KEO.PLUS

Time flew by, and soon it was June 1901.

After waiting for several months, Arthur had given up hope of purchasing immigrants from the Netherlands.

Unexpectedly, a Dutch fleet quietly arrived in Australian waters from the Dutch East Indies.

If the Dutch fleet had not early on signaled their intentions through flag symbols, the Australian Navy would have mistaken them for invaders.

The Dutch fleet was led by Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Herbert Von and Governor William Rosbon of the Dutch East Indies. Accompanying them was a guest of even greater importance, Queen Mother Emma, mother of Dutch Queen Wilhelmina and widow of the late King William III.

The prestige of Queen Mother Emma was due not only to her being the mother of Queen Wilhelmina, but also to her having been the regent of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Upon receiving the news, Arthur was taken aback, and immediately ordered Prime Minister Evan to go and meet them.

He also ordered the preparation of a welcoming banquet and invited his mother, Duchess Louise, to attend. She would be hosting Queen Mother Emma as an equal.

Shortly thereafter, Prime Minister Evan brought Queen Mother Emma, Minister Herbert, and Governor William to the Manor House.

As the first official residence of Arthur and the royal family, this small manor house essentially took over all the functions of the royal palace. It was not only a location for temporary cabinet meetings, but also for hosting banquets for guests.

At the banquet, Arthur finally met Queen Mother Emma, as well as Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Herbert and Governor William.

It was evident that the long sea voyage had taxed them greatly. Governor William seemed to be in good shape, but both Queen Mother Emma and Minister Herbert looked fatigued.

The banquet broke into two distinct groups. Queen Mother Emma and Duchess Louise settled into one corner, joined by the two mischievous girls, Margaret and Patricia.

On the other side of the banquet, Minister Herbert and Governor William were engrossed in serious discussions about international affairs with Prime Minister Evan, not forgetting their roles.

This arrangement left Arthur awkwardly sitting in the middle, unable to participate in either conversation. He was left searching for the right time to leave.

Arthur was in the dark about both conversations. Prime Minister Evan’s side wasn’t too problematic since any important matters they discussed would be reported to Arthur. But it was different with Duchess Louise’s side. Arthur was excluded from the women’s conversations and was certain to remain uninformed about them.

However, the expressions of the two women in conversation suggested that they were quite pleased with each other’s company. As two individuals of similar status and circumstances, they had quite a lot to talk about and seemed to have established a friendly rapport.

After the banquet, Queen Mother Emma was settled into the manor house to rest, while Minister Herbert and Governor William were lodged in Australia’s finest hotel.

Although just a few apartments converted into a hotel for honored guests, this hotel was luxurious because it primarily catered to nobility and distinguished officials. The hotel had hot springs, fountains, a garden, and private meeting rooms and offices.

Arthur waited until they had rested for a full day before inviting Minister Herbert and Governor William to a meeting the following afternoon.

The fact that the Netherlands had sent such an imposing delegation suggested that there were important matters to be discussed.

Although Prime Minister Evan seemed to have hit it off with Minister Herbert and Governor William at the previous evening’s banquet, these seasoned politicians were too cunning to reveal their true intentions at a casual banquet.

Inside the Administrative Building’s meeting room, Arthur met with Minister Herbert and Governor William once again.

After a long rest, the two men were visibly refreshed, especially Governor William, who had completely shed his previous fatigue and was in high spirits.

“Your Highness, the Duke of Australia!”, they greeted Arthur reverently upon seeing him.

Arthur was surprised that two high officials of the Kingdom of the Netherlands would pay him such respect but quickly responded with a smiling nod.

“Minister Herbert, Governor William. What prompted your government to send you here? If this visit concerns our earlier proposal to purchase immigrants, a simple international telegram would have sufficed, and there would have been no need for such an elaborate visit,” Prime Minister Evan inquired, smiling at Minister Herbert and Governor William across the conference table.

An official diplomatic visit involving a cabinet minister and a senior official, in addition to the backing of the queen mother, was equivalent to a formal diplomatic visit to any country.

What was surprising was this. While the Netherlands and Australia harbored no animosity or disputes, neither did they share any common interest or positive relationship.

In fact, there was some competition between Australia and the Netherlands in Southeast Asia; while relations between the two countries were not bad, they were definitely not particularly friendly.

Given this, the unannounced arrival of a very official diplomatic delegation from the Netherlands left everyone puzzled as to its purpose.

“Your Highness, Prime Minister Evan, and Lords, please be assured that Governor William and I are here solely to foster a favorable cooperative relationship with Australia. Upon hearing about Australia’s plans, the government and Her Majesty the Queen swiftly agreed to your proposition of purchasing immigrants. We are keen to assist Australia in procuring immigrants and are glad to conclude a treaty to this end,” Minister Herbert said sincerely, rising from his seat.

Seeing Minister Herbert’s sincerity, Arthur fell silent.

Although he found it odd that the Kingdom of the Netherlands mounted such a grand effort for such a minor matter, it did not put Australia in a disadvantageous position, so the meeting continued.

“That being the case, Minister Herbert, could you tell us how many immigrants is your government willing to sell us annually? What is the price per immigrant? How will the capture, transport, and international affairs of the immigrants be handled?” Prime Minister Evan nodded, asking further.

Purchasing immigrants was not as simple as it seemed. For transporting immigrants from the Dutch East Indies to Australia, not only did one need to devise cunning strategies for capturing them, but also ensure a successful and discreet delivery.

This would require significant manpower and resources, something Australia, with its scarcity of soldiers and ships, did not have enough of. It also lacked the excess military power required to capture and transport the indigenous people.

“We are willing to take on the responsibility of capturing and transporting the indigenous people,” Minister Herbert said, smiling, “We can deliver them to any port in Australia. All you need to do is receive them.”