African Entrepreneurship Record-Chapter 621 - 299 Meeting
The Fite River is the natural boundary between East Africa and the Orange Free State. Apart from the important transit hub of Warm Castle, there are several military strongholds along the Fite River, one of which is Tennis Castle.
Tennis Castle is located on the northern bank of the Fite River, originally a farm named Tennis in Transvaal. After the East African Defense Army constructed defensive works here, it was renamed Tennis Castle. This place is only seventy-nine kilometers away from Bloemfontein, making its strategic position quite prominent.
East Africa’s proximity to the capital of the Orange Free State was one of the important reasons why the Orange people initially distrusted East Africa. However, the Orange Free State is not that large, and Bloemfontein is roughly at the center of the territory, so relocating the capital is unnecessary.
In any direction—north, south, east, or west—there is no favorable destination. To the west is Kimberley, which holds significant economic importance in the Orange Free State, with diamond revenues alone being quite substantial.
Yet control of this rich resource is in the hands of the British, who only pay the Orange government’s rent as a token every year.
Moreover, Kimberley’s west side is the Fall River, very close to East Africa’s New Baden Province (British Bechuanaland), so heading west is threatened by both the British and East Africans.
To the east is the former territory of Lesotho, now a major component of East Africa’s Southern Border Province. The flat South African plateau and mountainous areas like Lesotho are military strongholds in many places.
To the south is Cape Town Colony. The Orange people previously allied with the British and naturally would not approach again.
The Orange people’s intention was to use the British as a shield to secure their interests and avoid the tragedy of the Transvaal Republic’s downfall from happening to themselves.
However, facts proved that the Orange people were somewhat naive. The main reason was their misjudgment of the brotherly ties with the Transvaal people, who held grievances against the Orange people for not supporting the Transvaal’s northern expedition.
The conflict between the two was exploited by the British, and the Transvaal people needed the British’s strength for their northern expedition. Since both the Transvaal people and the British were outsiders relative to the Orange people, they had the foundation for cooperation and naturally colluded.
Ernst was naturally very interested in this betrayal narrative. Of course, the main reason was that it was advantageous for East Africa. Dividing the Orange and Transvaal people was a win-win for East Africa’s plans for the Orange Free State.
Tennis Castle became a contact point between East Africa and the Orange people. The Fite River is only about ten meters wide, and under the East African Defense Army’s watchful indifference, it’s easy for the Orange people to bring goods across.
Even without the current internal turmoil in the Orange Free State, Orange merchants would not abandon their collaboration with East Africa.
It’s not just that Orange merchants have a favorable impression of East Africa. Even with the Transvaal and British merchants who have tense relations with East Africa, they would not reject such a vast supply of raw materials and market from East Africa.
The conflict between the Transvaal and British with East Africa doesn’t concern them much. Profit above all—as long as East Africa can make them wealthy, betraying national interests is of no concern.
Only now, with the chaos in the Orange Free State, trade with East Africa, which was previously covert, can be more blatant amid the disorder.
By mid-March, the East African Defense Army at the border received orders to show goodwill towards the Orange people. However, the preparation work was only completed by April, as the Orange uprising was a sudden event for which East Africa had no prior plan.
Consequently, assistance was delayed somewhat. Nonetheless, East Africa was not idle; following a government meeting, the East African Defense Army provided the Orange people with some ammunition and artillery shells.
The Orange people’s weaponry is sourced from various places, without a local military industry, so they rely on imports, including some equipment from the German regions.
Therefore, East Africa can supply some German-standard weapons and ammunition. Although it can’t meet all of Orange people’s needs, it can address their immediate crisis.
And these munitions were partly reallocated from the East African Defense Army’s own stock to the Orange people.
"General Herbart, thank you for East Africa’s help. It’s only with your assistance that we can contend with the British and the traitors. However, the ammunition your country provided last time is only enough for one-sixth of our troops, even with great frugality, and we don’t have many German-made weapons, with substantial losses. Could your country supply more arms?" the Orange representative Yude Li asked the military commander of Tennis Castle, Herbart.
"Please be patient, Mr. Yude Li. We understand your difficulties, but you also need to appreciate our challenges in East Africa. It’s not that we don’t want to support the Orange people more, but the event happened so suddenly that we had to report to the government, which took considerable time.
Just recently, the government sent a telegram agreeing to assist you, but as you know, this is the border, and East Africa’s core is in the east, so preparations were inadequate.
The Ministry of Defense ultimately had to order the reallocation of some weapons and ammunition from our troops’ stock to support the Orange people’s fight for freedom. This illustrates the efforts we’ve made." Herbart explained to Yude Li.
Yude Li, with a troubled face, said, "It’s not that I mean to burden your country, but the war has reached a very difficult stage. The Orange people, although brave and combative, find it hard to change the battlefield scenario in the face of the continuous firepower advantage of the Anglo-German Allies. Our supplies were originally limited, and although we had your country’s previous support, it’s running low as the war has been ongoing for a month now. This situation threatens to render all previous preparations futile."
Herbart had foreseen this, as the Orange uprising seemed too frivolous. Of course, this is related to the Boer nation’s character.
The Boer nations lack strong national institutions, particularly the Orange Free State. The uprising was initiated as a result of large landowners colluding across regions.
They are in equal relationships, not subordinate, so overall, they fight independently. Fortunately, their adversary numbers are not large, otherwise, this uprising would have been suppressed, rather than spreading across the entire Orange Free State.
However, the Transvaal people have certain advantages over the Orange people. Primarily, they have the representative figure of Little Pillotolius, who can unite former Transvaal Republic officials and establish a Transvaal Republic provisional government, possessing a standing armed force like the Transvaal Rebel Army.
Meanwhile, the Orange Free State Central Government is sidelined by the British and Transvaal people. Most officials of the former Orange Free State government are under de facto house arrest by the Transvaal Republic provisional government in Bloemfontein, serving merely as figureheads.
Thus, the resistance forces are composed of Orange local powers discontent with the British and Transvaal people, but these local forces are limited, unable to control the overall situation and contest the Anglo-German Allies.
Orange local armed forces in the north are relatively better off, as they are backed by East Africa and can more easily receive material support, while many southern forces are still in a wait-and-see phase.
This is why the Orange people urgently seek help from East Africa, as support from East Africa is essential to opening up the situation; otherwise, they will eventually be accounted by the British and Transvaal people.
