KuK Wiener Zeitung 2/1907

[Borys]

Autumn of 1907, La Valetta harbour

- Germanic efficiency! Meh! - the swarthy local added empahsis to his statement by spitting out sunflower seeds into the murky waters of the harbour.
- Took'em 4 bloody years, it did, to get round to to cleaning up that mess - he waved his hand at the spectacle which was now a staple sight. And cheaper to warch than the vaudeville or flicking pictures.
- Seven years of a threat to navigation, of which 4 under the oh-so-efficient Austrians, no, not in any way similar to us, Mediterranean slobs - another spit of sunflower seed followed ...
Floating cranes and a swarming mass of yard workers were dismantling the wreck of the French battleship Hoche, ripped apart by coast defence fire and mine explosions, sunk not far from channel leading to the secluded port. A like scene was repeated on the similarly devasted  coastal battleship Bouvine, which sank on an even keel and had her Main Battery turrets, very perforated bridge and remanents of mast above the water line.

[Borys]

Schoenbrum, autumn 1907
- Aloise, you'll need to hit the road again.
- Where to are you sending your favorite emmissary this time, Stefan, - replied von und zu Lichtenstein with a smile.
- You do remember that I just got back from my seemingly annual trip to the Great White North, to see the obstinate donkey of a baron you've made ...
- No, not to anyplace unusually cold or hot. Just across the border, to Kiev. Now that Vladymir and Kiril have made a truce by way of the Belogechensk Accord, I no longer have to keep my distance. It is time to talk with the guys across the Zbrutsch. Free trade, exchange of Ambassadors and all that. And to check out what impact the Grand Duchy might have on our Poles and Ruthenians. If Kiril - or is that Kirilo now? - I'm confused - is interested, you can arrange a high level visit. Drop hints that I'd gladly visit both Kiev and Moscow or Sankt Peterburg, not necessarily in that order.

[The Rock Doctor]

A diplomatic mission to meet some of the new folks does seem like a good idea...

[Borys]

Autumn 1907
A delegation of Colombian officers observed the post harvest manouvres. Some veterans of the El Dorado siege noticed that Austrian grenades had shrunk, from pineapple to batata size. Large numbers of high angle fire artillery were present, as well as hordes of machine guns. To keep up the comaradie in arms, the demonstration was given by a unit containing many soldiers from that siege.
Austrian officers were particulary proud to show off Landwehr (reserve) units, to prove that they had understood and implemented the knowledge contained in "Las Tropas Reservas para Rubias" purchased for good money from the South Americans.

[The Rock Doctor]

"Thank goodness for that", Captain Prieto proclaimed, observing the new model of grenade the Hapsburgers were now employing.  He could remember watching his men struggle to throw the old ones two-handed.  Useful as they'd been for weeding out Anahuac warriors, they'd still been quite a pain.

"Indeed", Captain Quiroga agreed.  "Now how is it that we've recently fought one of the largest land campaigns in the past forty years, and we're studying other people's techniques?"

"We fought a different kind of war", Prieto replied.  "The kind you fight in untamed wilderness.  These fellows, they're equipped for a fight in the middle of the most industrialized continent - which is evident, considering how much logistical support they would require to bring up all this ammunition.  This is the future of warfare between nation-states, Augusto."

"Expensive", Quiroga mused.  "Noisy.   It would seem that each unit has enough firepower to kill off many more men than its own strength.  On a narrow front, you'd end up with a war of attrition, would you not?"

"I would think so", Prieto concurred.  They watched machine gun fire shred straw targets hundreds of metres away.  "The Darien would be like that if we were attacked from the north.  Any towns or cities in the way would be flattened far worse than we did to El Dorado."

"Yes - just imagine it here, with so many people jammed together...."

The two captains jotted down their thoughts in notebooks.  They'd be helping General Geolog design the renewal of the Ejericito once the mission was over - it wouldn't due to forget some detail that would unbalance the new 1909 Table of Organization and Equipment...

[Borys]

Autumn 1907
Whole Habsburg press
Sad news, last night the Empress Yelena miscarried her third pregancy. She was in her 6th month. The reasons for this are unknown. The Empress' condition is weak but stable.

With bags under his eyes, Stefan left the chapel after many hours of silent prayer. He quietly asked for the Gra Colombian ambassador.

[The Rock Doctor]

...who quickly arrives and gives his sympathies...

[Borys]

- Excellency, we are but sinners with a short time on this Earth. It is our duty to do Good Works to gain Grace in the eyes of God, and thus be more hopefull of Salvation. I have been negligent and proud. Your government has in its hands a means for me to do penance. I ask for these unfortunates to be passed into Austrian custody.

[The Rock Doctor]

The Gran Colombian ambassador is not certain the emperor is in his right mind, but being a career diplomat, the skepticism does not show on his face:  only compassion.

"Your majesty, I will convey your request to my government at once and advise you of their response as soon as possible.  Again, I offer my heartfelt sympathies on this awful day."

Within the hour, the ambassador sends out a telegram to Cartagena using normal diplomatic protocols:

EMPEROR DISTRAUGHT RE EMPRESS STOP REQUESTS THAT CONTRACTORS BE PASSED INTO HIS CUSTODY STOP PLS ADVISE STOP

[The Rock Doctor]

From Cartagena:

PLS CONFIRM THAT EMPEROR KNOWS OF CONTRACTORS STOP PLS ADVISE PROPOSED TERMS OF ACQUISITION STOP

From the embassy in Vienna:

CONFIRMED THAT EMPEROR KNOWS OF CONTRACTORS STOP NO SPECIFIC TERMS PROPOSED STOP RECOMMEND TRANSACTION BE CONSIDERED GIFT STOP

From Cartagena:

WILL ADVISE STOP

PLS ADVISE FATE OF CONTRACTORS FOLLOWING TRANSACTION STOP

From the embassy:

EXPECT RETURN OF CONTRACTORS TO SOURCE STOP

From Cartagena:

GCPRES INSTRUCTS CONTRACTORS TO BE PRESENTED TO EMPEROR AS GIFT STOP WILL ACCEPT PAYMENT IF OFFERED HOWEVER STOP GCGOV WILL ARRANGE TRANSPORT AND ADVISE STOP

[Borys]

As the Emperor was not quite himself, much happened on lower levels. Some bright mind at the Ballplatz pointed out that asking the Eorlingas for some support might be useful. An informal request was placed at the Naval Attache of the Kingdom of the Riddermark:
- in some 5-6 weeks time two Austrian auxilliary vessels will be visiting unfriendly waters in the eastern Pacific. Their mission will be that of Charity. As to avoid any cause for confilct, the KKK will not provide them with escorts. The Habsburg Monarchy once again asks for the Good Offices of the Kingdom of the Eorlingas, and would appreciate the presence of two cruisers of the Riddermark for protection of said vessels from Misadventure.

[Ithekro]

Rohan would ask, where and when.  Then they'd see if they have any vessels that can make the voyage.

[Borys]

OOC
I can't give the date as I am not fixing this in time due to haziness of events in the Half-Year.
But 6 weeks from "now", at the Pacific end of the Darien Canal.

[Borys]

La Valetta, Autumn
Dismanteling of the two French warships proceeded at a fast pace, as to get as much work as poosible done before the witner storms. Nevertheless, the removal of turrets was preceeded by vists of ship designers and naval officers, some even doning diving suits and inspecting (under escort of professional divers) internal arrangements in the flooded barbettes.

[Borys]

Autumn
The SMHS Salome and Elsebeth Bathory, about to make another run with settlers to Parana, were ordered to make stops at Auslaender Freiwilliger Korps garrisons on the way to South America, and pick up any Maori soldiers. At the end of their run they were to embark further AFK personell, and await further orders.
ADDED LATER:
They also had their guns fitted, and some extra naval personell embarked.