1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 804 Energy and Hegemony

September 1665, 6, Makassar.

Fossil fuels have important implications for modern geopolitical history, especially for hegemonic or dominant powers in the international system.Whether it was the Netherlands in the 17th century, Britain in the 19th century, or the United States in the 20th century, their superiority in energy supply and consumption played an important role in their political success.

The Netherlands, Great Britain, and the United States all have cheap energy, and this energy advantage translates into an economic advantage that allows one to build an efficient and competitive economy on the one hand, and the ability to afford expensive and sophisticated military machinery on the other.As far as the United Kingdom and the United States are concerned, not only are they rich in coal and oil resources, but this low-cost energy advantage has directly translated into military and geopolitical advantages.

Although the Netherlands has neither coal nor oil, it has abundant reserves of peat on its land.

Peat, made in part from decaying vegetation, the most important of which is moss, scientifically known as "sphagnum moss" or sometimes "swamp moss".If the plant is buried in the ground and subjected to high pressure for millions of years, it becomes coal; but if it is not enough time, it is peat.

Most of the peat has been formed in the past 6000 years, and the cold and wet climate is necessary for the formation and preservation of peat.Therefore, most of the world's peat deposits are located in high latitude and high altitude regions, such as Canada, Scandinavia and Siberia.Although peat is widely distributed in the world, it is mostly in places that are inconvenient to access and transport.

However, the Netherlands is an exception.

Although the peat resources in the Netherlands are not as abundant as Canada, Russia and Sweden, their supply is quite large.Unlike in other parts of the world such as Scandinavia where peat is usually at least 50-150 meters above sea level, most of the peat in the Netherlands is located at 1-2 meters above and below sea level.Peat is heavy and extremely expensive to transport by any means other than water.In this respect, the Netherlands is unique in the world.Its peat is all shallow and dug out to be loaded onto boats or barges and transported easily and cheaply to towns through canals dug in the peatlands of the country.

Peat burning cannot provide the high temperatures required for metallurgy, so peat cannot be used to smelt iron and steel.Nevertheless, peat still played an important role in the development of the Dutch economy.Brewing and lime burning are the two most prominent industries in the Netherlands that enjoy the advantage of cheap energy.In the 17th century, lime was the most basic building material, and burning lime was an energy-intensive industry.At the same time, the Netherlands is also famous for brewing high-quality beer, and the brewing industry is also an energy-intensive industry.The low-cost peat in the Netherlands has laid a good foundation for the development of these two industries.

Glass manufacturing, brick firing and salt production are also energy-intensive, typically using fuelwood or charcoal.This means that wherever these industries exist, the forests will be destroyed, because people will collect firewood or charcoal from the forests, and the accompanying industries will deforest all the forests.In the Netherlands, however, this type of industry can gain a foothold in the cities, where peat is plentiful and cheap.Therefore, from the 1560s, the Netherlands continued to use its energy advantages in economic development until the peat resources began to be exhausted (around 1680).

In some respects, the Dutch economy is the world's first modern economy.In the 17th century, the Netherlands, because of its peat, had certainly the most energy-intensive economy in the world, and by a large margin the most industrialized economy in the world.The Netherlands is also probably the most urbanized country in the world.The growth of industry and urbanization favored the creation of a new society in the Netherlands.This society is very different from other societies. It is a market-oriented society with more cities, more concentrated population, and more emphasis on buying and selling habits.

In many parts of the UK the coal base is fairly close to the sea, notably the area around Newcastle and South Wales.This is very important, because it means that coal can be easily transported from the place of origin to any place that can be reached by sea and ships.At this point, the UK is as lucky as the Netherlands.

But China is different. Coal production in China is far away from sea routes, and it is expensive to transport it to where most of the population is concentrated.In terms of the geographical distribution of coal, China is very unfortunate.

Coal is of great significance to the iron industry and economic development of the United Kingdom. In the 17th century, Britain's iron was mainly imported, mostly from Sweden, and a small part from the Baltic region, including Russia.Britain produced very little iron of its own, partly because of a lack of fuel at the time.

Before 1650, there were only a few woodlands left in the British Isles, and most of the remaining woodlands were far away from the iron mines and not easily accessible.In contrast, Sweden and Russia still had plenty of forests (and plenty of iron ore), so they enjoyed an energy advantage in iron smelting (at this time, coal coking hadn't been discovered in Europe, and charcoal was mostly used).

We all know that Britain in later generations has become the most efficient iron producer in the world since the end of the 18th century.From 1700 to 1850, iron production in Britain increased more than 20 times.Britain built the most efficient metallurgical industry in the world in the 1840s.By 1850, Britain produced half of the world's iron itself.The steel produced in Britain is cheaper and better than that produced in other parts of the world.

Britain is just a small country, why such a huge change?

The key reason is that Britain uses its own coal efficiently.

British craftsmen figured out how to use coal in iron smelting after 1709.Before this time, coal could not be used to produce high-quality iron, because the coal's impurities would make the smelted iron brittle.Technological advances solved this problem, which opened the way for Britain to smelt iron by utilizing its vast coal resources.

After the invention of the practical steam engine (1770-1780s), coal was also used for other productive purposes.The application of the steam engine made it possible to drain water from coal mines deep underground, which in turn greatly expanded the supply of usable coal.By the 1820s, the steam engine was applied to ships and locomotives, resulting in steam ships and railways.All of these changes depend on the energy provided by coal.

In short, from 1780 to 1880, Britain built the most technologically advanced, dynamic and prosperous economy in the world, using energy provided by its own coal reserves.

Britain developed a more prosperous economy from coal, as Holland did from peat.But unlike peat production in the Netherlands, British coal and iron production could be used directly by the military.The low-cost energy advantage of coal and the advanced technology related to it allowed Britain to build a powerful military machine.

Beginning in the 1850s, Britain established a steam-powered Royal Navy.The Royal Navy is the glue that holds the British Empire together.In the age of sailing ships, it was difficult for the Royal Navy to establish maritime superiority over its enemies, partly because of a shortage of timber supplies.

The switch to coal-powered iron ships was a very fortunate development for Britain, which was rich in iron and coal mines.Coal also helped Britain make cheaper and better muskets.In the 19th century, Britain developed its own military and industrial complex.Superiority in metallurgy allowed Britain to produce light weapons and cannon to arm its armies at a lower cost than its enemies.Thus, energy substitution contributed to the strength of the British navy, making it easier to expand its world empire.

During this period, with the widespread use of steam engines in Hanzhou, coal became the most important and main energy source in Qi.And after more than [-] years of continuous exploration and development, several coal mines with huge reserves have been discovered in the eastern part of Hanzhou, which can provide a steady stream of coal resources for the industrial development of various local regions.

However, as China began to research and manufacture ships powered by steam power, the whole country, especially the navy and several large domestic shipping companies, immediately realized that it is necessary to store and develop coal at key supply points on many overseas routes. Resources must be put on the agenda, plan ahead for a rainy day, and make corresponding plans and arrangements.

Although, Qi State can use ships to transfer the abundant domestic coal reserves to countless route nodes in advance, so as to meet the supply needs of large-scale steam-powered ships in the future.But if there are ready-made coal mines that can be developed at those key nodes or on some Nanyang islands, it will naturally save a lot of trouble.

As for the location of these coal mines, it doesn't matter whether they are located in Qi's overseas territory or not.With Qi's current prestige, it is believed that no country would dare to refuse to spend some money to rent or buy places with coal resources.

In 1652, when the Nanyang Trading Company of the Qi State joined forces with the Portuguese in Makassar and the Kingdom of Gowasultan to destroy the Bernasudan Kingdom established by the Buji people in the west, they took the opportunity to seize the capital of the kingdom, Sinjay, and It was used as an important stronghold of Nanyang Trading Company on Sulawesi Island, and it was renamed Guangchang.

After more than ten years of development, Nanyang Trading Co., based in Guangchang, successively established Palobo, the capital of the Ruu Sultan Kingdom in the south, Palu where the Mandas gathered, and the Toraja people in the east of Sulawesi Island. Kendari and Gorontalo, located in the northeast region of the island, have established a number of commercial strongholds, putting this island, which resembles the English letter "K", completely within the sphere of economic influence.

In June last year, Nanyang Trading Company accidentally learned that coal resources were discovered in the coastal area in the southern part of Govasudan Kingdom.After the on-the-spot investigation of several local prospecting experts, the news was finally confirmed, and it was also claimed that the coal reserves were estimated to be hundreds of thousands of tons.

Therefore, the Nanyang Trading Company immediately proposed to the Kingdom of Govasudan to lease the place called Bangtuo Songgu, and prepared to start developing the coal resources here.

However, the Nanyang Trading Company, which has always been strong, has hit a snag. The Kingdom of Govasultan, which occupies a vast area in the southwest of Sulawesi Island, has the most decisive attitude towards Qi's request for leased land, saying loudly, "No! "Character.

Sultan Hassan Uddin of the Gowa Kingdom has always maintained a high degree of vigilance for the expansion of the Qi Kingdom's influence in the region. The continuous extension of the Qi Kingdom's commercial tentacles in the country has many restrictions and tried its best to prevent it.He deeply felt that Qi State was completely different from the previous Dutch colonial methods.They not only dumped countless industrial products in the vast area of ​​Nanyang, deeply tied up the various kingdoms economically, but also seemed to have a great desire to occupy more territories.

For more than ten years, the Qi people have used the stronghold called Guangchang Fort in the east as their core base, and have continuously encroached and occupied the territory of the Gowasudan Kingdom from the south, north, and west directions.The numerous Bugis and Gowas who once inhabited there were also transported away by the Qi State one by one. It is said that they were sent to their mainland of Hanzhou and put into countless mines and various plantations to act as tragic slave labor.

Now, the Qi people have extended their claws to the southern coastal area of ​​the Govasudan Kingdom.Although, they claim to only lease the land.But King Hassan Uddin Sultan knew that once it was occupied by the Qi people, the Gowa Sultan Kingdom would eventually lose that land.Just like what they did in Banten Sultan Kingdom more than ten years ago.

Although, rejecting the request of the people of Qi will inevitably be retaliated and attacked by them.But as a devout True God believer and a dignified Sultan King, Hassan Uddin must stand up bravely and maintain the independence and integrity of the Gova Sultan Kingdom with the most resolute attitude.If the Qi State is allowed to encroach and invade like this, all the Gowa people will eventually lose everything and become the slaves of the Qi State people.

Sure enough, a month ago, Qi State sent several armed merchant ships to blockade the port of Makassar under the pretext that its businessmen were treated unfairly by the Gova Sultan Kingdom. The Kingdom of Vasudan issued an ultimatum, demanding a positive response to the various conditions they proposed.

King Hassan Uddin Sultan immediately contacted the Portuguese in the north of Makassar, asking them to stand together with the Gowa people, as they did decades ago, to jointly deal with the enemies who invaded Makassar.

The Portuguese vowed to reiterate the offensive and defensive alliance between the two sides, saying that they would stand firmly on the side of the Gowa people and guard the city of Makassar together with the army of the kingdom.

King Uddin Sultan was very satisfied with the Portuguese's statement.Relying on the fact that the coalition forces of the two sides are waiting for work on land, and the strong city of Makassar can be defended, even if the people of Qi blockade the port, they will inevitably be unable to do anything to the Kingdom of Gova Sultan.Unless, they took the risk of launching a landing campaign, and then stormed the city of Makassar.If this is the case, the Gowa people will definitely make the Qi people pay a heavy price under the city.

However, to the surprise of the Gowas, the Portuguese shamefully betrayed them.

Not only did the Portuguese not resolutely resist when the Qi people landed near their castle, but in the next few days, when the Gova defenders in Makassar were unprepared, they joined forces with the Qi army outside the city to attack. into the city.

The whole city of Makassar was plunged into chaos. The Gowa army was defeated by more than [-] allied forces from Qi and Portugal. More than [-] were killed or injured, and most of the rest knelt down.

King Uddin Sultan fled to the nearby Zomba-Op Fortress with less than a thousand remnants of his troops, and watched the burning city of Makassar in panic all day long.

Three days later, the Nanyang Trading Company sent an envoy to the fortress of Zomba-Opu, requesting to meet King Uddin Sultan for negotiations on how to end the conflict between the two parties.

King Uddin Sultan hesitated for a long time, finally closed his eyes in pain, and ordered the guards to put the envoys of the Qi people into the city.

(End of this chapter)