Empire Rising: Spain

Although the colonial exchange between Spain and the United Kingdom was theoretically kept secret from the outside, the transfer of colonial governments and local garrisons could not be concealed from everyone, at least not from the European countries concerned.

As the colonial exchange between Spain and the United Kingdom officially began, European countries also made certain speculations about the secret agreement reached by the two countries.

The most frantic, perhaps, is the United States, which has had its eye on Cuba for a long time. If Spain were an opponent the United States could barely defeat, then the British Empire was a towering mountain beyond the reach of the United States.

No matter how astonishingly the United States’ industry and economy developed, in the eyes of the British, the United States was merely an upstart that could be easily manipulated.

The Panama Canal had not yet been constructed, and communication between the east and west coasts of the United States was quite difficult.

Although the distance between the east and west coasts of the United States is only over 4,000 kilometers, for ships from the east coast wanting to reach the west coast, they must circumnavigate the entire South America.

Even traveling along the coast of South America, this is at least a journey of over 20,000 kilometers. From the east coast of the United States, crossing the Atlantic Ocean, through the Mediterranean, and across the entire Indian Ocean, then heading from the North Pacific to the west coast of the United States is a route of over 30,000 kilometers, which already demonstrates the difficulty of communication between the east and west coasts of the United States, and is a major reason hindering America’s development.

After the United Kingdom took control of the Cuban Colony, for the United States to move south to South America, it would have to confront the British Empire. In such a situation, it would not be easy for the United States to dig the Panama Canal, and even if the canal could be excavated, the sovereignty of the Panama Canal would definitely not be in the hands of the Americans.

More importantly, the United States is about to face the north-south pincer of the British. To the north of the United States is the Dominion of Canada under the United Kingdom, and to the south lies across the sea the British Cuban Colony and the Bahamas.

On land, apart from Mexico, there is no more direction for the United States to expand. Expansion across the ocean is even more impossible. With the Bahamas, Cuban Colony, and Jamaica, the United Kingdom together forms a solid defense line, directly confining the United States within the Gulf of Mexico.

After losing the Cuban Colony, Spain’s influence in America will significantly decrease. However, Spain retained Puerto Rico, which is Spain’s last colony in America, and the only proof of the existence of the Spanish Colonial Empire.

Compared to the economically valuable Cuban Colony, Puerto Rico is merely a military base for Spain.

Spain stationed a Colonial Defense Corps in the Puerto Rico Colony, which will also become a transit point for trade between Spain and the countries of the Americas.

Although Spain gave up the Cuban Colony, it does not mean that Spain will abandon its connections with South American countries.

There are a large number of Spanish immigrants in South America, and with the same roots and origins, Spain can still establish good diplomatic relations with these South American countries.

After all, to put it bluntly, South American countries are only small countries; even the most powerful Brazil, Argentina, and Chile are just somewhat strong small nations compared to Europe.

To protect their independence and stability in a world where the strong prey on the weak, they must rely on the protection of more powerful major powers.

Argentina has vast black soil, Brazil has rich coal and iron ore resources, all of which Spain needs.

Compared to the distant iron ore of Australia, Brazil’s iron ore is closer to Spain and is the most promising place apart from Africa for Spain to import large quantities of coal and iron ore.

Brazil was once a Portuguese colony, and Portuguese immigrants are also a population that Spain can introduce.

If Spain could annex Portugal in the future, the unified Iberian Peninsula would become the most influential European Power in America.

If South American countries could be cultivated to become Spain’s consumer market, as well as economic partners, Spain’s industry and economy could rapidly develop as a result.

One month after the signing of the Spain-United Kingdom colonial exchange agreement, the British Gambian Colony government officially withdrew, and the Spanish Army also officially entered the Gambia Colony later that day, announcing military administration of the Gambia Colony, which will continue until the formal establishment of the Gambia Colony.

About a week later, the Sierra Leone Colony was also formally handed over. The handover of the Gold Coast Colony took a longer time but was also completed within two months of the treaty signing.

With the Spanish six Colonial Defense Corps entering three colonies respectively, Spain’s colonization of West Africa formally began.

Compared to the Cuban Colony, which had been prepared to be abandoned, the Spanish Government obviously paid more attention to the three West African colonies.

Especially the British Gambian Colony, although located in Africa, it is an excellent agricultural area. If managed well, it may very well become an important grain-producing area for Spain, making up for the lack of plains in Spain itself.

Though the Sierra Leone Colony and the Gold Coast are not as outstanding as the Gambia Colony, they are still colonies with great development value.

Since Spain has occupied these three colonies, it does not intend to abandon them. Even if development of these three colonies means facing competition with the French, Spain will never back down.