty could really affect the surrounding situation. The Russian fleet is far away in Vladivostok and is 108,000 miles away from the Philippines. The Qing navy faces Japan's own difficulties, and they even abandon the Chinese in Southeast Asia, and it is even more impossible for Spain to stand out in this matter. Japan is the younger brother of Britain, and even the British boss nods, and it is impossible for a different voice. Although the French fleet is anchored in Cam Ranh Bay adjacent to the Philippines and is not weak in strength, they are not fools and cannot be enemies with Britain and Germany for a matter of no profit!
Chapter completed!