In order to fight back against the Netherlands, the United Kingdom passed the "Relationship with Portugal Act" to disgust the Netherlands. Although William IV didn't want to be brave to the United Kingdom, sometimes the national mood can be easily calmed down if you don't mobilize it. Regardless, it will eventually devour its own domination.

Under the current circumstances, the Dutch government knew that fighting back against the United Kingdom again would hurt the already conflicted relationship between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, but at this time it couldn’t care less, and William IV also had his own set of plans.

Therefore, when Prime Minister Tolbeck and others asked William IV whether to fight back, William IV finally agreed.

On July 27, 1866, the 31-year-old Dutch government ambassador to the Kingdom of Prussia, Nicholas Pearson, handed over to the 30-year-old new ambassador to Prussia, Wezemann, and Nicholas Pearce was transferred back to Amsterdam to become the new third deputy foreign minister.

The position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is second only to Foreign Minister Heisbert Von, Deputy Foreign Minister Venus, and Second Deputy Foreign Minister Jerry Hunter.

And with Nicholas. Pierce became the third deputy minister.

Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Heisbert Fung, was officially reformed.

Venus was in charge of African affairs while assisting Heisbert Von in the overall administration; Jerry Hunter was in charge of Americas and Far East affairs; Nicholas Pearson was in charge of European affairs and Near East affairs.

With the implementation of the three deputy ministers and clear responsibilities, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a clearer style and higher efficiency.

On July 29, 1866, Nicholas Pierce visited Berlin again in the name of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, he was also the special envoy of William IV.

During the visit to Berlin, he was interviewed by Prussian newspapers and received by Bismarck and William I.

After that, he held talks with Merck, the Prussian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Few people know what the two talked about. After Pierce returned to Amsterdam soon after, he visited Constantinople non-stop on August 3. .

At this meeting, the subject of the talks between the two countries was disclosed.

It turned out that the Netherlands even followed the example of the Kingdom of Prussia, eyeing the barren southern territory of the Ottoman Empire in the Persian Gulf in the Near East. The Kingdom of Prussia was interested in the Qatar Peninsula, and the United Kingdom also had an idea.

Now, during the visit, the Dutch diplomatic upstart also expressed the intention of the Netherlands to establish a foothold here.

The rulers of Constantinople hesitated.

They don't understand why these European countries want to get territory in the Persian Gulf. After all, it can be said to be the most fringe area of ​​the Ottoman Empire, and it can also be said to be the most priceless area. of no economic value.

Could it be that these countries really bought it for the sake of anger?

His Majesty Sultan Abdul Aziz I also had an idea and wanted to reject the Dutch purchase idea. After all, if European countries took root there, it would be a very dangerous behavior for the national security of the Ottoman Empire.

But when Holland showed his cards, he hesitated.

Because the Netherlands is willing to spend 25 million guilders (£1 million to buy) to buy the UAE area next to the Qatar peninsula that Prussia wants to buy.

It is another barren land that has been favored by European powers.

1 million pounds is not a small amount. You must know that the amount required to manufacture a Sail VI battleship is between 10,000 and 20,000 pounds.

A first-class sailing battleship, this is the most serviced battleship in the British Navy at present, that is, more than 20 ships, and the price required for each one is just over 100,000 pounds.

In other words, if the Ottoman Empire agreed to the Dutch deal, then it would have the funds to buy less than 10 first-class battleships, which was a windfall.

Coupled with the previous purchase of the Qatar Peninsula by the Kingdom of Prussia of 2 million pounds, 3 million pounds, it can be said that it can definitely transform the inferior weapons of the Ottoman Empire today.

Moreover, Constantinople is now facing the threat of the Russian Empire, and he also wants to make more friends and less enemies. It seems to be in harmony with the British, but in fact, interests come first.

So Constantinople does hesitate now.

However, the Netherlands will naturally not wait for Constantinople's careful consideration. Even if they want to trade, they need Constantinople to make a quick decision. And it was towards the idea that Holland had set for him.

Therefore, before Britain could respond, the Netherlands announced a joint purchase of these two places with Prussia, saying that if Constantinople rejected the joint advance and retreat deal between the two countries, the two countries would be located in the northern part of the Persian Gulf, that is, Persia. Find territory on the empire.

This is a threat!

The Netherlands and Prussia are obviously a kind of thing that you don't sell. Very good, I just want to buy from your old enemy, the Persian Empire. With this money, I believe that the Persian Empire will grow greatly. In the Iraqi region at the top of the Gulf, war may resume.

This made the upper levels of Constantinople feel the seriousness of the situation. After all, the Persian Gulf has always been controlled by the Ottoman Empire and the Persian Empire. Now, according to the practices of the Netherlands and Prussia, this is a strong entry.

Because the Ottoman Empire is close to Europe, its own economy and weapons are almost synchronized with Europe, but the Persian Empire is more self-contained. If the Persian Empire, which has always been self-isolated, receives the economic support of these two countries, but also obtains military assistance to keep up with the pace of the Ottoman Empire, then the current situation of being suppressed by the Ottoman Empire will be broken.

So despite the opposition of Britain, Constantinople finally accepted the joint operation of the Netherlands and Prussia~lightnovelpub.net~ On August 10, 2018, Dutch Prime Minister Tolbeck and Prussian Prime Minister Bismarck confronted Constantine. A visit to Constantinople, where they signed a territorial purchase agreement with Sultan Abdul Aziz I.

It was a public signing ceremony, so the next day, the image was in the spotlight in newspapers around the world.

Tolbek and Bismarck had smiles on their faces.

And Sultan Abdul Aziz I, although smiling, was a little bitter.

However, more people have noticed from this signing ceremony that the pattern of Europe, because of this signing ceremony, seems to have started to spill over.

It seems that the competition of European powers will start from this moment, and it is no longer limited to the European continent, and then think of the positions of various countries on the issue of ownership of Uruguay in South America some time ago.

They speculate that this transaction will change a lot of things.

On August 15, 1866, Constantinople again welcomed guests, not one, but several.