EARLY BELGIAN COLONIAL EFFORTS - The University of Texas at ...
EARLY BELGIAN COLONIAL EFFORTS - The University of Texas at ...
EARLY BELGIAN COLONIAL EFFORTS - The University of Texas at ...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
During the first half <strong>of</strong> his reign, Leopold's efforts within Belgium itself seemed<br />
to stress the need for a country with a “more robust n<strong>at</strong>ional spirit.” 118 To Leopold this<br />
meant, along with many other activities, the cre<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> colonial opportunities. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
are few references to colonial adventures th<strong>at</strong> have appeared in the written record, 119<br />
there are mentions <strong>of</strong> the advantages and necessities <strong>of</strong> colonial enterprises in general,<br />
although there was a distinct bias in favor <strong>of</strong> such enterprises in Central America. 120<br />
Leopold's difficulty was th<strong>at</strong> he was neither able to convince the chambers nor the<br />
people th<strong>at</strong> colonialism was to Belgium’s advantage. His call for colonial endeavors<br />
were met with the response st<strong>at</strong>ed by one sen<strong>at</strong>or in the Chambers “Wh<strong>at</strong> good is to<br />
look far away for outlets, when here, in our own area there are consumers” 121<br />
Additionally, Leopold’s interests in terms <strong>of</strong> imperialistic m<strong>at</strong>ters such as Santo Tomas,<br />
the Nicaraguan protector<strong>at</strong>e, and a transoceanic canal seemed destined to run counter to<br />
the policies <strong>of</strong> both Britain and the United St<strong>at</strong>es. Although he explained these colonial<br />
efforts as an <strong>at</strong>tempt to end poverty and overpopul<strong>at</strong>ion, he was never able to do so and<br />
was <strong>of</strong>ten looked upon as an opportunist in terms <strong>of</strong> Belgian expansion. 122<br />
118<br />
<strong>The</strong>odore Juste, Memoirs <strong>of</strong> Leopold I, King <strong>of</strong> the Belgians (London: S. Low & Martson,<br />
1868), 194.<br />
119<br />
“If we had some sense here other than to quarrel for miserable places we should buy some <strong>of</strong><br />
the colonies <strong>of</strong> the Portuguese, it would do an immense amount <strong>of</strong> good for many <strong>of</strong> our young <strong>of</strong>ficers<br />
who we have no means <strong>of</strong> employing usefully, we want elbow room and it is not probable we shall get it<br />
in Europe.” Leopold to Victoria, 26 March 1847, APR, copy, original by permission <strong>of</strong> Her Majesty<br />
Queen Elizabeth II, <strong>at</strong> RA (RA VIC/Y 73/35).<br />
120<br />
Juste, 184.<br />
121<br />
“A quoi bon chercher des débouchés au loin, alors que, dans des contrées proches, il y a<br />
déjà des consomm<strong>at</strong>eurs” Bronne, Carlo, Léopold 1er et son temps (Brussels: Les Ceuvres, 1942), 189.<br />
122<br />
Roderick Braithwaite, Palmerston and Africa the Rio Nunez Affair: Competition, Diplomacy<br />
and Justice (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996), 119.<br />
63