The challenge is to have British possessions in the Asia-Pacific at least administered from Canberra, preferably transferred to Australia, before OTL WWII (such a war doesn't necessarily have to happen, and certainly not the WWII of OTL). I know this is post-1900, but if you need a 19th century POD, go ahead. What do you think the consequences of such a develoment would be?
AHC & WI: British Asia-Pacific possessions are transferred to Australia pre-WWII
- Thread starter Rush Tarquin
- Start date
Tricky. Malaya was one of the few colonies to actually turn a profit and quite a respectable one. Hong Kong which AFAIK was self sufficient except in defence matters, likewise North Borneo under the Company, the Sultanate of Brunei and the Kingdom of Sarawak as they were protectorates. You've got to come up with a reason of why the UK would want to divest themselves of their responsibilities and then why Australia would take them up.
I think you would need a precedent for large, regional dominions. Have Australia include New Zealand. A large South-African dominion stretching from North Rhodesia to the Cape. Expand this system to the entirety of the British Empire and then you get an Australia with Everything south of Malaysia and all of the Pacific Islands. Doubt the Brits would transfer Hong Kong or Singapore though.
Flocculencio
Donor
As others have said, Malaya, Singapore and Hong Kong were among the few parts of the Empire outside India that were actually profitable. Theres no reason for Britain to want to give them up
Well the most extreme solution would be a revolutionary Britain which breaks off relations with its former empire and where India wrenches free of loyalists. Unless the British loyalists wanted to administer their Pacific possessions from Canada.
It is hard to see how this would work without some pretty massive PODs in the 19th century.
The Empire very much was run for the benefit of the centre and a lot of the Asian colonies were of financial benefit to either the Empire or key constituents. Further, Australia did not have the capacity or will to do assume control or administration of these colonies. The colonies, then the federal organisation were initially quite small, low cost operations, rather than the large, well funded operations of today.
I would also think that by the time of the late 19th-early 20th centuries many (London Missionary Society?) in London would not be too keen to let the proto Dominions take control over say Fiji.
Surely though it would be possible to transfer more islands to *Australia though -
The Empire very much was run for the benefit of the centre and a lot of the Asian colonies were of financial benefit to either the Empire or key constituents. Further, Australia did not have the capacity or will to do assume control or administration of these colonies. The colonies, then the federal organisation were initially quite small, low cost operations, rather than the large, well funded operations of today.
I would also think that by the time of the late 19th-early 20th centuries many (London Missionary Society?) in London would not be too keen to let the proto Dominions take control over say Fiji.
Surely though it would be possible to transfer more islands to *Australia though -
Well, as per the OP, if anyone has ideas for 19th century PODs, have at it.
Devvy
Donor
I imagined we'd be talking about PNG, Vanuatu, Fiji, Nauru, Kiribati, Tonga etc that in the Pacific rather then the British possessions around the South China Sea.
Surely that would be easier and those are all small islands, Britain would probably be happy to get rid of looking after them itself while maintaining influence in the area?
Surely that would be easier and those are all small islands, Britain would probably be happy to get rid of looking after them itself while maintaining influence in the area?
BlondieBC
Banned
If I was writing a TL for either of these items, I would go with the Japanese not being asked to join WW1. I am a bit less clear if Japan really stays out if the UK ask it too, but the UK should have/did know issue would arise by allowing Japan into the war. Russia also has desires to limit Japan influence. These Islands are lightly defended, so the ANZAC is strong enough to win. The two BC are stronger than Graf Spee squadron, so they likely can control the sea. We end up with an ATL, where the Pacific Island are captured by the Aussie in 1914, early 1915. With the siege of Tsingtao done by ANZAC forces afterwards. You have some interesting effects in Europe, but the Entente still should win unless butterflies break very badly. If the Aussie took the land, they then have the South African attitude towards Nambia. It also means the English don't have to give up existing colonies to the Aussies. It is a win/win.
Consider too the oft forgotten fact that colonies weren't quite administered from Britain. There was the colonial office which played a large part in governing many of them but a lot of them also had local governments. Post-WW1 India was almost a dominion in all but name, huge amount of local democracy.
With modern communications allowing messages to be quickly passed between Britain and the other side of the world there was just no need to have government of anything significant be closer.
With modern communications allowing messages to be quickly passed between Britain and the other side of the world there was just no need to have government of anything significant be closer.
Any particular reason why they would be opposed? I'm not disagreeing with you, but just don't really know anything about the London Missonary Society.
I'm not absolutely certain the LMS in particular was opposed, although it seems likely, hence the suggestion.
The LMS and other missionary services often were rather protective of their "charges", for the time and place, compared to other competing British interests (military, economic, settlers etc). The Missionaries often had a strong distrust of the Settlers or their governments and rightly so.
I just had a quick look on Google and it seems LMS missionaries were both concerned and in one example, actually involved in Blackbirding!
http://www.janesoceania.com/oceania_blackbirding/index.htm
Youd need a reliable rail line to Darwin, then. Maybe even two, as otls modern line from the south is rather round about.