Italia News 1915

[ctwaterman]

Rome Press Release to all Embassies and Consular Offices, December 31st 1914.

Due to the Empire of Italia Declaration of War against the State of New Zion a shipping advisory exists for all neutral shipping in the Rift Sea.   Due to offensive and defensive mining operation that are likely to occur in this region it is advised that all neutral shipping take the route outside the Rift Sea to make passage from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea.  To facilitate this longer voyage any neutral shipping may use of the Port of Mogadishu to re-coal at reduced rates for this inconvenience.

In addition the Empire of Italia is declaring a blockade of all New Zion ports starting 48 Hours from this notice.   All ships bound into the Rift Sea and determined to be bound for ports in New Zion will be subject to search and if found to be carrying weapons will be subject to seizure and submittal to a prize court.  The Shipping of the Deutcher Kaiserreich Brandenburg are recognized as having special need to access this area and the Empire of Italia will make all reasonable attempts to accommodate that nations shipping to its Colonies bordering the Rift Sea.

[ctwaterman]

To All Diplomatic Embassy 2nd January 1915

Due to the actions of the State of New Zion effective immediately the Empire of Italia and the Senate of the Republic of Rome issue a Declare war upon the State of New Zion.

Due to the Empire of Italia Declaration of War against the State of New Zion a shipping advisory exists for all neutral shipping in the Rift Sea.   Due to offensive and defensive mining operation that are likely to occur in this region it is advised that all neutral shipping take the route outside the Rift Sea to make passage from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea.  To facilitate this longer voyage any neutral shipping may use of the Port of Mogadishu to re-coal at reduced rates for this inconvenience.

In addition the Empire of Italia is declaring a blockade of all New Zion ports starting 48 Hours from this notice.   All ships bound into the Rift Sea and determined to be bound for ports in New Zion will be subject to search and if found to be carrying weapons will be subject to seizure and submittal to a prize court.  The Shipping of the Deutcher Kaiserreich Brandenburg are recognized as having special need to access this area and the Empire of Italia will make all reasonable attempts to accommodate that nations shipping to its Colonies bordering the Rift Sea.

[P3D]

To All Diplomatic Embassy 2nd January 1915

Due to the actions of the State of New Zion effective immediately the Empire of Italia and the Senate of the Republic of Rome issue a Declare war upon the State of New Zion.

Due to the Empire of Italia Declaration of War against the State of New Zion a shipping advisory exists for all neutral shipping in the Rift Sea.   Due to offensive and defensive mining operation that are likely to occur in this region it is advised that all neutral shipping take the route outside the Rift Sea to make passage from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea.  To facilitate this longer voyage any neutral shipping may use of the Port of Mogadishu to re-coal at reduced rates for this inconvenience.

In addition the Empire of Italia is declaring a blockade of all New Zion ports starting 48 Hours from this notice.   All ships bound into the Rift Sea and determined to be bound for ports in New Zion will be subject to search and if found to be carrying weapons will be subject to seizure and submittal to a prize court.  The Shipping of the Deutcher Kaiserreich Brandenburg are recognized as having special need to access this area and the Empire of Italia will make all reasonable attempts to accommodate that nations shipping to its Colonies bordering the Rift Sea.

The Republic of Orange does not recognize the Italian blockade and would consider seizing Neutral vessels by Italian ships as an act of state-sponsored piracy.

[ctwaterman]

To All Diplomatic Embassy 2nd January 1915

Due to the actions of the State of New Zion effective immediately the Empire of Italia and the Senate of the Republic of Rome issue a Declare war upon the State of New Zion.

Due to the Empire of Italia Declaration of War against the State of New Zion a shipping advisory exists for all neutral shipping in the Rift Sea.   Due to offensive and defensive mining operation that are likely to occur in this region it is advised that all neutral shipping take the route outside the Rift Sea to make passage from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea.  To facilitate this longer voyage any neutral shipping may use of the Port of Mogadishu to re-coal at reduced rates for this inconvenience.

In addition the Empire of Italia is declaring a blockade of all New Zion ports starting 48 Hours from this notice.   All ships bound into the Rift Sea and determined to be bound for ports in New Zion will be subject to search and if found to be carrying weapons will be subject to seizure and submittal to a prize court.  The Shipping of the Deutcher Kaiserreich Brandenburg are recognized as having special need to access this area and the Empire of Italia will make all reasonable attempts to accommodate that nations shipping to its Colonies bordering the Rift Sea.

The Republic of Orange does not recognize the Italian blockade and would consider seizing Neutral vessels by Italian ships as an act of state-sponsored piracy.

The Empire of Italia is extremely shocked at the interpretation of the Republic of Orange.  Did the Republic of Orange not in the recent Balkan Crisis place mine fields in international waters and stop all ships entering those waters to inspect there cargoes.   If your interpreation that these actions are the acts of a Pirate then perhaps you should not have risked doing them.

For Simplicities sake the Empire of Italia will quote the relevant International Law regarding Piracy From the Haag Treaty governing the High Seas.

Article 13

Piracy consists of any of the following acts:

(1) Any illegal acts of violence, detention or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship, and directed:

(a) On the high seas, against another ship, or against persons or property on board such ship;

(b) Against a ship, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State;

(2) Any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship;

(3) Any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described in sub-paragraph 1 or sub-paragraph 2 of this article.

Article 14

The acts of piracy, as defined in article 13, committed by a warship, government ship whose crew has mutinied and taken control of the ship are assimilated to acts committed by a private ship.

Article 15

A ship is considered a pirate ship if it is intended by the persons in dominant control to be used for the purpose of committing one of the acts referred to in article 13. The same applies if the ship has been used to commit any such act, so long as it remains under the control of the persons guilty of that act.

Article 16

A ship may retain its nationality although it has become a pirate ship. The retention or loss of nationality is determined by the law of the State from which such nationality was derived.

Article 17

On the high seas, or in any other place outside the jurisdiction of any State, every State may seize a pirate ship, or a ship taken by piracy and under the control of pirates, and arrest the persons and seize the property on board. The courts of the State which carried out the seizure may decide upon the penalties to be imposed, and may also determine the action to be taken with regard to the ship or property, subject to the rights of third parties acting in good faith.

Article 18

Where the seizure of a ship on suspicion of piracy has been effected without adequate grounds, the State making the seizure shall be liable to the State the nationality of which is possessed by the ship, for any loss or damage caused by the seizure.

Article 19

A seizure on account of piracy may only be carried out by warships or other ships on government service authorized to that effect.

Article 20

1. Except where acts of interference derive from powers conferred by treaty, a warship which encounters a foreign merchant ship on the high seas is not justified in boarding her unless there is reasonable ground for suspecting:

(a) That the ship is engaged in piracy; or

(b) That the ship is engaged in the slave trade; or

(c) That though flying a foreign flag or refusing to show its flag, the ship is, in reality, of the same nationality as the warship.

2. In the cases provided for in sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) above, the warship may proceed to verify the ship's right to fly its flag. To this end, it may send a boat under the command of an officer to the suspected ship. If suspicion remains after the documents have been checked, it may proceed to a further examination on board the ship, which must be carried out with all possible consideration.

As the Republic of Orange has not seen fit to join the Civilized Nations of the world in signing any relevant international laws or treaties you can freely to choose to declare the actions of the Empire of Italia to be anything you wish.   However when the Empire questioned your actions in the Persian Gulf I believe you told us while boording our ships that it was to prevent the spread of the war in the Blakans.

In this instance the Empire of Italia finds that perhaps you were right and is simply copying an effective technique for preventing the Spread of the War from North East Africa to any other part of Africa.

Foreign Ministry of the Empire of Italia

[maddox]

Current events, Paris, premier Galpoux's office.


Messieurs, the New Zion situation is going from funny to serious.

The Orange Republic, a state seen as friendly to France has issued a serious warning to our Treaty partner Italy. 
Grand Admiral geon, what is your assesment?

Premier, for me it's clear. A pure matter of honor. We are obliged to help our treatypartners defend themselfs.

Geon, it's not defending the Italians, it's about helping them invading a piece of land worth less than shit, populated by people who are religious inspired cavemen. Nothing we have to work or help with. If the Italians get more manure to shovel, it's the shitpile they have created themselfs. If their evidence would be more conclusive, I would be the first one to say Yes to the punishment of the New Zionite troglodites.

Minister  Marveulle, pipe down or be removed from this discussion. It's not that you are democraticaly chosen for the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs, you can claim omnipotence, nor are you in order to verbaly assaulting the Grand Admiral like that.

Yes premier. But I propose a neutral stance, a stance that even can benefit our treaty partners- shoved in our troaths by the previous legislature.

Explain that, if you please, minister Marveuille? I as simpleminded naval officer fail to see the result of your reasoning

Dear grand Admiral, it's simple, that war isn't of our concern, so why wouldn't we sell supplies to all the involved parties. I even got word that the Maorians are searching for a way into that hornets nest.
So, I would propose to open Djibouti Island as a neutral safe haven. As long peace is maintained inside the waters and land of France there and the supplies payed I don't see any issue with that.
Minister Marveuille, I'm astonished by your economical and diplomatic accumen. I never would have seen it that way.  But I see no way to keep that going for all the parties involved. I even predict that that kind of New Swissian approach will cost France a huge amount of  resources, and even worse, peoples lifes.
Premier, I hope you won't allow that at all, it's against all reasonable and honorable sense.

Grand Admiral, I see options in that suggestion. Don't forget Minister Marveuille is one of the Socialistic green idealists.
Minister Marveuille, I suggest you get that  plan in writing, and with every  T crossed and every I dotted on my desk before january 10th

And Geon, as you know, New Swiss changed from an anarchotic leadership to a monarchy with roots and stabilitity, so I give them the benefit of the doubt. I suggest you look into the plans of the Torpedo Boat destroyers they gave to Chantiers St Nazaire. I say to you both, New Swiss ain't the boogyman anymore.
Live with it, Monsieur Grange will provide more info to you.

[Borys]

I

Geon, it's not defending the Italians, it's about helping them invading a piece of land worth less than shit, populated by people who are religious inspired cavemen. ....  New Zionite troglodites.

OOC
So now it's official - New Zion is subprime real estate, with unsavoury tenants from an extinct species ...

Borys

[maddox]

Nope, we have 1 bigotted  French minister of Foreing affairs.   Thats all.

[Borys]

neayh - truth comes from the mouth of babes, as they say ...

[ctwaterman]

A Copy of this note is leaked to the Press-

To: Orange Ambassador to France,

Sir,
   As your nation is obviously not acting as a Neutral in the war between the Empire of Italia and New Zion and your ships are not willing to be stopped and searched for Contraband the Empire of Italia is taking the following actions.

1.   Your shipping both Military and Civilian is prohibited from utilizing the Empire's Territorial Waters and Empires Ports.
2.   As your are not acting as a Neutral Nation the Empire of Italia will no longer inform your Diplomatic Staff of the locations of any Mine Fields the Empire has lain.
3.   The Ports and Harbors of New Zion are legitimate targets of war, as your shipping is clearly not avoiding these locations the Empire of Italia will not be held responsible for any loss of life that occurs if the Empire Attacks these legitimate targets.


Empire of Italia Foreign Office.

[ctwaterman]

The Imperial Palace Rome –January 15th 1915.

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

Gaius Marius "Ok, these reports from the front are disturbing.  Evidently New Zion was more mobilized then we were led to believe.  And it appears the Republic of Orange is mobilizing with full intentions of enter the war possibly with and Invasion of either Burundi or Mozambique."

Lucius   "Indeed My Liege, and even more disturbing is the action of Maoria.  I know we helped them out with a few tech deals a few years ago but they are literally halfway around the world.  Members in the Senate are already questioning me about what Maoria is doing it appears to be complicating the Diplomatic situation in unexpected matters."

Gaius Marius. "Ok, so we have Ottoman Ships moving into the Indian Ocean or the Persian Gulf,  We have the Republic of Orange massing its Fleet in Beira and Nomanton and running obvious war supplies into New Zion.  Has anyone asked what Orange expects to get out of all there support from New Zion.   I mean even I can do the numbers and the New Zion economy will never be able to pay them back."

Lucius "I have some people looking into it.  The only realistic answer I have heard came from Consul Spurius Valerius Maximus.  He implied that the Republic of Orange was stalled in its expansion in Africa by running into the boundaries of Kingdom of the Netherlands.  They've already gobbled up everyone else's territories South of the Kongo either by Invasion during a time of crisis or purchase probably under threat of invasion."

"So they are appear to be taking this opportunity to get around Netherlands Congo Territory by either invading Burundi or Mozambique.  Was this what there offer was all about when this crisis first started.   They wanted the Empire to sell Burundi to the DKB which is like selling it to the Orange Republic."

Lucius "Its possible they don't seem to understand that the Empire does not buy and sell its citizens like the Republic of Orange does.   Perhaps its time to remind the Population of Northern and Eastern Africa what becoming a client or colony of Orange would entail for most of their Populations.   I don't know about you my liege but I wouldn't appreciate being owned."

Gaius Marius "Neither would I Lucius neither would I.   I need you to arrange a meeting with Consul Rufus, Consul Maximus and a few of the Leaders in the Senate.   In addition have you had any further thoughts on the Maoria issue?"

Lucius "I will arrange the meeting Sire.   On Maoria I don't know what we can do we had next to no warning and had the consulted us we would have welcomed there public support but not their declaration of war.  I think the best we can do is let Consul Rufus and the foreign ministry deal with the situation as best they can.   Have you had any additional thoughts about what to do with the Kingdom Ethipia after the war."

Gaius Marius Pauses and thinks for a moment "That is a very tough question what I would really like to do is simply annex it so that it could never become a trouble spot again.  If its firmly in our grasp then neither the Republic of Orange or any of our other neighbors will be looking to just grab it.   But I suppose some other solution is going to have to be found and I'm open to any reasonable suggestions from the Senators or the Foreign Office about how we can create a stable state in the area that wont be hostile to Economic Interaction and Political Discourse with the Empire.   Maybe some sort of Protectorate with some allied states to help oversee its government.  Heck If it would work I might even go for one of Mr. Wilson's Democracy's and his 14 points.   But all of that will have to wait until the current government is removed they are the cause of this mess and it looks like they are going to cost the Empire a great deal of blood and treasure."

Lucius "Perhaps we should leak some information to the Press that we are open options other then outright conquest of New Zion?"
   
Gaius Marius "I will consider that after the meeting with Consul Rufus and the Senators."  Looks at the Time. "I am sorry Lucius but I am do to meet with the Senate Budget committee in 15 minuets so if you would arrange that meeting!"

[ctwaterman]

The Rome Times January 15th 1915.

Officials from the Imperial Marina office of public affairs today announced that a Naval Battle had been fought in the South Rift Sea.   The Attack Obviously coordinated with the New Zion forces and launched prior to the Orange Declaration of war caught the screening forces in a pincer movement.   Losses are reported heavy with one Cruiser of the HC-1906 Class Lost and another damaged.  Casualties among the light screening forces are also expected to be high.  Reports of the sinking of one Armored Frigate and of serious damage to a New Zion Battle Ship are as yet unconfirmed.

Ground Forces in Northern and Southern Italian East Africa continued their advances against stubborn opposition from New Zion forces fighting from prepared defensive positions.  These advances were halted only by the Order of his Imperial Majesty when a question of Honor was raised by the President of Grand Columbia.   As of the 12th of January all  Imperial Forces in East Africa will cease offensive operations for 1 month to allow Grand Columbia and the CSA to seek a peaceful and honorable compromise.

January 18th Forum Chronicle - Editorial

Emperor gives away advantage on Point of Honor.

His Imperial Majesty has taken needless risks with the lives a the soldier and sailors of the Imperial Forces.  While the Empire gives time for Peace the Slave Owners of the Orange Republic continue to arm the murders  in New Zion.   This Editorial Staff can only wonder at what the Emperor hopes to gain by this Gesture of goodwill except the loss of more Lives once the war resumes.   In addition this Editorial Staff can only speculate as to what the Citizens of New Zion will think about their new allies.  Obviously the Zionists have failed to inform its citizens that they intend to ally themselves with and be occupied by people who would hold most of those as slaves nothing more than chattel to be bought and sold.

The Rome Times 19th January 1915
Cease  Fire takes effect in East Africa

A fragile peace has fallen over East Africa.  After days of small struggles the news of the Cease Fire has apparently reached all the troops of New Zion and Orange.   The Empire has announced a call up of Several Reserve Division who will be replacing regular army units that apparently will be deploying to Bolster the Defenses in East Africa.

In other news IMS Victory the first ship of the New AC 1913 of V class Cruisers will soon be finishing its shakedown and gunnery trials.  The Ship built in France as part of an exchange program for a large number of 1000 Ton Destroyers built in Italia Ship yards was received from France Late last year.   The Ship built to Italia Design Standards and using Italia Engines and guns will be the newest addition to the Italia Marina.  Her Sister Ship Vigilance will finish construction latter this year.

[Tanthalas]

just a point of interest on the ships, why not give them Italian/Roman Names (even just Italian versions of their english names) adds Flavor to your Fleet imho

[ctwaterman]

just a point of interest on the ships, why not give them Italian/Roman Names (even just Italian versions of their english names) adds Flavor to your Fleet imho

No Oblo Italiana.... and Im to sick to look for an English to Roman Dictionary right now.

[Borys]

Vitoria and Vigilanzia - and the acronym would be IN - Imperiale Nave (Imperial Vessel)

[ctwaterman]

See and why put off till tomorrow what you can have someone else do for you today....:)

Thanks Borys