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The reborn Prince Hechingen of the Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern family perceives the unfolding situation in Europe, where war is imminent. Europe cannot afford to delay. The strategy involves establishing a presence in East Africa, fostering immigration and development, and laying the foundations for agriculture. This gradual approach leverages the crisis to expedite the process of industrialization

African Entrepreneurship History

On December 14, 1866, in the scorching heat of the Tanga region, East African colonial managers wearing straw hats supervised native workers using whips at a construction site. These natives worked in groups, manually transporting large stones and stacking them on the shore. Immigrants used wheelbarrows to move sand and cement, mixing them to fill the gaps between the stones.

This construction site marked the beginning of the Tanga Port project, located in what is now Tanga City, Tanzania. Tanga Port would become a crucial hub for the import and export activities of the East African colony.

Tanga Port's selection was influenced by its natural advantages, including a relatively tortuous coastline with high-quality bays, an average water depth of 17 meters, and protection from strong winds and waves by Pemba Island to the east. The region's climate was favorable, with a mild temperature range and little fog, making it suitable for port operations.

Tanga Port was strategically positioned as the East African colonies planned to expand into Kenya in the following year. While they had already established strongholds in the Tanganyika region, there were still indigenous tribes between these strongholds, and the colonies lacked the means to deal with them.

The surplus of indigenous labor, primarily from capturing and selling natives to the Sultanate of Zanzibar, was used for major projects like Tanga Port and the road connecting it to Manda Town in the upper coastal area.

The construction efforts in Tanga Port were extensive, resulting in the development of docks, warehouses, and a lighthouse. Additionally, defensive forts in the north and south of the port area were established using imported artillery from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Ernst was also preparing to build the colony's first factory, a sisal processing plant. Sisal was a profitable commodity, and the factory aimed to enhance its value by exporting finished and semi-finished products. Sisal processing involved various steps, including rolling, cleaning, drying, and spinning, ultimately producing hemp rope, canvas, and other products.

Sisal was known for its strength, toughness, and resistance to salt and alkali, making it valuable for various applications such as ship cables, fishing nets, and sacks. The sisal processing factory was essential for enhancing the competitiveness of the East African sisal industry globally.

The factory workforce consisted of immigrants, and the low labor costs, combined with machinery, allowed for cost-effective sisal fiber production. Three factories were established near Tanga Port to meet the demand.

Tanga Port evolved into a hub for sisal processing and trading, facilitating the export of the colony's characteristic products, such as cloves, pyrethrum, and cinchona bark. Additionally, Tanga Port was strategically located for the forthcoming expansion into Kenya.

By landing at Tanga Port, immigrants destined for Kenya could directly access their new homes, saving significant resources compared to landing at Dar es Salaam port and traveling overland to Kenya. This development marked a crucial step in the continued growth and development of the East African colonies.

Chapter 51