Paris Temps

[maddox]

OOC

Don't you worry Desertfox, Vidocq has some dirt on you to.

Does the name Louise rings a bell?

[Ithekro]

Hmmm, looks like the vessel was not outright stolen, but paid for without full government approval.

[maddox]

Ithekro, if somebody steals your car, sells it,  and deposits the money on your housekeepers account to pay the rent for the next few months.....

[Ithekro]

What if it was the rusted out car on your property you don't know what to do with?

[maddox]

Rusted or not, if it was taken without my permission, I would be "annoyed". Even with the best intentions from the best of friends.

[Borys]

EXTRA! NEWS FLASH! EXTRA!
The brutal Austrian emperor's favourite fixer, Furst Lichtenstein, has been sighted in Munich!

[maddox]

After 3 years of advanced diplomacy Glorious France and The Koenigreich von Grosser Bayern und Schwytz  finalised an agreement on the former French Germanic provinces.

The relatively gentle revolution and subsequent enlargement of Bavaria in bloody and anarchaotic 1905 urged Premier Paixhans not to use the military might of France to keep the provinces in check, but graciously allowed the people of the provinces a free and unconditional unification with Bavaria.

In recognition a treaty , after 3 years of anxious negotiations , was finalised. The treat of Neuschwanstein.

In this treaty,

France makes the solem and uncoditional promise not to invade Bavaria nor aid other states invade the newly formed Koenigreich von Grosser Bayern und Schwytz.

In return, the Koenigreich von Grosser Bayern und Schwytz gives word of honor that the kingdom will not invade, nor aid invaders to conquer French soil.

The extensive trade between the states will be normalized, or increased compared to the 1904 level.

Futher issues between the 2 European states will be arbitrated on the field of diplomatics.

[maddox]

Paris  4 april 1908.

Premier, the papal envoy is here, with the invitation from Avignon.

Send him in, mademoiselle Dudarde. And get us the tea we got from Prince Pu Lun.

********************************************************************
Bonjour monseigneur Camillo, I hope you had a pleasant trip.

My trip to Paris can be called a lot of things My Son, but I have to admit, all the temptations to sin that were spread out in front of me are quite an insult to God and his servants.

I'm sorry we can't root out the evils of being mortals. But that is not why Monseigneur is here. Let us come to the point. A start of spreading humane goodwill around the world.
To parafrase, win the body, to save the soul. I here have a document that will explain the intentions of France, and the possibility to the Pope to regain his rightfull influence.

I'm being used as a political errant boy? Used by people who rather sell their soul for power and money than to do as christians should.
Premier, in my current position as aide to Pope Pius X I'm obliged to bring your message to my spiritual leader. But as a man of the Church I need to warn you that your soul is in mortal peril, especialy if you try to manipulate Pius X.

[Walter]

Hmmm...
Camillo...
Camillo Tarocci...
If that is the case, then I assume that the papal envoy's great nemesis Giuseppe Bottazzi, mayor of Brescello, is somewhere in the Navalism universe as well...

[Borys]

The Austrian Naval Attache, Linienschiff Kapitan von Fernseher visited the Ministry of War. After waxing lyrical on the expolits of the de-facto French built SMS Frankreich, he presented a formal request for purchase of the technology needed to manufacture the French 275mm guns and mounts. Their effectiveness was such that the KuKK desired to manufacture them for use on newly built ships.

[maddox]

Dreux, Premier Paixhans's countryside retreat.  May 1908

Minister Dupuytren, how are the tests with the Orange Republiques submarines we did buy going?

Very well Premier, at leasts the ones we're testing at HQ Mers-el-Kebir. With only the normal teething problems of a new ,small ship. And the problem of crews accustomed to living space on the navy ships transferred to the cramped quarters on these. But we're solving that by slowely removing the first crews and replacing them with new recrutes. these aren't spoiled ,and seem to adapt faster to the tight space. A further thing we want to do for the future is select the new recrutes from those of the less rich from the large cities.
Further issue is the reloading of the tubes. It's imperative those ships get on board reloading capacity. now it's a yard job.
An intermediate job is to adapt the old Foudre as base ship for the subs, and give her the changed loading capacity. Better would be a sub base ship build up from the keel. And ultimatly, that base ship can be a submarine in her own right.

Minister Dupuytren, the old Foudre is ancient, wouldn't it be better to scrap her and build a new ship? Or adapt one of the excisting ,younger ships? Or, just give the subs the capacity you wish for?

To give the subs the capacity we wish, they will get very big, at least 750 tons. And that, I fear is above what we , or anyone else can do.
And scrapping Foudre. If we go on age, then half of our ,already to small cruiser force will be halved. But yes, a ship build from the keel up as a sub base ship would be ideal.

Get me designs then, if you feel the money invested would be worth it? I'm still not convinced of the usefullness of submarines. Maybe for harbor defence, but then, Torpedo boats, minefields and coastal defences cost less per ton of firepower. And, how are the tests with the submarines in the Pacific going?

Same as with the tests in the med. Unfortunatly, due the distances involved we don't get as much reports as from Mers-el-Kebir. Also, a message from the Dutch mentiones that there is a French submarine reported during their hostilities. And that new Swiss ships opened fire on her, sinking her.

Not again please. I know what the orders are. But can't those total nincompoops from far far away get their priorities right? It's not that France can keep ignoring losing ships , especialy not by NS actions.
Let us do something about that. From now on, the subs still active in the Pacific, and Admiral Geons task force.
"Increase the support to the Dutch efforts. Paris backs up any decision".
Premier, the order will be send when I return to Paris. But there is another matter.  The habsburgers ask about the 275mm guns, as they have on the renamed BB Tegetthof. They want to buy 7 twin turrets.

I don't see any problem exept that we're using every scrap of steel we can spare. Especialy to build Superbe.
Send the plans, to start. Ask how they want to trade for the steel. Maybe an opportunity to get your Submarine base ship.

[Borys]

The Habsburg Gov't wishs to clarify that the KuKK is not interested in having guns and turrets manufactrured in France from Austrian steel. The KuK Kriegsmarine is, or maybe better - was, interested in acquiring blueprints for the guns and turrets as installed on the SMS Frankreich. In this situation the Skoda works will develp a new gun - and mount - in same calibre, but with a shell 20% heavier, as is Austrian custum.
The Habsburg Realsm have no steel to spare, all being devoted to naval and army expansion, and the current War effort. Incidentally, there is some muttering in military circles concerning the priority assigned to the construction of the Chevalier Rouge.

[Borys]

Message from French Resident at Avignon:
"I met the Furst von und zu Lichtenstein. His visit had not been announced, nor details of his stay made public. He did not try to hide his presence in Avignon, however, although at the same time furthest from flauting said fact. During conversation the Furst declared that the Habsburgs support the principle of the Green Cross. And that they will be friendly to French moves to promote the organisation, on the condition that there is no "free masonic mischief" (emphasise mine) to belittle the Church.
In passing Lichtenstein also mentioned some unpronouncable Slavic or Hungarian names of Habsburger clergymen of note, at loggerheads at the moment, which impeded their use by the Kaise for this visit. He also asked me the most bizarre question on the nature of Christ - did I think his Divine and Human elements to be mixed, or separate, but intermingled. I declined to answer, saying that my brief did not cover such issues, this bringing much merriment to the Austrian aristocrat. What is Quay d'Orsay's position on the Two Natures of Christ?

[Desertfox]

Same as with the tests in the med. Unfortunatly, due the distances involved we don't get as much reports as from Mers-el-Kebir. Also, a message from the Dutch mentiones that there is a French submarine reported during their hostilities. And that new Swiss ships opened fire on her, sinking her.

Not again please. I know what the orders are. But can't those total nincompoops from far far away get their priorities right? It's not that France can keep ignoring losing ships , especialy not by NS actions.
Let us do something about that. From now on, the subs still active in the Pacific, and Admiral Geons task force.
"Increase the support to the Dutch efforts. Paris backs up any decision".

The French are just strange. They send submarines to the middle of a battle and get angry when they are sunk.

[maddox]

N-verse French are Decadent.... 
If that is strange, that's fine for me.