Paris Temps

[maddox]

Austria Hungaria,  France is eagerly awaiting negotiations.....

[maddox]

Paris Hotel Bonaparte, early july 1907

Ah Monsieur Grange, what news?

We got a serious proposal to rebuild Gloire. I strongly suggest we take it on.
Who did send it in?

The Orange Republic, Premier. And they are offering a way more extensive rebuild than what you asked for, for a better pricetag than you had in mind.

So, if we go for that, what are the disadvantages? 

Distance Premier. Getting Gloire there in here state as she is would be an adventure on her own.
Also the diplomatic fall out because the lost contracts for the other yards.

On Gloire herself, start preparing her for the transit. And offer the other yards juicy contracts. We can use more navy ships , mayby something like that quant little Macaroni from the CSA, but a bit more opulent.

[Borys]

Late July 1907

Von Fernseher went through the specifications and drawings once more. He wanted to memorise as many selling points as possible, before delivering the envelope to Paixhans tomorrow.
Looking at the line drawings he nodded to himself approvingly - the French were suckers for baubles, and the 12 turrets of this ship - with 14 guns! - should make a suitably good impression. And she was a quite reasonable warship. Considering that the French could not build such ships at home, 17$ was quite cheap - the Kaiser's soft spot for Freiherr von Geon was well known.

[maddox]

Premier, the shit is hitting the fan.
What? Were? How? Please elaborate, monsieur Grange.
With the New Swiss press release that their navy has sunk the 2 large cruisers, we increased surveilance by alternative means, and it looks like that the Dutch are getting up to something. We do not know it is positive or negative. But we can use and give a bit of help. Massena and her escorts can use a recoaling, to do further search for Terrible and Indomptable. Could we ask the dutch to supply that recoaling?

Of course, asking nicely isn't an issue, getting any answer is another thing. Since the NS propaganda hit us, the Dutch are being very diplomatic, even political correct, but not much is accomplished.
But can't we get Chouette to the Indian Ocean? An airship should be capable of scouting a lot further.

I'll look into that Premier, and we could use the budget for the next Airship base to build it in Tricomalee. I'll inform the admirality of your wish.

******************************************************************************************

A few days later at the marine base of Brest.

Messieurs, Premier Paixhans has asked how we can get one of those gasbags to Tricomalee.

(monsieur Grange) Admiral Leroux, its airship, not gasbag. But we all know that you dislike them. So, the question is, how can we get an airship to Tricomalee in a state it can do patrols or searches.
(Countre Amiral Alaille) If we fly her over, we can follow this route. From her base to Marseille, there a short stop, check up, refuel and regas. Then to Tunis for the same.Then it's a difficult one. Asking the caliphate for fly over rights to Djiboeti Island, or else follow the coast line to the entrance of the Suez Canal also ending in Djiboeti. From there its the longest trop of almost the total range our airships have towards Tricomalee.
With all the stops and a realistic 200% increase in time needed for repairs, she'll be under way for 21 days. Barely faster than our Ville or Quebec class ships.

(Countre amiral Louis)Why bother flying her over? Just ship the new one in build before assembly. Easier, safer and cheaper. It will take a few months extra, but hey, an airship without an hangar is asking for serious shit. Also, Tricomalee doesn't have any of the other needed infrastructur, like the hydrogen manufactoring or storage.

Amiral Leroux And that brings me to the biggest disadvantage of those vurnable, expensive , and frail airships. Nice toys, but in need of pampering like the French nobles before the revolution. I just find those things a waste of time and money. before every flight they make they need a refit. And that has to be done in a specialised hangar. Even storing them takes a shitload of money. Not like a ship that goes in reserve.

(Monsieur Grange) People, Premier Paixhans wants an airship in Tricomalee asap. We're not discussing the useability, nor the qualities. And as far I'm concerned, you can carry it over if that is the fastest way.

[maddox]

Tourane, Aftermath of the convoy question.

Military Court

Capitaine, your testimony brings out a lot of questions. And we'll have to ask you several things over to establish the right timetable of the happenings.

As you please Admiral.

So, upon sighting one approaching ship, you revealed your presence to the convoy. That was an action against your orders. Why did you do so?

My first order was to protect the convoy. My position behind the convoy was so I could not do my duty without revealing my identity. So, when orders contradict, local command has to make the choice. I choose the direct approach. Probably avoiding conflict at that time. An educated guess is that is was the so called Indian cruiser Ackbar. A ship that is absolutely not Indian.

The next situation was the approach of the NS task force. You challenged those directly, and even fired the first shot. In the mean while another possible hostile was at your back, unchecked and uncovered.  If that ship would have attacked the convoy, how would you have responded?

Exactly the same. Indomptable and Terrible cannot beat off a task force, and be on another spot to engage a single cruiser. If Ackbar would have gotten aggressive it would have to wait in line for a good fight. Splitting up our forces would haver lead to a sure defeat, without dishing out as much as we did together.
And yes, I ordered the warning shot , far away from the NS attackers.  But that was a warning for deaf mens ears.

No captain, I refer to the torpedos. You deliberate closed in and fired torpedo's without any warning. Also, you brought your ships in grave risk there. The NS marine is know for their torpedo knowledge.

Admiral. I did warn the NS ships, and waited more than long enough before taking offensive actions. Also, I command warships, not tugboats. Our job is to go in harms way, to serve Glorious France.
If I wouldn't have done what I have done, the NS pirates would have done what they have done now, but without the losses, and only contempt for France. I did not got the rank of Capitaine by being a joke for others to laugh about.

Why did you give the order to refuse the pick up by the NS ships?

I didn't. The NCO who carried me to the boat unconsious took that responsibility. And his reasoning is valid. I would have given the same order with the knowledge I had then.
Nobody could have expected that official NS naval ships are just ordinary pirate ships. So, if they would have done what they claimed to do, inspect the ships, we just had to row to the merchants or the suspected cruiser Ackbar and be safe in hours.
Now, the situation is different, and the orders will be different.
But for now, I only regret to have had any trust in the honor of the NS navy.

Do you, or your men know anything about the misconduct of New Swiss sailors and officers on the merchants.

What we know is what is told us by the Dutch. And there is little reason not to believe them.  We'll have to wait untill the wounded are returned before we'll know the full story.

That is all captain.

[maddox]

November 1907

Paris, parliament.

Messieurs.  I got confirmation from our estemed allies, the UNK. As from today, all NS ships in the North Atlantic are considered impounded untill the 2 Peruvian ships, with their passengers are delivered healty to Firenj. Our fleets are scouring the Atlantic above the 30th parallel. Except the coastal waters of the CSA.

To avoid further diplomatical incidents,  NS merchants with destinations in North America , Europe and Russia will be guided to their destination.  What happens then is up to the countries what recieve them.

[P3D]

So currently Peru, Firanj, Egypt, France are impounding Swiss ships in harbor, whether the Dutch join I don't know.

[Desertfox]

Not like there's much Swiss shipping in those countries, and the Swiss, generous folks they are, are reciprocating.

Now with the Dutch there's a lot of shipping involved from both countries, that can and will be significant.

[Ithekro]

That will make the Lakes of Great Suffering all the more interesting in Australia.

[P3D]

While the Firanji and Egyptian moves are just for prestige, I doubt that Swiss involvement in Peru would have been negligible.

Added later:
As NS is a trade empire, any disruption of free sailing on the oceans, and ports will affect the Swiss economy. And you cannot trade with Gran Columbia either. So the Swiss are already down by 2 major trading partners.

[Borys]

OOC
I'm still at a loss as to what I know as and what I know as a player.
I do not expect NS-AH trade (if any) to amount to much.
If NS merchants start showing up at AH ports, they will be let in only for supplies. They will not be allowed to unload cargo. Trade between NS and AH has to be in third party hulls (OOC - did I decree something on this on the previous board?)

[The Rock Doctor]

NS can still trade with Gran Colombia - there are restrictions on the movement of shipping in GC ports, based on concerns that somebody will end up shooting at somebody else.  NS can always try to convince GC that there's nothing for me to worry about...

[Desertfox]

Peru isn't that important and since Agrival is calling the shots there I doubt he would allow a hated rival's ships in anyway.

Gran Columbia is an important trading partner but she hasn't closed her ports to Swiss civilians yet.

The Dutch are a much more imprortant partner so war will affect both of us badly. Fortunately war also means most of the merchants will be in use hauling coal, ammo, and supplies, so the economic disruption wont be so bad, yet.

[P3D]

24 hours limit is pretty much a ban. That's not enough to get all the cargo off, reload the bunkers and get extra cargo. Perhaps to do one of those things. If it does not cuts into profits heavily, I don't know what would.

Peru is an important trading partner to the Swiss. Agrival or not. The Swiss has to be trading somewhere. Politics here do not influence where the Swiss shipping firms operate. They were not banned from Peru - before the incident.
If it is not a $80-economy Pacific country, right in the Swiss economic interest zone, than pray tell me where the Swiss are trading at all???

[Desertfox]

Peru for most of the life of the Sim had been a backwater, so it's now a $80 power? I thought you didn't want more $50+ powers.

As for Swiss trading partners:
Rohan
CSA
Japan
GC
USA
Maoria
Dutch (before troubles)
DKB (a little)
Iberia (Phillipines)
OR
NZ

and more, losing a single country wont affect me much.