Empire of Japan News and Stories: 1900

[Darman]

...
Peacetime field army size shall be set at fourteen (14) army corps and one (1) battery of siege artillery. 
Peacetime field army strength shall be set at seventy thousand (75,000) officers and senior non-commissioned officers, as well as  two hundred and ninety thousand (290,000) enlisted men. 
...

7 September 1899
Today the Imperial Japanese Army has established its conscription guidelines for 1900.  All males turning 20 in 1900 are required to register with the government by 1 December 1899.  Ninety seven thousand of those young men, chosen by lottery, will report for compulsory military training on 1 January 1900 at their individually assigned locations. 

[Darman]

Spring 1900
Somewhere in Japan....

"Battery ready!  Firing by section from the right.... Commence firing!" 
The Battery erupts as one by one each of the six fieldpieces discharges.  The sound dies away slowly as the gunners maneuver the heavy "light" pieces back into firing positions.  The group of officers observes the distant targets through their field glasses. 
"All rounds appear to have hit the target; that was some good shooting Captain," says the colonel in charge of the demonstration.  "Now that you gentlemen have seen the effects of a standard field battery volleying its fire onto a target let's move on to the newer artillery."
The colonel leads the way over to the second grouping of guns, this one of only two guns, each with what appear to be double barrels, one being under the other.  The battery commander, a lieutenant, orders his crew to load.  One of the observers, standing well back, moves over to the colonel and points at the gunner sitting right behind the fieldpiece's front wheel, blatantly in the way of the gun's recoil, but the colonel quickly silences the objections. 
The lieutenant orders his battery to commence rapid firing by section from right to left.  Within seconds, roughly the same amount of time the first battery had taken to fire one round apiece, each of the new guns had fired 3 rounds, exactly the same number as the first battery.  Just like the first battery all six rounds appeared to have hit their target.  The observing officers are amazed; two guns had just fired three rounds apiece, quickly and accurately with no carriage recoil in about 12 seconds.  The gun barrel appeared to recoil on its own along a track, which explained the underslung barrel.  The battery commander explained that the tube underneath the gun barrel was actually a recoil buffer with hydraulic fluids, which helped bring the barrel back into position to fire.  Unfortunately they had a problem retaining the fluid after more than a dozen shots so the system was certainly not ready for the field yet.  "A few more years!" 
http://youtu.be/rFygIJHnpq4

[Darman]

Evening of 19 February 1900

Japanese Embassy in London

The trade attache of the Imperial Japanese Embassy in London reads the recently delivered letter from one of his local contacts marked "Urgent".  Suddenly he dashes out of his small office and up to the ambassadorial suite.  he knocks on the door after pausing a moment to compose himself.  The door opens.
The attache pushes right in, "I think you should see this, sir."  He hands Ambassador Takaaki the letter.  Ambassador Takaaki takes a moment to scan the words then puts the letter down.  "What does this mean?" he asks.
The attache replies, "It's too early to tell for sure but barring an official statement from Her Majesty's government I'd say there are high possibilities of a political crisis, probably leading to an early election and a new government for us to negotiate with all over again."  The attache rolls his eyes in disdain at the English custom of kicking a cabinet out of office just after negotiations seem to be going well once again.  Ambassador Takaaki knows his attache's frustrations with the peculiarities of the English political system but he has been ambassador in St. James' Court for too long now for those peculiarities to bother him.  The attache continues, "A sudden meeting was held in secret within the boundaries of Parliament itself.  High ranking members of the current Cabinet were called together, those that were in town that is.  Apart from a political emergency, there are other, far more remote possibilities.  A coup, perhaps?  Or a war?  But with whom I couldn't guess.  Given traditional rivalries Britain has with Russia over its Indian frontiers, or possible conflicts with German interests in the North Sea?  Ask the naval attache what sort of preparations their Admiralty is making."
Ambassador Takaaki sits and thinks for a few seconds.  "France, Germany, Russia, or revolution in either India or Australia are the only real threats overseas.  Send a secure cable to our Italian and French Embassies and see what they can discover.  Send a copy to Tokyo advising them of the situation as you see it now and keep them updated."
"Right away, sir!" the attache bows and takes his leave quickly to prepare the cables. 

[Darman]

Morning of 20 February 1900

Japanese Embassy in London

The embassy has been a whirlwind of activity for over twelve hours, ever since they received notice that there was something up in the Houses of Parliament.  None of the high-ranking government officials who had been whisked into Parliament from their daily business has yet emerged, heightening suspicions amongst the Embassy staff.  The morning newspapers in London with the announcement that there had been an accidental explosion had calmed things momentarily until the naval attache had returned from a breakfast meeting with an associate who had unconfirmed reports that the Admiralty had placed the entire Royal Navy on high alert, but there was definitely activity at the Royal Dockyards where ships were being rapidly coaled and provisioned.  This hinted to Ambassador Takaaki that something was astir.  Not wanting to be left too far behind he orders the discrete opening moves of Operation Sekitan. 



London
Financial Times 22 February 1900
Investors in the commodities market yesterday may have noticed a sharp uptick in the price of coal.  It is unknown what has caused this but it is widely believed that several large purchases were made yesterday at above market value.  This is a worrisome development as this winter may end up being a very chilly one, and with coal growing more dear by the day it could spell disaster. 



London
22 February 1900
The special investigator from Royal Naval Intelligence Office knocks on the door of Bates, Edward & Sons Shipping Company.  He was investigating unusually high amounts of coal being acquired by English shipping companies with large business interests in Asia.  The door is opened by a clerk.  "I'm looking for Mr. Bates" the special investigator announces.  The clerk looks surprised, "I'm sorry sir but Mr. Bates has been on holiday in America for quite some time, he won't be returning until March.  Let me introduce you to the manager, Mr. Clark, if you wait right here a moment sir."  The clerk goes through a back door and comes back a few minutes later, "Follow me sir, Mr. Clark is just back here in his office." 
Mr. Clark's office has pictures of each ship BE&S Shipping owns all round his walls.  There is a model of the most recent ship on a dark oak sideboard.  "Mr. Clark, I'm with Naval Intelligence.  I'm going to need full cooperation from yourself and your employees..."

[Darman]

Today I had the great privilege of visiting the Italian naval yard at Taranto where their newest armored cruiser Gladius is under construction.  Here I discovered an entirely new design trait that appears to me to be quite desirable in our own future warships.  The ship appears to be designed to mount six large-bore heavy guns in three turret mounts, mounted ABY.  We might also consider an AXY layout as well as an AQY layout, which appears to be the Italian preference for their new battleships.  It is my strongest recommendation that we build our next capital ship with three turrets. 
On that same visit I noticed...

[Darman]

23 February 1900
The following telegram was received in the Japanese London Embassy and forwarded to Buckingham Palace. 

It is with great sorrow that I write to express the official condolences of the entire Empire of Japan on the passing away of the members of the Royal Family

28 February 1900

The War Ministry today announced that there would be a large-scale practice mobilization followed by routine war games and field maneuvers in the Home Islands.  The following units will be participating in the field maneuvers: V and VI Infantry,  VIII and IX Reserve Infantry, I Cavalry, I Marine, I Mountain, and II Reserve Mountain Corps.  This will be the largest non-war field maneuvers ever held in Japanese history. 



The government of the Emperor Gojong, of the Korean Empire, has announced today the granting of a tariff management monopoly in all of the Korean Empire's ports to the Dai-Ichi Bank, of Tokyo. 
In related business news the Nippon Kangyo Bank has signed loan contracts with several textiles companies in Sakhalin and Korea.  These loans are expected to net 20 million yen over the next decade. 

[Darman]

An unconfirmed source at the Naval Ministry Bureau of Design has reported that instead of the normal two turrets, the newest class of battleships to be laid down by our illustrious Navy shall have three turrets.  Outside experts believe that this sort of arrangement would create a situation where the strength of the broadside could possibly cause the vessel to capsize.  We sincerely hope that if this is true the Navy not sacrifice the lives of our sailors in vain. 

April 1900
The trade attache looks around the luxuriously appointed office as he enters.  He strides quickly over to the desk and glares down at the man sitting at it.  The man behind the desk quails at the fury in the trade attache's eyes.  "What are you thinking?" the trade attache thunders, "negotiating with them behind our backs?" The man seated behind the desk struggles to say something as he rises from his seat but the trade attache cuts him off with a curt motion.  "No excuses.  If that concession goes to anyone else I will know about it.  And if I even so much as get one whiff of vodka south of the Yalu I'll have you kicked out of office.  You know what we've done for your family, and it could all disappear in an instant.  Where would you be then?" The attache turns on his heels and marches out of the room, a harried secretary pops his head in.  "Are you alright, sir?"  The Korean Minister of Trade nods his head slowly, "yes I'm fine".  "I didn't know the Japanese were a dry nation sir." "He wasn't talking about alcohol you halfwit!  Now get out of my office!" 

[Darman]

4 May 1900

At Japanese Army Headquarters...
"General Kosuke, your siege battery will be assigned to the First Siege Train, with General Prince Sadanaru's First Marine Corps' 10th brigade acting as an escort and providing labor for trenches and the like.  With your expertise in artillery and engineering you will exercise overall command of the Train."  General Nozu Michitsura looks around the room at the assembled officers.  "The objective of our first ever large-scale field maneuvers is to get the First Siege Train into a position to bombard the target city into submission.  As of right now the target city has not been determined, it will be determined before the maneuvers begin.  First Cavalry Corps," he looks at General Yasumasa, "will be split into brigades to provide reconnaissance.  There will be one cavalry division consisting of 5th, 6th, and 7th brigades that he will delegate command of.  General Yasumasa will be one of our staff-level judges for the maneuvers.  We have divided the remaining nine brigades of First Marine into three Landing Divisions, each of which will practice operating in and around built-up port areas, possibly in conjunction with naval forces.  These forces will be our future strike forces should anyone manage to gain a foothold on any of the many islands that we currently possess.  Such capabilities will be of invaluable assistance during a campaign to retake what was taken from us."
General Oyama Iwao, commanding officer of First Mountain Corps, speaks up, "Sir, What shall those of us who haven't a role in these maneuvers do?"
"You yourself, General, shall command the defending forces, attempting to delay the invading forces, many of your officers shall be used as judges in the field.  The performance of the enlisted men and junior officers shall be graded.  The maneuvers themselves shall commence at the end of August and last til the end of September.  After that your officers shall return to their billets and proceed with creating educational drills and maneuvers for small units to perform to increase their readiness for combat.
Here is the list of units participating and in which roles."

Invading Forces (200,000 men): General Nozu Michitsura
1st Field Division: 1/1st Cav, 1-4/1st Inf (Colonel Umezawa Michiharu)
2nd Field Division: 2/1st Cav, 6-9/1st Inf (Colonel Kusunose Yukihiko)
3rd Field Division: 3/1st Cav, 1-4/5th Inf (Colonel Oka Ichinosuke)
4th Field Division: 4/1st Cav, 6-9/5th Inf (Lieutenant General Nogi Maresuke)
5th Field Division: 8/1st Cav, 6,10/1st Inf, 6,10/5th Inf (Colonel Ichinohe Hyoe)
1st Siege Train: 1st Siege Battery, 10/1st Mar (Major General Ijichi Kosuke)
1st Landing Division: 1-3/1st Mar (Major General Prince Fushimi Sadanaru)
2nd Landing Division: 4-6/1st Mar (Lieutenant Colonel Oshima Ken'ichi)
3rd Landing Division: 7-9/1st Mar (Colonel Takeji Nara)
1st Cavalry Division: 5-7/1st Cav (Colonel Akiyama Yoshifuru)
Defending Forces (100,000 men): General Oyama Iwao
1st Division: 1-5/6th Inf (Major General Asada Nobuoki)
2nd Division: 6-10/6th Inf (Major General Hasegawa Yoshimichi)
3rd Division: 1-5/8th Res Inf (Lieutenant General Oku Yasukata)
4th Division: 6-10/8th Res Inf (Major General Kawamura Kageaki)

[Darman]

August 1900

The Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aoki Shuzo, reads the latest memo from his advisor on all things Russian.  He hadn't realized that the "understanding" the Japanese and Russian governments had come to regarding Korea, Manchuria, and Sakhalin Island was expiring at the end of this year.  A new agreement must be struck, preferably one taking into account Japan's increasing economic activities, and the vast investments Japanese businessmen have been making in the regions in recent years.  Those businessmen would not be thrilled if their investments in Korea and Sakhalin Island were disturbed through foreign or even native political factions.  Such a disruption could mean the end of the current cabinet, political pressure forcing the Emperor to dismiss his Prime Minister. 

[Darman]

September 1900

The men settled in for the night, sentries and pickets having already been posted for the night's guard duties.  Despite being peacetime maneuvers the wagons carrying the Regiment's tents and other camp supplies had gotten lost during the day's march, a perfect, if unintentional, simulation of conditions in the field.  The enlisted men made beds wherever they could while the officers had billeted themselves in the tiny inn in the nearby village.  Two of the younger lieutenants were having a discussion over steaming mugs of sake.  Both lieutenants had joined the army out of school, one was the younger son of a wealthy landowner, his family's tradition was to send the younger sons either into the army or to be a monk, and this son had never felt he had the patience to be a monk.  The other Lieutenant was the son of a newly wealthy industrialist from Kyoto.  Both men wished to relinquish their regular army commissions at the end of the year and move to Korea.  With the bounty the government provides to newly married couples as part of its campaign to encourage couples to have more children, both young men hoped to make new lives for themselves in Korea.  One had signed a contract with a company opening a new factory in Seoul, he was going to be a floor manager.  The other young man had a letter of introduction waiting for him from his father to a cousin who owned a large farm in Korea.  Both men hoped to make Korea their land of opportunity. 

[Darman]

September 1900

The squadron of horsemen shelters under the cover of a small 6copse of trees, observing the column of infantry marching down the road.  The infantry, nominally on a reinforced company-sized patrol, is in a marching formation, no flankers and most of the men have their weapons either slung or stacked on their machine gun carts.  The major in command of the cavalry looks over at the officer assigned to his squadron as an umpire and grins.  The umpire grins back, having seen the same things the young major has.  The officer leans over and whispers to his orderly, who backs his horse out onto the path, hidden from view of the road.  The orderly hurries off to the end of the squadron's line where he speaks to the lieutenants.  Minutes later he returns to the major's side.  All along the line of troopers eyes watch the major expectantly.  The major raises his hand and signals the men to move forward.  At a walk the line of horsemen advance out of the trees.  The major draws his saber, the rest of his men follow suit as they break into a trot.  Still unnoticed by the infantry on the road a bugle call brings the squadron to a gallop for a few seconds then a second bugle call brings them back down to a trot.  The infantry, awakened to the threat to their flank by the bugle call had all turned to face the line of horsemen.  A few had taken up firing positions, although most just stood there dumbfounded.  One enterprising machine gun crew had opened fire with blanks from the back of the cart their gun had been carried on.  As the cavalry squadron comes to a halt and are ordered to replace their sabers in their scabbards, the infantry stare across at them.  The cavalrymen stare back.  The umpires from each unit gather in between the lines and discuss what the results were going to be.  They confer for a few minutes, while the men glare across at each other.  The umpires summon the respective commanding officers and give them the results: half the cavalry squadron was devastated by the machinegun firing into its flank.  The other half had succeeded in routing the infantry company.  Lessons learned?  Don't charge a machinegun with mounted troopers and for the infantry, be prepared for action on patrols, dont be lax, be ever vigilant. 

[Darman]

The hotel was one of the more respectable of the seedy hotels in Seoul, a popular hangout for "reformed" criminals, aka those who had earned enough money through their criminal activities to purchase respectability in the wider community.  As such, it was not uncommon to see strangers in here, especially those blatantly travelling incognito. 
The Korean Emperor's favorite nephew on his youngest sister's side was one such stranger.  He was here as a representative of his uncle, in a meeting that would fuel the xenophobic riots that had been occasionally sweeping the capital in recent years.  Every few months or so a new riot against foreigners would break out, and many businesses would be destroyed, mostly those owned by Japanese immigrants.  Despite the dangers more and more Japanese were moving to Korea, and through hard work, perseverance, and the backing of Japanese banks back home in Nippon, the Japanese immigrants were rapidly becoming the largest single segment of Korea's growing middle class.  The Emperor's nephew's meeting was with a representative of a powerful though mysterious Japanese group that was willing to pay 1 1/2 millions to facilitate further Japanese investments in Korea. 



The Minister of Foreign Affairs writes a diplomatic note to the Russian ambassador stating his wish to discuss renewing the old Russo-Japanese agreement on Korea, Sakhalin Island, and Manchuria, with certain amendments to reflect increasing Japanese interests in the region. 

Mr. Ambassador, the Minister of Foreign Affairs would like to open a discussion with the Russian government with regards to the former Chinese territories now under joint Russo-Japanese protection.  The old agreement from 1897 has worked very well during the past few years.  It is the fondest hopes of the Minister that a new agreement can be reached on the basis of the old with regards to the governance of the following territories: Manchuria, Sakhalin Island, and Korea.  The earlier agreement has been found satisfactory in most respects, however there are pressing concerns by Japanese immigrants moving into these regions that their needs are not being met by the local political processes now in place due to outside interference.  It is the fondest hopes of the Empire of Japan that an arrangement might be made whereby these regions are allowed more autonomy than currently allowed, and that the natives rulers be given more power.  Discussion of these points is vital to maintaining a vibrant economic situation in these regions. 

[Darman]

September 1900

The chartered merchant vessels floated peacefully off the beach, slowly disgorging troops into the ship's boats from the gathered fleet.  Each man had been issued blank ammunition for this exercise, at great expense.  The men, from the Marine Corps, were having their first experience with an amphibious assault, deemed by the Japanese Army Command to be vitally important given the maritime nature of the Home Islands as well as the Empire's possession of many smaller islands in the Pacific.  A destroyer moving in-shore to provide close-in support for the first wave suffers damage to its steering after hitting a submerged rock, forcing the destroyer's captain to run his ship onto the beach.  Seizing the initiative the captain leads a landing party in a headlong charge up the beach, "capturing" machinegun positions from the opposing forces.  (His quick-thinking is the only thing that saved his career after crashing his ship onto the beach.)  After the landing drills were over engineers crawled over the damaged destroyer and began testing its ability to withstand small-arms fire, adding armor plating salvaged from other portions of the ship, with an eye to possibly using similar tactics in a hostile landing to land a small contingent of troops in relative safety. 

[Darman]

Suematsu Kencho sat at the head of the table doing his best to hide his unease.  Of all the days for Ito Hirobumi to be unable to attend the Cabinet meeting it had to be this one.  In the Prime Minister's absence the Home Minister conducts the Cabinet meeting, which is why Suematsu found himself in his current position.  He had arrived early, hoping to forestall any attempts at undermining his temporary authority by such schoolboy pranks as someone else sitting in his appointed place at the head of the table.  Although the only minister with the gall to do such a thing, other than the Prime Minister himself, was Yamamoto Gonnohyōe, Minister of the Navy, who had always been jealous of the close relationship between Suematsu and Ito Hirobumi, despite their occasional differences over policy.  The Naval Minister had his own agenda, although what it was Suematsu did not know, although it was certain to be unpalatable to the Prime Minister. 
The first minister to arrive was none other than Katsura Tarō, Minister of the Army, and a close political ally of Suematsu.  They greeted each other casually as a third minister, Kaneko Kentaro, Minister of Justice, enters the Cabinet Chambers chatting amiably with Iwamura Michitoshi (Minister of Agriculture and Commerce) and Yamamoto Gonnohyōe.  As they take their seats Aoki Shuzo, the Foreign Minister, hurries in and sits down as well. 
Suematsu opens the meeting, "Now gentlemen, down to business.  Our first order of business is..." He is cut off as Minister Gonnohyōe stands up.  Suematsu looks over at the Naval Minister, "you have something you'd like to ask?"  "Yes," Yamamoto replies, "it appears that our good friends the Russians have no desire to negotiate any changes to our agreement with them over our respective spheres of influence in Korea, Manchuria, and Sakhalin Island.  They are, instead, leaning on local authorities to harass Japanese citizens and businesses in these areas, hoping to force them to leave giving the Russians total control.  We need to send a negotiating team to St. Petersburg to open negotiations.  We currently have far more business interests in these regions than the Russians have ever had!  And yet they are poised to push us out, causing us to lose countless millions in investments and..." Suematsu holds up one hand to stop the Naval Minister.  "Why is the Naval Ministry bringing this before the Cabinet?  Cannot the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce speak for himself?" Yamamoto stares at Suematsu and then looks over at Minister Michitoshi, "Minister Michitoshi agrees with everything I have just said, he is, in fact, the person who brought all this to my attention in the first place!" "Enough!" Suematsu interjects angrily, "you have been rattling your saber for far too long my friend.  We will not be threatening war over our economic interests in these regions.  We will, however, be sending a negotiating team to St. Petersburg to open up a dialogue.  Cabinet dismissed!"