Could Austria, Prussia or any of the German political or economic groupings they led have sponsored a successful colonial venture or ventures in the roughly 40 years after the Napoleonic Wars ended.
On the one hand, the German states were undeveloped navally, so they would have to invest in some capabilities. They were also more continentally focused. Britain was dominant in overseas trade. And colonial enterprise was mostly out of fashion in this part of the 19th century (especially compared with the post-1880 era).
On the other hand: There were small-scale colonial ventures by powers other than Britain, by France for instance at points along the African coast, and a fairly major non-British colonial effort (Algeria). Britain probably would have found a Germanic-based colonial effort more "adorable" than "threatening" given its own overseas lead. Also, internally, prior to 1854, and especially prior to 1848, the German states were at peace with each other, France and Russia were at peace with them, Prussia was generally accepting of Austrian leadership in central Europe, and the Austrians were keeping minority demands in check and not facing the existential crises that it faced from 1866 on. For Prussia's part, they didn't have Bismarck in charge. And France was not under a threatening Bonaparte until the end of the period in question.
Thoughts about what could be accomplished?
On the one hand, the German states were undeveloped navally, so they would have to invest in some capabilities. They were also more continentally focused. Britain was dominant in overseas trade. And colonial enterprise was mostly out of fashion in this part of the 19th century (especially compared with the post-1880 era).
On the other hand: There were small-scale colonial ventures by powers other than Britain, by France for instance at points along the African coast, and a fairly major non-British colonial effort (Algeria). Britain probably would have found a Germanic-based colonial effort more "adorable" than "threatening" given its own overseas lead. Also, internally, prior to 1854, and especially prior to 1848, the German states were at peace with each other, France and Russia were at peace with them, Prussia was generally accepting of Austrian leadership in central Europe, and the Austrians were keeping minority demands in check and not facing the existential crises that it faced from 1866 on. For Prussia's part, they didn't have Bismarck in charge. And France was not under a threatening Bonaparte until the end of the period in question.
Thoughts about what could be accomplished?