Opening Moves part deux

[Kaiser Kirk]

ooc : I simply timed my response to match France's time frame. While somewhat further away, it gives time for folks detailed to Italia to call/telegraph back home with the news. For a high profile trial, I would expect news to spread by the next day, and I didn't see information indicating a news blackout had been imposed, merely that the telegraph office may be down.

In any event, it's merely an excuse for an exercise on Bavaria's part, we don't expect they'd be silly enough to steam around Italy, but if they did, the Greek isles would be a good place to get lost. 

[Carthaginian]

OOC: All I have to say is wow ??????

In an Era of Written Letters carried by courier ships, Telegraphs [Very Unsecure] and Radio Telegraphy the news of Sparrows escape has spread well as fast as a text message about Paris Hilton last Pantyless Photo sighting  ::)

Well, if Italy contacts the French on the same day, I was assuming that they did the same for the rest of Nassau.
Thus, my 'midnight the next night' telegraph to Hoover.

I can schedule it for a later date if need be.

[ctwaterman]

ooc : I simply timed my response to match France's time frame. While somewhat further away, it gives time for folks detailed to Italia to call/telegraph back home with the news. For a high profile trial, I would expect news to spread by the next day, and I didn't see information indicating a news blackout had been imposed, merely that the telegraph office may be down.

In any event, it's merely an excuse for an exercise on Bavaria's part, we don't expect they'd be silly enough to steam around Italy, but if they did, the Greek isles would be a good place to get lost. 

Not A problem you could not have possibly missed ships rushing out of Vennice Harbor at dawn nor could you miss the large number of Encrypted Telegrpahy messages flashing around Italy.   You know somethign is up.  And you have a method of finding out picking up the phone in Trieste and talking to the Commander in Vennice.

As for the Trial it wasnt public but the records were open.  He was tried in abstentia, a pannel of 3 judges were presented evidence an assigned lawyer questioned the evidence the Judges 3 to 0 covicted Jack Sparrow of Piracy.   

[P3D]

...

I did not comment on the details of the search, I just found "Berriland" funny.

[ctwaterman]

OOC: All I have to say is wow ??????

In an Era of Written Letters carried by courier ships, Telegraphs [Very Unsecure] and Radio Telegraphy the news of Sparrows escape has spread well as fast as a text message about Paris Hilton last Pantyless Photo sighting  ::)

Well, if Italy contacts the French on the same day, I was assuming that they did the same for the rest of Nassau.
Thus, my 'midnight the next night' telegraph to Hoover.

I can schedule it for a later date if need be.

Hey Its just a comment on the speed of Communication in the 19th and Early 20th Century.  What was the Joke - Telegraph, Telephone, and Tell a Woman [Ducks thrown Objects]

Yes Nassau is Going to be Informed but only after the Empire has a day to figure out exactly what happened and how it wants to phrase what it has to say.

OOC:  I guess I could spin this as a covert swiss raid but wait I havent quite gotten their rude reply just yet I think my Ambassador just handed them my Letter in Paris :)  And the Rude Reply is still 3 days away.

[miketr]

To expand upon what Charles has said.  This is 1919 and communication and information moved at vastly slower rate of speed.  I suggest people get a copy of Tora! Tora! Tora! And look at the mid part of the movie where the various communications are occurring between Tokyo and their Embassy in Washington and the Washington's attempts to warn Pearl.

Let me give what I viewed as the series of events. 

In response to events on Sunday April 6th 1919 you can assume the following to occour.

Shortly after 1 AM Monday April 7th and extremely large number or Radio Telegraphy messages will be echoing across the central med.  These messages will originate from Rome and be repeated and responded to by La Spezia, Cigalari, and Tunis, plus several ships at sea.

Shortly after 2 AM somebody in Rome will finally imbibe enought coffee to decide that there are other people with ships in the area who might dislike Pirates as well.   It is around this time that the undersea cables get put to work.  Any government or military offices in Paris or Madrid that might be awake will receive the following Telegraph Cable.

From:  Imperial Office of Foreign Affairs.
To: Foreign Office or Military Staff Paris, Madrid.

At approximately 22:30 Hours a group of unknown but suspected Pirates attacked the Town Hall of Sanremo Italy.  They succeeded in over power and killing a large number of people and succeeded in breaking the Convicted Pirate and Murder Capt. Jack Sparrow from his cell in the Sanremo Town Jail.

The Pirates were last sceene fleeing Sanremo aboard a steam yach the SY Scintillante, registered in Marsaille.   The Empire is sorting vessels from Tunis, Cagilari, and La Spezia to sweep the sea in the direction of the Straits of Gibraltar.  Any help in apprehending the Pirates aboard the above vessel would be greatly appreciated.

So 2 AM Italy decides to send the message.  It will take time to draft, then time to GO to a place able to send the message.  A centralized telegraph office and then sent up the chain to arrive in Madrid.  So this message will arrive in Madrid some time between 3 AM and 4 AM.  Once in the telegraph office with the diplomatic header it's sent punted over to the Italian embassy to be decoded.  Problem is odds are no one is awake to receive it so it rots there till the morning staff comes in.  Once they come in the message is decoded and the Italian Ambassador reads it over and makes an appointment with the Iberian Foreign Minister or one of his subordinates.  Figure this occurs around 7 AM.  Meeting occurs at 8 AM.  Iberian government then figures out what to do with the message and 9 AM the message is sent to Cartagena.

10 AM we have my story above.

Once the Med Fleet is ordered to sea the following has to occur.

First of all the Iberian fleet is at peace so most of the ships will have one or two boilers lit at what's called "hotel load".  Hotel load is enough steam to provide for utilities on the ship.  Most of the other boilers are cold.  It will take hours for the ship to raise enough steam to get under way.  That assumes the ships are even ready for sea, again its peace time and well even in war time maintenance needs to be done.     

Looking back on things I might have had things take even longer to play out. In the end is all moot as the Pirates have gotten away but people should be aware of how fast info moves.

[Desertfox]

I am finding the severe overreactions by everyone not directly involved in the story very hilarious., especially for what is a virtual nobody and just a common 'criminal'. The Baltic Confederates especially, since they are looking for a Swiss yacht. Oh and everyone is blaming the Swiss, and the Swiss still don't know what happened.

[maddox]

I think the French reaction is rather "in character".

The French police is more concerned about the yacht itself than the other events, but can't do anything.

The marine would like an excuse to do anything, but no ships are available.

The army is scratching its ass. And makes into an excersize of "how to do nothing and seem to do all the best possible".

And Paris is lighting up like a searchlight by the power of gossip.

[Desertfox]

April 9th, Swiss Naval HQ

"What's going on?"

"No idea, we have received a bunch of separate and apparently unconnected reports. Apparently everyone and their grandmothers decided to stage emergency exercises at the same time."

"WHAT? Ship sink or something?"

"No idea, but probably no. I mean its the CSA in the Caribbean, the BC in the Baltic and India, the Iberians of their coast, the Romanians in the Black Sea, and even the Bavarians. Can't be connected, that's like half the hemisphere."

"Well let me know as soon as you get something, and it better be soon."

"Oh yeah, several shipping companies are complaining. Apparently quite a number of Swiss flagged ships are being stopped, boarded and inspected."

"Wait, what? Now THAT is important. Figure out what the hell is going on and do it NOW."


OOC Guys, don't forget that Swiss merchants tend to be armed and if stopped illegally on the high seas might fight back. But this would only apply on the open seas, near territorial waters and in straits (ie Gibraltar) there will be no problems, nor will there be any if the stoppers are not being obnoxious. Note, ATM no Swiss flagged ship is transporting Sparrow nor any of the people involved in the rescue.

[ctwaterman]

OOC Guys, don't forget that Swiss merchants tend to be armed and if stopped illegally on the high seas might fight back. But this would only apply on the open seas, near territorial waters and in straits (ie Gibraltar) there will be no problems, nor will there be any if the stoppers are not being obnoxious. Note, ATM no Swiss flagged ship is transporting Sparrow nor any of the people involved in the rescue.

It Is Legal for a Ship to Stop a Swiss Ship if it is believed that the Swiss Ship is
a.  Transporting Slaves
b.  A Pirate Ship flying a Flag of Convenience

The Stopping Ships Nation is responisble for Financial delays.  But a simple stop search the crew and release the ship in under an hour well Financial Penalties are minimal.   The appology from one government to another for the mistake is assumed.

And its apparently a treaty the New Swiss actually Signed.

[Desertfox]

Like I said, no problem as long as the stopping ship isn't being obnoxious. Course once word starts getting around, that every Swiss ship is being stopped. Well then the crews and especially the owners might start getting trigger happy. And there will be an official Swiss complaint, but the extent isn't known yet.

[Marek Gutkowski]

Ship that is capable of stopping a Armed Merchant is at this time in a Cruiser category.
The all the merchant can do is complain if they get trigger happy the crew of a merchant will find themselves in a lifeboat.
On the other hand a merchant can ram a ship. Island patrol cutters were ramming the RN frigates left and right in the cod wars. Soviet Union rammed US Navy ships at least on one occasion.     

[Carthaginian]

To expand upon what Charles has said.  This is 1919 and communication and information moved at vastly slower rate of speed.  I suggest people get a copy of Tora! Tora! Tora! And look at the mid part of the movie where the various communications are occurring between Tokyo and their Embassy in Washington and the Washington's attempts to warn Pearl.

Well, my 24 hour lag from France's notification wasn't too bad.
I doubt that the papers will hear about it for a week or more.

[Walter]

I doubt the Swiss flag would be considered to be a Flag of Convenience. More likely a pirate flag. :D

[ctwaterman]

I doubt the Swiss flag would be considered to be a Flag of Convenience. More likely a pirate flag. :D

Sssssshhhhh *finger to lips*  Walter your giving the game away.

I will note that its convenient that even the Pirates have a flag so we know who to shoot at. ;D