Italia News 1914

[ctwaterman]

Rome Times  January  3rd  1914  -

The Italian Firms of FIAT, Ansaldo, and Caproni today announced the formation of a strategic partnership with the firms of Rapp Motorenwerke, Daimler-Gesleeschaft  of Bavaria.   The Chief Spokesman of the Italian Ministry of Trade  had the following to say: "We have been working very hard to get formalize this Strategic Partnership between all these companies.  The partnership will address the needs of all the companies involved and lead to an expansion of the capabilities of all the companies, particularly in the areas of Motorized Engines and we will look forward with great interest to the opening of the 1914 Gran Prix motor racing season and the teams being formed by these companies."

[ctwaterman]

The Imperial Palace Rome – Sometime in Late January 1914.

The Actors:
Gaius Marius Camila Emperor of Italia
Lucius Decumius - Commander of the Praetorian Guard

Gaius Marius "Lucius, you said you had new information concerning the attack on My Family and guest and the murder of the Pope."

Lucius  "My Liege, I have some news and have been working hard to verify its authenticity.  As you know an attempt to run the finger prints and Bertillon measurements taken from the body of the assailant through the systems of our allies in France, and through the systems of Austria, and Iberia has finally been concluded with no results. The assailant evidently was not arrested in any of those countries in the last decade or so."

Gaius Marius Frowning "Is that all you have to report simply a negative, is there nothing more."

Lucius "As I reported to you last week a Pawn Shop owner turned in a duffel bag of a curious nature.   Inside were a Passport with no picture and over a dozen 11mm rounds for a French 1873 Calvary pistol.  However, our scientists were able after carefully study and several attempts recover finger prints from a passport and some cartridge casings that were turned in by a Pawn Broker.  We can now say definitively that the assailant handled the ammunition and the passport.  Interrogation of the flop house owner who sold the goods along with another suitcase and some clothing to the Pawn Broker was inconclusive, after a year he remembers the man who rented the room only as a merchant seamen probably foreign and not much else.  We have searched the room but its been used possibly hundreds of times since last year and we found nothing further. The only thing we have is the assailant name under which he registered at the flop house Matteo Umberto and if he was a foreigner the name is false."

Gaius Marius "So we now have a name probably false a passport with no picture what do we have left to investigate."

Lucius "We are running down the entry and exit stamps in the passport the investigators think they can learn more by finding out where the assailant was if he was the one actually utilizing the passport, and we have the country issuing the passport.  That warrants investigation as well, but all of this will take even more time."

Gaius Marius "Very well continue to oversee the investigation and forward our findings to date to the Austrian and Iberian Ambassadors as we promised."

Lucius Bowing on the way out the door "As you Command my Liege."

[Borys]

The Habsburg Embassy shows signs of happiness of being given something

[ctwaterman]

The Forum Rome:  January 1914

The Actors:
Titus Fabia Quintillius - Magistrate for Italia East Africa.
Marcus Tullius Cicero – Senator
Titus Caracus Claudia – Senator
Appius Attilius Scapita – Senator
Vibrus Horatius Quirina – Senator
Juguratha Mastanbal - Commanding General of the Imperial Legions

Senator Cicero "Gentlemen, please be seated.  I have called you all here to this briefing to here what General Mastanbal and Magistrate Quintillius have to tell us.   You have all raised questions about the increases in military spending and readiness levels in our Province of East Africa for this year."

Senator Scapita "Indeed the proposed increase is quite severe what has prompted this request."

General Mastanbal "My Lords, please I have brought Magistrate Quintillius here to answer your questions but I and the Emperor carefully considered these requests before forwarding them to the Senate for approval, Quintillius will you please explain."

Magistrate Quintillius " My Lords the situation in East Africa is becoming more and more unstable.   And the main reason for this instability is the state of New Zion.  Since its creation it has held great enmity to the Empire and recently has undergone very radical changes.   Last year there was a revolt of some undetermined nature and the Army's of New Zion were mobilized.   Now normally this would not be of great concern but we did not find out about this mobilization for days if not weeks after it occurred.  If this mobilization had been aimed at either our Colony of Burundi or the Colony of Eritrea the forces there without sufficient time to mobilize might have been over run before they could be reinforced.  This is the reason why I have requested additional funding for readiness exercises and for Intelligence assets.  We need to have more warning in the event of an attack from what I can only classify as an unstable nation."

Senator Cicero "What was the nature of this revolt do you have any additional information."

Magistrate Quintillius "We have been unable to determine the exact nature of the revolt in New Zion but we have noticed a few refugees from New Zion that have inadvertently crossed our borders.  It appears most of them were heading for Egypt.   These refuges and a few paid informants paint a very inconclusive and fragmented picture.  I have reports of a revolt against the King of New Zion. Another report indicates a revolt by the Muslims or Christians against Zionist rule.  I can only conclude that we need to take reasonable precautions to insure that what ever instability is occurring in New Zion doesn't spread across our borders."

Senator Claudia "And these reasonable precautions they are going to cost Italia how much?"

General Mastanbal Handing out some reports "As you can see Senators some of the proposed money would be utilized to improve the Infrastructure of the area and has already been approved in the long range planning section of the Military Budget we will simply be accelerating some already existing plans.  The Individual Units in Italian East Africa will unfortunately be receiving an alert upgrade and that will indeed cost more then originally projected.  We hope that this will be a temporary measure only until such time as we can identify the cause of the instability within New Zion."

Senator Cicero "Gentlemen, I have discussed this problem privately with Consul Maximus and his opinion is that until such time as we can provide sufficient warning for the Legions stationed in Burundi and Eritrea to match any Zionist mobilization we simply must increase our readiness state in East Africa.   His personal recommendations have been appended to the report in front of you.   After you've read the report please talk to me if you have any questions.  But I feel it will be necessary to approve the Emperor and General Mastanbal's additional funding request!"

[Kaiser Kirk]

So the gist of it is New Zion has been revolting in the past?
Hmm thats not a good attitude for peaceable relations
:)

Senator Claudia "And these reasonable precautions they are going to cost Italia how much?"

It's amazing howquickly troop costs add up, isn't it ?

[ctwaterman]

Take 1 measly Corp from Active to Mobolized Status and few more from Reserve to Active and low and behold your facing a floor fight in Congress... the Imperial Senate.

Attention Mr. and Ms. Europe and all Ships at Sea.... news flash Zionists are revolting.
So your saying the above statement is true but in how many differnt ways. ;D

[Borys]

So the gist of it is New Zion has been revolting in the past?

At present too - and in all possible ways ...

Borys

[Kaiser Kirk]

So your saying the above statement is true but in how many differnt ways. ;D

Hmm let me try counting in "Troll"
One...
Too...
Mani...

[Desertfox]

Unfortunetly, I don't have any spies in the Senate (or do I?), or else there would be a party in NZ after seeing how much money the Italians will be spending.

[Walter]

Well since there no party in New Zion, it is obvious that they do not have a spy in the Senate... or they do have a spy in the Senate and they just have not released the information to the public in order to make it look like they do not have a spy in the Senate. :)

[ctwaterman]

Rome – March 1st 1914  Great North African Cross Country Race

The Empire of Italia in conjunction with the Republic of France today announces the establishment of a Motorized Cross Country Race from Oran to Algiers and on to Tripoli.   The race will be established in 200 Mile legs.  Each 200 Mile leg will end with a stop where fuel, maintenance, food and water may be obtained.   A Purse of $3 has been established for the sponsors or owners of the top 3 finishers.

For more information and registration forms please contact the Italian Embassy nearest you.

[ctwaterman]

Rome Times - April 13, 1914

Emperor Gaius Marius announced today a new treaty formalizing the borders between the Kingdom of Bavaria and the Empire of Italia.  In addition the Emperor announced the Engagement of his Grandson Tommaso Cecilo Filberto Giovani  Prince of Savoy to Princess Gundelinde Maria Josepha of the House of Wittelsbach.

The Wedding is scheduled for Easter Sunday, April 4, 1915 to be held in St. Peters Basilica Rome.

[The Rock Doctor]

18 April 1914:  Rome Times

Gran Colombian motorcar enthusiasts Ramon Salazar and Angel Ortiz have confirmed that they will be entering the North African race announced in these pages last month.

The pair placed eighth in the last significant international racing event, the 1,100 km Trophaenrennen Afrikanisches that ran from Nairobi to Dar-es-Salaam in 1904.

Senor Salazar noted, "It was a considerable pleasure for us to travel through the DKB at high speeds, running into competitors and locals on the way.  We look forward to a similarly enjoyable experience in North Africa."

(Race link:  http://www.navalism.org/index.php?topic=886.msg5818#msg5818)

[Desertfox]

Swiss Adventurer Baron Munchausen, currently residing in New Zion, will enter the race in a car of his own design. He too is a veteran of the 1904 Trophaenrennen Afrikanisches. Pay no attention to his camera totting assistant... 

[P3D]

There are a few Orange participants, two with Rolls-Royces, two with Durban Motors trucks, but all of them private adventurers - the manufacturers were discouraged from official participation.