The reorganized East African Army was smaller in scale and centered on field forces. To carry out the "Pocket" Plan, the East African government prepared to send ten thousand men into the East Katanga District.
Unlike before, when the goal had been to drive the native tribes from their homeland, this time East Africa simply wanted to secure ownership of the land first.
They only needed to use the usual methods of colonizers: force the chiefs of every tribe to sign land treaties under the threat of guns and cannon.
As for the natives, later immigrants could replace them bit by bit. Immigration numbers were relatively low this year, and the shortage of "laborers" had grown, so the natives still had some use.
November 17, 1869.
Egypt.
The Suez Canal—this century-defining project that had cost the lives of 120,000 Egyptians—was finally complete.
East Africa lay on Africa's East Coast, so in the future, East African ocean-going ships would only need to cross the Mediterranean Sea, pass through the Suez Canal, enter the Red Sea, and finally round Somalia.
As for the original African route around the Cape of Good Hope, not only was it far longer, but it was also known as the Cape of Storms. Namibia's coast also had the Skeleton Coast, so the old route was not only distant but highly dangerous.
Once the toll had been paid, the Hechingen ocean ships that had long been waiting here could no longer wait to experience this great project.
Ships departing Trieste had originally needed to pass Gibraltar and make a huge detour. Now, they only needed to sail south through the Suez Canal to reach East Africa directly.
Moreover, both the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea were relatively calm waters, making navigation far less difficult.
"Captain Modo, with