Paris Temps

[TexanCowboy]

Bucharesti, October, 1918

"So, Admiral Burestai, what are you saying?"

"What I mean, King Cronalin, is that we have payed the French 1/4th of what we owe them for the battleship. On Monday, we found out that nothing has been layed down, at all, from our naval attache."

"Well, we payed them. They need to build it."

"Actually, sir, we were thinking we could stop all payment, and they can just give us a smaller ship. Perhaps a Demarce IV."

"See what you can do, Admiral. Don't let me down."

[Phoenix]

written by demand


Requim for an interlude


The evening was just glorious. A multitude of stars were bejewelling the night sky. The birds had all gone to roost. The warmth of the past day was not yet replaced by the chill of the night. A soft wind caressed the senses. And if there was a human soul awake it was because he was standing guard. Jean-Louis Gribouille didn't curse fate tonight. Under his watchful eye the crew of the De Crem that wasn't right now harrassing the bars on shore leave could sleep restful. Such a calm calm night.

He didn't see the shadow walking inside one of the turrets. He didn't see said shadow gently opening the breech of one of the big guns that made the De Crem look so magnificently imposing at day and even more gloriously menacing at night. As well, he hadn't seen the shadow climbing the turret earlier this evening, removing the tampon on one of the guns.

Jean-Louis Gribouille also didn't see the shadow taking out of a suitcase a long object, pointing it towards the opened breech, then sticking it in.

What he did hear next however, were the gentle tones of an oboe softly wafting from the gun. Hummmmmmm-hum-hum-hum-hum-hum-hum-hummm-humhumhum-hummmmmmmmm... A strange yet compelling and haunting little tune, repeated over and over and over... Gribouille forgot to sound alarm. He forgot to alert his officer on duty. He could only undergo what he would later call a "mesmerising bewitchment of sound".

The culprit was caught of course. Upon interrogation he admitted that he wanted to find out if it was possible to play an instrument through a gun barrel and pleaded simple curiousity of what it would to do the sound. He was acquainted through the Consérvatoire with a famous composer, the boy confessed, and had heard him trying that tune once on a piano. His officers didn't know what to do with this case, but in the end it was decided to put the truant on guard detail for the rest of their stay in Djibouti. And confiscate the oboe.
Later, one of the officers wrote a letter: "Le plus estimé Maître Ravel; Je vous écrit au sujet d'un de votre étudiants..."

[TexanCowboy]

Confisticate the oboe? Those are at least $5,000 a piece. Ouch!

Playing a woodwind through a long tube warps the sound, making it lower.

[TexanCowboy]

Created on the request of maddox, who aided in editing

To the desk of Admiral Geon,
on the status of the French fleet,
October 25th, 1918


Battleships:

Montmedy-2
8 15'', 22 5.5'', 28-29 knots, 13'' belt, 3.5'' deck, 41,000 tons

The most modern fast battleship on the seas. It can be compared to the UNK Hood, the Rohanese Asfaloth, and the ESC Ocean. Compared to the Asfaloth, this ship has slightly weaker main guns, a much more powerful secondary, and a longer belt. Compared to the Hood, it has weaker main guns, but better armour. Compared to the Ocean, the ESC 16"40 gun is more powerfull than the French 15"L42. The thinner, but higher belt armour makes up for most of the other small differences .
Still, one of the largest battlecruisers out there, with a great nitch as a support of the scouting wing.

Brittanie
12 15'', 20 5.5'', 22 knots, 14'' belt, 3.5'' deck, 35,000 tons

A half sister of  Occitanie, with more range and armour. One of the best ships out there, since the rate of fire cannot be matched. Our opinion is that this ship could defeat a Ocean class, simply because of the broadside in comparison. We think that this is the best ship in the French fleet, and follow on classes should be based upon it.

Occitanie
12 15'', 20 5.5'', 22 knots, 13'' belt, 3.5'' deck, 35,000 tons

One of the three best ships in the fleet. The revolutionary design layout, not seen since the Rohanese Shadowfoxes, allows for unprecedented firepower, with much better firing arcs then comparable Baltic ships. This ship and the Brittanie's should form the core of the battleline, with more of a similar class to follow.

Bretange-4
8 15'', 12 5.5'', 20 knots, 14'' belt, 3'' deck, 23,000 tons

The most recent class of light battleships built by France. With 8 15'' guns, it has a powerful broadside that is sufficient to deal with most 1st and 2nd generation battleships. Although it has a weaker secondary then most French ships, it would be a very effective battleship for a foreign station, and an effective battleship for a battleline. It is truly a jack-of-all-trades, if one could call a battleship such a thing.

DeCreme
10 15'', 17 5.5'', 21 knots, 14.5'' belt, 3'' deck, 35,000 tons

The 4th ship in the line of great battleships, this ship feature's a powerful secondary, above average armour, and extreme size. Although the firing arcs of the all centerline, no superfiring arrangement is somewhat suspect, the ship still should be considered one of the better ships in the fleet. This ship has extensive armour coverage compared to future ships.

Marat-2
8 15'', 18 5.5'', 20 knots, 14'' belt, 3'' deck, 24,000 tons

One of the very successful light battleship series. It has heavy armour, but it suffers from being coal fired and by not having as extensive of an armour coverage. This ship is a very effective ship for its weight and power.

Superbe
8 15'', 12 7.5'', 14 5.5'', 20 knots, 14'' belt, 3'' deck, 30,000 tons

The follow on to the successful Napoleon the Great. This ship mounts the standard 14/3 armour arrangement, with an extensive armour distribution plan. This ship is disadvantaged and advantaged by mounting the 7.5'' guns, being disadvantaged because is interferes with FC, but being advantaged because it has the ability to fire upon battleships, cruisers, and destroyers at the same time. It is a good ship, for it's time, but is quickly becoming outdated.

Napoleon the Great
8 13.5'', 10 5.5'', 27 knots, 12'' belt, 2'' deck, 21,000 tons

The successor to the ill-fated Greater Napoleon. This ship used to mount 6 13.5'' guns and 4 11'' guns as the main battery, but due to a recent refit, which drove up the speed by 7 knots as well, got two more 13.5'' guns at the expense of the 11'' guns. This ship is effective as France's first battlecruiser, and would be effective in the scouting fleet, or as the only ship in the fast wing of the fleet.

Danton-6
4 13.5'', 4 11'', 17-18 knots, 13'' belt, 2'' deck, 15,000 tons

The last pre-dreadnoughts in the French fleet. These ships are at a disadvantage because of their mixed battery, impairing fire control, being a pre-dreadnought, impairing the ships ability to fight modern ships, and lack of a secondary, disadvantaging the ship in fighting smaller ships. These ships are too old to be placed in the line of battle, and too weak to be independently deployed. Our recommendation is to place all of the ships in the same station, preferably Celyon, as it is one of the few places it would not be at a disadvantage. We also recommend that the ships main battery be changed to either 10x11'', or 6x13.5'', preferably the first.

Magenta-2
6 11'', 10 5.5'', 18 knots, 12.5'' belt, 3'' deck, 13,000 tons

Although these ships appear impressive at first glance, there is more to them than that meets the eye. The 11'' guns are of a 11''/35 caliber, unsuited for anything but dueling with lighter cruiser. The armour is of a older generation, and is more like 10''/2'' armour. These ships are long ranged, though, and would be more effective if the main guns were replaced with more modern guns. These ship's are ideally suited for battleline protection with the fact that these ships only carry HE and Shrapnel rounds.

Valeur-2
6 13.5'', 12 7.5'', 18 4'', 20 knots, 11'' belt, 2'' deck, 17,500 tons

The first light battleship dreadnoughts in the French Fleet. Mounting a heavy intermediate battery, these ships would be effective in a foreign station. The 7.5'' guns interfere with the FC, however, as a downside. These ship's appear to have a effective anti-TB battery, even if a little light. When it is refited, the TB battery should be upgraded, but the 7.5'' guns should remain, as they provide stopping power againist cruisers when the 13.5'' guns are concerned with something else. The speed should also be increased to 23-24 knots, if doable within the budget without concern.

Battleship Overview:
Most battleships in this fleet are very effective in terms of a power to cost ration. We recommend that the main fleet, consisting of the 3 most modern great battleships and the 4 latest light battleships be based in the Atlantic. We then recommend that the wing fleet, consisting of the other two great battleships and the two Marat's, be based at Djibouti Island, with the rest of the battleships being placed at foreign stations or the Mediterranean Fleet, with the Danton's together at Celyon. The pre-dreadnought's should be refit to replace their 11'' guns, either to remove them, add more of them, or add better guns.


Armoured Cruisers:

Chevalier Rouge
2 11'', 6 7.5'', 20 5.5'', 25 knots, 8'' belt, 2'' deck, 12,000 tons

A ship which could be called either a super-armoured cruiser, or a light battlecruiser. This ship was built in order to replace the lost Terrible, and could be called a deficient design. There are only two main guns on this ship, meaning the fire control will be even worse then a pre-dreadnought. The speed is only 25 knots, meaning that even the new Baltic battleship's can outrun it. The armour protection is very good for a ship this size, and the secondary is very large. This ship should undergo a refit as soon as possible to upgrade the speed, and see what can be done about the main battery. The intermediate battery, unlike on most ships, should remain. Pending that, it should remain on the Polynesia station, or should be sent to the Mediterranean Fleet to act as the flagship of the scouting fleet.

Griffon-2
8 7.5'', 12 5.5'', 22 knots, 6'' belt, 2'' deck, 7,750 tons

A class of cruisers, which, due to their low speed, can be considered to be useful for battleline screening and escorting. However, in order to make them more versatile, our recommendation is that on their next refit, which should occur fairly soon, their speed should be increased. As like most French armoured cruisers, the armour protection and secondary is excellent, with this ship having a huge amount of tertiary guns useful for fighting off torpedo boats. These are excellent ships for the purpose of escorting, and our recommendation is that they remain in the fleet.

Glorie II
6 11'', 14 5.5'', 25 knots, 7'' belt, 2'' deck, 11,250 tons

The Orange Republic designed and build replacement of the lost Gloire. This ship can be considered either a super-armoured cruiser, or a light battlecruiser. This ship is slower than one of the new Baltic battleship's, but is well suited for a scouting fleet. The refit of 1917 gave her a secundary comparable to that of the battleships

Armoured Cruiser Overview:

France is one of the few nations in the world that still operates armoured cruisers. Although the number is growing, with a recent resurgence of the type, they are still relatively rare. We recommend that the Glorie II and the Chevalier Rouge operate together as the leaders of the Polynesian station. We also recommend that France should begin looking into building new armoured cruisers, in order to counteract ship's such as the Baltic Confederation's Gujarat, or the Confederate's Wheeler.


Protected Cruisers:

Crotalus Primus
8 6.5'', 8 3'', 24 knots, 3'' belt, 2'' deck, 4,750 tons

Once one of the most powerful protected cruisers in the world, this ship is now sadly in need of a refit. This ship still has a very impressive broadside for a ship its size. However, it's speed leaves something to be desired, as even the old Swiss pre-dreadnought's can outrun it. It's armoured protection is very well off, however, it's speed leaves a gaping hole in this ships disposition.

Demarce II-6
4 6.5'', 6 3'', 27 knots, 3'' belt, 1.5'' deck, 5,000 tons

This ship, although less armoured and with less armament than the previous class, gives off a necessary extra three knots of speed. This ship is well suited for battleline protection, escorting, and flagship duties of a torpedo squadron. In our view, this, and they whole Demarce series, are some of the best protected cruisers found in the world.

Demarce III-4
8 6.5'', 4 3'', 28 knots, 3'' belt, 1.5'' deck, 6,000 tons

With an increase of only 1,000 tons, and with double the broadside of the previous class, this class mounts it's main guns in a battleship-style arrangement. Although the speed is a bit lacking compared to more modern cruisers, this still is a very effective design.
Egypt operates 2 of these ships mid 1918.

Demarce IV-6
8 7.5'', 4 3'', 31 knots, 4'' belt, 2.5'' deck, 9,000 tons

More of a miniature armoured cruiser than a protected cruiser. This ship mounts a powerful broadside, comparable to the CSA Knoxville class, and can be considered as a miniature armoured cruiser. It's lone flaw would be the lack of anti-destroyer QF guns available.

Demarce IIIB-12
12 5.5'', 30 knots, 3'' belt, 1.5'' deck, 6,500 tons

An variation on the old Demarce III hull. It mounts 12 5.5'' guns instead of 8 6.5'' guns, and has 2 extra knots. This ship would be a very effective destroyer flotilla leader and battleline screener, with its large amount of quick-fire guns.

Protected Cruiser Overview:

The Demarce classes of cruiser's are one of France's most effective classes. In general, the Demarce ships need very few improvements, and future classes should follow in their footsteps. The Crotalus Primus is one of the few outdated ships, and should be modernized or decommissioned. The Demarce II's should be put at distant bases, and the Demarce III, IIIB, and the IV's should remain in the Battlefleets.

Destroyers:

Leopard-15
1 4'', 8 21'' torps, 33 knots, 1,000 tons

The first large class of destroyers built for France. It has a large amount of speed for its size, but has very little gunpower on it. It still is a very fast class, and would be exceptional in a torpedo task force.

Tigre B-20
3 5.5'', 6 21'' torps, 32 knots, 1,000 tons

Somewhat the opposite of the preceding class. This ship sacifices some speed and torpedoes for more gunpower, and thereby, would be very effective as an anti-destroyer-destroyer.

Le Fantastique-5
6 5.5'', 6 20'' torps, 30 knots, 1,500 tons

Even more of a regression. This ship is more of a mini-cruiser than a destroyer. It has the gun power to destroy a lot of things, but it would be more effective with 4 5.5'' guns, 8 21'' torps, and 32 knots. All and all, an effective class, but it could have been better.

Destroyer Overview:

Surprisingly enough for a nation obsessed with guns, the destroyers of this fleet are fairly effective. Their one fault is having too many guns, with the exception of the Leopald, and future ships based along the Le Fantastique line need to fix this. We still think that they are effective, just so in different situations then normal destroyers.

Auxiliaries:

Comete
2 5.5'', 4 3'', 6,000 tons of fuel, 18 knots, 2'' belt, 1'' deck, 5,500 tons

The first coaler built by France. With 2 5.5'' guns, it mounts a respectable defensive armerment, and a decent armour complement, along with good speed for a coaler. It's one disadvantage is that it is relatively small for a coaler, and could use a upgrade. Still a respectable ship, for what it is.

Peniche-80
1 3'', 9 knots, 100 tons

Just a armed barge, for river use. Not much use in comparison to the rest of the fleet, considering that it has little range. As a river patrol craft, it is excellent, a match for anything in the Austria Danube Flotilla.

Mushroom-32
1 3'', 15 knots, 450 tons

The first minesweeper in the French fleet. Mounting a formidable minesweeping ability, these ship's are great for the job, or for acting as ASW escort's for convoy's, considering what happened in the Dutch-DKB war.

Le Magnificent
8 5.5'', 27 knots, 1.5'' deck, 45,750 tons

The grand floating palace of the French fleet. It is capable of a transport task of over 8,000 men at a speed that outruns most battleships and older cruisers. A impressive ship, for its task.

Chardon-11
2 5'', 2 3'', 20 knots, 1,000 tons

A outdated sloop. It is slower than most battleships, and has no torpedoes and terrible fire control, because of the only two main guns. The 1916 refit made them into ASW ships.

Auxiliary Overview:

The Auxiliary Force's of this nation's are notable for being smaller than they ought to, for the size of the nation. We recommend that the auxiliary forces of the nation, besides the smaller ships, should be tripled, including several oilers, which France is in lack of, and general transports for ammunition ships. We also recommend that France should invest in airpower, such as the Gran Columbian air-cruisers and airplane carriers.

General Fleet Overview:

The ships of this fleet are generally decent designs, but the fleet balance is bad. In our opinion, the proper balance for a fleet is 1 capital ship to 2 cruisers to 4 destroyers. The fleet balance of this fleet is 24 capital ships to 29 cruisers to 37 destroyers. In this view, thereby, we recommend that Glorious France begins to build more cruisers and destroyers, while temporarily cutting back on battleships, or by scrapping or selling some of the older Danton's to fund this, placing the guns in coast defense batteries to defend the Great Canal, or Polynesia. We also recommend that the Atlantic and Djibouti fleet's be enlarged, at the cost of the Canadian, Mediterranean, and Ceylon fleets. The Auxiliary fleet also should be expanded rather rapidly, to meet the needs of an expanding fleet. More modern Armored Cruiser's should be built, replacing such ship's as the Magenta's or the Danton's. All in all, the French Fleet has good ships. How they are dispositioned, is left to be seen.

[maddox]

June 1919

Minister Capet. Now I have had it.  I'm so tired of those Southerns. Not only do they the uttermost best to alienate us, but now that Wilson is trying to put us into a pickle.  By proposing a treaty that will LIMIT ONLY GLORIOUS FRANCE.
I'm sending you to Richmond with a bomb. Even if I have to shove it up your ass, and fire you from one of our Battleship guns.

Minister Lebrun, we're here to discus the current situation. Not to insult each other or start a world war. But I agree, Wilson is really  trying my patience. I think we'll have to re-evaluate the Nassau Treaty. A lose canon, simular to the Dutch, ain't very conductive for a strong treaty.

Capet, you will travel to Richmond, and you will deliver, in person in private our displeasure in the Southern actions.

Lebrun, you will travel too to Richmond, and will negotiate to the benefit of that treaty. If  Battleships are limited in size, we'll just build in quantity and quality. It's that simple

But Premier Galpoux, I must object

YOU HAVE YOUR WORK, GET TO IT. It's no time to spank your monkey. Or sniff around foreign young aristocratic hussies, yes, we're aware of your dream to re-instate the French kings, and as long it doesn't interfere with your job, I allow you to have your hobby. Now, go. The core of the message to Wilson will be delivered at your office, I think it's best you accept that in person.

[Guinness]

Is it just in the job description for French Premiers to be crabby?  ;)

[maddox]

Only when irritated. Otherwise they have to be lecherous.

[TexanCowboy]

"It is a honor to meet you, your majasty."

"Yes, yes, as it is to meet you, Commander Varnia. Now, do you remember that paper you wrote about the French Fleet?"

"Of course, sire. The committee and I spent almost a month on it."

"Good. Now, the French got ahold of it, and read it. They liked it so much, that the French ambassador, in person, asked me to spare you for five years to serve in the French Navy. Do you wish to do so? You do not have to."

"Why, of course, your majesty. I would be honored to service you by accepting."

[maddox]

Dassioko, French Africa, Coté d'Ivoire  60 miles west of Bandama Naval base.

A group of Baoulé freedomfighters is waiting on a signal from their watchmen. The pirogues camoflaged , invisible in the dense jungle that edges the waters.  
According to the information from the lesser evils from the island, a French oil carrying merchant ship, called "The slick" will sail by any time now. A good target, easely to burn, and by doing that hurting the capacity of the abdomination that the French tyrants have build at the sacred island of Bandama.

If enough damage is done to the French, they will have to leave.
But to achieve that goal, the timing has to be right. Breaking camoflage too early will give the French devils to much time to accelerate and get out of harms way, to late, and the slow pirogues can't even hope to come close.



Oiler Luisant, at her first run outside of the Mediterranean Sea carrying 35 000 tons of prime fuel oil for the fleet, destination Bandama naval base. With the coast of Liberia behind her, the crew is relaxing. The town nearby the naval base has a good reputation for providing the right kind of off duty passtimes.

The port lookout is yawning, boring duty, watching the dense jungle covered coast. The nearest  real town is 3 hours away. 5 to 8 hours waiting on the lazy gits calling themself native guides. Without aid or at the right time , the wallowing whale of a ship can't even hope to get into the port to unload.

[maddox]

The information was spot on, timing perfect. The morning sun and the tide conspiring to create the perfect conditions. The experienced men push off their pirogues, and paddle furiously.

The oiler Luisant ,making steady progress at a stately 12 kts looms closer and closer. A venerable mountain of steel. The freedom fighters never have seen such a large ship, so close, in these waters.  The stem  and bow wave look collosal. Then, a grapple is trown up, clanging off the clifflike sides. Anther try, the large canoe pushed off by the bow wave, splash, the grapple doesn't even reach the steel walls.

Now, on the large ship, men are appearing at the rails. One using a speaking trumpet shooting questions and warnings.

No time to lose, the second pirogue gives a try with grapples, and loo and behold, amidships, the steel hooks catch the railing. The guerillias swarm up, and look right into the nozzle of a firefighting hose.

A strange grating, gearing sound is also audible, and the port deckhut at the forecastle reveals 2 big tubes sticking out. Previously masked by a sunshade.  The smaller  ,but simular structures at the corners of the ship reveal simular ,smaller, single tubes sticking out, and those are recognised as fast firing cannon, but it seems there is something wrong, these guns point skyward and ain't being depressed to fire at the pirogues.
Some men from the third canoo have stopped paddling and are getting active with their rifles. The old Lebel rifles report loudly, and the bullets are seen sparking of hull and deck structures.

French hands turn open the valves of the port fire surpressing system, and the 2 men holding the firefighthing hose lean into the recoil of the high pressure waterjet , and aim on the borders....   12 bar of seawater from a 1.5" nozzle make a clean sweep.

A window of the bridge shatters as an 8mm bullet finds something damagable.

"parbleu, those idiots really want to fight?"
The captain pressing a button, and the on board magnavoix crackles to life.  "Gun crews, fire when ready..."

[maddox]

Bandama naval port. Luisant is unloading the milions of liters of fuel oil. The hoses pulsing with the controled power of the shipboard pumps.


Mon capitain, you're requesting 112 140mm and 420 37mm shells.  But if I look at your report, you have expended 25 shells for each 140mm gun in training, and 105 for each 37mm gun. I to fail to understand why you need 12 additional 140mm shells, and shrapnell to boot, when your load out is normaly HE and SAP. You understand I cannot grant that.
(The captain, already 3 hours cooped up in one meeting or another, in most case, beancounting encounters is visibly getting less than patient with this clerk)

As my report does mention, and I explained that already to the naval commander at his office, and the local police chief, those 12 shells were expended warding off an attack, 60 miles to the east.

Oh, who would dare to attack a French warship in these waters? What flag did they fly?

The who I can't answer, some of my crew, who did see the attackers up close, before cleaning those off, did say the idiots shooting at my ship were tall negro's, black as coal armed with older pattern Lebel rifles, machetes and daggers.  And the flag, the poor bastards didn't even have a ship, they used large canoes without any sails or engines. But they tried to hurt my crew, and damaged my ship. The chief of police surmised they are rebels from a certain tribe, but can't be sure. The location was close enough to the Liberian border to make identification a problem.

You used 12 140mm shells on canoes....  Do you realise you spend more money shooting those poor bastards than their entire tribe makes over a century.  Couldn't you ignore them? Your ship is fast enough to leave them sinking in your wake without spending any more than afew centiemes on fuel.

Those pirates were shooting at my ship. What, after all, is a floating lake of fuel oil. For the same amount of trouble, they would have caused a fire, and then you would have a great view of a big cloud of black smoke rising in the west. And you're concerned of the pricetag of a dozen shells , shells so common in the French navy you probably don't know how many there are in supply on this base alone. I only regret we sank only one of those canoes. If we would have gotten the 2 others, that menace would have been eliminated altogether. Now, we're in for more of those surprises, if the lesson isn't driven home to those idiots that my ship is a dangerous as a cruiser in its own right. But you're not telling me that this attack is the only case. You cannot be that ignorant, or can you, "mister concerns about shellpricetag"? Just get me the supplies I requested, I intend to sail back to France as soon as possible.



Brest,
Admirals quarters Occitanie

Admiral Geon is relaxing, a good cup of coffee is warming his hands, the smell permeates the cabin.
The Cote d'Ivoire question in the back of his mind.
This sounds like a job of a platoon of Pappas men to find out who attacked Luisant, and make sure it won't happen again. That won't be to much of an issue, and will in the books as a training issue.

[Walter]

who would dare to attack a French warship in these waters?

Probably the Swiss again. ;D

[maddox]

Saumur, "École d'Instruction des Troupes à cheval"

How Sir, you mean we are changing roles? No more combat oriented training, but pure dressing and the training of champions to show the world the French horsemanship is the best in every respect.

Yes, that I do mean. The war in Kolkatta has shown the use of modern firearms makes short work of an cavalery attack. The report of Lieutenant Achiel makes that clear.
Worse, the tests at Ile de terre do show we can't protect precious horses against another gruesome tool in warfare, the chemical one. Chlorine and Tiamat will kill horses as readely as men, but horses can't be trained to don protective gearing or take messures to limit the damage.
Paris has concluded that armored cavelry on horses, making a charge ain't cost effective, unless in very specific circumstances,and those are so rare it doesn't matter if France has pure cavelry, as those won't be there in time, even if the cavalery is a swift as the wind. I have the reports in writing, and  some Lumieres from Ile de Terre. I don't recommend breakfast before seeing those moving pictures, but have a big jug of citron flavored water at your side, to avoid dehydration.

You just tell me that we have to dismiss 180 000 cavalerists?

No, idealy I told you our 180 000 cavalerists need a re-education. I want you to retain enough  officers and NCO's to form a core of cavalery, and those will be rotated to function at this school. Other duties that still will be performed is courrier duty. Wire and wireless are interceptable, but to catch a good courrier requires more manpower and time. Making sure that the right message will go trough, whatever else happens.
But those duties won't be part of the Corps Cavalery, what will just be this schooling facility. Funding will be generous, but the expectations will be high, and not only from the military. We want you Brigade General, Honeupe to form a Cadre, a cadre of superbe horsemen to rival the L'École espagnole de Vienne. To make it obvious, the chozen colors are black uniforms, and the horsebreeds, we want to have at least  a dozen Percherons. The others are up to you.

But, I cannot form a school to hold 180 000 men, that would be waste of money. If I can run a school and cadre of a few 100 , I would be honored.  Also, what do I have to do with the others? And that's only for our cavalery corps in France, I'm not autorised to speak for the Quebecoise, nor the desert cavalery in North Africa.

The wished for results are also lined out in the orders you have recieved in writing. Men with a mechanical aptitude can ask for a transfer to the motorised units. What is a prestigous posting in itself.  Others, not willing to leave their beloved horses still have a job to do in the modern artillery, those mighty 155mm guns don't move themselfs, yet.
It's not that we'll slaughter the horses and put the men on the street. Rather the opposite.  We need those men as desperate as before, but modern age is catching up. If we wouldn't lead that progress, we still would use flint and stick weapons.

I see minister Lebrun. I could thank you for explaining it all to me in person, But if I may be honnest. I don't like it. But my duty is my duty, and I will fullfill that to my uttermost competence.

I'm sorry I couldn't tell you earlier so you could adjust better to the changes. Alas, when the devils drives, needs must.

[maddox]

Somewere late 1918.

Mon directeur, I have found something disturbing.

Yes Guillaume, what is the disturbing news. Again some pencil licking hussies?

No monsieur le directeur, it seems we're missing some radium.

How much? And I hope you took in account the issue by those syphilic backstabbing ladies.

Sir, even with those few milligrams we lost in that situation, we have a large amount missing.

HOW much Guillaume? Don't waste my time.

Enough to paint the Eifeltower and make it glow.

WHAT, that's a large fortune. If Monsieur Timbre learns about that, he'll have my head on a platter.

I understand mon directeur. I know it's a lot. But... aaahhh... may I suggest, if the consequences are that bad, that we should search for alternatives ? musing aloud But that means I'll have to put in overtime.  A lot more than my wife would like... Unless... knowing glance towards the director

[Borys]

OOC
Ahoj!

Saumur, "École d'Instruction des Troupes à cheval"

But those duties won't be part of the Corps Cavalery, what will just be this schooling facility. Funding will be generous, but the expectations will be high, and not only from the military. We want you Brigade General, Honeupe to form a Cadre, a cadre of superbe horsemen to rival the L'École espagnole de Vienne. To make it obvious, the chozen colors are black uniforms, and the horsebreeds, we want to have at least  a dozen Percherons. The others are up to you.[/i]

I don't know so much about horses, but is the Percheron a riding breed? I think it is a cold blooded draught horse, no?
Borys