I Became The Crown Prince Of The Mexican Empire Novel - Chapter 179
**Episode 179**
**<Colombia (8)>**
“I apologize for the delay in the report, Your Majesty. I have nothing to say.”
“Don’t worry. I know well how many people immigrated last year. It must not have been easy to tally all that.”
Rodolfo Nunes, the head of the Immigration Office, came to report the total number of immigrants in 1848. As I expected, an enormous number of immigrants poured in last year. So many came that the office had to be upgraded, and the number of officials doubled. Thanks to this, Rodolfo Nunes was promoted to a deputy ministerial position.
His promotion was a result of both the increase in the Immigration Office’s workload and his own recognized abilities and efforts. He was helping immigrants settle while contributing to the empire’s population growth and development.
“Thank you. Then, I will begin the report.”
When I nodded, he started with the most important information, the total count.
“Last year, in 1848, a total of 384,000 immigrants entered our Mexican Empire. Of these, 320,000 were from Europe, and 64,000 came from the United States, South America, and Asia.”
384,000. This number was much higher than what the United States received during this period in history. It had become a true immigration nation.
“Oh, it’s beyond expectations. Most of Europe would be from Ireland and Germany, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right. Despite our Mexican Empire’s relief efforts, Ireland has not escaped the impact of the famine.”
“Hmm.”
It couldn’t be helped. This Irish famine was a disaster stemming from the fact that all of Ireland’s food was a single variety of potato.
Since this potato blight wouldn’t disappear in a year, overcoming the famine fundamentally required planting crops other than potatoes.
I was supplying Ireland with large amounts of food as a humanitarian effort and as a way to control food prices in the Mexican Empire, but it wasn’t easy to save seeds for the next year when people were on the brink of starvation.
‘Still, it looks like it will be resolved by next year, so we’ve reduced the famine by two years. The death toll has also been drastically reduced.’
It was a sense of pride that only I knew.
I nodded and gestured for Nunes to continue.
“In Germany, the number of immigrants surged after the liberal revolution failed last year.”
Last year, there were liberal revolutions in various parts of Europe. Germany, like in the original history, experienced a revolution, but the Prussian royal family and the central government were much stronger than in the original history, and the revolution was crushed immediately.
Many Germans with liberal tendencies, feeling despair beyond disappointment, made the extreme choice of abandoning their homeland. In the original history, most of them went to the United States, but in this world, it was the Mexican Empire.
“Even though it’s a constitutional monarchy, the United States would be the liberal and republican country that aligns with their ideals. Is there a reason why they flocked to our Mexico?”
I already had a hunch, but I was also curious to see how well our Immigration Office understood the situation. The Immigration Office’s main task was to assign immigrants according to regulations, but it also had a role in gathering information through interviews.
“There are those who said they would have gone to the United States if it weren’t for the civil war. But those were a small minority, and it seems that the immigration benefits provided by our empire and the image of Mexico as a good country to immigrate to played a major role for most.”
“Good. It seems the immigration companies are doing a good job.”
“Yes, and many people perceived our Mexican Empire as a more advanced country than the United States, which is engaged in a civil war over the issue of slavery. Also, many people mentioned our decisive victory over the United States in the last war.”
“Haha, I guess if they’re going to leave anyway, they’re going to go to a strong country. It’s interesting.”
The Immigration Office had a good grasp of the situation.
“Good work.”
Rodolfo Nunes, the young official who had made suggestions to me regarding immigration policy, was doing well even as the head of the expanded Immigration Office. I praised him and sent him away.
‘I’m looking forward to next year’s census.’
The results of the temporary census in 1845 were 14.8 million. But last year alone, 380,000 people immigrated. The birth rate is also exploding, so I can’t even imagine how much the population has increased.
“With a large influx of those with liberal tendencies, the Republican Party will likely regain some strength.”
Diego, who had been listening quietly, spoke after Nunes left.
“That’s possible. But I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s not good for power to be too concentrated.”
That’s true, even though that power is in my hands. I’m not going to live forever, and if one faction holds power for too long, corrupt individuals will inevitably start to appear.
Concentration and monopolization of power inevitably lead to corruption and decay. I was wary of this. The existence of an opposition party was essential for a healthy political ecosystem.
“And since the election was last year, the next election is in 1852, isn’t it? I plan to finish the reforms before then, so the liberals will be confused. The things they were dissatisfied with will change naturally.”
“Haha, that’s possible.”
Even in 1848, the year of the rebellion, the election proceeded normally. The result, needless to say, was a landslide victory for the Emperor’s faction.
The landowner faction, due to the secularization law I passed, had gathered together and secured some seats, and the Republican Party’s seats actually decreased. This was partly because I had preemptively implemented progressive policies for the time, such as public schools and secularization, which they wanted.
In fact, 1/3 of the landowner faction members were arrested for involvement in the rebellion, so the Emperor’s faction had so many seats that even I was slightly worried.
‘Even so, I can’t not do the reforms I need to do.’
I picked up a document from my desk.
It was a list of demands sent from New Granada. When I first received this document, the Foreign Minister and the officials were shocked.
“It would certainly be a great achievement to gain that vast territory through annexation, but you should refuse these demands. They are too greedy. New Granada has already been forced to pursue annexation through a vote, so the initiative is in our hands.”
The Foreign Minister had advised me with a slightly angry expression.
I felt a little sorry for him.
The contents here were the things I had instructed Agent Cervantes, who was acting as the second-in-command of the New Granada revolutionary army, to include as requests. But the Foreign Ministry didn’t know that. The Intelligence Agency’s operations were classified, even from the ministerial level.
There was only one thing I could say.
“Let’s proceed in stages. It’s something I was going to do eventually anyway.”
“···Yes, I understand, Your Majesty.”
The secularization law was just the beginning, and reforms must continue.
With the memories of my time as a modern person still fresh in my mind, there are still so many things that need to be overhauled. But many people in the empire believe that I pushed through too many reforms with just the secularization law. In fact, the backlash was so great that it even led to a rebellion.
The demands from New Granada will provide justification for pursuing annexation. Of course, if I wanted to, I could push through any reform, but wouldn’t it be better to have justification than to push through unilaterally?
Those were the demands that came from that thought.
“I, Agustín II, will implement these demands in stages, on my honor.”
The New Granada revolutionaries, believing my words, officially requested annexation.
Naturally, I immediately accepted their request.
Finally,
New Granada’s territory of 1.33 million square kilometers and its population of over 2 million were embraced by our Mexican Empire.
***
“Take care.”
“Hmm. Good luck to you too.”
The expeditionary force shook hands with those remaining on the ship and prepared to disembark.
The Mexican Empire’s Pacific Fleet left New Zealand and headed straight for Australia.
The sight of the ships sailing through the rough waves of the Pacific was majestic. The sailors were busy adjusting the sails and cleaning the deck. The Australian continent was visible in the distance, and the hearts of the expedition members were filled with excitement and tension.
Unlike New Zealand, where only a dozen or so people had landed, a number of expeditions had landed in various parts of the Australian continent.
It was a very dangerous mission.
They had no base, no one to support them, and they could only carry as much food as they could fit in their bags. They had to make contact with the indigenous people in such an environment. If they were unlucky, they could end their lives in the Australian outback.
“Only the last team remains.”
“Yes, Captain. The team that will go furthest south.”
The most dangerous place among them was the southern coast, where many British people had settled. They might encounter British people, and the indigenous people would also have strong hostility towards the whites.
“Good luck.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll definitely succeed.”
The last expeditionary team also landed.
It was unknown how many of them would survive and return to their homeland.
The captain watched the expeditionary team successfully land for a moment before ordering them to depart.
“Let’s go. We have a long way to go too.”
The ship soon sailed out into the vast ocean again. They were destined to compete with Britain for control of the Pacific, but they had no intention of backing down.
The Pacific Fleet was sailing around the Pacific, removing the British flags and replacing them with the Mexican Empire’s flag. They were carrying out the Emperor’s order to remove Britain from the Pacific.
Inhabited islands were no exception.
“The Pacific. It must be ours, the Mexican Empire’s.”
***
Pitcairn Islands, in the middle of the South Pacific.
A warship of the Mexican Empire’s Pacific Fleet arrived at this island, inhabited by the descendants of British mutineers and Tahitian women.
“A, a warship!”
“Call Mr. Nobbs! Quickly!”
The islanders, who were living a peaceful life, more or less, by being self-sufficient, were startled and went to find George Hunn Nobbs. He was a clergyman and the spiritual and secular leader of the island.
“That flag… I don’t know. Judging by the size and armament of the ship, it seems to be European.”
George Nobbs, who had lived on Pitcairn Islands since the 1820s, couldn’t recognize the Mexican Empire’s flag. The others were the same. Most of them were born here, on Pitcairn Islands.
As they trembled at the sight of the huge warship, a troop from an unknown country landed on the island. Seeing this, Nobbs broke out in a cold sweat.
‘Their weapons and formations are both perfect. They must be elite troops from a European country.’
If they wanted to, they could easily overrun this Pitcairn Islands, where only 150 people lived.
‘Whoever they are, they can’t ignore the British Empire.’
Nobbs thought this in his head, but a feeling of unease crept into the corner of his mind. Although Britain was a powerful nation, he wondered if they could protect this small island in the distant Pacific. He couldn’t even remember when the last time a ship had come to this island.
‘If they use force…’
He overcame his fear, thinking of the fate of the islanders, and shouted.
“Halt! This is British territory, and we are subjects of Her Majesty, the Queen of the British Empire! I don’t know what country’s army you are, but go back!”
It was a distance where they could easily hear.
But they kept walking.
The commander, who had approached right in front of the islanders, who were awkwardly holding their few guns, declared in English.
“No, from now on, this is Mexican Empire Pacific territory.”
English