Chapter 8 Here I come, Australia!
On April 2, 1900, the fleet set off again after a short three-day rest. This time its destination was Arthur's final destination, Australia.
Speaking of Australia, up to now, Australia is only a regional name. In fact, Australia is composed of six colonies: Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.
Although these six colonies are located on the Australian continent, they are complete and culturally identical areas.
However, due to various colonial issues and colonial strategies of the British in history, Australia was divided into six colonies. The colonies governed each other without interfering with each other.
Since modern times, Australia's various colonies have also faced some common problems, including tariffs, transportation, postal services, defense and restrictions on Asian immigration. This has forced the six colonies to consider convening a colonial conference to discuss unified standards. .
In November 1880, the Melbourne Colonial Conference agreed to establish a Federal Council, and the largest and most developed colony of New South Wales drafted a Federal Council Act. This was also a sign of the unification and union of Australia.
The Federal Council was established in 1883, and a year later the colonies began to ask the British government to support the Federal Council's bill.
In 1891, Australia's first political party, the Labor Party, was established. The development of the trade union movement broke the long-standing boundaries of the colonies, and the calls for free trade and union between the colonies became increasingly louder.
In 1893, the Federal Council held a meeting of representatives of the Federal Alliance in Croix, calling and recommending that the colonies begin to take measures to prepare for the establishment of a federation.
Even in 1898, the Australian Federal Council began to prepare for a referendum on the establishment of a federation. However, due to the uneven order among the colonies, the progress of the referendum was not high.
It was not until Queen Victoria announced Australia as Arthur's new territory some time ago and decided to unify the six colonies into a complete Principality of Australia that the calls for unification among the colonies began to decrease, and they began to look forward to the new Principality of Australia.
On April 27, after more than half a month of sailing, the fleet arrived in Sydney, the capital of New South Wales.
New South Wales is the earliest British colony in Australia. It is also the Australian colony with the most population and the most developed economy.
During the federalization of Australia, New South Wales was also the colony with the most say and was also responsible for drafting the Federal Council Act.
Judging from the situation in Australia, as long as you have control of New South Wales, you will basically have control of the situation in Australia.
Sydney Harbor was already filled with people welcoming him. At the front of the crowd were the prime ministers and officials of each colony, standing in a dense row, making it very lively.
Beside the welcoming crowd, a group of soldiers were looking forward to it. The armies of their respective colonies obeyed directly the orders of the Ministry of Defense and Queen Victoria.
After the fleet slowly docked, the crowd immediately burst into cheers. After the ceremony and music, Arthur supported Queen Victoria and slowly landed on Australian soil.
"Long live Her Majesty the Queen! Long live His Royal Highness the Duke!" The crowd of onlookers spontaneously burst into cheers, loudly welcoming the arrival of the two rulers.
Unlike in Suez Canal and India, Queen Victoria did not step forward, but motioned Arthur to go forward with her eyes. Arthur understood immediately, walked forward lightly, looked up at the excited crowd, and finally stood in front of the six prime ministers.
"Your Highness, welcome home!" the six prime ministers said together.
Arthur was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized. Australia is already his only territory, and Arthur's future home will be in Australia.
If there are no special events, the UK will basically not go back.
"You must be the prime ministers of each colony, right? How is Australia doing lately?" Arthur asked with a smile.
"Yes, Your Highness. Please allow me to introduce you to the prime ministers of each colony." The leader smiled and said with a slight compliment.
"Yeah." Arthur motioned to continue.
"Your Highness, I am Evan H. Parks, Prime Minister of New South Wales." The man continued: "These are Victoria Prime Minister Walter Brack, Queensland Prime Minister Andrew King Porter, Tasmania Prime Minister of Mania, Richard Noble Chapman, Prime Minister of Western Australia, Pierre Silvio Berlusconi, and Prime Minister of South Australia, Thomas Cech. Upon learning of your arrival, they immediately received news from their respective offices. We are here to welcome you and Her Majesty the Queen as soon as possible."
"Well, are these people called here by you?" Arthur looked curiously at the excited crowd around him and asked.
"That's not true, Your Highness. What you don't know is that the six colonial branches of Australia are no longer suitable for the current situation. The different systems among the colonies have made mutual trade and exchanges extremely difficult, which has caused greater harm to the colonies and residents. Trouble. People have been looking forward to the federalization of Australia for a long time, and it is precisely because of you that Australia has a chance to unify this time. Thank you, Your Highness!" Prime Minister Evan H. Parks said, while expressing gratitude again Salute to Arthur.
"It's nothing, Prime Minister Evan. From now on, I will also be a part of Australia. Isn't it what all Australians should do to maintain the unity of Australia?" Arthur smiled and helped Prime Minister Evan.
"Okay, Prime Minister Evan, please take your Majesty and I to rest first. The long sea journey is tiring enough. Let these people go back by the way. We can't delay their work and life by welcoming me. "Arthur said with a smile.
"Yes, Your Highness, please come with me. I have asked people to clear out the highest floor of the government building. The conditions are not good, so I can only temporarily leave you and Her Majesty the Queen to live there." As he led the way, Ai Prime Minister Wen explained to Arthur and Queen Victoria apologetically.
Before Australia established federation, Australia's economy had been mainly based on the sale of minerals, agriculture, and fisheries. Although it improved the situation in the early days of the colony when food had to be imported from Britain, it could only barely provide food and clothing.
Coupled with the fact that the colonies were not connected to each other, Australia's overall economy was underdeveloped, its industry was very backward, and the finances of each colony were very tight.
Although New South Wales, the richest city, is better, it is just a fantasy to build a palace worthy of the status of Arthur and Queen Victoria.
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(End of chapter)