Chapter 228: The Fishermen's Conflict
If the previous two cabinets focused primarily on domestic development, then starting with the third cabinet, Australasia aimed to expand its international influence, turning its gaze outward and seeking more power and influence abroad.
In July 1907, with the collaboration of many artists and composers from Australasia, the national anthem of the Kingdom of Australasia, "Australasia, Forward!", was officially created.
Although it shared a similar name with Australia's national anthem in history, the content was entirely different.
Historically, Australia's national anthem represented a peaceful and beautiful world away from war. On the other hand, Australasia's anthem celebrated the royal family and Arthur's achievements, while encouraging the people of Australasia to unite and together push the nation to the pinnacle of the world.
The anthem was composed in two versions: one purely instrumental, meant to be played at formal national occasions, and the other with lyrics, which would be used during national holidays and celebrations. Both versions featured a special surprise: at the end of the music, Arthur's own voice could be heard shouting, "Australasia, Forward!"
This anthem fit perfectly with Arthur's goals, gathering all the people of Australasia together, fostering national consciousness and unity.
When this anthem played at solemn occasions, it would stir the hearts of many patriots and nationalists.
Especially when the anthem ended and Arthur's rallying cry was played, it was sure to evoke spontaneous cheers from many Australasians.
In July 1907, in the northern waters of Australasia, the Timor Sea.
The Timor Sea connects three countries and is a crucial transportation hub in the north of Australasia.
This area is not only rich in oil and natural gas but also one of the key natural fishing grounds in the northern region of Australasia.
As a result, this area is frequently filled with fishermen from the three countries. Normally, the fishermen from different regions and countries do not interfere with one another: Dutch East Indies fishermen are located in the northwest, Portuguese Timor fishermen are in the northeast, and Australasia's fishermen are in the south.
However, as the Southern Hemisphere enters winter (from June to August), the natural fishing grounds shift northward. Typically, this shift occurs by a certain distance.
Of course, the specific direction of the shift depends on the movement of the fish, which are not limited by human boundaries, and this causes fishermen from all surrounding nations to be affected every year.
Historically, Australasia's fishermen usually bore the brunt of this, as the fishing grounds would shift northward, bringing them closer to Dutch East Indies and Portuguese Timor waters.
But since the last pirate incident, the national pride of the people of Australasia had been stirred, and their recognition of the royal family and the nation had grown stronger.
Previously, Australasia's fishermen had been modest, and even if their catches decreased, they would not venture too close to the waters of other nations.
Now, as winter set in, the fishermen from Australasia began to spread further north, crossing the Kaje Island and Ashmore Reef in the northwest, reaching areas previously controlled by the Dutch and Portuguese.
Such aggressive actions naturally provoked some discontent among the Dutch and Portuguese fishermen.
They were all fishermen living in the same waters, and while they normally kept to themselves, now that their fishing areas were being encroached upon, it seemed like a threat to their livelihood.
For fishermen, their daily catches sustain their livelihoods, and are the most fundamental means of survival.
Some might be able to endure, but among them, there were also those with fiery tempers, and they were on the verge of taking up arms.
At first, the situation could be contained, but this simple conflict had slowly evolved into clashes between fishermen from the three nations in the region.
It was still manageable for larger fishing vessels, which could ensure their safety.
But the smaller fishing boats, which not only had their catches disrupted by other nations' boats, but also experienced malicious attacks, had it much worse.
Regardless of the reactions from the Dutch East Indies and Portuguese Timor, a series of clashes between the fishermen caught the attention of the government of Australasia.
The government convened an emergency meeting to discuss how to address these conflicts.
Soon, Arthur issued his orders, instructing the government to call on the fishermen to remain restrained, but secretly supporting more immigrants to head further north into the Timor Sea.
While the public might not understand the deeper intent behind this, the government's wise officials had already seen through the plan.
Although the government officially urged restraint, they were secretly sending more immigrants to occupy the northern fishing zones, with the intention of provoking anger among the Dutch and Portuguese.
If the Dutch and Portuguese were to initiate the conflict, Australasia would have more options to act.
On July 27, 1907, the first major conflict between the fishermen officially erupted.
The cause of the incident was that Portuguese Timor fishermen, unhappy with the abundant catches of Australasia's fishermen, became jealous and provoked the Australasian fishing boats.
After enduring the provocation, the Australasian fishermen decided to respond with action.
The conflict escalated, and the Portuguese fishermen, enraged and humiliated, chose to ram the Australasian fishing boats, and after getting close, attacked the Australasian fishermen with homemade guns.
The injured Australasian fishermen sustained serious wounds. Although their lives were not in danger, the treatment would be expensive, and they could potentially be left with permanent disabilities.
After the attack, the Portuguese fishermen looted the catch of the Australasian fishermen and left behind insulting remarks before swaggering away.
The severely injured fishermen were discovered by an Australasian patrol fleet, who managed to save their lives.
Of course, the official explanation of the event came from the government of Australasia, and it was published in the Victoria News and Australasia Daily.
But how true the specifics of the event were might only be known by those who experienced the conflict firsthand.
Nonetheless, the apparent one-sidedness of the conflict, with only Australasian fishermen as victims, caused public outrage in Australasia.
In addition, Arthur initiated widespread public opinion campaigns, and the Royal Affairs Minister David also worked in Europe to sway public sentiment. This led most Europeans to side with Australasia in the conflict.
Although the Portuguese government issued an explanation and the Portuguese media published official statements about the conflict, they were not enough to counter the photos released by Australasia.
Once the government of Australasia presented photos from the scene of the event, all the Portuguese explanations were seen as excuses.
In fact, the outcome of the conflict matched Australasia's statement closely, but the process was quite different.
The so-called fishermen involved in the conflict were actually intelligence officers from the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau.
After provoking the Portuguese fishermen several times, the Portuguese finally lost their temper.
But Arthur got the result he wanted. With the release of the photos and the fact that Australasia was seen as the victim, the public was generally more inclined to believe Australasia's account.
After all, the common people are easily influenced. Public opinion became the best weapon to attack individuals and powers. Once public support was gained, the truth could be twisted to suit the narrative.
On July 29, 1907, after successfully rescuing the injured "fishermen" and hearing the "real" account of the conflict, Arthur was "greatly angered" and publicly stated that the Portuguese must give the injured fishermen and all the citizens an explanation.
On July 30, 1907, the government of Australasia officially sent a notice to Portuguese Timor and the Kingdom of Portugal, demanding that the perpetrators who attacked the Australasian fishermen be handed over and that compensation be provided to all Australasian fishermen affected by the conflict.
At the same time, the three countries surrounding the Timor Sea should jointly define their respective spheres of influence to avoid further conflict.
In fact, Australasia's demands were not particularly high, at least from the perspective of Europeans who saw things from a "neutral" angle.
Since the Portuguese were at fault, compensation was expected.
It was also normal for the three countries to define their spheres of influence to prevent more conflicts.
However, the issue became complicated because Portugal had previously launched an extensive domestic campaign, declaring that the fishermen were innocent and that the government should support Portuguese Timor's fishermen.
Only days had passed since the incident, and for Portugal to immediately hand over the fishermen would be a direct slap in the face of the Portuguese government.
Of course, from a national standpoint, losing face was not that significant.
What made the situation difficult was that Portugal's domestic situation was unstable, with signs of revolution already emerging.
The previous public campaign had led most Portuguese citizens to support their fishermen, and if the government were to give in and hand over the fishermen, how would the Portuguese people react?
Would they believe the fishermen were truly at fault, or would they see the government as incapable and unjust?
Given the unstable situation in Portugal, everything depended on the policies of King Carlos I.
Carlos I was a relatively authoritarian monarch, but Portugal had established a dual monarchy system after a civil war decades earlier.
Carlos I's harsh policies and the repression of revolutionary activities had angered many Portuguese republicans and democrats.
How much anger? In the true history, Carlos I was assassinated by republican radicals a year later, and his son Manuel II, who had only been king for two years, was overthrown in a revolution.
This meant the reign of the Braganza dynasty lasted only three years, and the internal turmoil in the monarchy was unimaginable.
Because of the political instability at home, Carlos I was hesitant.
Retreating to satisfy Australasia might quickly resolve the conflict, though it would damage the national reputation. But the actual cost would not be too high.
The problem was that enraged Portuguese citizens might join the revolutionaries, and their discontent might lead them to overthrow the government.
This was unacceptable to Carlos I. To maintain the monarchy in Portugal and protect his position, Carlos I decided to discard the option of retreat.
Instead, the government would take a firm stance to protect the interests of its citizens, and by doing so, would win public support, strengthening the monarchy's position in Portugal. This was a plan that Carlos I had long decided upon.
To support this decision, Carlos I consulted many trusted advisors and ultimately decided to express Portugal's firm attitude toward Australasia: to protect the interests of its citizens and never back down!
In fact, Carlos I also discreetly inquired about Britain's stance.
After receiving a hint that Britain would likely cooperate with France to mediate in certain circumstances, Carlos I strengthened his firm stance against Australasia.
To Carlos I, Australasia was merely a newly independent country, still heavily reliant on European resources and support.
Even if Portugal couldn't compete with Australasia in Southeast Asia, once Britain and France intervened, Australasia would surely back down.
If Portugal could withstand the first wave of public opinion, they could earn a reputation for protecting their citizens, which would provide more options in future diplomatic efforts.
(End of Chapter)
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