This is a rather marginal issue, with no major PODs assumed.
Is there any chance the Transvaal might have gained an access to the sea? I suppose Delagoa(Maputo) Bay is their one and only possibility, but would the rather chaotic Boer Republic have had enough strength to expand against Portuguese and most likely British ambitions? Was there a moment when they were close to achieving this at all? It is clear they wanted a sea access, but I can't find more detailed info. Have they ever done sth concrete to push for a sea outlet? Old Maputo(Lourenco Marquez) was rather underdeveloped, wasn't even the capital, it was in large part due to the growing influence of the Transvaal that the Portuguese started developing it.
How do you think a takeover could realistically take place? Could the sea outlet be bought? I just don't see anyone risking war over this, and I don't suppose Portugal would just give away already occupied land. So how well occupied the land really was? Were the borders clearly drawn before, say, the 1880s?
Thanks in advance for your opinions.
Is there any chance the Transvaal might have gained an access to the sea? I suppose Delagoa(Maputo) Bay is their one and only possibility, but would the rather chaotic Boer Republic have had enough strength to expand against Portuguese and most likely British ambitions? Was there a moment when they were close to achieving this at all? It is clear they wanted a sea access, but I can't find more detailed info. Have they ever done sth concrete to push for a sea outlet? Old Maputo(Lourenco Marquez) was rather underdeveloped, wasn't even the capital, it was in large part due to the growing influence of the Transvaal that the Portuguese started developing it.
How do you think a takeover could realistically take place? Could the sea outlet be bought? I just don't see anyone risking war over this, and I don't suppose Portugal would just give away already occupied land. So how well occupied the land really was? Were the borders clearly drawn before, say, the 1880s?
Thanks in advance for your opinions.