Anglo-Dutch Empire

[Flocculencio]

The First China War: 1871-75

For many years, the Qing government had strongly protested the continued importation of Opium into China by the EIC. Although many Anglo-Dutch notables shook their heads and agreed that something had to be done, everyone was making far too much money out of the Opium trade for any practical steps to be taken.

In the early 1860's the Qing government found that it had far more pressing matters on it's hands- an uprising by a group of cultists called the Tai'ping. Led by a scholar who had been converted to Christianity (and who had put his own spin on it) in the EIC's mandate port of Shanghai, the Tai'ping swept across Southern China completely destabilising it and inflicting numerous defeats on the Qing government.

The Tai'ping, however, were even more firmly opposed to opium trading and laid seige to Shanghai in March 1871. The EIC's Governor of Shanghai, Sir William Shenton despatched a sloop to Tokyo in order to request aid from Lord Hyuuga. Hyuuga had proved a sterling viceroy and in the decade since the Anglo-Dutch annexation of Japan had turned it into one of the more progressive domains of the Empire. He ordered a fleet to send supplies to Shanghai with the assurance of forces to follow as soon as a sufficient number could be mobilised.

 

[Aussey]

A new map would be nice....

 

[Othniel]

Interesting but they'd probably just use the standard Anglo-Dutch Union Flag as a base like most of the other colonies are doing. The only reason for the exceptions in India and the East Indies is that the governance of those regions grew directly out of the governance of the EIC and VOC respectively.

Speaking of flags, here's that of Anglo-Dutch Japan

Much like the goverment that would have been in the Netherland Antillies, the WIC. After all most of it would be based navally and probably have a little bit of difference to the African and Asian companies.

 

[Othniel]

Unlikely IMHO- OTL Brits did pretty well ruling India. And here there aren't even any proper native polities to worry about placating.

There might be some bandits and rebels fighting in the jungles but all in all, you're probably going to have Anglo-Dutch officials ruling over a vast native/black population which interbreeds over time.

They did rotten in OTL British Guinea though. The Dutch in Suriname, not much worse.

 

[Flocculencio]

Thande's map posted earlier shows the world in 1950. I'm just writing backstory to explain why everything is the way it is.

But I needed to make some corrections anyway so here's the world in 1865

 

[Flocculencio]

They did rotten in OTL British Guinea though. The Dutch in Suriname, not much worse.

Yeah but was there any real major uprising above and beyond your run of the mill native rebellions? Something on the scale of the Indian Mutiny?

 

[Aussey]

I'd like an up-close map of the (provinces?) of Anglo-Dutch N. America? Is it just one country? Or what is it's official name?

 

[Thande]

Flocc, the map is "kewle" as they say in Manchester. Spanish Guinea is still the wrong colour, though.

As for Anglo-Dutch North America's provinces, your guess is as good as mine.

 

[Flocculencio]

RE: Anglo-Dutch N. America

The official name is the Viceroyalty of New England and the New Netherlands. It's administered centrally from Nieuw Amsterdam and is divided into five provinces: New England (everything from the Hudson north to the St. Lawrence), Nieuw Holland (from the Hudson to the Chesapeake), Maryland (OTL N. Carolina, Virginia & Maryland) and Nieuw Brabant (roughly OTL Florida, Georgia & S. Carolina). The fifth province, somewhat of a red-headed stepchild is Quebec, recently ceded by France. The government is doing it's best to attract good Protestant settlers from the Iroquois Confederacy and Germany to submerge the original French settlers.

Around the Great Lakes, the Iroquois Confederacy runs it's own internal affairs but is a firmly loyal member of the Empire.

I might make a map a bit later but not at the moment- it's not really one of the parts of the Empire that interests me. It's pretty bland and peaceful, in most of it's provinces pretty similar in terms of infrastructure and culture to the home countries.

 

[Flocculencio]

Flocc, the map is "kewle" as they say in Manchester. Spanish Guinea is still the wrong colour, though.

Thanks- I keep missing that one out for some reason! Too lazy to edit now...

 

[Othniel]

Yeah but was there any real major uprising above and beyond your run of the mill native rebellions? Something on the scale of the Indian Mutiny?

No Boer wars if that is what your asking. Think something more Irish though less nasty and farther way. Constant rather than a single deal. Went all the way to past the time of Independance with the attempted secession of the Natives in the west under Hart.

 

[Glen]

I like this Anglo-Dutch Empire thing. Just thought I'd mention that.

Carry on, please.

 

[Flocculencio]

I like this Anglo-Dutch Empire thing. Just thought I'd mention that.

Carry on, please.

Thanks Doc

I'll probably work more on the TL tomorrow.

 

[Glen]

Thanks Doc

I'll probably work more on the TL tomorrow.

Hmmm, knew I'm an MD, eh? Someone's been paying attention...

 

[Aussey]

Why are all French possesions "Grand Duchies" and not colonies or provinces? And also, why is Nueva Espana so north-reaching?

 

[Flocculencio]

Why are all French possesions "Grand Duchies" and not colonies or provinces?

'cos it said so on the original map Thande provided and I'm too lazy to change it

In world explanation: France is still under a monarchy. They decided to treat their colonies as members of France-outre-mer and despatched minor members of the royal family to be local Dukes.

And also, why is Nueva Espana so north-reaching?

Spain didn't decay quite as badly in TTL and kept on expanding up the Pacific coast until they met the Russians.

Ignore the extent of Darien BTW- it's just one of those things I haven't got around to fixing. In reality, the Darien colony stops around the OTL Mexican border south of the Yucatan.

 

[Aussey]

Attempt et Un at the Viceroyalty of New England and the New Netherlands:

 

[Flocculencio]

Pretty close but I've adjusted it a bit. Newfoundland and Labrador are Swedish (never mind why ). Also, the Nieuw Brabant border stops well short of the Misissippi.

Nieuw Amsterdam is a seperate territory purely for administrative purposes. Anglo-Dutch America has it's own Parliament to handle internal affairs and so the capital is deemed to be "Crown Territory" to provide a neutral ground. It is expected that at some point in the next few decades, the Viceroyalty will be upgraded to full partnership in the Union along with England and the Netherlands.

The Iroquois, being semi-autonomous do not send MPs to Nieuw Amsterdam but have seats as observers. Neither does Quebec, since it has not been deemed ready for full participation in the politics of the Viceroyalty and, as such, is ruled directly from Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

[Nicole]

Yay, mega-New England always makes me happy (while uber-US threads always end up leading me to post long detailed responses why they are implausible... )

And what's wrong with giving Newfoundland to Sweden? It distracts them from taking Denmark, which seems to happen alot. Hm, if you want to mix up India a bit more, you could give Denmark a larger piece...

 

[Flocculencio]

And what's wrong with giving Newfoundland to Sweden? It distracts them from taking Denmark, which seems to happen alot. Hm, if you want to mix up India a bit more, you could give Denmark a larger piece...

Oh, nothing wrong with it- just haven't been able to work out a plausible way it could happen in relation to everything else I've written so far. So I'm presenting it as a fait accompli and ignoring it henceforth

Re: India, Denmark doesn't have any of it at the moment and since I've already detailed India's history in this period, I don't think I'll give 'em any.

They've got bits of West Africa to play with though