Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 118 Somali Coal Mines

In the days that followed, the weapons and equipment produced by the arsenal continuously supported the smooth progress of Iran's reorganization plan. Nasser al-Din was also overseeing other projects.

The results of the Nadir Shah machine gun were on his desk, and the Shah kept his word, disbursing £20. He also encouraged them to continue researching more weapons.

Meanwhile, in Mogadishu, Somalia, the first Governor-General of Somalia, Darius Mohammed bin Ali, was directing his soldiers in a comprehensive reconnaissance.

This governor, born into a military family and raised in the army, believed that there was nothing in life but devotion to Allah and loyalty to the Shah. He saw only suppression as the only way to deal with those who disobeyed, which is why he became the governor of Somalia.

Since Iran began its large-scale plundering of land and property in the region, Somali people have been protesting daily. They have attacked Iranian caravans and settlements, and the Iranians have retaliated with deadly force. Now that the governor has arrived, a massive, all-out manhunt has begun.

The governor has ambitious plans for this operation. He intends to reduce the number of local Somali tribes by 5%, which means a reduction of nearly 20,000 people.

In addition, the governor began recruiting soldiers from local cooperative tribes to form a colonial army. Initially, the government allocated 3000 men, but after discussion, this was increased to 4000. These men would form the main military force for future suppression.

“My lord, Tarsem says he has urgent business with you.” Darius looked up at the guard’s report.

"Bring him in."

The governor of Tassim, having received permission, walked in excitedly carrying a black stone.

"My lord, look what I've found!" Tarsem presented the black stone in his hand to the governor as if it were a treasure.

"What is this?" Darius looked at it and wondered if Tarsem had nothing better to do than show him a broken stone.

"Sir, this is coal."

Tarsem felt that the governor didn't quite understand the use of coal, so he patiently explained its benefits to him, emphasizing that mining is always profitable.

At this moment, Darius finally understood, "You mean there's a coal mine here?"

Yes, I can confirm that.

Darius, having received confirmation, continued, "So how large do you think it is?"

"I can't confirm that, but I believe it shouldn't be low, at least tens of millions of tons, right?"

Towards the end, Tassim became somewhat hesitant. It wasn't that he was afraid to say more, but rather that he wasn't a geologist; he could casually offer a figure, but if it was less than that, he'd make a fool of himself. According to his preliminary investigation, the coal here was of good quality, enough to meet Iran's needs, and a considerable amount could be exported. Of course, how to proceed specifically was a headache for this administrator, and there was another major problem: the area's scarce water resources were unfavorable for large-scale mining.

“Very good. I want you to continue exploring the scale and quality of this coal mine. I will also find the equipment and manpower for you as soon as possible.”

It was clear that the governor intended to continue exploring the coal mine, sending personnel from within the country to lay the groundwork.

This is actually the second mineral deposit discovered in Somalia. The first was located north of Mogadishu, where Iranian trading company personnel accidentally discovered a dark red rock. After exploration, a hematite deposit was found. It is estimated that the iron ore reserves here are 5.6 million tons.

Such a large iron ore mine naturally attracted the attention of the government. However, since it was discovered by a trading company, the company was responsible for mining it and then shipping the iron to Iran. To facilitate receiving the iron, Iran also established a steel plant in Bushehr, with an annual output of 2000 tons of pig iron.

The discovery of iron ore further boosted the company's revenue. To minimize costs, they mobilized a large number of people to mine the ore and then transported it to Iran by ship. The addition of Somali iron ore lowered Iranian iron ore prices by 10%; it's hard to imagine the consequences if coal mining had started.

Somalia itself became a dumping ground for Iranian goods, crippling local handicrafts. Raw materials were plundered at bargain prices. Livestock farming was the main sector of the local economy, but due to companies occupying vast amounts of land, many ranches and livestock were concentrated in the hands of foreign capitalists and local ranchers, leaving the vast majority of farmers destitute. Foreign trade was entirely controlled by Iranian companies, resulting in unequal exchanges: agricultural and livestock products were exported, while manufactured goods were imported.

However, these considerations were irrelevant to Darius; he immediately began writing a letter to the government to report the discovery of the coal mine.

"Your Excellency Grand Vizier, I have arrived in Somalia..."

After recounting the progress of the advance team, he then mentioned the discovery of the coal mine. However, when writing about the estimated reserves, he estimated the coal mine reserves at 3.1 million tons in the submitted document.

This isn't about exaggerating; if the government wants this area to receive attention, the reserves must be reported inflated. Only then will it attract sufficient attention.

To better integrate Somalia into Iran, the Governor-General began collaborating with Iranian trading companies. Through the Governor-General's official confirmation, he obtained development rights to vast tracts of land and also approved the railway plan from Mogadishu to the south, which is believed to be the earliest colonial railway.

The company's exploration team has been traveling south along the Arab trade routes. They encounter nomadic tribes everywhere, and while there are some markets, they are all very small.

Seeing the company's power, some Arab merchants volunteered to become intermediaries between the company and other places. As businessmen, they knew what the local people needed and could facilitate trade at the most favorable prices, which was a good idea for the company looking to sell its goods. They became middlemen for the trading company, responsible for promoting the goods to the masses.

At this time, the Sultanate of Oman was still maintaining its influence in Zanzibar, but it had no influence in Somalia. The existence of this special economic organization had surpassed their traditional business methods, and Iranian commerce was having a certain impact on Arab commerce, coupled with the support of the financial sector. They were already doing well just to maintain the status quo.

The majority of the profits from the sale of cloves went to the Sultan and others, leaving most people without any benefit. Public discontent with the Sultan began to rise.

In an effort to attract more Arabs, the company has offered generous terms, including tax breaks and personal protection, while also requiring them to pledge allegiance to the Shah, as Iran does not welcome those who are disloyal.

(End of this chapter)