WI Britain founded a colony east of the Dutch Cape in 1700s?

If the British had a preexisting colony next to the Dutch Cape, would they still annex Dutch Cape?

  • Yes

    Votes: 25 89.3%
  • No

    Votes: 3 10.7%

  • Total voters
    28

raharris1973

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What if the British, seeing the advantages of a colonial position in southern Africa had formed a colony in the 1700s, preferably in the first half, to the east of the Dutch Cape Colony. If they had sent colonists to that area (roughly between the Gamtoos river and the Great Fish river, and including Port Elizabeth and East London) how would it have fared and altered subsequent South African history? This area was as yet unsettled by Cape Boers yet. Would Britain in the 19th century have been happy to keep its eastern Cape Colony and gradually expand it, and returned the Dutch Cape Colony despite short wartime occupations? Or would the British have taken Capetown to totally monopolize southern Africa and shut out competition?
 
I think if they perceived the Dutch as an "enemy" they would probably still at least occupy the Cape of Good Hope, since it put their shipping at risk even if they had their own colony farther east (in fact, especially, since they would likely be skirting closer to the cape to reach that station). Whether they annexed it or not permanently depends really on how the rest of the war goes.
 

raharris1973

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(in fact, especially, since they would likely be skirting closer to the cape to reach that station).

That's a good point about the navigational motive to have the western Cape along with the east.

Still, having said this
Whether they annexed it or not permanently depends really on how the rest of the war goes.

I would offer that one potential long-term consequence of the British operating from the eastern Cape while the Dutch retrieve the western Cape would be that the Boers don't go on great treks north and east, founding Boer communities in Natal, Orange Free State and Transvaal. Rather, the British in the eastern Cape would be best positioned to be the first white colonizers of OTL's Natal, OFS and Transvaal. In diamond and gold rushes later on sure Cape Boers would move in, but they would be the uitlanders.
 
The Boertrek only initially occurred due to the British annexation of the colony, though, so it's butterflied away if the British don't take over at all. I think once valuable minerals are discovered, there will be something of a scramble in the region, but again it depends on the circumstances. You'd see the Dutch moving north, British northwest, and the Portuguese south, but who could say what other colonisers are in the region at the time? That's the thing about colonial Africa ATL's; they depend entirely on who the great powers are and what each great power wants. Germany might not exist with a POD that has the British colonising the eastern cape, because it might change the nature of the early 19th Century wars completely, which in turn could butterfly away German nationalism and Prussian dominance, so you might not see any German colonies (conversely, if less entitled heads prevail in Germany, they might not establish colonies to begin with).
 
With a slight change you could also of had a reversed situation with an English Cape colony and the Dutch settling what became the Eastern Cape. Couple of Honourable East India Company captains landed and claimed the area thirty-odd years before the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie did in our timeline, but their superiors didn't recognise the benefits of holding the area so nothing came of it and any claims were relinquished. A British Eastern Cape is certainly a very interesting idea to ponder.
 

raharris1973

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With a slight change you could also of had a reversed situation with an English Cape colony and the Dutch settling what became the Eastern Cape. Couple of Honourable East India Company captains landed and claimed the area thirty-odd years before the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie did in our timeline, but their superiors didn't recognise the benefits of holding the area so nothing came of it and any claims were relinquished. A British Eastern Cape is certainly a very interesting idea to ponder.

Interesting idea- well along I'd been fascinated with the idea of a more politically diverse South African history with multiple European powers. Sort of like how Guyana was divided into British, French and Dutch "stripes"
 
Interesting idea- well along I'd been fascinated with the idea of a more politically diverse South African history with multiple European powers. Sort of like how Guyana was divided into British, French and Dutch "stripes"

Indeed - if the French grab Natal, then you have the same stripes as in Guyana. :p
 
I have often wondered what would have happened if the American Loyalist had left American and settled in South Africa after the American revolution. Besides a decent influx of English settlers, it would brought a number of members of the British Ethiopian regiment and other Black Loyalists. So you would have a British South African colony with a larger white population and a population of freed blacks with military skills and loyalty to Britain.

The chances of this happening would increase with a British South African colony.
 
I have often wondered what would have happened if the American Loyalist had left American and settled in South Africa after the American revolution. Besides a decent influx of English settlers, it would brought a number of members of the British Ethiopian regiment and other Black Loyalists. So you would have a British South African colony with a larger white population and a population of freed blacks with military skills and loyalty to Britain.

The chances of this happening would increase with a British South African colony.

And would in no way resemble the society in a certain book series, which shall remain nameless.
 
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