The reason the two sides were arguing so fiercely was mainly because Prince Schwarzenberg had announced from the outset that the Austrian Empire wanted only control of the central Tananarive Region of Madagascar and a river-mouth port.
As mentioned before, although central Madagascar was the heartland of the Kingdom of Imerina, most Europeans saw little practical value in it.
Naturally, none of the nations objected to this, since it effectively eliminated the strongest competitor.
Whatever the Austrian Empire's purpose, the benefits laid out before them were real enough. There was no reason for the great powers to give them up.
Though Imerina was likewise a primitive kingdom, it was far more developed than those African native tribes.
In European eyes, it resembled a colony like India, only with poorer natural endowments but greater strategic value.
That was why Britain and France were going mad over it. Of course, they were not the only ones—Russian ambassador Nesselrode also wanted to seize a strategic strongpoint for Russia.
"That's right. We dispatched three thousand men. Mahajanga Province should belong to the Russian Empire. After all, this war was launched by our Holy Alliance."
Though Russia had no interests in the Indian Ocean, that did not stop it from grabbing territory on Madagascar Island. As for flying the banner of the Holy Alliance, there was no reason not to use it; the Austrian Empire could hardly oppose Russia's claim.
Duke Uvarov, who had accompanied him, did not know why the Austrians had chosen not to seize the strategic strongpoints in eastern Madagascar for themselves. But he knew perfectly well that Russia absolutely could not let Britain and France have them—and that this was the Austrians' true purpose in inviting Russia into the affair.
With their interests aligned, there was no question of whether one