At this stage, there were only three major powers in the Indian Ocean region: Britain, East Africa, and the half-dead Ottoman Empire. Although Britain held the dominant position in the Indian Ocean, mainland Britain was, after all, extremely far from it.
Moreover, Britain's control over such crucial gateways to the Indian Ocean as the Suez Canal and the Cape of Good Hope was not particularly secure and could easily be threatened from all sides.
But if the Russian Empire expanded its territory to the shores of the Indian Ocean, that would be entirely different. Russian territorial expansion differed from Britain's because Russia truly might assimilate newly occupied territories into its homeland. Thus, if Russia became an Indian Ocean power, it would pose an enormous threat to East Africa.
East Africa also did not want a country capable of competing with it to emerge around the Indian Ocean. Although Britain wielded tremendous influence in the Indian Ocean, it was all through colonies and semi-colonies, and colonies could be dismantled through all sorts of means.
Take India, for instance. If East Africa wished, it could fully support anti-British forces within India and torment Britain without end. But at present, East Africa had no need to do so.
Russia, however, was different. Russia's colonial methods differed from Britain's, as demonstrated in its Far East. Russia was capable of establishing stable local regimes rather than indirectly ruling regions as colonies.
Ernst continued, "Of course, our intervention in the Persian Gulf region will inevitably infringe upon British interests, but that cannot be avoided. Therefore, our competition with Britain must remain flexible."
If East Africa wanted to intervene in the Middle East and Central Asia, it could not avoid Britain. The main issue was that Britain's table manners were simply too ugly. While East Africa was