CSA News 1st Half 1901

[Borys]

 Oops, I did it again. Still, there's some interesting stuff in here, I think.



Naval Gazetteer, 4 January 1901

Not unexpectedly, the negotiations with the Island Commonwealth have come to nothing, and the Gulf Fleet has been ordered to a high status of alert. Although a state of war is not yet considered to exist, the two battleships Georgia and Sonora have been mounting what is described as an "aggressive patrol" off of Cromwell. The Island Commonwealth, for its' own part, has stood all coastal artillery on war alert, although no shots have yet been fired.

Los Angeles Gazette, 18 February 1901

Heavy winter storms in the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada have caused massive blockages of rail and road lines of communication, as well as destroying many telegraph cables. News from the affected area is scarce, due to the difficulty of communicating, but those who have been lightly affected talk of snowdrifts several feet high in open areas.

The Army has ordered special trains into the area, as well as the Rangers, now being deployed from the Richmond area. It is hoped that the elite corps' mountain training will allow them to gain access to those areas inaccessible by conventional means.

Richmond Times, 17 March 1901

The Government has declared that it will not become involved in the war in the western Pacific Ocean. Instead, the merchant navy is receiving orders to avoid known areas of conflict, and advised to restrict its' trade to Hankow in the Middle Kingdom and to Phoenix in the Middle Kingdom. Furthermore, all Confederate shipping has now been instructed to fly the national flag at all times, in addition to the relevant ensign.

Given the ongoing unpleasantness with the Island Commonwealth, the Government's reluctance to become embroiled in further conflict is understandable. It is regrettable that this could not be resolved by peaceful means, but there is still hope that there will be no more blood shed than is necessary.

Los Angeles Gazette, 21 March 1901

The recent rise in temperature has at last begun melting the snow on the Sierra Nevada and Rockies, in places more than thirty feet deep. Hope had been fading of reaching those in remote villages whilst they might still have survived; the clearing conditions now give them some hope of life.

However, the meltwater has swollen rivers, including the Colorado and western parts of the Mississippi system, to more than twice their normal capacity. Those residing within half a mile of any major river are advised to move to safer ground.


Naval Gazetteer, 4 April 1901

After many years of design studies, the first large ships for the Confederate States' Navy in many years have been laid down. The new First Class cruisers are armed with a mixture of 55pdr and 380pdr guns – the latter number six, giving the ship an ability to sink any other vessel in her class with a hail of shells. A similar arrangement has been adopted for the Second Class cruisers, but these are armed instead with the antiquated 200pdr gun, already known for its' poor performance at sea.

Richmond Times, 10 April 1901

The beginnings of a transatlantic service by the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina, presently the world's largest ocean liner, have brought the ship into Norfolk. Although not met with the pomp accorded in the United Kingdom, due to the Marquis of Reux having disembarked in New York, the port was still able to greet the liner with rapturous cheering and applause in the early afternoon yesterday.

Monthly services are expected to provide a significant number of jobs in the dockyard, where the ship will take on coal and supplies prior to returning to the Netherlands. With luck, this could develop into a profitable relationship for all involved parties.

Richmond Observer, 12 April 1901

People of the Confederacy, look at the damage wrought by the floods in the Western part of our nation! There, the combination of tons – yes, tons – of water passing through townships and the sudden freezing temperatures have combined to kill many thousands of innocent people.

Their farmland and homes, for those who have survived, have been washed away: there are whole villages which have simply ceased to exist. Most of the survivors are starving and freezing, scant miles away from their homes.

Why need this be? The Government will assure us that the rail lines have been washed away – as they have – and nothing can be done to repair them. Not so – the Army Railroad Corps has long been able to lay track at a phenomenal rate across unprepared terrain. In many cases, the railbed is still safe, and the narrow-gauge railroads already being stockpiled are designed to be laid under wartime conditions.

Now, we agree, this is not wartime. It is much easier than that, as the returning Legion of Freedom troops will agree. For this reason, they are being deployed to the disaster-hit areas with all possible speed. Nonetheless, the Government owes it to its' people to relieve these areas.

We all know that the bourgeoisie has ample supplies of food and fuel: they have no need for such luxuries, especially when others are dying for want of them. If they will not part with them, they must be made to, and the Army used to distribute those supplies. Millions can still be saved – we owe it to ourselves to do it.

Richmond Observer, 21 April 1901

The atrocities committed in the Middle Kingdom are surpassed only by this Government's capacity for ignoring them. The infidel have so far murdered innocent civilians – even their own – by reducing inhabited cities to rubble with artillery. They have all but murdered missionaries, refusing to prevent others from doing so. They have ordered their entire population to rise up against soldiers, preventing the New Swiss from honourably sparing the lives of civilians. They have then tortured the agents of their enemy, for daring to dress as civilians.

We note that it is Chinese land-grabbing that has initiated this war. They clearly intend to spread their society as far as possible – the whole world, if they can. This murdering enemy must be stopped – they simply cannot be permitted to spread their evil and corrupted systems to other, peace-loving countries.

Engineer's Digest, 6 May 1901

The Ash Rail Engineering Works is now paying host to scientists from Wizard, the Rohirrim engineering firm. They are said to be interested in seaborne applications of the oil-fired boilers that Russell Ash founded the company on, less than a year ago. Ash has already put certain of his concepts to sea aboard the Navy's torpedo rams, and the work being done with Rohan is enabling the Confederacy's first major combatants in many years to have partly oil-fired engines.

Richmond Times, 9 May 1901

At long last, the tension in the Caribbean Sea has resolved itself. Early on the morning of 7 May, reports allege, a land-based 9.2" gun fired upon the patrolling battleship Georgia. The ship then returned fire with her forward 12" guns, with three salvos silencing the railgun. This exchange is not belived to have caused significant damage to either party, as the railgun was observed leaving the area under its' own power shortly afterwards.

The Island Commonwealth has claimed that the first shot was fired accidentally by the gun crew, which was nearing the end of its' shift and consequently fatigued. This is backed up by the reports from the Georgia that the shell fell two thousand yards east and one thousand south of her position.

Naval Gazetteer, 24 June 1901

A number of torpedo rams have been seen taking onboard additional bunks at Miami, as have the cruisers Tijuana, Jacksonville, Macon and Odessa. All ships alongside in that harbour have also been equipped with many more boats than is normal practice.

Soldier Magazine, 28 June 1901

The 7th Infantry Brigade, based at Miami in Florida, has had all leave cancelled and equipment brought up to wartime levels. No information has been granted on the reason for this action.
   
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Marek Gutkowski    
Posted: Feb 5 2006, 08:27 PM


Hegemon
*

Group: Head of State
Posts: 492
Member No.: 58
Joined: 24-January 06



   
IC
The Governer of Cuba Alehandro Batista read the newly translated news.
He pic up a pen and started writing:
"Official order of the Day 29 June 1901.Doe of the tension bethin the Commonwelt and the Confederacy.All civilian shiping is to be advised to avoid sailing too far to the North of Cuban coust.
CDBB sqadron is to be put on higher alert and the cruiser squadrons are to patrol the area so no spanish citizen comes to any harm."
He thou about adding something more
"PS Send a order to Spain for more shoe polish"
He gave the secretary the letter, she will fix it to make it more offitial looking .
He stared at the celing for a minut."Hmm like I nead to worry they have they own war to attend too"he muterd to himself
"Who Is sir"the secretary ask
"No one Im just thinking outloud"
'I got to get a bigger office'he thot 'that women hears everything...I hope she dosnt mindread too'
   
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swamphen    
Posted: Feb 5 2006, 08:29 PM


Großeadmiral Sumpfhühn
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Group: Head of State
Posts: 1,298
Member No.: 23
Joined: 29-January 05



   
Hmm, seems like "somebody" is about to taste some Confederate steel.

QUOTE
and to Phoenix in the Middle Kingdom.

The great tide of Chinese manpower has not flooded quite that far just yet. wink.gif

(p.s. thanks for the Hankow trade, my merchants appreciate it. cool.gif )
   
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The Rock Doctor    
Posted: Feb 5 2006, 09:55 PM


Hegemon
*

Group: Head of State
Posts: 463
Member No.: 57
Joined: 4-January 06



   
"Better the Islanders aggrevate the Confederacy than us", mused President Alizandro to nobody in particular. There was, in fact, nobody in the room apart from himself. "Any damage done to the Commonwealth will make our own situation that much more secure."
   
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Desertfox    
Posted: Feb 6 2006, 11:23 PM


Commander Johann Wyss
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Group: Head of State
Posts: 1,101
Member No.: 41
Joined: 5-March 05



   
Thank God for a somewhat friendly population.

Speaking of trade: Slightly IC/OOC Sent via roundabout laundered ways. "NS will allow foreign ships (inc Spanish) through the blockade for a price (1 HBP per Q)" after all NS is capitalist to the bone biggrin.gif
   
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Ithekro    
Posted: Feb 6 2006, 11:57 PM


King of Rohan
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Group: Head of State
Posts: 2,111
Member No.: 29
Joined: 7-February 05



   
Arrr, ye be payin with ye production or ye tonnage, there matey.

(Run blockade, possibly loose some tonnage, or pay and get in almost normally.)

Rohan is staying clear of the Middle Kingdom at this time, as reported earlier.