Chapter 592: Touring Bagamoyo
Konstantin was still on his way back, so Ernst decided to take this opportunity to visit Bagamoyo.
"Karina, I'm heading to the Bagamoyo Shipyard today. I should be back by tomorrow. Have your mother keep you company today. If you need anything, just ask the staff. And if you feel unwell, call the doctor..." Ernst fussed with concern.
Karina was now pregnant with their second child. Otherwise, Ernst would've loved to take her along to Bagamoyo to relax. But since the trip was by water, he wasn't comfortable taking her.
"All right, don't worry about me. I'm not a child. And the palace has everything I need—not to mention all the servants. By the way, when will we go visit Grandmother? She calls often. Little Friedrich hasn't even met her, and she adores him," Karina asked.
Karina had been raised by Empress Sophie and was very close to her. But since moving to East Africa, she could only keep in touch via phone calls.
"Your father occasionally visits Austria to see her. She's still in good health. Your brother, little Rudolf, and your uncle are doing well too. Don't worry—I'll take you to visit them next year," Ernst promised.
In reality, the Austrian royal family had its share of troubles—mostly involving Franz. Rudolf frequently contacted Ernst, who often played counselor to help manage Rudolf's mental health. No one in that era paid attention to psychological well-being, so Ernst and Karina took it upon themselves.
Franz, despite his emotional struggles, had remarkable resilience. In his previous life, Franz endured so much and still lived a long life.
This time around, Ernst's uncle Ferdinand hadn't been shot by Mexicans, and he frequently returned home to argue with Franz, making his life far more pleasant.
Keeping ties with the Austrian royal family also helped maintain good relations between the two countries. Their bond was strong. The main obstacle was distance—East Africa and Europe were separated by the ocean. When Ernst had been in Europe, he regularly visited the Austrian court.
Thinking of this, Ernst decided he shouldn't play favorites. Many nobles and royals in Europe had close ties with the House of Hechingen. It was a good chance to visit them too and strengthen old friendships.
So he added, "When we go back to Europe, we'll visit other friendly nations as well. If there are any of your old friends you'd like to see, let me know in advance. That way, we're not scrambling at the last minute."
Karina said, "I don't have many friends—most of them are in Vienna. We'll keep it simple. Just a small gathering, and we'll introduce little Friedrich to everyone."
Karina had grown up in the Austrian court, so most of her social circle came from the children of high-ranking Austrian nobles. Ordinary people didn't have access to the empire's inner circles.
"Of course. But with your due date coming up, we'll probably only be able to go in the second half of next year. And I'll have official state visits too—it'll be tiring with so many obligations," Ernst reminded her.
"I'm used to that. Before coming to East Africa, I handled similar things often. East Africa's nobility is fewer and less formal than in Europe. It's very different," Karina replied.
After chatting for a while, Ernst left for the dock north of First Town to board his vessel. The dock wasn't far from the city center. The north bank of the Little Rhine was now part of the Third District, merged with First Town—both sides were bustling.
Ernst traveled by gunboat from the Imperial Guard, so the trip took only two to three hours.
By rail, the journey would've been under an hour. But river transport had distinct advantages for cargo, so economic ties between First Town and Bagamoyo were stronger than one might expect.
By noon, Ernst arrived in Bagamoyo. Though it couldn't compare to Dar es Salaam or Mombasa, its importance in shipbuilding made it a key industrial hub.
Most importantly, Bagamoyo was the navy's main base. Ernst first visited the navy, hoping to see Ferdinand, but was told he was currently at Ferdinand Naval Academy on Pemba Island. So Ernst toured the naval base with other officers.
"Bagamoyo is the gateway to First Town and the mouth of the Little Rhine. We've fortified it thoroughly. Both the navy and the Imperial Guard garrison it heavily. No enemy can strike this region by sea," the officer explained.
"I'm aware. How's the progress on the new warships this year?" Ernst asked.
"The Bagamoyo shipyard completed three gunboats. As for the new 3,000-ton armored cruiser, it'll take more time. We estimate it'll be ready and launched by early the year after next."
Bagamoyo's shipbuilding technology had steadily improved. They were now attempting to reach the 3,000-ton class—a cautious but realistic goal.
"The shipyard still needs experience. That's what East Africa lacks most—especially in technical and R&D fields. We don't yet have enough talent. But give it 10 to 20 years, and we'll get there. No need to rush," Ernst said.
"Self-reliance is always our goal. For now, we're learning from other powerful navies while doing our best to keep pace. Honestly, it's not too difficult—we already produce some of our own weapons, and copying foreign models is going smoothly."
East Africa's navy couldn't avoid the path of reverse-engineering. True innovation required talent and a strong industrial base. Relying on imports worked in the short term—but East Africa had greater ambitions.
After inspecting the naval base, Ernst toured Bagamoyo's civilian shipyards.
As East Africa's shipbuilding center, Bagamoyo had 13 shipbuilding companies—mostly state-owned. Only two were private, owned by the Hechingen Overseas Trading Company.
Bagamoyo's shipbuilding was among the best in East Africa. Dar es Salaam and Mombasa weren't far behind, but they had broader responsibilities and couldn't focus solely on shipbuilding.
Bagamoyo, by contrast, had fewer distractions and more room to specialize. Since shipbuilding was beyond the reach of most private enterprises, only the government or the Hechingen Consortium could support it.
This limited private sector involvement—but also ensured strong coordination. Government and consortium resources could be concentrated on developing the industry in its early stages.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10