Rohirrim Rider: June 1906

[Ithekro]

(First Half Only)

January 5, 1906

With the extention of the Mark into the Northern Wastes following the unpleasentness with the self-styled "Eastern Kingdom" and the ships from South America last April, the Mark ahs returned to normal.  The native populations seemed to be relieved that the majority of the madness has ended.  The Japanese populations of Forochel have come to terms with their life away from Japan.  Only time will tell what becomes of them.

January 13, 1906

The Mark laid down Valandil, Combat Cruiser of the Mark, in Vinyamar, New Beleriand after much delay in said event.  "The rebuilding of the ex-Confederate cruisers took longer than expected", is the official line.  Whatever the reason, Valandil is expected to be a powerful cruiser superior to the Narmacil-class.

January 18, 1906

A new project has been taken up by Mithlond Yards, a Battle Cruiser.  This vessel, to be named Snowmane, is to be an improved Rohan built version of the Arcadia-class battleships.  The idea of heavy guns on a ship as fast as a cruiser has appeal to Lord Harlock and his wife, Lady Shizuku Oyama of Mithlond, the designer of the modern Belted Cruisers of the Mark.  Her vision of heavily armed but fast vessels seems to come at the price of armor.  Some Marshals of the Mark are still skeptical about her concepts due to the loss of Orodruin, Belted Cruiser of the Mark, in direct combat.  Lady Shinzuku, for her part, has stated that her designs are not meant to be used in direct line combat, and that is the reason Orodruin was destroyed...by point blank range heavy gun fire.  The full understanding of what the Snowmane will be will not be fully know for some two years or more.

February 9, 1906

With the threat of the Anahuac seemingly eraticated from Brazil by the Columbian, Hapsburg, and Brandenburg forces, and a renewed Iberian crown taking the once French colony over, the Riders of Rohan have finally stood down after the long years from the War and its aftermath.  With this stand down the Marshals have finished reorginizing the Micelhusl into European sized Corps.  While this has effectively reduced the size of the Riddermarks' Army on paper, the entire Army is still in existance...just combined into larger units with less need for extra support units.

February 10, 1906

With the last of the ex-Confederate Armored Cruisers finishing their trials, the Fleet of the Mark has finalized the process of reclassifying the older 11" guns Combat Cruisers into Dwarven Battleships of the Mark, and this replacing the vessels sold to California in 1904.

February 19, 1906

Work continues on the New Beleriand Canal dispite suggestions that the area is unsafe, especially after the eruption of the volcano some know as Momotombo last year.  The Marshals of the Mark and Beraguard Parigal, Governor of New Beleriand, say that the canal must be finished, if not for the Navy, for the Westron.  "Why pay the Columbians for something we can do ourselves?"

March 1, 1906

Freawine, Battleship of the Mark, having recently arrived in the Caribbean Sea, has been selected to lead the Green Fleet at the next War Games in 1907.  It is suspected that the newly completed Walda will join the Black Force and the fleets will be even.

March 18, 1906

Testing on a unit similar to the prototype boiler installed in the Brandenburg cruiser Blucher has repeated its success.  White Smoke Boilers will produce a model similar to this for Valandil, Combat Cruiser of the Mark, while Wizard is supplying a similar unit to Walda, Battleship of the Mark.

March 30, 1906

The Mesoamerican Republic, after many years under the watchful eye of the Mark, as started to negotiate their release from the Riders of Rohan.  Some concepts involve financial transactions, other involve a rebuilding of their now aging fleet.  There is some rumors that the airships that befell the Island Commonwealth late in 1904 were from Mesoamerica and perhaps the exampled seen on the Northern Wastes of Rohan were also from the former Anahuac Empire.  Time will tell.

[The Rock Doctor]

Given rumors of Mesoamerican involvement in the Island Commonwealth affair, Gran Colombian will be following developments in Mesoamerica rather closely.

[Carthaginian]

The Confederacy will also remain keen in it's interest in Mesoamerica, due to their past sympathies with Negro Socialist movements withing several of our States.

No further actions such as these will be tolerated.

[swamphen]

As long as Mesoamerica remains on the Mark's good side, Brandenburg would be happy to assist in their Reconstruction...

(now where'd I put the designs for that 'Kruppkreuzer'...

[Ithekro]

That is good to know that Brandenburg may be ready when needed.

Now if the Mesoamerican government is partly to acts of aggression against the Confederate States of American on the other hand...the Mark may have to reopen old wounds.

[Ithekro]

April 1, 1906

After receiving an invitation the Mark will send the new Freawine, Battleship of the Mark and the Calmacil, Combat Cruiser of the Mark, to Dutch Scapa Flow to participate in a Fleet Review.  Discussions over the recent move my the Norman Kingdom may be discused at this Review.  Anason Seawalker, Advisor to the King for Naval Affairs, will be present to hear for the king and give the king's views on the matter.

April 18, 1906

Discussions between the Mark and Confederacy have begun to show greater results towards a greater friendship than the one enjoyed the last decade.  Plans for a treaty of sorts seem to be in the works.

April 29, 1906

The most recent Jane's Fighting Ships has given an accounting of the Japanese Navy and the Marshals of the Mark are impressed.  "I don't remember the Russia fleet looking so strong", remarked Eormil Eorlson, Marshal of the Northern Seas.  "Yes the Russia fleet was always though of as a paper tiger, all fangs but not muscle," says Grimbold Brandywine, Marshal of the Southern Seas.  Detractors on the issue of keeping the Navy strong have been silent after seeing the actual potential of the Japanese Fleet on paper.  "We hope to never see their potiential first hand," said Beren Ithilson, Marshal of the Eastern Seas.

May 1, 1906

It has been announced that a Friendship Pledge has been signed and sealed between the Confederate States of America and the Kingdom of Rohan.  The treaty, to last ten years, is the longest and hopefully the best treaty for the Mark, as the last several have nearly gotten the Mark involved in external conflicts.

May 12, 1906

Hama Running Bear, Diplomat to the Russian Empire, has no explaination for the serious lack of communication from our non-aggression treaty partners in Moscow.  "It's like they turned in on themselves and won't talk to anyone about it," claims Hama who has been sent back to Edoras until the Russians have something to say to Rohan.

May 15, 1906

Fruits for out efforts with the Confederates may already be here.  The Confederacy has offered a weapons standardization exchange.  They wish to test out our present model of 4.5 inch quick fire in exchange the Mark will look at their most modern 6 inch cannons for possible manufacture and mounting on newer vessels, or even refitting older Confederate made cruisers with newer Confederate made guns.  Also with this exchanged is a proposal to mix research on a few new projects in the future.  "Perhaps we can get a quick fire 6 inch gun for our new battleships or maybe a better destroyer design using the technologies of both our peoples," commented Theoden Masterson, former Third Marshal of the Mark.

June 4, 1906

Star of Earendil, Ship of the Westron, returned to South Mithlond today after a long voyage.  Her purpose was to be the transfere the Rohirrim crew that delivered the Brandenburgian Blucher and the techincal people who went with her, back to Rohan after the delivery was made.  The vessel was to remain in Brandenburgian waters until the Blucher's trails were finished to be sure everything worked.

June 19, 1906

Plans to retire several cruisers and torpedo boat in the next year or so are under review by the Marshals of the Mark.  Many of the torpedo boats are over 15 years old and the cruisers are about 20 years old.  it seems likely that many vessels will be retired from service, many to be scrapped, but some may be placed in reserve until new vessels are built to fully replace them in active service.

June 28, 1906

Rumors of a new large battleship being constructed by the Japanese have reach the Mark (through Jane's Fighting Ships).  The two Satsumas will be huge, almost on par with our our battleships.  And with a reported 12 x 12 inch guns it will out gun any battleship in the world that we are aware of...save maybe the Grand Napoleon of the French.  Even the Arcadia's do not have this kind of firepower.  Only the Freawine have nearly the broadside weight this battleship will have.   In responce to this ship, the Mark will lay down a larger battleship in the next eight months that will have four main turret batteries on the centerline.   All of them will be the twin 14" guns like on Freawine.  The final design has not been worked out, but the need to stay ahead is clear.

[Ithekro]

June 30, 1906

Advertisement:

The New Beleriand Canal is nearing completion.  Rohan expects the canal to be finished in 1908 with first civilian traffic in 1909.  However the Riddermark is still looking for investers.  While Rohan believes it can finished the canal on their own, It would not presume to deny others the right to have interest in this affair.

The proposed price of a share (2.5%) is $12.50 (Non-Military Navalism Standard Currency) with the option to buy as many as four shares (10% or $50) per country.  All funds go to the project.  For those who purchase two or less shares, passage rights are granted without charge for civilian vessels.  Military vessels will depend on relations with the Kingdom of Rohan and Rohan reserves the right to deny passage and will inspect all vessels before they enter the canal.  For those with three or four shares, once the canal is paid off, such countries will take a share of the profits, perhaps even a smaller amount once the canal opens but before it is paid off, as a show of gratitude.  After the initial purchase of shares there is no additional cost to you or your country.

The present proposed charges to countries that use the New Beleriand Canal are as follows:

$1 per year for merchant shipping.  Subject to searches by Rohan before entry into the canal. (contraband, weapons, troops, and explosives shall not be allowed, or will be sujbect to being charged at the military rate)

$1 per half year for military shipping, with the right to deny passage up to Rohan.

For emergency transit of the canal the country needing use of the canal would pay $0.01 for every 1,000 standard tons of shipping to use the canal at that time.  This is the same for civilian and military.  This is for unplanned usage that would disrupt the normal flow of commerce.  The Navy of Rohan is except from this.  Shareholders would still need to pay if they are disrupting the flow of commerce.  (Rate negotiable for shareholders) 

The rate of $0.01 for every 1,000 standard tons of commercial shipping would also be the price for those that wish to use the canal, but have not paid in advance.  These vessels would be subject to searches and denial of passage. 

Military shippinge for those would have not paid in advance would be double normal ($0.02 for every 1,000 standard tons) and subject to searches and denial of passage.

[The Rock Doctor]

Good to know.  No doubt it will seriously irritate the Darien Canal Authority's board of directors.

Who currently holds shares in the canal?

[Borys]

OOC
Yay! Go Market Forces! Go!
Kaiser and Apostolic King of Hungary Stefan

[The Rock Doctor]

Boo! Market forces suck!  Go Price-Fixing-Cartels!

[Ithekro]

At present, or to be invested shortly (knowns):

Rohan (land owner)
New Switzerland (preliminary contractor)
Deutcher Kaiserreich Brandenburg
Confederate States of America

[Ithekro]

All inquires should go through your local Rohirrim Embassy, or through telegraph or telegram to any Rohirrim or Gondorian Government agency.

[swamphen]

Given the DKB's previous investment...two "pre-exsisting" shares? The Reich will likely wish to invest in a further two, half-and-half in H2 and H1/07.

Anason Seawalker, Advisor to the King for Naval Affairs

I find your lack of fleets...disturbing.
;D

[Desertfox]

Ithekro, from H1/06 till the canal is finihsed NS will be investing in it at a rate of $10 per Half year.

[Ithekro]

Okay, I'll note that in the reports.