Cape Courier 1903

[Borys]

 Cape Courier, January 8, 1903

QUOTE

The newly appointed Habsburg Ambassador, Bela Lugosi appeared worn by his long travel, when he presented himself at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the morning. The  Hungarian aristocrat turned ambassador, however, was reported to be quite lively during the evening party held at the Austrian Embassy, charming ladies and impressing gentlemen. Apparently the ambassador is one of those people who sleep and stay awake long.
   
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Posted: Sep 4 2006, 01:04 AM


Hegemon
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Somewhere in Orange, January 17, 1903

All of the six were veterans of the cavalry, and it was not their first illegal job, but unarguably the most difficult one. They travelled alone, on sepatrate trains, arriving in three different towns. There they paired up, bought horses and supplies, as in the open lone travellers are more suspect than two together. They headed for a cottage, 2-3 days ride from those towns, rented from a former comrade of theirs who had a farm there, and was paid generously for his cooperation and silence. Three others were waiting for them there, one being their leader, who arrived with the supplies and firearms previously, and did some scouting in advance to verify the information they had - which turned out to be surprisingly accurate. They spent half a day to familiarize with the new weapons - cavalry issue carbines -, then prepared for another two days of riding. Their target, they understood, was considered traitor by a foreign government, the agents contracting them said as much. But they were payed a considerable sum in advance, the the other half promised, if they would the deliver the merchandise, alive.
The traitor was living in a nice farmstead turned into a luxurious villa, bought by the Orange government as payment for his services. Its remoteness was considered to be its strongest defence, but the efficiency with which the foreign agents penetrated the secrecy stripped most of it. On the other hand, being far from the closest settlement and telegraph lines provided enough time to escape long before discovery. The villa was inhabited by the target, his lover, a physician to care for him, four servants and eight guards - defence against lions, occasional robbers, and sufficient sized to provide some false sense of security.

As the night was drawing, they stopped at a distance from the farmstead, behind the cover of a small hill. They gutted the antelope that was shot during the day, and smeared the innards all over their bodies. It gave them a few more minutes before the guard dogs noticed them, if the wind suddenly turned on their approach. Had they failed to shoot the antelope, one of the horses would have sufficed - they had enough spare horses, needed for speedy escape. The horses were a bit skittish smelling the offal, but were calmed down by the sacks of grain prepared for this case.

Eight of them started for the house, leaving one to guard the horses. Light was coming out from a window of the house, the guradroom, shutters left carelessly open. The full moon provided enough illumination to their trained eyes. They were a few hundreds of meters from the house, when the dogs smelled them and started barking. One of the guards left the buiding, get to the dog kennels, cursing - "the stupid dogs have to get crazy every other day" and "shut the fuck up, you bitch" was clearly audible , followed by yelps and silence. One of his fellow guards peeked out of the door. "Shouldn't you look around a bit?"
"Eh? Damn hyenas, yet again". A sudden hit on his chest throw him against the wall, accompanied by a cracking sound. He collapsed, touched the spot where he was hit, and wandered why his shirt became wet and sticky. His last thought was that it was not those damn hyenas again this time.

In the bedroom

M. Rimauld former foreign minister of the Troiséme Republique, twice traitor, was deeply engaged in his favorite passtime with his female companion. Provided by his hosts, with the farmstead, so he would not feel alone in his isolation, considered to be a necessary sacrifice on his convenience, until the storm raised by his defection would calm down.
They both froze, hearing the two shots, followed by several others, and they disentangled themselves in a record time. Rimauld, paler than usual, in the scant light of an oil lamp, looked at the girl, and spoke, shaking from fear.
"The...pistols..."
The girl nodded, holding a blanket at her breast to cover herself, sat up and started rummaging in the drawer of the bedside table, getting a small revolver that fit in her feminine hands. Rimauld did the same, although in his state it would be a wonder if he hit anything he aimed at. The sounds of firefight, and shouts came closer. The girl, also frightened, but managing to collect her last reserves, gripped the gun in both hands and raised it. The Frenchman, sensing that something was amiss, looked up, and stared in disbelief into the barrel of the gun his two-minutes-ago lover was pointing at him.

When the attackers broke in the bedroom, they saw the bloodsatined bedclothes, the shocked girl in the bed, still holding the pistol, her eyes fixed at the men she'd just killed, the blanket slid down uncovering her breasts. One of the men - their leader - held up one hand, and stepped next to the girl, who just sat there motionless. He took the pistol out of her hand effortlessly, and then slapped the girl's face. The girl looked up confused, and covered herself again.
"You had your own orders", stated the man. looking into her eyes.
The girl, wondering why she wasn't already shot dead, nodded.
"I see our beloved government decided that silencing its guest is acceptable to avoid further embarrassment. As a last resort."
Nod.
"Lass, do you want to live?"
Two nods. And a faint glimmer of hope.
"The death of this traitor is an acceptable outcome to the guys who contracted us. The guards are dead, too, but they were not doing their jobs properly. Also two of my men, but I will disregard that. The servants and the doctor are alive. Now I tell you what you will do."
Another nod, and a bit life back in her eyes.
" We will take your horses. You could get help on horseback in a day, but going on foot would take longer. And that would be dangerous, you know, there might be lions around. In the meanwhile we'll get away. I'd assume you usually got supplies regularly."
"Every week a servant and two guards left get them, to collect his correspondence."
"So if they won't show up, they will send someone to check upon you. You have enough food here for a few days. I'll even leave guns here just in case. I have no quarrels with your employers any further. Got it?"
Nod.
"Now show me where he had his valuables. As you killed him, we won't get as much money as if we delivered him alive, so we had to compensate. His correspondece, our contractor was not interested at all. You can tell this to your employer, too."

Leaving the farmstead, after collecting the diplomat's cache of diamonds, gold, and the body of their two fallen comrades, one of the men turned to the leader.
"Don't bullshit me about having no argument with these government guys. You would have killed everyone there five years ago."
"She reminded me of my wife."
"You are getting older, Karl."
"As if you were becoming any younger..."
   
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Posted: Sep 5 2006, 01:08 PM


Hegemon
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QUOTE
January 17th, 1903
4:37 AM
Note from Austrian Embassy to Republic of Orange Foreign Minisitry

1 - the Austrian Gov't would like to know how many ex-Habsburg subjects have laid down their weapons due to Amnesty offered by Orange Gov't and the Kaiser's Appeal to discontinue the resistance movement, and how many of these wish to return to their Homeland.

2 - the Habsburg Embassy requests counsel on charter of passanger liner to transport the above-mentioned individuals and their dependents to Europe. If possible, the Monarchy would provide an escort of honor, the Linienschiff SMS Kaiser, with Erzherzog Karl von Habsburg on board.

His Excellency
Gróf Béla Lugosi


The Government of Orange informs the His Excellency that roughly 6000 inhabitants of the former Namibia wishes to return to Europe. The Government will provide transport in the form of four chartered ships from Orange passenger liners. The Republic of Orange will provide for any escorting ships the Austrian Navy would send.
   
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Posted: Sep 6 2006, 03:19 PM


Hegemon
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Cape Courier, December 2, 1903

QUOTE

The Navy dispatched the cruiser ORNS Sapphyr to evacuate embassy personnel from Lisbon, leaving there only a small core staff to keep contact with the revolutionary government. The cruiser is expected to arrive in two weeks.
   
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Maddox    
Posted: Sep 6 2006, 05:32 PM


Hegemon
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Current events,


"Yes Minister Capet?

Premier Palpaté, I'm afraid monsieur Rimauld will return to France soon.
Why are you afraid? It sounds as if you did your job well.

Premier, I'm sorry to mention the Securité made a small misjudgement.

Do I dare to ask what you mean?

Simple Premier Palpaté, the team send out to retrieve the traitor came back with the evidence that Rimauld was murdered a few hours before they arrived at the isolated villa. The local team claimed that Rimaild and his entourage were butchered by a roving band of Zulu's. We have no reason to disbelieve that. The Zulu's are a permanent Orange problem, and it fits in their modus operandi.

(Palpaté is seeting, but keeps his composture)

I see. We can't raise the dead to execute them ourselfs. Leave it to the Orange Republic to explain this "terrible loss for France". They have all incentive to keep us to their good side.... And that's very short at the moment.
The amateuristic spy they sended to Halifax is just comic relief. Spying on the build of commercial liners... Why? Touranne, were tegethoff is being repaired. that would be more of interest. Or the danton , why not spy on that?

I don't know Premier, and I have to admit, it's not my job to know that. It's my job to keep the international relations friendly.
   
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Posted: Sep 6 2006, 06:07 PM


Hegemon
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Dispatch to the Embassy of France to Orange, January 23, 1903

QUOTE

The Republic of Orange regret to Inform Yours Excellency, that the sanatory where M. Rimauld was recovering from the several tropical diseases he contracted in Malawi, was attacked by a band of well-armed bandits. Investigation placed their number between fourty and fifty, and it is yet unclear whether they came from Zululand or some other tribal enclaves. The guards and the staff of the sanatory and 10 other patient were massacred, the sanatory itself put on fire and burned down. The remains of M. Rimauld could be identified only by his dental records.

Provincial authorities raised a commitee to determine who was responsible for the security lapses that allowed this tragedy to happen, and how such a large group of criminal could move freely deep in Orange territory.
   
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Posted: Sep 8 2006, 02:15 AM


Hegemon
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Cape Courier, March 24, 1903

QUOTE

Escorting the liner taking military advisors to Masqat, the cruiser Rubyn and the frigate Defender left Durban. The military advisors will take part in the modernization an training of the Army of the Sultanate of Oman, at the request of the Sultan.

Some geologists will also accompany the advisors, and will start a survey of the Sultanate.
   

[Borys]

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Borys    
Posted: Sep 8 2006, 03:01 AM


Kaiser und Koenig Stefan
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Orange Republic, 3:17 AM

Note from Austrian Embassy to Republic of Orange Foreign Minisitry

The Austrian Gov't will follow with interest the operations of the Orange Military Mission to Oman.

His Excellency
Várgrófok Bela Lugosi
   
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Posted: Sep 9 2006, 12:51 AM


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Cape Courier, January 05, 1903

QUOTE

The unrest in Portugal proper has apparently spread to her colonies. General Esparterio, who arrived in Angola last year with his troops, raised the rebels' crimson-green flag, and took them against the forces of Governor Luis Almeda Braga, who declared his loyalty to the King at the first news of the attempted coup. Meanwhile, criminal elements are using the same opportunity to wreak havoc in the hinterland. The armed forces are presently uncapable to restrain them. Several border incrusions were reported already into the war-torn Namibia.

In the meanwhile the Orange Army is idling in their barracks all over Namibia, while they are needed on the border to stop these raiding attempts. And are government is sitting complacent, looking away as the red disease spreads to our beloved continent.
   
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Posted: Sep 9 2006, 01:22 AM


Hegemon
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Outjo province (N Namibia), January 7, 1903

Private Strijdom was muttering to a fellow infantrymen, as their company was unloading boxes of ammunition from the suppy train.
"Lying idle in the garrisons, heh... Either that stupid journalist wasn't a soldier at all, or served on one of those goddamned rustbuckets..."
They put the crate on the wagon, destined to one of the new ammunition depots.
"Apparently the folks down there has no clue whatsoever, that who should be the recipient of this heap of fireworks..."
Walking back to the train, private Strijdom continued with his observations.
"I met a friend of mine from Durban. In Windhoek. They were stationed here for a whole fucking year, and were waiting in Walvis Bay to embark a ship back to civilized land, where they could find some white girls. Then they had to load back all their stuff on the train, and were headed inland again. Change of orders, yeah, sure..."
"Strijdom, those crates won't walk to the wagon on their own tiny legs." The private muttered a curse under his nose, concerning the mores of the female ancestors of the sergeant, who decided to pick him again as target. "And haul your asses back to the train, or do you want to repeat loudly that what you just said? Leave politics to the generals, and don't just spread your silly theories all around".

Strijdom sighed. There were still 3 railcars left, and he did not want to bet on that this was the last train of the day.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Sep 10 2006, 06:04 AM


Kaiser und Koenig Stefan
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March 1903, Cape Town, Austrian Ambassador's residence

- "Are they out of their swollen hazelnut sized brains!!!" - thought Lugosi looking at the abominations which peered out of the crates at him - "and THAT came from Ballplatz?!? "

Two days later, 11 PM, garden party at Austrian embassy.
Várgrófok Bela Lugosi, His Excellency the Ambassador Plenipotentaire et Extraordinaire of the Habsburg Empire, even more tight lipped than usual, explained to one of the heavyweight socialites - "And these, dear madam, are finely crafted products of the best artisans from the Tirol region. I gather your family hails from that area, doesn't it? Some say that these represent the previous Kaiser, who seems to have a cult following amongst the peasantry. But others say that these represent benevolent spirits which will bring good luck to the household in whose garden they were erected ... "
   
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Posted: Sep 10 2006, 02:20 PM


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Lourenco Marques, Mozambique, January 6, 1903

Governor Armando de Sousa e Vasconcelos was deep in his thoughts, sitting in the gardens of the gubernatorial palace in the evening. Mozabmique was apparently left alone, due to the civil war back home and in Angola. Other times he would be glad not to be in the center of attention to act freely on his own behalf, but the lack of any support made his situation precarious at least. He was careful, not siding with either the loyalist neither the rebel fraction, and with Lisbon so far away, the populace here was not really interested in choosing sides either.

Control over the nominally Portuguese territory was mostly limited close to the coast, extending inland only in the South and in the North, where it was less exposed to the Zulu raids, shielded by Orange and the Malawi lake. The Zulus were mostly quiet, but the last raids came with the uncomfortable relevation that they were equipped with modern firearms. Of German origin, damn all that political scheming, as it is always a third or fourth party that would pay the dearest price.
The military strength of the province was stretched thin, garrisoning the coastal towns, and guarding the borders to the North and South. No one had the slightest illusion that those forces would casue anything more than slight inconvenience if any of those neighbors decided to cross.

And the letter, informing him that a delegation from Cape Town is coming to discuss "security matters"...
   
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Posted: Sep 19 2006, 12:24 AM


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Lourenco Marques, Mozambique, January 9, 1903
Governor's residence

Two men, both in tropical dress, were arguing in the governor's garden, protected by shade of a huge tree from the summer sun, the heat already abating with the afternoon.

"Armando, my friend, I don't understand why you have reservations about my government desire to make all these talks, well, informal?"

said the elder, in his late fifties, gesticulating with a glass in his hand, apparenly undisdurbed by the hulk of the body he possessed. He was recognized as Jochem Filip de Wet at the harbor an hour before, where a carriage, a coachman and a major of the Portuguese Army was waiting for his arrival by a frigate, accompanied by his secretary. Rank hath its privileges, even to the former prime minister of Orange, especially when he a business partner of the governor for several years.
The addressed one started to answer, but stopped as a servant girl, her shining brown skin clad in a white robe, approached them with a tray laden with ice-cooled refreshments. They watched the girl silently as she served them, and the governor waited until she was not in hearing distance.

"Jochem Filip, you are asking me a lot."

"Honestly, are you really surprised with the request?"

"Demand or ultimatum would be more appropriate here."

"Half of the Orange industrialists got a fit when the revolution erupted in Lisbon, the other half when fighting was reported in Angola. They are leaning on the government heavily to take matters in hands, which is currently their own party in the powers. and intervene with military force? Not if either Portuguese government would be able to stop the Army, but their forces are content fighting each other?"

"But demand me, to... request Orange assistance against communist agents here? It would be outrageous even if the revolution has more than a theoretical chance to happen here in Mozambique."

"By their reasoning it is completely justified that they don't want to give the communists the least chance to set a foothold a mere 300km from Johannesburg. Even if t. No base for them at all. Add in some victory disease, and the doves are hiding in the nest, as hawks would fall upon them if they showed themselves."

"Jochem, I am a loyal Portuguese, and worried seeing by beloved country falling apart. And there are others, especially in the military who feel the same. But it would be my duty not to allow the people to suffer, which would inevitably happen were I to say no."

"Armando, my government want a quick answer, but you don't have to decide right now. And we are aware of the difficulties and opposition you would face. But we are indeed willing to assist in convincing key military personnel and civil administrators. After you say yes, today, tomorrow, or even the day after, my secretary will stay here, taking some boxes from the ship with him."

The governor sighed exasperatedly, and filled his glass the French Napoleon congnac that was standing untouched in an ice bouqet. It was not proper serving, but who cared.

"Let me guess. Mostly gold, in Kugelrand, and uncut diamonds. Not if you left me any choice. With my estates almost on your border. I will give you my answer tomorrow, but I won't like it either. Best you return to that ship of yours, lest I did something foolish.

When the Orange statesman left, governor Armando de Sousa e Vasconcelos was sitting in the garden chair, alone in his thoughts, staring at the glass of cognac he held in his hand.
   
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Posted: Sep 22 2006, 11:42 PM


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PRELUDE

Lourenco Marques, 1903 February 26
Governor's residence

'So why are you in such a hurry, Jochem Filip? We agreed fto have our time to settle any differences with the Army officers and bureaucrats. I'd guess your appearance means that the preparations must be sped up.'
The governor met his visitor today on the verandah, the pouring rain making any attempt on eavesdropping a challenge.
'You have to act in a week or so.'
'Would you tell me why?'
Making a regretful face the Orange envoy shook his head.


Act 1

Lourenco Marques, 1903 February 28
Declaration from the Governor of Mozambique,

QUOTE

With the spread of the communist menace to the Overseas Provinces, and the unrest in Portugal, the Province of Mozambique was left alone, to fend for himself against certain criminal elements and the raids of zulu savages. In order to keep the Mozambique from the civil war and to help our People against those who would utilize the turmoil to their own end, I had no other choice but to make a request to the Republic of Orange for help to provide defense against the aforementioned threats. I am also announcing the secession of Mozambique from the Kingdom of Portugal which neglected our colony in the previous decades, in accordance to the will of its inhabitants and their representatives of the Provincial Council, and petition to accept Mozambique as a new State of the Republic of Orange itself.
   
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Posted: Sep 23 2006, 12:11 AM


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Act 2

Cape Town, March 13, 1903

QUOTE

The Republic of Orange announces that seeing no other solution to keep communism out of Africa and away from the border of Orange, to defend against incursion by bandits into the Northern Provinces, it will begin military operations against rebel forces in Angola on the 14th of March.

[Borys]

 Cape Town, Republic of Orange, 15th March 1903

Diplomatic dispatch to OR FO

The Austrian Foreign Ministry is worred by the developments in Southern Africa. The Habsburg Gov't belives in the sincerity of OR actions and that OR troops will retire to their own territory after the Red Menace has been squashed, with Angola and Mozambique reverting to the legitimate rule of the Portguese Crown.

Imre Lengyel
   
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Posted: Sep 23 2006, 02:06 PM


Hegemon
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QUOTE

The Austrian Foreign Ministry is worred by the developments in Southern Africa. The Habsburg Gov't belives in the sincerity of OR actions and that OR troops will retire to their own territory after the Red Menace has been squashed, with Angola and Mozambique reverting to the legitimate rule of the Portguese Crown.


The People of Mozambique are just following the example set by the people of Cuba recently.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Sep 23 2006, 02:13 PM


Kaiser und Koenig Stefan
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Ballplatz, Vienna, 16th of March 1903

Following the communique from the OR FO, the Austrian FM wishes to point out that the Habsburg position on the Cuban and Mozabican developments is the same.
The will of the local population is of negligible importance to Legitimacy, granted by the All Mighty to the relevant Ruling House.
   
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The Rock Doctor    
Posted: Sep 23 2006, 04:38 PM


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Gran Colombia applauds the wisdom of Governor de Sousa e Vasconcelos and the noble actions of the Republic of Orange, which we hope will indeed forestall the spread of communism to the African continent.
   
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Posted: Sep 24 2006, 10:34 PM


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March 14, 1903

Portuguese communist attack on invasion fleet en route to Benguela
Battle report based on input from Rock Doctor

They fight hard, attacking from different directions to try and find a weak point to slip a boat through. One does succeed in getting through - it torpedos a troopship, then rams it for good measure. There are some casualties and damange to the troopship, but being a fairly large mercantile vessel, it's only moderately damaged and could continued its mission at a reduced speed. The other TB are frustrated by the Orange frigates and corvettes. One TB manages to torpedo a frigate, causing significant damage (50%), but she can return home. A corvette, protecting a troopship, also eat a fish and sinks with heavy casualties.

The Portuguese boats are wiped out, as they continue to press the attack after expending torpedoes and fall to the much heavier Orange firepower.

War on the land, March 14-31, 1903

The invasion lands near Benguela, and manage to take over the town, with no significant resistance from the communist rebels. Putting minor units ashore establish the line of communication on the shore between Benguela and the Orange troops advancing from the south without any serious resistance.


Southern Angola March 25, 1903

Troops were cleaning up the battlefield after the skirmish. Hundredscaptain Boerstra looked at them, wincing as the medic was stitching up a wound on his left arm, after a liberal dose of disinfectant. They crossed the border twenty-five days ago, apparently two weeks before the official declaration of... whatever. They crossed the inhabited brushland and the sparsely inhabited wooded savannah, encountering a few bands of tribesmen armed with antique firearms, reinforcesd with one or two communist rebels - why do any Europeans have to take sides with the kaffir criminals, even if they were Portugals, with darker skin than the sun-tan of a decent 'white' man? He saw several burned-out villages, where neighboring tribes decided to settle differences and old feuds with force of arms. Worse than animals, these kaffirs were. To the chagrin of the troops, there was not much to loot, except what was taken from those bands.

Three days ago his cavalry brigade took a place named Kuvango by the natives, nothing more than a trading outpost, and a mission taken over by communist-turned soldiers. The battle itself was bloody, the defenders determined and better-armed than the Orange cavalry , but eventually they had to succumb to the numbers of the attackers. Captain Spoelstra was chasing down some fleeing reds, like these who tried to stage an ambush. Successfully, but their low numbers meant their defeat, and the capture of 5 rebels. Horses and men were weary, after a 300km ride from the border. Time to get back to the camp, report mission accomplished, and get a full night's sleep if possible.


Luanda, March 31, 1903

The governor of Angola was holed up in Luanda since, the fighting began. Most of the loyal troops withdraw to the colonial capital, leaving free reign for the rebels. An Orange frigate squadron kept control of ships naval traffic on the shore, discouraging ships and fishing vessels from leaving. An Orange force was put on the shore just South of Luanda, kept growing, soon reaching the strength ofseveral brigades, but did not enter the town. There was no major exhange of fire between the two sides. Political uncertainty and lack of strength prevented determined action from the Orange side, while the Portuguese wanted to avoid the bombardment of the town and the fortress, hoping for a political solution. Meanwhile Orange reinforcements are reportedly under way.
   
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Posted: Sep 25 2006, 01:07 AM


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Yet another Cassandra letter
Cape Courier, March 25, 1903

QUOTE

Fortress Bugio - some shouting in the wasteland

I burn in shame and try to sink into Earth. I did not believe that I will live long enough to live with it. Up till nations of Europe, and those of the same origin at least treated other Europeans and of European origin as more-or-less equal human being, and limited inhumane acts upon those of the pagan races, considered inferior to the white one - American natives, Arabs, Chinese, Indians, Indochinese, Negros, Persians and whatever. It was assumed that these barbarious races will slaughter their own kind without any hesitation - and thus similar acts are allowed against them. Like the human sacrifices of the Anahuac, or the indiscriminate shelling of Hong Kong by the Chinese. Europeans won't kill Europeans indiscriminately. We can be thankful to Monsieur Palpaté to cure us out of this illusion, and alsofrom  the feeling of a spurious moral superiory.  We are not better, only stronger. And I see it coming from a fellow republic - LA REPUBLQUE - shame on me that I believed in any of this before.

It is difficult to find words to describe what happened in Portugal, but I will make a try. A fortress, held by rebels, was shelled with some poisonous gas, identified as most probably Chlorine by a chemist friend of mine. And the deaths were anything but peaceful, the gas destroying their lungs, their eyes, causing enormous suffering to the victims. There were no survivors. I'd assume the use of this horrible weapon - or, rather, human-made pestilence - must have been approved at very high level. Not within the navy, as using this weapon had political side-effects as it proved to be, resulting the surrender of the rebels. Above the navy there's a Ministry and the chair for Premier Palpaté, who should know about this weapon. And it was used upon fellow white men - fellow Europeans - to test its effectiveness. They did not even had the half-decency to try it out on some rebellious village of Untermenshen in Brazil or Africa - at least no such an incident was reported, yet, but who knows. And what would have happened hadn't the communists fold? Would the French fleet, with the helpful assistance of their Normann accomplices, er... "allies"? Bomb Lisbon itself, to determine what effectiveness the gas has against innocent civilians? France managed to steal Brazil from them, so She felt it justified to use them as laboratory mice.

All of it, for what outcome? Just to restore a fallen monarch to its throne La Republique soit maudit, who was rejected by his own subjects wishing for some more say in the state affairs? This ignanimity will not be washed from France for a while, and every citizen of France should see this stigm looking into the mirror. If I were French, I'd would not accept anything but resignation of the Government which allowed this to happen, and the trial of those responsible for indiscriminate manslaughter.

And let me remind my readers that it was  not the first poison gas attack which surfaced from the murky dealings of those in power. A little more than two years ago, a Chlorine gas attack was launched against the Austrian battleship SMS Tegethoff, which was the host of the ill-fated peace conference. Then the ship was attacked by the infamous pirate and criminal Agrival Mars, and the gas attack was contributed to him. On the morning of March 15, 1903, a similar Chlorine attack was launched by French warships on a Portuguese fort. Everyone can make her own conclusions, but now I have doubts that the gas attack on the Tegethoff can be attributed to Agrival Mars. And France cannot even claim that there were no French ships around.

Cassandra
   
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Posted: Oct 10 2006, 11:35 AM


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April, 1903
Luanda, Angola

The two visitors were put on the shore, under the wall of the harbor fortress and its menacing (and out-of-date) cannons on the redoubts, now aimed at the Orange fleet on the horizon. Coronel Gouveia had his doubts that they could reach the ships, or hit them. The guns were not new even when he served them as a teniente right out of the Military Academy. Now he had new paymasters, and the guns were aimed at them.

Lately, he started questioning his decision of supporting Governor de Sousa e Vasconcelos to secede from Portugal and join the Orange Republic. He was not interested in that his move was called treason by some, the bribes he received would allow him to expand his estate and make some investment he would not have done in five or ten years without that. The doubts emerged on his other decision, to help Orange diplomats to convince Governor Couceiro here in Luanda, after he was informed that how much Orange was willing to pay for defecting yet another province of Portugal. Knowing that the Governor has no full knowledge on what happened in Lisbon in the last weeks, as telegraph lines were cut, and Orange was witholding all ships heading for Luanda, as they all were suspected to deliver assistance to the communist - those communists sympathisers were so cunning that they even displayed the blue-white pennant of the Kingdom on the ships and swore their loyalty again and again for King Carlos de Braganza and Whatever. But the Orange captains knew better, and those ships were held back for an indefinite time period.

And his companion on the mission just made him feel uneasy - Senator Koenraad, one of the obscenely rich Orange oligarchs who sat in the Senate because they paid the highest personal taxes into the treasury. The problem was not that the wiry senator was already past seventy-five, hr could get out of the launch without assistance. The few pleasantries they exchanged did not match well with the cold stare of those almost colorless eyes. The emotionless look of a shark on its prey was warmer than the radiating determination - or, rather, obsession - that forced him to break eye contact and look away from his partner.


'So, what will happen if I decided to remain loyal to the king?' the governor was pacing, fuming at the Coronel and the Orange senator next to him. "You are witholding something from me, I do not know exactly what,
but something must be happening in Lisbon right now.'
The Coronel exhanged a short glance with the senator without a thought, and that icy water-feel was running down his spine again. Up to this moment the senator left the Coronel to speak.

'Let me rephrase it, Your Excellency, if you please. What is happening in Portugal Proper right now is not your concern. You should arrive at some decision...'
'How dare you to demand me to defect like that spineless bastard or his lackey the coronel that was sent here to parley? I gave my parole to let you return to the ship but hearing your arrogant demands I wish I had...'. collected his reserves.
'I'd rather you not interrupt me, governor' the toneless response made even the addressed one to stop mid-sentence' Vice Admiral Stormfeld has his orders to take this fortress. No one will stop him to follow his orders, even the, khm, communist forces, as agent provocateurs managed to subvert the garrison, killing those in charge previously. And their families.
Regardless what is happening in Lisbon, or even in Cape Town. When the Tass and Eleod arrives from Cape in a few days, they will prepare for shelling the fortress and the communist holdouts in the city. Two Orange divisions will start to invest the fortress, and will take the harbor - or be precise, what was left of it - from the rebels. They did not show much mercy against reds before, especially those black devils. We all know war is cruel, but some of those kaffir companies had to be decimated as a punishment to their excessive... well, enthusiasm. Like in the good old times. You know, they drew lots, and every tenth was beated to death on the spot, by their comrades.' the senator looked at the governor, expectantly.

'That preposterous. There are no communist rebels in Luanda, as you know well, only loyal troops, well kept, garrisoned, in the fortress, however you claim...' the rising hand stopped suddenly, and the governor fell into an armchair without any grace.'You won't dare to that, would you...'
'You are told to be an intelligent and passionate man. Of course, we'd really prefer that you retired to your vast country estates after the affair, to spend time with your family.' the senator responded in a placating voice, but it still sounded artificial.
'Eh, if I let Luanda fall into your hands, I won't get much retirement money from Lisbon, and I don't really have anything that could be called country estate or such.' The governor turned, got to the window, and looked at the Orange fleet looming in the distance.'Or do you have a proposal how to remedy that? Hmmm, and I was thinking that you did really threaten my familiy a minute ago, and held the whole city as hostage.'
'Governor, I won't give my name to anything so...ungentlemanlike' interrupted the coronel.'I am sure that we can reach an arrangement.'
'Senator' turned the governor back suddenly, looking unflinching at the addressed. 'I am inclined that there might be one agreement indeed, However, I'd like to hear the remainder of your argument'
'You might want to know that I'd been informed by artillery experts that if we start shelling the fortress, eventually the concrete and stone casemates owould break. And most of your troops, even if shielded from the light field artillery pointed at them on the land, won't be protected from the dozen 30cm guns of the battlewagons. And if you doubt that we had enough ammunition for this hypothetica; task, the Admiralty decided to send two supply ships full of old ammunition stocks. That type did not perform well against the Austrian fleet, they were replaced, but I was assured that they are perfect to break concrete roofs and walls, be they several meters thick. Nevertheless, the Admiralty would also appreciate if they would not have to rebuild another ruined harbor. That would go separate from the war budget.'
'I see, that could be the most inconvenient' came the answer, and no attempt was done to hide the sarcasm. 'So, please tell me, hat can I do for you - and what can you do for me in return...'
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 10 2006, 02:31 PM


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OOC
I am upset about the time warps. First everything in Africa happens a month in an advance, than a month latter. I feel manipulated.

Borys
   
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P3D    
Posted: Oct 10 2006, 02:34 PM


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OOC

I had no time to post it.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 10 2006, 02:54 PM


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OOC
Please, let us first receive reports of the Orange blokade. The bumped off Portugues can use the cables at either Gabon (French), or Netherlandischer Kongo.

If this happened about the 25-30th April it would be nice ...

BTW - I always forgot to ask - what is the status of Fernando Po and Rio Muni (OTL Spanish) and Sao Tome e Principe - in OTL Portugues?

Borys
   
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P3D    
Posted: Oct 10 2006, 03:49 PM


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I deleted the exact day from the date.

The land cables were damaged by the communist rebels, and there is no undersea cable to Angola N-verse (unlike in OTL), so Angola is basically cut off (Maddox said so). This was the issue that started me to look into the telegraph cables - see that thread.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 10 2006, 04:15 PM


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Thank you.
Not that walking into Nederlandischer Kongo is that much of a problem ...
Borys
   
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Ithekro    
Posted: Oct 10 2006, 04:30 PM


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Well, one cannot know everything all at once even today. Over a hundred years ago? No cable and no need for the news to be spread, it would take days or weeks to get news out to African posts I imagine.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 10 2006, 04:46 PM


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A Portugues ship, sent with supplies to Luanda, cannot get in. Two days of sailing to Lagos or Brazzaville (or is it Libreville?) to report non-accomplishment of mission due to an Orange blokade off Luanda ...

The Governor can send runners/riders to Leopoldsville - that is slower.

EDITED:
OK - I retract. By land Luanda is cut off - it is 550 km to Leopoldville.
To the nearest port with cable - Libreville - it is 1120km, i.e. 605 nm - 3 days sailing for a 8 knot freighter.

Borys
   
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Maddox    
Posted: Oct 10 2006, 06:08 PM


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3 days for a steam freighter , easy enough for a warship on patrol to catch, especialy when the ship sails into the blockade.

In effect, since the Orange Republic started the "Communist hunt" Angola is been cut off from Portugal.

King carlos does know about the intentions of the OR. But can't do much about it due pressure from other sources.
Also, he has an unruly country to get back on track. And the 2 countries who helped him back on the throne are still around.

[Borys]

Ithekro     
Posted: Oct 10 2006, 07:39 PM


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Wheels within wheels within wheels.

May 4, 1903

Rohan would state that is finds all of the recent territorial shift quite troubling. All in the name of stopping the spread of communism, yet it seems to spread faster that it should. Thus Rohan is suspect as to the actually causes of the rash of communism of late. Some might say the Europeans are creating their own shadows to fight, but with our long history, Rohan knows that the shadows are there just looking for a way to spite the world of Men. Rohan has increased the bounty on the one named Agrival Mars to 3,000 troy ounces of gold, as Rohan suspects him for many crimes against Rohan and the world in general.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 11 2006, 12:11 AM


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QUOTE
Orange was witholding all ships heading for Luanda, as they all were suspected to deliver assistance to the communist - those communists sympathisers were so cunning that they even displayed the blue-white pennant of the Kingdom on the ships and swore their loyalty again and again for King Carlos de Braganza and Whatever. But the Orange captains knew better, and those ships were held back for an indefinite time period.


What does "withheld" and "held back" mean?

Borys

   
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Maddox    
Posted: Oct 11 2006, 12:18 AM


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OOC

QUOTE
What does "withheld" and "held back" mean


Diverted and interned probably.

In N-verse, since the Orange Republic went into Angola, there are several claims of lost ships in the South Atlantic waters towards Luanda.
Maybe a "N-verse (bermuda) Luanda triangle" story line
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 11 2006, 12:40 AM


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Diverted is immediatelly apparent, while "interned" is not. Due to the lack of "hard" "interned" I was thinking of a freighter making a report.

Borys
   
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Maddox    
Posted: Oct 11 2006, 12:47 AM


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Nobody stops anyone from having a freighter reporting- after may first.

Eagerly awaiting how a slow freighter will escape patrolling warships.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 11 2006, 01:13 AM


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That depends on the warships' orders - if they are to keep the freighters from getting to Luanda or - apart from the above, to keep them from getting away.

Borys
   
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P3D    
Posted: Oct 16 2006, 10:02 PM


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Luanda, Angola, April 1903

"In estate of a former governor should reflect his esteemed political standing." said the coronel after a brief pause."
"Indeed. In the case ofa hypothetical former governor, the size of the estate should be compared to the family estates inherited by the eldest brothers, say, in Portugal. Or somewhat larger, considering the general underdevelopment of Angola, or the actual quality of the land. We are thinking about 1000 square kilometers of acceptalble land, that's slightly mroe than a 31km square."
The governor hearing it sit down.
"Sounds...acceptable. However, I doubt it would be easy to find such a large unclaimed land close to Luanda. Even considering the properties take...abandoned by their former communist owners."
"If the quality of the land is not prime, or underdeveloped, the size would be compensated accordingly. And in this case, the Government promises to build a narrow-gauge railway from Luanda to the estate and provide subsidies for developing a plantation."
"And how could you guarantee the future of the troops stationed here? They might not accept it."
"Might I assume that the majority of the troops stationed in the fortress were raised here in the overseas provinces?" asked the Coronel.
"Indeeed, that's the case. The rebellious divisions were those sent as a reinforcement against Ora...restive native tribes only recently."
"They would be offered two years' pay, paid in gold. Anyone that would want to return to Lisbon, will be provided transport. Officers will be offered comission of roughly equivalent rank, and land, depending on their rank, at least 1000 hectares, or compensations. That figure is well above the current census of 300 hectares." answered the senator.
"That's some original settlement policy. AS far I as know, on the North America continent much smaller farms were distributed among individuals. But I doubt most of the officers have much experience how to run a farm like this."
"The government started a similar program to offer land to retiring officers without land, to populate underedeveloped areas recently in Namibia, and in Orange 15-20 years ago. Experience shows that natives, displaced during wartime an often starving, provide a cheap and eager workforce. There is also a program of offering professional assistance, with providing these new holdings with thrustworthy people, well-educated and experienced in how to run a farm, and subsidized loans.
This initiative is to reward those serving the Republic for more than twenty years, and, let's be honest here, guaranteeing an ethusiastic and loyal electoral base. Moreover, this also helped to spread the blessing of civilizations to the restive kaffir population, which became much more pliable under good hands."
"Let me note, Your Excellency, that a similar arrangement in Mozambique worked fot the satisfaction of all involved" interjected the coronel.
The governor got up again, went to the window, and after some deliberation turned to his guests.
"I'd assume there are some officers who would be eager to hear your proposal."
"Your Excellency would be the most welcome to do so."
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 17 2006, 01:05 AM


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Lagos, Nigeria, 18th of May 1903

The s/s Dunkirk and Kleiner Kreuzer SMS Graveman, SMS Maximilian and SMS Ferdinand arrive at Lagos. The short ranged small cruisers have empty bunkers and recoal ...
   
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Posted: Oct 19 2006, 07:42 PM


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Lagos, Nigeria, in May, 1903

"Da big Orange kreuzer stopped us to check for contrabands delivered to the Rebels.' The seaman did not have to pay for his drinks in the bar for the second night. Others eager to hear his story took care of that. 'They checked our ship, found nuthin like that. Had nuthin fancy as cargo, some clothes and such. They said they won't allowda ship to deliver the cargo to rebels. The skipper protested, sayin we ain't deliver nuthin to da kommies. Da officer who boarded then said they not allow the ship to Luanda, as there are too many commie boats in da water. And to make sure we ain't helping no rebels - with what, clothes as shoes but he did not listen to us - we had to head to Benguela, with some other ships stopped by them.' he half emptied the keg of cold beer before him.
'Some dozen ship were there, most only a fishing trawler, and two and three-masted schooners mostly. And steamships, three colliers. There were that Boer flag everywhere. I heard that one battleships of their was sunk by kommie torpedo boats. And one day they said everyone is allowed to leave. We steam to Luanda, da big fort with da old guns is there, Boer flag over the walls. The bastards had bought the fort and the town from the governor for a box of gold and a bag of diamonds, the portuguese troops, who got paid too, were drinking as if no tomorrow. Then we unloaded, and waited another week for the colliers to arrive as there was hardly any coal left in the harbor.'
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 21 2006, 05:43 AM


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Kontradmiral von Unrug's Geschwader late May and early June

After assembly off Luanda (small cruisers coming from Lagos), seeing that the place was lost to the Orangers, and following some mutual teeth baring and growling, the battleship and armoured cruisers sailed to Libreville to recoal. From there they returned to Europe by way of Gibraltar.
The small cruisers and truppentransporterschiffe s/s Dunkirk sailed around the Cape and recoaled at Durban. From there they sailed North-East, to Catanduanes.

ADDED LATER:

In the meantime Gróf Bela Lugosi lodged yet another protests at the Foriegn Ministry, stating that the Habsburg Monarchy did not recognize the annexation of Angola.

Sales of garden gnomes continued to be high. The newest rage was a model looking suspiciously like the current kaiser, apparently bought by the gross by shooting galleries and like establishments.

This post has been edited by Borys on Oct 21 2006, 03:58 PM
   
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P3D    
Posted: Oct 21 2006, 03:36 PM


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1903 June 18, Cape Courier

QUOTE

Following the peaceful acquisition of Mozambizue and Angola, and the successful operations against the communist rebels, the Army of Orange held a spectacular military parade in Cape Town. Regiments from all the corps involved marched through the streets among the cheering crowds. As the peak of the ceremony, President Szemere presented Orders and Decorations to those distinguishing themselves in the fight. The line-of-battle ship Tass was open to the public, while the newly completed Line-of-battle ship  Cape Agulhas was also displayed.
   
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Posted: Oct 21 2006, 05:02 PM


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1903 August, South of Luanda

Joachim Fillip de Wet, two bodyguards and his aide was on the trail, riding. They followed Capitao Baptista de Arriaga, an Engineer of the late Colonial Corps of the Kingdom of Portugal, now comissioned in the Army of the Orange Republic, through the groves to the marshy wetlands of the Kwanza river delta.
"It is not far from here" said the capitao, then lead them off the trail when they reached tree, which had yellow and reds ribbon tied on one of its lower branches.
They dismounted when they arrived at the shore of the lake. It's surface was deceptively calm. Its smell was not what they'd normally expect, but sulphur and tar overlaid on the smell of rotting vegetation. The water of the lake showed rainbow stripes at the edge, and where the sun shone upon it.
"This is only one of many" said the captain, and get a shovel from the saddlepack He scooped some dirt from the lakeshore, and held it to the Orange industrialist. Joachim Fillip took some, crumbled it in his hand. A sticky residue, not water, was covering his palm and fingers. Taking it to his nose, he smelled it.
"Oil" he looked up and smiled.


[ooc]
Angola has the third largest crude oil reserves in Africa, 25billion barrel proven (Lybia 40, Nigeria 36, Algeria 13) by the CIA world factbook. Exploitation started as early as 1910.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 21 2006, 05:13 PM


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OOC
Angolan oil - tricky thing. Three possible sources. Keep on digging and identify what is offshore, what is main Angola, and what is in Cabinda. I suspect that the 1910 exploitation date could refer to Cabinda.
In N-verse Cabinda is part of Nederlandisher Kongo.

ADDED LATER:
Checked the Kwanza River - it is to the south of Luanda. So you can walow in oil smile.gif
Kaúlza Arriaga - mulatto. Kolored. Kafir. Commissioned in the Army of Orange?

Borys
   
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Posted: Oct 21 2006, 05:35 PM


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Oil production in Cabinda started in 1968 (by Wikipedia). It's mainly offshore.

Angola has both coastal, offshore and onshore oil reserves, the latter in the Cuanza/Kwanza valley. Nothing too spectacular, but IMO enough to have a small home production. It's not even ahistorical, like e.g. Lybian oilfields would be. It is even mentioned in the Catholic Encyclopedia article on Portuguese West Africa, which was published in 1913.

http://www.mbendi.co.za/indy/oilg/ogus/af/an/p0005.htm
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12312a.htm

Kaúlza de Arriaga: there might be Kaffirs of the same name IRL, but the officer in question is some second son of an impoverished Portuguese noble family.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 21 2006, 05:55 PM


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Ahoj!
I will happily read tommorrow.

As to the officer - in Portugues everybody has two family names - the mother's and the father's. Just like in Spanish, but in reversed order, i.e. the mother's come first. So, our Officer and Gentleman, Kaúlza de Arriaga, does come from the noble Portugues family "de Arriaga". But his mother was Kaúlza. This is NOT a Portugues name. Nor does it IMO resemble any European language. The only cases of use of "K" in Portugues is for things African. So she must have been black. But in Portugal a mulatto is considered to be white. More or less.

True that he does not look like a mulatto - so the Orangers won't know.
http://kkwl.webpark.pl/slownik/arriaga.htm


Borys

[Borys]

P3D     
Posted: Oct 21 2006, 06:06 PM


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Sigh... changed name.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 21 2006, 06:09 PM


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Ahoj!
Any chances for Kaúlza being a Hungarian name?

That Polish site gives his name as Kaúlza (Oliveira) de Arriaga, maybe Oliveira de Arriaga?
Borys
   
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Posted: Oct 21 2006, 06:15 PM


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Nope.
   
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Posted: Oct 23 2006, 11:19 AM


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Late August 1903, Cape Town

After the loud cursing was heard through the closed 'soundproof' doors, a small crowd gathered on the corridor. Lieutenant General Kauchek (liaison to the Ministry of Homeland Defense from the Army Chief of Staff) was known for his inventive expletives, but apparently something upset him. Very much.
The crowd silently gave way to an important looking, elder man. He get into the foyer, nodded the secretary and entered the office without knocking. The cursing suddenly stopped.

"Good Morning, Minister." the now red-faced general turned to the door, with some papers in his hand, apparently the source of the dismay. Opposite him stood a captain, seemingly tired, in a crumpled uniform, with a dispatch case under his hand, a bit unsure.
"Ian, I told you again and again, do not...Oh, my..." he stopped when he read the paper the general was showing to him. Then he turned to the captain, questioningly.
"I arrived by dispatch boat from Lorenco Marques to the Army HQ, and then directed to the Ministry immediately, Minister. It was reported that several garrisons and were ambushed in Mozambique by local tribes and Zulus raiders. The raiders were equipped with modern weapons. "
"Losses?"
"Several hundreds, mostly of the local colonial troops who were apparently unprepared for guerilla warfare, they were hit hard, and large amount of supplies was destroyed."
"And the regular troops?"
"They were stationed in the coastal areas, mainly, not inland."
"So what is the army proposing right now?"
"They are planning to transfer equipment from the newly acquired Angolan stockpiles to the local colonial troops. In the meanwhile, the garrison will be strengthened by troops with experience in similar circumstances."
"Intelligence reports?"
"Attackers are of local tribes, recruited by white foreigners, and Zulus living close to the border. They were equipped with French weapons, and equipment from other countries."
"French?"
"The questioned did not know the difference, sir. However, the weapons could arrived only through Orange or Brandenburgian territory."
"General, arrange a meeting with the Chief of Staff." The ministed turned to the General." I don't want them send someone who would ruin the situation. Especially not Kronjé, he would be at war with Brandenburg in two weeks. And that's something we want to avoid."
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 23 2006, 11:51 AM


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Ahoj!
Why not through Nederlander Kongo?
Borys
   
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Posted: Oct 23 2006, 11:58 AM


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QUOTE (Borys @ Oct 23 2006, 08:51 AM)
Ahoj!
Why not through Nederlander Kongo?
Borys

Deliveries would have to cross Angola (Orange) or Zambia (DKB)...
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 23 2006, 12:01 PM


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Ahoj!
OK - had a senior moment - I forgot that Zambia is DKB territory.
Borys
   
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Posted: Oct 30 2006, 08:12 PM


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Cape Courier, September 24, 1903

QUOTE

The Republic of Orange urges the Deutches Kaiserreich government to investigate the attack on DKB forces, committed by unknown forces flying a PDRNS flag on a ship that was clearly not belonging to the PDRNS, to the utmost extent.

In other news, on the inquiry from journalists an unnamed official of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs noted the following:
"The Republic of Orange recognizes the Republic Peoples' Republic of New Switzerland  (PDRNS) as the successor of the former RNS government, who got to power by legitimate election,as willed by the people of the RNS. The recognizance of the USNS government is a recognition of the status quo, but it was also influenced by the cordial relatinos between Orange and RNS (later USNS) Navy officers. Political commitments that the Republic of Orange made towards the RNS were not invalidated by the governmental changes, and are even valid for the secessed USNS states to some extent."
   
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Posted: Oct 31 2006, 12:24 PM


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Beira, September 05, 1903

A group of black-skinned children, men and women of various ages were disembarking a small Oranje ship. As if a whole native village were loaded on the ship. One of them, of apparently mixed blood, was standing next to and talking to an army officer. In the standard of kaffirs they were well-dressed and disciplined - as much as small children allows.


Inland Mozambique, September 28, 1903

The only way to communicate with the villagers was a pidgin of Portuguese and Localese. Izaak sighed, looked at the Portuguese guide who just shrugged as if saying 'what did you expect'. Now he took two sheets of paper from his pack of fliers, which was printed with drawings of rifles, ammunition boxes on one side and farming utensils, trade goods, and various animals on the other. He pointed at the drawing displaying two rifles, two box of ammo and a cow, and tried to get his message through the cultural barrier. The village elder looked interested, unlike the dozen or so troops that escorted them here.
   
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Posted: Oct 31 2006, 07:03 PM


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October 02, 1903

The ORN is ordering six 300t coastal sumbarines from the United States of New Switzerland.
   
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Posted: Nov 1 2006, 05:57 PM


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Mozambique, early November, 1903

Orange patrols were heavy in the area for about a month, so they had to delay their departure by two weeks, even so they were dodging those patrols for about a week, until they managed to get to the village undetected. There were six of them, on the mission to distribute firearms and incite the locals against their new overlords. The firearms were welcome everywhere, but Franz had his doubts that their zealous promises would worth anything, even if those savages really understood what they wanted to get through to them. Packhorses were laden with rifles and ammunition purchased overseas, with some training so they could pose as some undetermined European crook. Franz could not decide what that effort was for. The Abwehr either thought that their Orange counterpart could not figure out the origin of the weapons, or it was just an insult on their abilities.
Approaching the village, Franz had the feeling that they were watched, but it was expected. Getting closer to the shambling hovels, a bad premonition stuck him.
"Heinz, I don't like it..." he turned to the mission leader, in low voice.
"Anything particular?"
"There's something amiss here, I don't know what it is exactly, but..."
"Bah, this is a village like that dozen we'd visited in the last months. Apparently a different tribe settled in this valley."
"It's nothing like that..."
Naked children playing in the mud, women sitting and working in front of the hovels, men of different ages herding the cattle and the sheep.
"You are seeing ghosts everywhere, Franz. They are cleaner than the previous bunch, I concede, but that's hardly enough to raise suspicion. The men of course covet our wares, but they'll get it freely. And everyone is happy after the deal is stuck."

They passed by a girl, half-blood by her lighter skin, her small breasts moving enticingly while she worked.
"Mulatten. Some merchant or soldier spent a good night here sixteen or so years ago." Heinz laughed at his own joke. The girl looked up them and smiled. Heinz smiled back."I hope I will get a similar treatment."
They saw another half-blood, a well-muscled young man, when they attended the village elder.
"Ah, for a change I'd welcome someone who at least spoke some Portuguese or whatever..." muttered Franz. The young man turned out to be the one who could speak it - not much but enough to get the deal. The village would get two dozen rifles, a small paperbox of ammunition for each. The menfolk promised to attack Orange patrols. What would come of it, as the neighboring villages' cattle were a much more promising and closer target, and far less likely to shoot back. But the desk-fighters in Dar es Salaam apparently chose to ignore opinions like this, even if they came from the most experienced scouts.

Then there was a rudimentary training session, showing them how to use the rifles. This bunch was a bit brighter than those they visited before, but after they figured the working of the rifles out, they started shooting for fun at the edge of the village. Men were glad to try out new toys, this was the same at every village. And even Franz conceded that the feast provided by their host at the evening would be a good break from work. They had been doing this arms smuggling for three months.
Franz was thinking about that all the huts looked like as if they were repaired quite recently, and were quite decent by local standards. The men, shooting rifles half a mile away almost looked like a band of infantrymen. What a preposterous idea, he thought, but a girl approaching him, half-naked as all the womenfolk around, proved to be quite a distraction.

The men started returning to the village, and getting the cattle inside the corrals. And, suddenly, without any warning, shouts everywhere, rifle shots close by, and there were four men running towards him. He pushed the girl away, and groped for his gun, the girl screamed and managed to kick it a bit further. He cursed, hit the girl by backhand, and lunged for the rifle again, but could not get it before hits by rifle butts started to fall upon him. Just before he passed out from pain and one well-aimed hit on his head, looking at those weapons at close, the soldier in Franz realized that those rifles were the type issued to the Orange Army, not the French ones they were giving away.
   
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P3D    
Posted: Nov 1 2006, 07:06 PM


Hegemon
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Izaak was sitting behind the desk, with a native sergeant next to him. The villagers approached them with two old blackpowder guns, one modern rifle, and several boxes of ammunition for the latter. Then they started pointing their fingers to the corral, with cows standing in it, and showing up three fingers.

Izaak shook his head, and pointed at the drawing on the desk. One rifle and ammo would trade for a cattle, the old guns only for a sheep each. The villagers then showed how many boxes of ammunition they brought with them. The sergean opened one of the ammo boxes and checked it.
"They apparently took almost all the ammo that was given to him with the guns. With all the rifles their village was supposed to get, they'd be out of ammo in a month or two. Unless they are resupplied but increased patrols would take care of that. Ammo would normally trade only for sheep, but I think we can be generous this time."
When Izaak at last told it to the villagers, they seemed content - they got cattle for two obsolete guns and some ammo. The rifle went onto a pile behind the desk, while the ammo boxes were checked for booby traps and taken into one of the hut, which was almost full by now.
   
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Posted: Nov 5 2006, 11:38 AM


Hegemon
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November 1903
CONFIDENTIAL

From: Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery
To: Office of the President
Copies to: - Ministry of the Navy
- Ministry of Commerce
- Ministry of Industry
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The effect of the current weather on natinal food supplies
Prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery

Summary

Concerning the cool autumn and the early winter in the Northern hemisphere, the meteorological departments of both the Navy and our ministry would advise that the summer of 1903/1904 would be cool, similarly to the 02/03 one. Moreover, the arid/winter season is expected to be significantly cooler, reducing the expected yield of most crops.

Wheat deliveries from Hungary were critical to cover the effect of the missing harvest of 1902 in Namibia, so the governmental stockpiles could be satisfactorily replenished. Further deliveries during this and the next year are uncertain, but not crucial any more, however.

Politically, it might be advisable to offer the Austrian Government to buy back the wheat that was not yet delivered. This would soothen the current political mood somehow, and would also avoid further tensions if - or rather, when - the Austrians decide to seize the grain themselves

To cover the increased food requirement, fishing and whaling activites could be increased further, as they are not affected adversely by cool weather. Several fishing vessels have been laying idle since 1901, when the naval reserves were called on duty. Construction of fishing trawlers and whaling vessels should be also be expedited, with the utilization of idle naval shipyard capacity, and timber from Angola and Mozambique. The new vessels could enter service before food shortages would require governmental intervention.

As there is a shortage of experienced sailors since the recall, to provide the requrired workforce operating the vessels, it would be advisable to release the same naval personnel into civilian life. Also, an increase in the number of fishery protection patrols would be needed.

The effect of the weather upon Zulu activities should be taken into consideration, bad harvest and drought might be able to trigger a migration/invasion.

Attached detailed reports:
- current foodstocks situation and forecasts
- fishing capacity
- civilian maritime construction capabilities
- workforce situation
   
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Posted: Nov 5 2006, 07:05 PM


Hegemon
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Group: Head of State
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Joined: 27-January 06



   
Cape Courier, 1903 November

QUOTE

Editorial

During the latest phase of the all-out attack launched by the opposition on the cabinet. Accusations, as we got used to during this year,  revolved around the acquisition of Mozambique and Angola. The main grievance was that the concessions given to the élites of the former colonies were extending the power base of the ruling party. Moreover, the powerhungry industrialists, by the words of some, decided to ignore the issue of racial purity, giving full rights to the new citizens. No wonder, the National Freedom Party is scared that the current establishment would enlarge its electoral base such that they would have no chance losing the election. Never mind that the loudest voices before the invasion of Namibia came from the same oppositon.
And would What would be the next, asked one Congressman, perhaps giving kaffirs the right to vote? Answering this, the Undersecretary for Taxation and Census just mentined that the right to vote is guaranteed by living on the territory of the Republic of Orange, and on one's contribution to the society.

That's the case indeed. The latter being primarily determined by paying taxes above the required census, with requirements relaxed for a qualified number of professions, who are contributing more to the advancement by their profession, e.g. officers in the armed forces and the police, doctors and engineers. Race, or foreign citizenship takes no part in this issue. A Representative should know better, that there are already 'kaffirs' - just to stick at his nomenclature - who are indeed eligible to vote, mainly native leaders and retired warrant officers...



Ministry of Homeland Defence, Cape Town
The general reading the dated newspaper sighed. pondering What would happen when some politicians realize that ten percent of the cadets accepted to military officer schools this year were talented enlisted coming from the Portuguese divisions, not to mention one specific cadet in particular.
In the Army, every officer was ex-ranker by definition, as enrollment into the Military Academy required the fullfillment of one's 3 years conscription service. As a consequence, the quality of the inherited Portuguese officer corps was severely lacking by Orange standards, and reflected on the dismal performance of those troops against the DKB infiltrators.
   
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Ithekro    
Posted: Nov 5 2006, 07:30 PM


King of Rohan
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(A bit of s stickly wicket some of the old-time hardliners are about to have.)

[Borys]

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Posted: Nov 5 2006, 07:47 PM


Hegemon
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Joined: 27-January 06



   
The Boer hardliners (the National Freedom Party) lost the last elections, as the influx of immigrants in the last 5 years did not helped their powerbase either.

NTM that the party in power has some limited ways to play with the census (indirectly, through the taxes). It can be very expensive though.
   
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Posted: Nov 21 2006, 02:39 AM


Hegemon
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Group: Head of State
Posts: 669
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Joined: 27-January 06



   
Cape Courier, early December, 1903

QUOTE

Daring pirate raid in Cape Town Naval Base!

"It was terrible! We were hauling coal to the Peruvian cruiser, when the pier opposite just went BOOM! then the ship opened fire from all the guns it had!" -told us our eyewitness, Bela, seaman 2nd class.

Savage pirates in torpedo boats under false flag attacked the Peruvian cruiser Almirante Grau while she was recoaling. The attack failed, however, as the torpedoes were caught by heavy fishing nets set up around the ship, a clever, ingenious way to protect these valuable ships at anchorage. Both of the boats were sunk, one by the harbour defence, the other by a patrolling Orange korvette.
This modus operandi, similar to the attack on the Peace Conference, suggests that the mastermind behind the incidents are the same, the world infamous master criminal known as Agrival Mars. It is unknown to us that what did the Peruvian government commit to anger Agrival, who is apparently has a good memory of slights comitted against him. His actions enraged Brandenburg so much that the bounty on his head was raised to 10000 kugelrands. After the current incident, we should expect a similar bounty issued by the Orange Government too.
Naval officials (who wanted to keep their anonimity), however, disclosed to our inquiry that there is not enough evidence on hand to issue a similar warrant.