Iberian News 1912

[miketr]

Iberian Involvement in Greek Revolt?

The explosion of violence in Greece had gone largely unnoticed in Iberia until word that two Iberians were prisoners of the Ottomans.   They have been identified as Miguel Castillo and Rafael Lobo, former members of the Iberian army, a pair of long service NCO's that retired about a year and half ago.  Lobo and Castillo were captured among the Greeks in the failed revolt in Thessaloniki and the Ottomans are threatening to hang them as spies. 

The Grand Vizier Ahmed Muhtar Pasha has announced that the Istanbul is in possession of incontrovertible proof of Iberian involvement.  The Grand Vizier has demanded Iberia formal apologies for this involvement, end said involvement and withdraw its naval units from Malta back to the Spanish coast.  Diogo Freitas do Amaral the Iberian Foreign Minister has ignored the acquisitions, refused the demand to move the Iberian Navy from the Hapsburg naval base and demanded the return of Castillo and Lobo to stand trial in a civilized court of law.  In addition the Foreign Minister has demanded that the Ottoman Government rein its blood thirsty campaign against Christians within its territory.

[miketr]

Iberian Government condemns Judicial Murder
With word received of the sentence of death on Miguel Castillo and Rafael Lobo the Iberian Government condemns the sentence.  Prime Minister Don Felipe González y Márquez in particular notes this so called court did anything but justice.  The accused were not given access to the Iberian Diplomatic delegation and their was no appeal of the sentence.  For that matter the trial hardly mattered as the outcome was clearly predetermined from the start. 

The Iberian Government orders its civilians to leave the territory of the Ottoman Empire at once.  A liner under military escort will be dispatched at once to bring Iberia's subjects home and out of the reach of the murdering Turks who have no respect for the concepts of law and justice.

The Ottomans Ambassador is ejected in response to the Ottoman Empire ejecting Madrid's ambassador in Istanbul.

Alert issued to Military
The Mediterranean Squadron of the Armada is placed on a war footing and reinforcements are being ordered from the Atlantic.

Iberian News Papers carry stories of the greek pogrom that the Ottomans are carrying out.

[miketr]

Iberian Liner Refused Entry into Ottoman Empire

The Sublime Porte has stated it will not permit SS España or any other Iberian Shipping to enter Ottoman waters.  The mission to recover stranded Iberians in the Ottoman Empire has been put on hold.  Instead the Ottoman Empire will charter another liner and transport the Iberians to Cairo where SS España can then be sent.

Iberian Foreign Ministry Revokes Visas of all Ottoman Subjects

All Ottoman Subjects are to leave Iberian Territory within a week.  Exceptions are being made for Christians who fear that if they returned they would face attack.  Because of the refusal the Sublime Porte to allow Iberian Shipping into Ottoman Waters all Iberian Ports are closed to Ottoman Shipping.  Iberian liners will charted to transport Ottoman Subjects leaving Iberia territory to Cairo.   

Parties of the left to question government on Greek Revolt

Leaders of the Partido dos Trabalhadores e dos Camponeses, PTC and Partido Socialista Obrero Iberia, PSOI are demanding an investigation into possible involvement of Iberian in the Greek Revolt.  The two parties between them control just under 30% of the seats in the Cortes Generales.  At the same time the banned Partido Comunista de Ibéria, PCI has called for a general strike across the Empire.  The Governor General of Portugal has declared martial law in a number of industrial centers.  Regular Police and police auxiliaries of the Partido Nacional-Sindicalista, PNS have been called out to deal with any possible problems.  It is expected that another round of mass arrests will soon be announced by the provincial government of Portugal. 

[miketr]

Ottomans Harass Navy Ships in International Waters!

May 13th
South West of Crete the 5th Cruiser Squadron out of Malta encountered warships of the Ottoman Navy.  The Ottoman ships were two ships of the Drama Class, possibly ships based in Athens.

Shortly after the two squadrons sited each other the two squadrons closed the range to identify one another.  Contraalmirante Castro commander of the 5th squadron identified his command.  At which point the Ottomans demanded our ships to leave the area.  As Contraalmirante Castro's command was in international waters he refused the demand. The Ottomans then closed the range of the 5th squadron began acting aggressively.  When the range dropped to less than 8,000 yards the 5th squadron broke used its superior speed and opened the range.

A complaint is to be delivered to the Sublime Porte by the Iberian Military Attaché in Istanbul.

[miketr]

Ottomans Attack Cruisers!
May 20th

South West of Crete the 5th Cruiser Squadron out of Malta encountered warships of the Ottoman Navy.  They appeared to be the same two ships that Contraalmirante Castro's ships encountered last week.  Shortly after sighting the Ottoman Cruisers they once again closed the range between the two fleets.  As soon as the Turks were within weapons range they opened fire.  Contraalmirante Castro returned fire and withdrew from the area.  No damage reported to his ships or hits on the Turks ships, the range was near the maximum for both sides weapons.

This escalation in tensions is a most dangerous turn of events with the Foreign Ministry saying it will issue a statement later today or perhaps early tomorrow.  All that was said is that this goes beyond a mere navigation error by the Turks.

[miketr]

Palace in Madrid
Meeting of Council of State
May 20th

Present:
Emperor, HIRH Jamie
Prime Minister of Iberia, Don Felipe González y Márquez
Head of the Army, General de Ejército Manuel Gutiérrez y Mellado
Head of the Navy, Almirante António Santos e da Silva
Foreign Minister, Diogo Freitas do Amaral (is not here)

"So is there any thing new to report from the Turks about them shooting at the cruisers Don Felipe?"  Jamie said and then had a sip from his glass of wine.

Don Felipe looked worriedly at the emperor with his calm, almost casual question.  He had expected some promises of dire response towards the Turks and perhaps a little pounding of the table.  The Emperor had been unusually calm since the crises with the Turks broke out; hopefully he can keep it up.  "No your Majesty when I last talked to Diogo he said he would have something for us when he gets here though."
Jamie merely nodded, "Very well.  These things take time I understand."

Don Felipe nearly let the stunned shock show on his face; nearly.  "That is true your Majesty."
A few minutes of small talk followed till the foreign minister arrived.

"Your Majesty, Gentlemen sorry for my tardy arrival." Diogo Freitas do Amaral said as he entered the room.

"Not at all Diogo, take your seat.  Don Felipe said you were working on the response to the Turks pot shots at my ships."

"Yes your majesty.  My aids and I think the best way to move forward is to expel a few more members of the Ottoman Delegation instead of all of them. This combined with a stern warning not to approach our shipping."  The diplomat said.

The emperor just nod.

Don Felipe took this as a helpful sign and decided to bring up an idea from last week, "Also we might want to consider pulling the patrols back to Malta at least to avoid more of these incidents the Turks are set upon."

The emperor's calm mood slightly darkened at the suggestion, "I don't think we are going to tuck our tails between our legs just because the Turks can't read a map."

"We wouldn't have to announce anything openly but I could reassure Cortes that we are taking steps to defuse the situation."

The Emperor's eyes narrowed, "The Cortes is your problem Don Felipe and besides you have a comfortable margin."

Almirante António then said, "You would have more of a margin if you let us lock up those pack of red traitors."

The Emperor nodded at the suggestion but said nothing.

Don Felipe openly glared at the Admiral, "Despite what you think Almirante, Madrid isn't Lisbon we can't go around putting the opposition behind barbed wire."

The Admiral had a confused look and then just shrugged in way of response.

"Also Majesty it would be of help we let the foreign relations committee in the Cortes talk to Almirante Castro or someone more senior from Malta to explain what's happening."

The admiral snorted at the suggestion and said, "My commanders are needed where they are at."

"Majesty..."

"Don Felipe, if you need for someone to talk the cortes you can have Almirante António.  Surely the uniformed head of the navy should be able to answer all the Cortes questions."  Emperor Jamie said.

Remembering the last time the Admiral addressed the Cortes and suppressing a slight shudder at the damage he had done to last year's budget talks.  "That won't be necessary."

The meeting continued on for about another 15 minutes when a Guardsmen announced that the Hapsburg Ambassador was here to see his Majesty.

"Well Gentlemen I have to speak to the Baron.  Almirante and Diogo if you have a few minutes I would like you present please."  Jamie said and the two named nodded.

As the meeting broke up Don Felipe meet some of his aids in the hallway.  "How did the meeting go Sir?"

"All things considered good, perhaps too good," The Prime Minister said as he watched the departing party off to meet with the Hapsburg Ambassador.  Turning to his aid, "Eduard I have a little job for you. 

Your brother still has that job in the war ministry?"

"Of course sir, he has been there for years."

"Good Eduard, Good.  Please invite him over for dinner tonight I have some questions for him."
"He would be honored Excellency, anything in particular?"

The Prime Minister thought for a moment, "No Eduard just looking for a different take in things." 

To be continued...

[miketr]

Iberian Government Demands Release of its Citizens!
May 28th

The Iberian Government will not accept the holding of the Emperors Subjects or their judicial murder by Istanbul.  If these captives are not released at once there will be the direst consequences.  In addition any attempted seizing of Iberian shipping but the Ottoman Empire will be treated as an act of piracy on the high seas and dealt with accordingly.

[miketr]

Ottoman Shipping Expelled from Iberian Waters.
May 29th
Ottoman Ships have 24 hours to leave Iberian Ports or they will be seized.

Navy drives off Ottoman Torpedo Boats!
May 30th

Once again the 5th cruiser squadron was harassed in international waters near Crete by the Ottoman Navy.  This time an attempted torpedo attack was conducted by half a dozen torpedo boats.  Contraalmirante Castro withdrew his command at best speed but with the Turks continuing after him support was requested.

Contraalmirante Picanco in command of the 1st cruiser squadron was near by waiting in support incase something like this occurred.  Once in range and the Ottoman Torpedo Boats pressing their attack Picanco order his crews to fire warning shots to drive off the Ottoman Torpedo Boats.
Foreign Ministry Renews Demand for Release of Captive Iberians

With no word on the fate of Iberians being held in the Ottoman Empire the Foreign Minister stressed to the departing Ottoman Diplomats the importance of this issue.

Anti Muslim Riots

A number of cities across Iberia are reporting demonstrations against Muslims.  These demonstrations are growing in size and intensity.  A number of Bishops across Iberia have demanded that the Government do something about the barbarism of the Muslims against Christians in the Ottoman Empire. 

In particular delegates of the Confederación de Cristiano Autónomas, CCA have moved a bill into the Cortes to give the Emperor and Government blanket authority to deal with the current crises.  A number of far left delegates have greatly protested this move.

Other Iberian events

An alert has been issued to select military units in Spain for possible mobilization.  The Chagos garrison is placed on full alert.

The Marine Corps is readied for movement; (it's kept mobilized so no real change here just the equipment is readied for movement).

Iberian Shipping is ordered to Iberian ports, this is in theory covered under getting them out of the eastern med but this also happening to Atlantic shipping.

The 2nd Cruiser Squadron had steamed out of Manila on the 23rd but its now over due for return by 48 hours.  Also rumors that the ship took on much more supply than was first thought are leaking out in the local press.  Several foreign ships report seeing two ships matching the description of H.I.I.M.S. Henrique o Navegador and H.I.I.M.S. Cristóbal Colón headed west into the Indian Ocean.

H.I.I.M.S. Leon has appeared in Manila from her normal station off the Marianas and has started taking on supplies.  The newly arrived repair ship H.I.I.M.S. Athena has also started to take on supplies.

[Desertfox]

June 1st

By royal decree the Zionite Navy has been placed on full alert untill further notice. Patrols have been initiated in the entrance to the Red Sea.

[miketr]

Rio de Janeiro
July 1st, 1912

With limited limited mobilization declared in Brazil thousands of troops of the V Iberian Corps are bording SS España now painted in navy grey and her fine fixtures remove.  She and her sister ship are expected to be making the 4,100 mile run from Rio to Lisbon twice a month.  Each of the great liners it is reported can carry over 4,000 troops.

[miketr]

July 2nd

The Empire of Iberia states that the island of Piri, Chagos Archipelago is under Iberian Occupation in time of war and as such any sale of it by the Ottoman Empire to a third party is void on its face.  Any change in the de jure ownership of the islands will have to wait till the end of the war as in the mean time the de facto controller of the Ottoman Chagos is the Iberian Empire as a prize of war.

Time line of events

June 6th

Iberian Pacific Fleet, Indian Ocean Station from 12:00 hours local time a blockad is in effect on the Ottoman
Chagos.

22 June 1912:  Piri (OTL Diego Garcia), Chagos Archipelago

Six requsitioned Iberian merchant ships, escorted by the armored cruisers Henrique o Navegador and Cristobal Colon, arrive at this Ottoman island, named for a seventeenth century admiral and cartographer in the Sultan's service.  They rendezvous with the protected cruiser Lobo B, which notes that it hasn't seen any Ottoman warships in the area since establishing a distant blockade earlier in the month.

After a cursory bombardment of the town of Piri, the merchant ships disgorge a number of boats, and 6th
Regiment, IV Corps of the Iberian Army begins landing.  No resistence is encountered.

The Ambassador of New Zion is called to the Iberian Foreign Ministry and asked for an explination by the Iberian Foreign Minister, Diogo Freitas do Amaral.

[Desertfox]

The Ambassador arrives...

"Minister, I find these news most disturbing. I know not of any supposed Iberian Invasion of Piri. Yet you claim that your forces invaded there about two weeks ago. Why wait untill now to announce it? I find the timing of your announce to be most suspicious.

Now if there did happen to be Iberian troops on Piri, I would advise you to remove them as quickly as possible. The Council might find it agreeable to give you a grace period, but I can not guarantee that more forceful methods will not be used. New Zion will not tolerate the precense of any belligrent on its soverign land."

[P3D]

The Ambassador arrives...

"Minister, I find these news most disturbing. I know not of any supposed Iberian Invasion of Piri. Yet you claim that your forces invaded there about two weeks ago. Why wait untill now to announce it? I find the timing of your announce to be most suspicious.

Now if there did happen to be Iberian troops on Piri, I would advise you to remove them as quickly as possible. The Council might find it agreeable to give you a grace period, but I can not guarantee that more forceful methods will not be used. New Zion will not tolerate the precense of any belligrent on its soverign land."

Apparently New Zion do not have access to international newspapers.
Some nations are prone to sell things that they do not control or even own. New Zion apparently was tricked by unscrupulous Ottoman politicians. Orange would advise New Zion to be a bit more wary of such deals.

[miketr]

The response Iberian Foreign Minister, Diogo Freitas do Amaral.

Mr. Ambassador you can bluster if you so wish but you do so at your nation's peril.  The blockade was announced; general news reports announced that the Iberian army had landed on the island.  The Iberian Government felt no need to make more specific statements. 

If New Jerusalem needed a more specific set of set information than I suggest that they should have looked at a map.  We had forces right next door to the Ottoman Island and war was declared over a month ago.  A blockade was announced; clearly the area was a war zone for some time.  The idea that this is out of the blue is propitious.

As to belligerents I would like to remind New Jerusalem of the following.  Patrolling the coast line of a belligerent is not a prudent act not is it one of a neutral.... Don't bother to deny it we are well aware that the New Zion navy has been operating in the Red Sea between your territory and the Ottoman Empires and that your navies patrol posture changed with the start of the war.

As to not tolerating things let me speak very clearly Mr. Ambassador.  If New Zion attempts anything in the Chago's Iberian or Ottoman my government will consider it an act of war.  Play what games you will in the Red Sea but stay away from the Indian Ocean and the Chago's.

New Zion has a number of governments near it that don't like it all that much.  Some of those governments are on very friendly terms with Iberia. What do you think their response might be to your nations games Mr. Ambassador?  Especially if Madrid asked them for help?

Also Mr. Ambassador I might remind the you that Iberia is part of defensive pact known "Las Alianza de Cruz del Sur".  If New Zion forces our hand do not assume that because of combat in the Mediterranean Sea that Iberia is helpless or without means to responds to threats in other areas.

Now Mr. Ambassador I know that you are in a difficult situation here.  Clearly someone in your government made a mistake or perhaps was deceived by the Turks.  At the same time if New Jerusalem is willing to reconsider its position and stance towards the Turks my government can make some, "arrangements".  My information is that New Zion is close to New Switzerland.  You might want to have your government ask them if they considered Iberia to be a nation of its word.  Because if New Zion is willing to reconsider its stance Iberia is willing to enter into binding agreements that New Zion will find very rewarding.  Once Iberia makes an agreement we do stick to them.

The choice for your government is very simple you can stay neutral, join the Turks and end up buried with them or you can make an agreement with Iberia.  The choice is yours.

Good day Mr. Ambassador and I look forward to our next meeting.

[Desertfox]

OOC There were no IC posts about the invasion, all the info I had was OOC.

"But minister, this is war. Do you really expect me to believe everything I read in the papers? For all I know it could be the Ottomans doing the invading.

Standing patrols outside naval bases is standard operating procedures for any navy, especially when there is a war going on. So I see no point in your complaining about our patrols, especially since they are in international waters.

Well like I said previously, I can't make any promises but can relay anything said to the Council. What sort of agreement are you talking about?"