From: Commander in Chief Confederate Navy Richmond
To: Commanders Atlantic and Pacific Fleets

In response to the War in the Balkans, to our new humanitarian obligations related to the war, and to a request from our French friends, please implement the following immediately:

The 1st Battleship Squadron is to redeploy to Key West. This is a permanent posting, though it should be moved to Tampa or the east coast as necessary to avoid tropical cyclones.

The 6th Cruiser squadron shall join the battleships there.

The primary mission of both forces is assure the security of the Caribbean mouth of the French Grand Canal.

Torpedo Squadron 1 shall move to the new (and not necessarily complete) French naval base at the Caribbean mouth of the canal.

PC-15 Bakersfield and PC-17 Roswell shall detach from the Pacific scouting force and sail by way of the Rohan canal to join PC-12 Carthage to form the new 1st cruiser squadron at Charlseton. The 1st cruiser squadron will sail for Italy to escort refugees.

The remainder of the Atlantic scouting force will re-organize into the following squadrons:

3rd Cruiser Squadron
PC-11 Panama City
PC-13 Pulaski
PC-21 San Filipe

4th Cruiser Squadron
PC-19 Matamoros
PC-20 Jimenez

Both squadrons will transfer to Charleston. The 3rd cruiser squadron will alternate with the 1st for purposes of refugee convoys. The 4th will provide support as needed.

The 1st, 3rd, and 4th Cruiser squadrons should maintain wartime readiness for the foreseeable future. Specific orders with respect to escort operations will be dispatched to these squadrons separately.

One last note, gentlemen. The Columbians are likely to look on these redistributions with suspicion. The usual diplomatic communications will be dispatched, but please instruct your officers to take care if encountering a Columbian ship, and maintain the utmost courtesy and professionalism when doing so.

That last paragraph is probably correct - but it'll be the torpedo-boat deployment and not the battleship/cruiser deployment that annoys the Colombians most.

To: Gran Columbian Foreign Ministry
From: Confederate State Department

To whom it may concern:

We hope it won't bother you too much if we move a squadron of torpedo rams to a base being provided by the French in their canal zone. We promise we'll invite you over for Christmas every year. Please remember to bring coffee.

Thanks!

:)

Scene: The Confederate Office of Naval intelligence, housed in a non-descript if large federal style  former mansion in the Court District in Richmond

Captain Silas Henry, the Director of Naval Intelligence is holding a meeting in his office with his various department heads, including the officers in charge of the European, Asiatic, and South American sections, as well as the head of the Foreign Technical section.

Much of the meeting has been dominated, as to be expected by news of the Balkan War and it's naval implications. The conversation soon turns to activities in the far south seas.

"Commander Pierce, it seems there is a raider somewhere in the South Atlantic, yes?" Henry asks.

"Possibly more than one. My people believe it is mostly likely Dutch."

"Dutch?" Henry asks.

"Yes, Dutch cruisers have been lying off Iberia, broadcasting ship movements in the clear to whoever wants to listen. We believe the ultimate consumer of that data is one or more Dutch ships in the South Atlantic."

"Sir, there's more. The Peruvians have been spending a lot of time at sea lately. We have information that at least two of their cruisers are headed to join the Columbians at San Miguelito. The NUS has just sortied a large fleet contingent including the brand new battleship they just brought home from France, and are keeping a very tight lid on where it's going. And of course the Columbians have stepped up their activity around the north end of the Caribbean."

"So it would seem that the new allies are flexing their muscles. Do we think they are on their way out to hunt this raider?"

"Or raiders sir. Possibly. The new alliance does include Iberia as well. Possibly they intend to add their naval might to the allies in the Balkan War?"

With that, the head of the European section, Captain James Oliver speaks up: "We have no indication thus far from our sources that the South American allies have made any plan with the Iberians and Habsburgs to enter the war."

"Hmm. So what are the up to then?"

Looking down into his hands, Oliver says "I think we need to consider another option, that the South Americans could be staging themselves for a move against us."

The room remains very still for quite a few moments. The CSA simply doesn't have the naval power sufficient to resist the combined forces of Columbia, Peru, and the NUS at sea. Everyone in the room knows this.

Since it seems no one else has anything to say, Henry ends the meeting: "Well, I shall have to write this up immediately and send it up the chain of command, We must exhaust all of our resources to learn of the South Americans real intentions. Redouble your efforts gentleman. Reach out to our trusted friends. This is a very dangerous time."

Richmond Times-Dispatch

September 18, 1912

Charlottesville, VA (Times-Dispatch) -- In a speech today before hundreds of students and faculty of the University of Virginia, Secretary of State Woodrow Wilson called for a new era of national self-determination, beginning in the Balkan region of Europe.

Standing on a podium erected on the steps of the Rotunda, the original library building at the University designed by Thomas Jefferson, Wilson cited specifically the plight of the Greek people as a cause of the present conflict.

Excerpts of the speech:

"Regardless of who aided who, who oppressed who, or who attacked who in Greece, the cause of the present war is simple: when a people or peoples lack the democratic mechanisms to determine their own destinies as a people, and as a nation, they are left with no other recourse then to fight. It has sadly been the state of affairs of the world for centuries that great powers choose to encourage these conflicts, and oppress minorities to their own cynical ends. This must stop, there is a better way."

"I call on all nations involved in the present conflict to lay down their arms, and immediately begin a negotiation to end the present conflict. Further I call on all civilized nations to demand of the belligerents a fair and just resolution for all affected peoples."

"There should be free and fair elections in Greece, monitored and guaranteed by the neutral nations of the world, so that Greece might benefit from a freely elected and functional Democracy which can join the peaceful nations of the world as a peer, free of undue foreign influence or control. The Confederate States of America, of course, stands ready to lend any and all assistance to make this dream for Greece a reality."

When asked to clarify the State Department's position on the Greek question, officials said "The Secretary and President believe that any government other than a freely elected democratic government with a functioning loyal opposition to represent the minority in Greece is essential to long-term peace in the region."

When asked if this meant other regions within the Ottoman Empire ought also be able to form their own states and elect their own leaders, the State Department was more ambiguous though: "We believe that the Ottoman Empire can and should continue to stand as a nation, but that internal democratic reform is required for it to be able to function in the modern era."

The Zionite Ambassador to the CSA is overheard making some remarks about "Serbians"and "Phillipinos"...

Speaking for the Ottomans:

QuoteThe Sublime Porte has concluded that a small minority of zealous Greeks, with the assistance of outside forces, has made further co-existence of Greeks and other loyal Ottoman subjects impractical.  As such, the Sublime Porte has indicated to the Iberian Empire and Hapsburger Kaiserreich that it is now prepared to negotiate the secessation and creation of a new Greek state. 

It is the Sultan's hope that the creation of a new Greek state will satisfy the Iberian Empire and Hapsburger Kaiserreich, allowing all three powers to conclude a ceasefire and return of their armed forces to their own soil.

While the Sublime Porte recognizes that the Confederate government may have its own views on effective governance, the structure of the Sublime Porte's own government is of course purely a matter of internal concern.

October 6, 1912 - Mobile Alabama

On a bright, sunny and pleasant Sunday morning, not much more than grumbling and swearing could be heard along the long dock where the Confederate 2nd Class Cruiser Buchanan and Farragut were docked.

The men were in a foul mood, and not just because it was Sunday, and they were out bright and early working to load coal and various parts and provisions onto these ships. Most of these men had unloaded coal and the very same parts from these ships just 4 months before. They wondered: Wouldn't it have been better not to put these ships in reserve if they were just going to reactivate them a few months later?

For what it was worth, most of the officers present, who had also been members of the last crews of these ships, didn't understand the exercise either, but they at least had to maintain the appearance of faith in the wisdom of the Navy. Their confusion was reflected in the officers of the CSS Davis and Lincoln across the continent in Sonora, which were also reactivating.

Neither the common sailors, nor their officers had any idea what these ships would be doing once made ready for sea, but many had suspicions they might be celebrating Christmas in the Mediterranean.

OOC: As soon as I get a chance, I'm going to revise my 2/1912 report to put these four ships in either active or wartime states, as well as the other more modern cruisers activated previously.

Quote from: guinness on August 10, 2008, 11:47:31 AM
OOC: As soon as I get a chance, I'm going to revise my 2/1912 report to put these four ships in either active or wartime states, as well as the other more modern cruisers activated previously.

You can do that in your 1/1913 report. It is peanuts ...

Borys

Okie dokie. If no one else has an objection, that's what I'll do.

October 17, 1912 - Newport News, VA

Lt. (JG) Jonathan Wheeler stepped off the train in Newport News, duffel in hand, and enjoyed the feeling of solid ground under his feet. For whatever reason, he found train travel stuffy and confining, even though he found sea travel perfectly pleasant.

He had a day before he had to report for his new posting, so he made he flagged down a horse-drawn hackney cab, and gave the driver the address. He'd wired ahead that he'd be visiting, so he expected that Laura Inman, the wife of his good friend Albert Inman would be home. Since she was caring for a newborn baby, he expected she didn't have too many places to be.

It was a short trip to the little rowhouse near the city center that the Inmans had been renting for the last 18 months. He found the door was flanked with flowers. Wheeler pulled back on the large knocker on the front door.

After a short pause, as tall, lean black woman (the term negro had become passe among many for the more educated in the CSA) opened the door. Before Wheeler could introduce herself, the woman turned toward the inside of the house and shouted "Miss Laura! There's a navy man here!"

Wheeler waited at the front door while Laura Inman, her newborn son in hand, descended the stairs toward the front door. She was wearing a simple white dress, and had her hair up somewhat haphazardly in a semi-bun. The baby was awake and appeared content.

"Jonathan! I'm so happy to see you! Come in, come in! Mamie, could you take his bag and hat for him please?"

As Mamie struggled with the duffel, Laura gave Jonathan a rather informal peck on the cheek, and he took great interest in her newborn. She apologized, "I'm so sorry for Mamie's manners. She's very helpful around the house, but is still learning some of the proper social niceties. Would you like to meet Albert Jr.?"

Jonathan, coming from a big southern family as he did, was well accustomed to children, despite having none of his own, and took little Albert Jr. expertly in his arms. An immediate game of coochie coo ensued.

"Come in to the sitting room, and have a seat. We were just about to have something to eat. What brings you to Newport News?"

Jonathan sat carefully, still holding the baby. He sighed. "A new posting. I expect to be here at least until Christmas."

"Oh that's just grand! Does Albert know?"

"I sent him a letter earlier this week, so he'll know eventually. As you know, the mail to Sonora is slow."

Laura nodded. Her correspondence with Albert had been excruciatingly slow. She'd wired him to let him know when Albert Jr. had been born, and later had a portrait of the baby made, and mailed it to him, but she'd not yet received a letter in reply. And the baby was nearly a month old now.

"New posting? What happened to your glorious flagship service?" Laura asked.

"Well, it seems I'm not cut out for service on such a large and important ship."

"Had trouble following the rules then?" Laura was well aware of Jonathan's various personality traits, including his general disdain for what he saw as capricious application of authority.

Jonathan smiled the rye smile that made him so endearing. "That was part of the problem. Life on a battleship is very regimented, and in my position, I was expected to keep the crew on the routine, etc., but the way that ship was run, even the smallest infraction, or failing in the tedium of maintenance on-board, is expected to result in an infraction for the sailors involved."

"So you had trouble meting out the discipline then? Not a surprise."

"There was also the small matter of a conflict of personality, shall we say, with a Lieutenant Commander at one fo the gentleman's clubs ashore." Wheeler neglected to mention the Lieutenant Commander's wife, who was the source of the disagreement.

"Oh my! You didn't hit him did you? There weren't any duels at 20 paces or anything, were there?"

"I did not hit him, though I wanted to. A few days later, it was suggested that I might volunteer for another posting, and that brought me here."

"So what are you going to be doing?" Laura asked.

"Why, there is a new shore establishment in Newport News, operating out of the Naval Experimental Station. The CSA is going to teach itself how to clear sea mines."

"My Lord! That sounds quite dangerous." Laura exclaimed.

"It probably is. I don't yet know the first thing about it. From what I understand, we don't even have the craft yet to do the job. So I'm sure I'm in for months of mind-numbing classroom time. I'll know more about it when I report for duty tomorrow. One thing I do know is I'll be getting my own command out of this, which is good."

"Well, I should hope that you would spend any free time you'll have here. You are always welcome. Truth be told, I could use the company." Laura offered.

"I had rather hoped you'd ask that. I need a diversion to keep me out of trouble. What are your plans for the future. Last I'd heard from Albert, you were planning to move to Guyamas after the first of the year?"

"Yes, Albert's rather involved in setting up a proper school there at the moment. I rather think he has trouble finding good uses for all his time. My mother and father just left to go back to Atlanta, but are coming back up for a month around Thanksgiving to help me start packing."

With that, Mamie brought in a lunch of small sandwiches and lemonade, and the conversation turned to Jonathan's love life, and other topics of particular interest to Laura.