Meant to put out a map of Africa today, but stuff got in the way. Tomorrow I will finish the map and post it.
The English really wanted the Cape as supply place for the route to India. They would have taken it anyway for strategic reasons and the dutch weren't strong enough to do anything about it. When the english took the cape in1806 they considered it a territory conquered from the enemy and not land they had liberated.It is, South Africa was too valuable to trade for a hot desert, esp. for habitation. Added to the fact that it has been a Dutch colony for around two centuries with an actual Dutch population as well as infrastructure? Well...
This is not right. You're right about the fact that before 1800 mixed relations we're more common in dutch colonies (and european colonies in general). But these were not mariages and the children were born out of wedlock. Why was this so common? Because european people in the colonies died a lot from tropic diseases and administrators didn't take their families with them. In british India it went exactly the same. When during the 19th century administrators began bringing over their wives from England, they immediately started to live apart from the native population, to 'protect' their wives from the lustfull natives. Same argument was used by the boers, who were the most staunch defenders of apartheid in the 19th and 20th century.Afrikaans is going to be major in South Africa ITTL.
Also, Dutch were much more proactive in Interracial unions, giving birth to Mixed Race kids who were given the same rights Whites had, even their governor was Mixed race. So Dutch South Africa is/was extremely colorful. It's under British administration that all the Racial crap crept into the colony, introduced by British colonists.
So, Cape Coloureds should steadily rise to outnumber both Whites and Blacks. Rather than the Heavily outnumbered White Population by Blacks OTL.
This was one of the things I had meant to talk about in earlier updates but didn't. Basically the way it goes is this.The English really wanted the Cape as supply place for the route to India. They would have taken it anyway for strategic
reasons and the dutch weren't strong enough to do anything about it. When the english took the cape in1806 they considered it a territory conquered from the enemy and not land they had liberated.
The English really wanted the Cape as supply place for the route to India. They would have taken it anyway for strategic reasons and the dutch weren't strong enough to do anything about it. When the english took the cape in1806 they considered it a territory conquered from the enemy and not land they had liberated.
This is not right. You're right about the fact that before 1800 mixed relations we're more common in dutch colonies (and european colonies in general). But these were not mariages and the children were born out of wedlock. Why was this so common? Because european people in the colonies died a lot from tropic diseases and administrators didn't take their families with them. In british India it went exactly the same. When during the 19th century administrators began bringing over their wives from England, they immediately started to live apart from the native population, to 'protect' their wives from the lustfull natives. Same argument was used by the boers, who were the most staunch defenders of apartheid in the 19th and 20th century.
Consider that the war is not going well at this point. At least from the point of view of the average Briton. The war, which was promised to last no more than a year, had now dragged on for two. Soldiers fought and died by the thousands. And the pictures being brought back to the public were turning many to an anti war train of thought. In addition the battle of Jutland did much to shatter British expectations of victory. And thus the British government was very keen for a victory. And beating the poor Netherlands when they dont expect it may seem like the only way to do that.This was beyond rediculous of the British, I simply can't see it.
Why exactly would the British government simply ask? They've no reason not to.
And Mers-el-Kebir in the second world war.I could see this happen, especially in a navy which did Copenhagen.