v3 Chapter 587： Oil in the age of kerosene lamps

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On May 16, 1869, William IV attracted William IV at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

With their arrival, William IV knew that a new era was coming that would change the landscape of Europe for decades to come.

The meeting between the two caught the world's attention.

Even the British Empire and the French Empire, which are now produced by the war in Burma in the Far East, are no exception.

Especially in the British Empire, many people are speculating that the proximity of Prussia and the Netherlands is the effect of the Netherlands winning Prussia against the United Kingdom, which is also the reason for the visit of King William I of Prussia.

William IV held a grand welcome ceremony at the gate of the palace, welcoming a man of the same age as his grandfather William II.

After the two held a welcome banquet popular among European aristocrats, they wasted no time in holding a secret meeting.

William I was surrounded by only one Prime Minister Bismarck, and William IV was also surrounded by his own Prime Minister Tolbeck.

All four of them are familiar with Dutch and German, and there is no difficulty in communication. Translation is free.

So William IV made some polite remarks and said straight to the point: "In principle, we still insist on the request we made last time. Now that your Majesty has come to the Netherlands, there is obviously a result. I don't know when Qatar will hand over?"

William I's smiling face suddenly stagnated, and Bismarck's resolute face also showed embarrassment.

William IV and Tolbek glanced at each other and understood that this was obviously a bargain.

William I stroked his long beard and said: "It is difficult for Prussia to withdraw from Qatar at present. I don't know what other conditions that His Majesty William IV thinks can be used as a replacement condition."

"The Netherlands believes that Qatar is the best condition, and perhaps the two of them also understand where the future direction of the Netherlands is. We value Qatar very much.

William IV raised his eyebrows, "But in order to show our sincerity, we can only need the general territory of Qatar. Well, how about the Bahrain Islands in the north and the part of Qatar near Bahrain?"

Bismarck said suddenly: "But in that case, we might as well give it all to the Netherlands. In that case, at least it can be done simply so that the Prussian nationals don't think about this matter."

William I: "Yes, I think in that case, the Netherlands should not only go through the Principality of Luxembourg. The Prussian people are very emotional, and I'm afraid I can't stop it. At that time, it may be necessary to pass through the Netherlands, but I don't know William. Is His Majesty the Fourth willing to help this Prussian national?"

Using Bismarck's view, he took the opportunity to put forward new requirements,

William IV: "Well, I admit that I don't want Prussian soldiers to step into the Dutch mainland, because it is too easy to cause a backlash from the Dutch nationals and European countries. The two should know that now that we meet, the surrounding powers Maybe the spies have already been deployed around the Dutch Royal Palace, and I'm afraid they will touch their nerves."

"That's right," William I laughed, as if the person who just proposed was not him.

He fixed his eyes on William IV and said, "Can you tell me why William IV is so keen on Qatar?"

This is where Bismarck has been puzzled by the demands of Wilhelm IV since he returned to Berlin.

"During this time, I sent people to collect all the information on Qatar, but I didn't find much special information. If I insist on talking about a special place, then it is only there in the middle of the Persian Gulf, and it has only a few strategic significance, but in this case, I don't think it's as important as East Oman, and because of that, I don't understand why His Majesty William IV didn't choose the Mauritius Islands, which are more important to the Netherlands.

Even the Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean are more important to the Netherlands. "

Speaking of this, William I said seriously: "If there is no reason to convince me, then I can make the decision and give the Bahrain Islands off the northern coast of the Qatar Peninsula to the Netherlands."

Bismarck seemed to want to stop it, but in the end did not.

Because he was also curious about William IV doing so.

At this time, he saw Tolbek's eyebrows moving slightly next to William IV. Was he tempted?

Bismarck and William I immediately guessed that this may be the bottom line of the Netherlands?

In this way, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

William IV smiled and said: "Qatar does not tolerate any loss to the Kingdom of Prussia, but if the Bahrain Islands, which are not within the Qatar Peninsula, are given up to the Netherlands, it will be a cover for people's eyes and ears.

William I and Bismarck both breathed a sigh of relief, and sure enough, they guessed right.

Next, the secret that William IV has a soft spot for Qatar should be revealed soon.

Don't blame them for being curious.

Kings and Prime Ministers are human too, with the same curiosity that kills a cat.

"Actually, in Qatar, someone discovered black oil"

oil?

William I and Bismarck were both surprised. Bismarck asked, "Can you make refined oil for use in lamps?"

William IV nodded and said: "Yes, our people discovered oil in Qatar, so I am very interested in there"

Now is not the future, the curiosity of the two disappearing is understandable.

Oil has been around for a long time, but the real large-scale use started more than ten years ago.

In the 1840s, pharmacists in Lviv, Ukraine, in the Russian Empire, made kerosene lamps with the help of blacksmiths.

In 1846, a man named Abraham Gisner in the British Canadian Territory invented the method of making kerosene from coal.

In 1852, Poles Ingenac Lukaszwicz invented methods such as using more accessible oil to extract kerosene.

The following year the first modern oil mines were opened and closed near Krostano in southern Poland, and these inventions soon spread throughout the world.

In 1854, kerosene for lamps had become a commodity in the Vienna market of the Austrian Empire.

By 1859, Europe began to extract a lot of oil, the amount was about 36,000 barrels, the main production areas came from Galicia and Romania, in and around the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

In 1861, the world's first oil refinery was established in Baku, Azerbaijan. At that time, Baku defibrillated 90% of the world's oil.

The Battle of Stalingrad was fought for the Baku oil field.

The world's first oil refinery was built in Baku in 1861. At that time Baku produced 90% of the world's oil. Later, the Battle of S-da-Lingrad was launched to capture the Baku oil fields.

Throughout the 19th century, the development of petroleum was slow, and the main use of refined petroleum was as fuel for oil lamps.

But even so, with the lowest oil lamp in European homes, this market is huge.

William I and Bismarck both exclaimed: "I thought it was a barren land, but I didn't expect that every household must use 'grain'"

William IV laughs: "That's why I see it there"

William I suddenly stared at William IV suspiciously: "His Majesty William IV would not have known that there was oil there many years ago, so he pulled us to take Qatar, and the Netherlands took the UAE, hehe, your UAE wants to come There should be a lot of oil too.”

William IV answered the question: "Actually, the reason why I agreed to the Bahrain Islands, I think that since the Qatar Peninsula has oil, then how can the neighboring continent not have it?"

Bismarck: "Your Majesty wants to use there as a springboard to explore more oil producing areas in the western continent?"

"Yes" William IV did not deny it, "Anything that can enhance the economic strength of the Netherlands and improve the living conditions of the people is worth having, isn't it?"

William IV said to William I: "What is the reason for this?"

"Although it was beyond our expectations," said William I, "but it also met our conditions."

"So your Majesty agrees?" William IV asked again: "The Bahrain Islands are assigned to the Netherlands?"

William I glanced at Bismarck, who nodded, and William I smiled: "The Bahrain Islands can be handed over to the Netherlands, plus the previously agreed French Empire East Oman to the Netherlands, which makes Prussia feel a little disadvantaged, I think Well, we need to add a request too"

Dutch Prime Minister Tolbeck asked William IV: "I don't know what request?"

Bismarck smiled and said at this time: "Prussia hopes that the Netherlands will use this crisis with the United Kingdom to contain the British Empire when we attack the French Empire."

William IV asked quietly: "How can you think that the Netherlands has this ability?"

It seems that King to King The Prime Minister replied to the Prime Minister, King William I of Prussia: "Because the Indians in Canada have made Britain lose its moral high ground, and Burma in the Far East makes the British Empire seem like the French Empire, Suspicion of being dragged there. Spread the British energies here and there, and the Prussian plan will be best aided."

At the end, William I said: "I think it makes sense that the Netherlands can help Prussia in this regard. His Majesty William IV is the holy hand of this way."

William IV did not refuse: "Since this is the case, then in the following period, our Prussian friends must become the public opinion friends and intelligence friends of the Netherlands in this regard, and we hope that Prussia can provide some technology that we hope to obtain."

Bismarck asked: "I wonder what kind of technical compensation your Majesty wants?"

William IV: "Learning Army Techniques with the Army"

William I did not answer right away, and William IV was understandable.

Prussia's army strength has become world-renowned after the Prussian War and the Prussian-Austrian Seven Weeks War. For the Netherlands to gain such experience, it seems that it is difficult for Prussia to be a strong man.

In fact, Wilhelm I and Bismarck might be able to guess. When William IV made this request, he was expressing the intention to let the Netherlands be familiar with Prussia's military operations, and let Prussia not have bad thoughts towards the Netherlands.

If they don't agree, it means that the two people in front of them have different ideas about the Netherlands. If agreed, the Netherlands will be safe for some time to come.

Will Wilhelm I and Bismarck finally agree to Wilhelm IV's request?