African Entrepreneurship Record

The 19th century was a tragic century, especially for the indigenous peoples of colonial regions and countries. Both the United States and East Africa are typical examples of countries that transitioned from being colonies. While East Africa persecuted the indigenous peoples of southern Africa, Americans were doing the same.

In the same year, 1890, the Battle of Wounded Knee, or referred to as the ”Wounded Knee Massacre,” occurred in the United States. On December 29, 1890, the Battle of Wounded Knee stood as a landmark event in American history, being the last armed conflict against Native Americans, marking a tragic end to over three hundred years of Indian wars.

Indeed, with such comparisons, Ernst’s approach to the Black people seemed incredibly ”merciful,” as it was relatively more ”humane” compared to massacres.

However, this also meant that Native Americans in the United States struggled to rise again from that point onwards, as the United States completely dismantled the resistance of indigenous peoples, something that would take East Africa much longer to achieve.

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Maputo Port.

As usual, a merchant ship bearing the East African flag docked at Maputo Port. This typically wouldn’t attract much attention, but today, something different appeared at the port.

The East African Defense Army blocked the port, and then quite a few large machines were unloaded, or rather, driven off the ship.

”Chug, chug, chug…” Thick black smoke billowed alongside a loud noise, lining up on the dock; there were as many as eight of them. Those with some knowledge would recognize these as ”tractors.”

However, these were the world’s earliest internal combustion engine-powered tractors, not the traditional steam-powered tractors. As East Africa’s ”cutting-edge technology,” it made sense for the military to escort them.

”Captain Koles, we’ll be counting on you for the next few days. The final delivery point for these tractors is Shao Kui Town for the development of farms on the Limpopo River Plain. These are valuable items, so they can’t be driven directly to Shao Kui Town; they need to be transported there by vehicle.” The leading driver said to Captain Koles.

Looking at these ”colossal machines,” Captain Koles was rather amazed. He had only seen tractors in newspapers before; this was the first time he saw them in person.

”Mr. Kaisol, rest assured, we will use the military’s heavy artillery vehicles to transport these big machines without delaying your journey.”

Kaisol was accompanied by quite a few people, including three mechanics, two engineers, one mechanical expert, and eight drivers. They were all heading to the state-run farm in Shao Kui Town, and Kaisol himself was a staff member managing a state-run farm in Dar es Salaam City.

In this era, drivers were undoubtedly scarce talent. Even the number of car drivers was extremely limited, and drivers for tractors, these ”special vehicles,” were even rarer.

Subsequently, with the cooperation of the military and Kaisol’s team, the tractors were moved onto large vehicles, requiring as many as eight horses to pull one.

The internal combustion engine tractors were significantly lighter than steam tractors. In 1890, or this year, Benjamin manufactured wheel-type steam tractors with all-metal wheels, 7.3 meters long, with 60 horsepower, and weighing 22 tons, with over two tons of water needed to produce steam alone.

Therefore, steam tractors were essentially no different from locomotives; even a weight reduction still made them as heavy as a ”small train” engine, making them not very useful for plowing fields.

Also, East African internal combustion engine tractors used solid rubber-covered iron wheels to achieve further weight reduction. As for hollow tires, the technology isn’t quite there for tractors’ weight yet. Naturally, this made them much lighter than all-steel wheels.

Of course, there were also track-type tractors. Unfortunately, the current technology didn’t meet the requirements. There were more than 100 patents worldwide related to track-type tractors, but all prototype machines had failed in testing.

For instance, the American tractor developer Benjamin, in the original history, went in 1903 to the UK, the pioneering country of the Industrial Revolution, to research the development of track-type tractors. Still, to his disappointment, he didn’t see a single successful case, which led to him hastily ending his visit and returning to his factory in the United States to continue developing track-type tractors.

And as it stands in 1890, it was naturally impossible for East Africa to break through the track technology in a short time. However, East Africa’s research on tracks is currently leading the world.

Ernst knew the historical success of track-type tractors, especially their later military application, leading to the emergence of the ”King of Land Battles,” the tank.

So Ernst certainly wouldn’t neglect this issue. Currently, East Africa’s research on track structures is primarily led by research institutes in cities like Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, and Harare.

With a clear direction and support, progress was naturally swift; the Mbeya City Mechanical Research Institute has already achieved results, although applying tracks to special vehicles is still premature.

After all, the tractor technology itself isn’t very mature. Otherwise, the East African government wouldn’t equip these eight tractors with such a luxurious team.

Rather than saying these eight tractors are for developing the southern plain of Mozambique, it’s more like East Africa is serving eight grandmasters.

The upcoming performance of these eight tractors might be disappointing; major issues shouldn’t be too many, but minor issues will definitely be numerous and troublesome.

Because previously, the Dar es Salaam Tractor Factory had only produced prototypes, with many technical deficiencies, and Dar es Salaam City’s main business was still steam tractors.

As for the internal combustion engine-powered tractors, they’re entirely a new track East Africa is exploring. In testing grounds, the internal combustion engine-powered tractors performed well but might be hard to satisfy expectations in Mozambique’s ”wilderness.”

However, this is unavoidable. For East Africa to achieve something in the industrial field, it must be willing to lead the way. Even if the technology isn’t mature, it will be gradually improved; with enough time, East Africa could become a leader in this field one day.

In fact, East Africa is already far ahead, as the internal combustion engine-powered tractor, although technically questionable, appeared nearly ten years earlier than in history.

The internationally recognized first gasoline tractor in the world, the ”No.1” tractor, was manufactured by Hart and Pal in Charles City, Iowa, United States, in the winter of 1901, with a series number of 1205, and sold to a farmer in July 1902, successfully used for 17 years.

Although East Africa’s tractor technology remains uncertain, starting early, as long as it withstands the test, East Africa could achieve an overtaking maneuver in the agricultural sector.

As the tractors were finally loaded, Kaisol ordered rain covers placed over the vehicles. From a distance, uninformed onlookers might only assume this was the military transporting artillery or other confidential items.

”Captain Koles, we’ll be counting on you from here,” Kaisol said to Koles after confirming there were no issues.

”No problem!”

Thus, under the escort of the Defense Army, Kaisol and his group, with East Africa’s ”great national asset,” grandly headed towards Shao Kui Town.

The establishment of the first state-run farm in Shao Kui Town also heralded the arrival of a significant era of transformation in East African and world agriculture, destined to mark a brilliant chapter in the history of East African agriculture, deemed as the starting point of East African agricultural mechanization, and thus remembered by East Africans.