Iberian News 1908

[miketr]

Use of Iberian Ports by belligerents in the current war

Other than ships of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, merchant and man of war, all belligerents have free use of Iberian ports for there ships, merchant and man of war.

In the event that a man of war seeks shelter in an Iberian port and is blockaded there by another belligerent man of war the trapped man of war has 48 hours to leave.  In the event that the trapped man of war does not leave within 48 hours of being blocked the Iberian government will declare the vessel in question to be interned for the duration of the conflict.  The vessel will land all munitions, fuel beyond an amount needed for the health and well being of the crew and placed under guard.

In the event that belligerent man of war from opposite sides in the current conflict enter an Iberian port departure priority shall be based upon arrival order.  Under these circumstances Belligerent men of war will need to give 24 hours notice before they depart and there will be a 12 hour delay between the departure times of the men of war.  If departure time is delayed by such departure scheduling and a blockade is established in the mean time the deadline for internment will be raised till 60 hours.  (OOC If you get to port first and other side wants to leave I suggest you run for it)

Iberia will not intern belligerent men of war using ports in the Philippines under any circumstances other than those belonging to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  The departure time rules still apply.

OOC didn't really have to think about this before now...

[Borys]

Do non-blockaded ships also have 48 hours to leave?
Borys

[Ithekro]

Note:  Swiss vessel was caught in port on June 29.  Reactions have been for June 30.

Final internment, by Iberian standards, would by July 1....next half year.  ;D

[Desertfox]

Hmmm, that means the L can still, in theory, leave. Question is, what do the Forgs pack?

[miketr]

Do non-blockaded ships also have 48 hours to leave?
Borys

OOC Since the plague of NS cruiser raiders have been swept from the Atlantic and I don't want to be a pain to DKB and Austria using my ports...

IC Not at this time but Iberia will not hide the presence of a belligerent man of war in its ports either so if someone sends off a telegram about the visitor... they take there chances don't they?

[Ithekro]

Second Note:  For the French vessels to have caught the Swiss ship in port, it would have had to have been there before the 29th.  Therefore it is logical that the Iberians "should" intern her sooner than the 1st, but that is up to the Iberians.

[miketr]

Hmmm, that means the L can still, in theory, leave. Question is, what do the Forgs pack?

Not really my policy was in responce to events to make a standard when there was none.  I didn't make the call to intern her, I got the same message as everyone else and it said she was interned.  I had no objection to events, IE the port admiral / govenor / IE Ithekro made his own call in responce to the French demands.  The details of the internment is my own and the policy is for the future.

[Desertfox]

Ah OK.

[Ithekro]

It seems NSS Launceston will stand down and be interned.  Better than getting sunk.

[miketr]

Porto Murtinho, Mato Grosso do Sul province of Brazil
July 25th, 1908

Cattle Ranchers petition Governor General in Rio de Janeiro to deploy military units to patrol the Paraguay River.  Ranchers are reporting theft of cattle by parties of natives out of Gran Chaco across the river.  The natives strike at night and then drive the cattle to the river where they are slaughtered on the spot before the natives retreat into the Gran Chaco with the stolen meat.  Some attempts to drive cattle across the river have been reported at narrows but the depth of the river makes this a rare occurrence. 

At the same time the Partido Progressista has proposed a measure to establish a bounty on cattle rustlers.  Out spoken members of the Partido dos Trabalhadores e dos Camponeses, lead party of the Brazilian Regional Parliament; have called this measure nothing more than an attempt to gain government sanction for murder by Land Owner strongmen.  Some even claim that the ranchers wish to use a bounty as cover to attempt to drive off small farmers who make use of prime water resources so that the ranchers can then have more water for there cattle.  It is widely expected that that the measure will be defeated but that cattle ranchers will move to protect there herds.

Madrid Economic Reporter

The Imperial Parliament passes, "Mineral Exploration and Mining Act" and is expected to be quickly signed into law by the Emperor. 

The new law is to stream line the requirements for registration of claims.  In addition Imperial employed geologist and assayers will be established in various locations to enable rapid identification of finds.  To speed up the process of exploration the law provides funds to setup mine offices to handle claim registration, the assayers and provide information to prospectors; most of these offices are expected to be setup in Brazil and the Philippines.  Besides this support for private efforts the law also provides funds to pay for a number of government backed mapping and survey efforts to take place in Brazil, Philippines and Morocco.

[swamphen]

Brandenburg expresses its concern with reports of cattle rustling in southern Iberian Brazil, and directs its security patrols in inland Rio Grande do Sul to ensure that the border is secure.

[Borys]

OOC
LOL!
There is some 400 miles of Habsburg territory between you and the Mato Groso do Sul.

Borys

[Borys]

July 26th, Rio de Janeiro

Vladymyr Hnatiuk, Habsburg Consul General, reading the paper while on the nightpot. Makes grunting noises.
- Smallholders against the Coroneis again, huh? Maybe I should put out a notice in some papers that if the holodupcy* show up on the border of the Archduchy they wil get a land deed for 60 acres?


* bare-assed gits - a non-PC term meaning "underprivilidged"

[miketr]

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
August 2nd, 1908

The 15th Dragoon Regiment "Pedro Alvares Cabral" sets out from there barracks to redeploy to Mato Grosso do Sul.  As the cavalry leave the city, children stand along side main road and wave as the horseman ride on by.  The long column is led by the regiment's colonel and his command staff.  Following the command section is the five squadrons of the regiment itself, each horseman leading two remounts.  Then a line of wagons carrying the regiments armorer, blacksmith, quartermaster and veterinarian pass the clumps of watching childern.  Then the children laugh and point as the 4 horse field guns bring up the rear of the long column.  At long last after the column of over 4,000 horses has past the clumps of children break up.

[miketr]

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Govenors Palace
August 4th, 1908

Several members of the Partido dos Trabalhadores e dos Camponeses passed back in forth in a waiting room.  Some time, perhaps soon they were to have a meeting with the Govenor General to discuss the sending of troops to  Mato Grosso do Sul.

"You know those PP bastards are behind this..."

"...Yes as soon as the Army arrives, there going to help the Doms drive off the small holders and steal there land..."

"All over some trumped up stories about "Indian" cattle thieves!  The only thieves are the Dom's sucking the lifeblood from the farmers and workers of Brazil!  We should string them up like Red Juan did in Madr... "

At last the leader of the Partido dos Trabalhadores e dos Camponeses, First Minister of the Iberian Province of Brazil and Speaker of the Brazilian Parliament spoke in quiet voice but one that cut through the chatter like a knife, "Enough!  Are you insane as well as stupid?!?"

Several shocked eyes looked at their party's leader in silence.

"For the love of the non existent God! Think! Where we are standing and who is listening?  Never think thoughts like that let alone be so foolish as to say them out loud!"

The party leader looked at the various members of his party, several looked away unable to meet his gaze except for the one who praised Red Juan.  He meet the gaze with fire in his eyes.

"Pedro I will not see all that we achieved wasted because of your fanaticism.  If you can't keep your mouth shut I will banish you from the Party myself and then turn you in for treason."


The party leader, sighed and then continued, "Besides for once the Dom's are correct the stories are true something has the Indians stealing cattle rather openly.  Now Pedro, right here and right now your going to tell me that your going to do nothing to undo all my work.

Slowly Pedro nodded, clearly unhappy about it and then said, "Sim, chefe, Sim"

Pedro walked off to the side of the room and sat quietly. 

The party whip stood next to his boss and spoke quietly, "Your right Chefe, Pedro is going to ruin things the Dom's are looking for any excuse to get us arrested and Pedro is a hot head and makes everyone else hot.  I am sorry for my part Chefe...."    

"Its why he's so high up the party, no one is better at handling a bar room crowd or getting workers ready to deal with strike... but we need different methods now that were Rio..."

Then a servant entered the room, "Governor General will see you now."

The Govenor General greeted the party members as they entered his room and then said, "Ah Gentlemen sorry to keep you waiting.  Let me introduce Major Cândido Mariano de Silva Rondon."

To be continued...