Empire Rising: Spain

Chapter 85: Chapter 83: The Expedition Team

“Steward Loren, how is the search for foreign explorers going? Have you found any suitable candidates?” Carlo asked as Steward Loren walked in.

“About to report to you, Your Majesty,” Steward Loren replied. “I found a very suitable candidate in Spain. Here is his information.”

Steward Loren handed over a document, adding, “Anthony Ronaldo Prince Cruise, 38 years old. He has an African expedition team in Guinea and frequently deals with indigenous tribes in Africa, having considerable experience in this area.”

Carlo nodded, flipped through a few pages of the document, and found it indeed met his requirements.

The African expedition team, besides exploring the Congo Region, also needs to establish good relations with the local indigenous tribes and develop so-called trade treaties with them.

Of course, besides trade treaties, certain measures are needed to make them recognize this land as Carlo’s private property, creating opportunities for Carlo to acquire this land.

Steward Loren recommended Anthony Ronaldo Prince Cruise due to his long stay in Guinea and frequent contact with African indigenous tribes, which was precisely what Carlo was looking for.

As the deputy captain and actual leader of the expedition team, other skills can be less emphasized, but experience in living in Africa and dealing with indigenous tribes is crucial.

Currently, European countries have limited their exploration of Africa to the coasts, without penetrating the African Continent for colonization.

There are many reasons for this, but one of the most important is the complexity and danger of Africa’s terrain.

And Carlo’s target is one of the largest primeval forests in Africa, whose complexity and danger are undoubtedly high.

The primeval forest of the Congo Basin is not only the largest in Africa but also the oldest, known as the lungs of Africa.

Crossing the entire Congo Basin and leaving the footprints of the Spaniards is a very challenging and undoubtedly dangerous mission.

Without experience, the expedition team might just depart in the first year and news of their complete annihilation could arrive in the second year.

“Have you investigated this? I hope the expedition team we assemble has extensive experience, not just a group of amateurs hastily thrown together,” Carlo asked as he looked at Steward Loren.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Steward Loren nodded and answered very respectfully, “I have already sent people to investigate Anthony Ronaldo Prince Cruise’s expedition team, confirming they indeed conducted explorations in the Guinea area and penetrated the African Continent.

However, without the support of the Guinea Colony Government, they abandoned further exploration of Guinea after conflicts with nearby indigenous tribes and returned to the Spanish mainland.

During their explorations, they indeed engaged deeply with the local African indigenous tribes, which is all confirmed.”

Hearing that Anthony Ronaldo Prince Cruise’s experience was confirmed to be real and effective, Carlo nodded in satisfaction and said, “Find a time to let him meet me. I hope this African explorer won’t disappoint me.”

From the perspective of identity and nationality, Anthony Ronaldo Prince Cruise is definitely the most suitable candidate.

He is a bona fide Spaniard, and the places he leads the expedition team through can better declare Spain’s sovereignty.

Moreover, domestic explorers need not worry about the exploration activities being leaked. By the time other countries realize Spain’s exploration of the Congo Region, Spain’s colonial exploration should have achieved certain results.

Even if other powers follow suit, Carlo is not afraid at all, because the inclusion of a great power will draw the attention of all powers, and under mutual constraints, the Congo will ultimately fall only into the hands of non-great power countries.

Furthermore, vast areas of Africa remain unclaimed by the great powers, and Carlo doesn’t believe other powers would compete with him for the more dangerous Congo Colony, rather than occupying and dividing the lands along the African coast.

After all, the mineral resources in the Congo are unknown at this time, and if a significant price is paid to seize a piece of barren, worthless land, it truly would not be worth the effort.

Steward Loren nodded and went to prepare Carlo’s instructions.

After Steward Loren left, Carlo also pondered what needed to be prepared for the African expedition team.

If Anthony Ronaldo Prince Cruise meets the criteria, that would be excellent, but the expedition team still lacks a military leader, and Carlo is currently considering Menotti, Garibaldi’s eldest son, for the role.

Since the expedition team is already taking shape, it is naturally necessary to accelerate the building of armed forces.

Carlo decided to summon Menotti to discuss whether he would be willing to join the African expedition team as its leader.

Menotti was arranged to stay in the Madrid City area, not far from the Imperial Palace, requiring less than half an hour to reach the palace.

Not long after ordering a guard to summon Menotti, Carlo saw him in his reception room.

“Menotti, how do you feel about coming to Spain? Does it compare to before in Italy?” Carlo asked with a smile.