Demarce IV's

[Carthaginian]

Richmond, Virginia


"Is five-hundred thirty feet long enough? Can we use something like that?"

"I think so... I'll have to talk to the men at La Paz, but we could probably make that work."

"In that case, I'll tell the French that we'll be participating in the conference. If we can get one of these pretty cheaply, it'll give the project a large boost."

[damocles]

(This is not general knowledge except to the "agents" that Jontel followed and to the French, as soon as the Dutch letter is delivered to the French after the Dutch receive their own invitation to the Versailles auction.)

Outside a Paris "safe" house.

   Agent # 981 waits impatiently for the "catwoman" to show up. "She's late."
   Agent # 400 remarks "She has our instructions? A civilian?"
   "Yes a civilian." Helga Jonstel snaps, as she walks up on them. "Den Hague sent us the news of a French invitation yesterday, which was faster than I expected. Incidentally, you two idiots were supposed to cover me from the Eiffel Tower at that meeting with Lebrun three days ago. Where were you?"
   Agent # 981 explains: "Paris traffic."
   Jonstel snaps "You are fired as head of mission, 981. 400, you will hand deliver to Minister Lebrun's secretary a letter stating that I will represent our purchase commission at the Versailles conference concerning the Demarce IVs."
   Agent 400: "But I will expose my cover!"
   Jonstel: "An ex-agent does not need cover. Deliver the letter as my hired 'aide'.  You are fired from the NRDN too. By the way, imbeciles, how do you think I found you when you did not tell me WHERE to meet you?" She points at two men in trench coats. "They followed you. I followed them."  
   Agent # 981: "Who are they?"
   Jonstel: "Does it matter?"

[Guinness]

The Dutch buying French ships?!

Unpossible!

Seriously though: a Dutch bid seems a longshot.

[Sachmle]

IDK, $$ is $$ and France likes $$. Besides, the Demarce's are inferior ships, or France wouldn't be selling them. And what could "Glorious France" have to fear from the Dutch if they're using "inferior ships"? ;)

[maddox]

OOC, nonetheless , the Dutch and Gran Colombians  are invited.   Are the Demarce IV's really flawed, or is it a political maneuvre?

IC
Paris, after Premier galpoux made the sale public for Parliament, (an occurance that gave him immense support, strangely enough)
No Minister Lebrun, you don't have a last word in this sale. Those 8 cruisers will be sold, or scrapped. And yes, you can replace them , but with 10  5000 ton cruisers. If we can get the budget trough parliament . What will depend on the willingness of the buyers.

But premier, such a diminishing of our painfully build up modern cruiser force will reduce the navy to a glamor force. A few small, fast units, and a gaggle of wallowing battleships that can't even catch a rowboat.

I know, it was me that supported you, Geon and Grange. And my predecessor Paixhans. And no, Parliament has asked me to make sure that France would be served well by this gouvernment; The diversion of taxpayers money from civilian projects to military buildup will end when I leave office, end june 1920. So, make sure your plans are well tought out, as I suspect my socialist successor won't be that spendtrift for the military.

[Carthaginian]

"Has the offer been sent to the French?"

"Yes, Sir... perhaps a bit low-ball, but it is a starting point."

[maddox]

I bid you all a welcome gentlemen, and I thank you for the quick responce of your countries.

As in the invitations, the purpose for me is to sell and for you to buy 4 of the Demarce IV cruisers and 3 Demarce III cruisers France has in surplus.

Of course, during these negotiations, France will offer you all the full extend of the French hospitabily.


(gesturing one of the servants, a beautifull lady brings him a steaming cup of tea, the mint aroma is heavy and sweet)

[Carthaginian]

Irvine Theodore Bulloch, cousin to the former President and one of the Confederate Navy's most successful construction agents, is attending the meeting for the Confederate States of America.

"The Confederate States of America are interested in purchasing one or two of Glorious France's Demarce IV cruisers. We will offer to Glorious France 30% of the vessel's average worth in scrap, or 2,650 tons of material, per ship. Should Glorious France prefer hard currency, we would provide $350,000* Confederate dollars per ship."




*$3.50 in N-verse 'dollars'. I'm pegging the N-verse 'dollar' as worth a round $100,000 Confederate dollars.

[maddox]

Minister Lebrun lifts a finger, and one of the aids start writing down something that looks agreed upon.

Monsieur Bulloch, we're talking about modern, fully equipped ships. Non older than 6 years.
I should say, if the ship are eated according scrapvalue, France can scrap ships itself, and as a small extra, has a lot of experience turning ships that don't fit the fleet into impregnable fortresses.

I hope it was just an opening bid, and not an insult.

(OOC, total tonnage is about 55 Ktons.  0.55*15= 8.25bp+$8.25+ normal profit range of [8.25+25%]= $26,8), mening, by scrapping them myself and recasting the steel, I can build profitable ships, expecialy if I turn them into submarines, MAS boats or DD's.
Oops, seems I can do the math too.

[Carthaginian]

OoC: Surely France can't be expecting the bidding to open with a FAIR PRICE! ;)
The Confederacy had no illusions about such a deal being accepted- it just had to start somewhere, and so they started very, very low to see if they could get away with it. :)

[Carthaginian]

"The Confederacy will respectfully raise it's offer to 50% of the ships' total tonnage in new material, OR, preferably, $500,000 per vessel."

[maddox]

OoC: Surely France can't be expecting the bidding to open with a FAIR PRICE! ;)
The Confederacy had no illusions about such a deal being accepted- it just had to start somewhere, and so they started very, very low to see if they could get away with it. :)

To achieve that, other paths had to be walked I'm afraid.
I'm not going to sell my best anti raiders for peanuts.
I see it as part of the long standing plan to diminish France to a normal, strong player country, not the 800 pound gorillia it is called.
But that doesn't mean I have to get very stupid.

In any case, if allowed, I'll remove the OOC remark-postinfs in 24 hours. They don't add that much to the topic.
Also, as Lebrun says, he ain't a diplomat...

[TexanCowboy]

The Romanian delegate, Master Powers, inquires into the state of the Danton class pre-dreadnoughts, and if they are for sale or not.

OOC: Another nefarious member for my spy community...Jack Bauer, Chuck Norris, Mr. T, and now....Austin Powers. :D

[maddox]

Monsieur Powers.  We have 4 of the Danton Class battleships layed up at Tricomalee.  The fifth, unfortunatly , is at the harbor floor after running into a string of mines, layed down by the New Swiss using a yet unknown methode.
The report gives us very usefull info, and we're contemplating of doing more tests with underwater protection systems, based upon the surprisingly good performing underwater protection of the Dantons.

These 4 Dantons, are of course for sale.

[ctwaterman]

Liborio Valentinius the Imperial Magistrate to France will look around the room at the gathered representatives before speaking.

Minister Lebrun the Empire of Italia is interested in acquiring some if not all of the Demarce IV and Demarce III class ships.   As you say they are all modern ships under 6 years of age.  The Empire is willing to offer 8 million Denari [$8] and either an additional 3 million Denari [$3]  in cash or 1.5K tons of construction for each of the Demarce IV.  For the Demarce III Ships the Empire is willing to offer 5 Million Denari [$5] and either 1K tons of construction or 2 million additional Denari.

The Empire is aware of the French desire to build a new class of smaller more suitable escort cruisers.  To this end the Empire would welcome the chance to help France design and build such a ship using slips and dry docks within the empire to speed the replacement of such ships.

In addition the Empire does not necessarily need all the ships and would be willing to allow the CSA to purchase one of the ships at our price if France agree's.