Esc News Oct -Dec 19

[ledeper]

Oct 19

Hamburg
.
As the ,Battleships Baltica and  Atlantica ,is doing its final training before commissioning in January ,the workers at the Blohm&Voss yard delivers its third ship of the class to the navy, the Nordsee.

The dock is now cleared and will be made ready for the refurbishment of the Preussen and Sweden in the beginning of January.

This will be followed up the refurbishment of the remaining two ships of the class when the Nordsee will be commissioned in June.

Nov 19.

Berliner Tagesblatt.

Karlstad .

Unofficial spokespersons in the "Auswärtiges Amt" today expressed concern of the increasing  Dutch involvement in the "Chinese Civil War".
Members of parliament along with certain government officials fear that the Dutch actions in the war eventually will drag more and more country into the conflict  ,or even worse, ire other European nation to such an extent that an conflict will conflagrate even to Europe.
It was even suggested that Bavarian official has asked for "consultations" with "Auswärtiges Amt" regarding

the Erratic Dutch Foreign Policy.

Official spokesmen and Foreign minister Jessen flatly rejected those rumours, but as Foreign minister Jessen said:

"Off course, the Esc frequently consults with its close allies and friends".
"That goes for all them both Bavaria, The Netherlands, Russia, and not to forget our Irish friends."

Dec 19.

Karlstad.

Jessen;Foreign Minister.
Heinrich Zum Mecklenburg CIC &MOD.

We have received and accepted an interesting order from The Ottomans.

The Ottomans, interesting, but why is "Auswärtiges Amt" involved in this?

This could have some political implications in relation to foreign powers.

I see your point, but what kind of order is this?

Some of it is may a bit out of your line, but the order consist of eight 380 mm gun and a Coastal battleship armed with 12" guns.

Ship is a "bit"(sarcastic) out of line, but I will see to, that all 8 guns will be produced during the coming year.

I can have 4 ready by June and the rest by January.
When will the ship be delivered?

The ship will already be delivered in June, with engines, armor and turrets and barbettes, and the guns transported along.

Later Dec 19:

Myrwik.

Flensborg.

Heinrich Zum Mecklenburg CIC &MOD.
Adm Gudjohnsson CIC Navy.

Have you heard the latest idea from "Auswärtiges Amt"?

You mean the coastal battleship?

No, No, No; the idea of just sending 12" guns on a freighter along an unfinished warship, it is ludicrous.

This I didn't know, but I will make sure to make an suitable escort, the Nordsee will be ready at the same time ,and together with a flotilla of cruisers and destroyers, this will also give the crews an opportunity to visit our Bavarian friends and do some training in working together.

That is a relief, how big is this Nordsee by the way, some 35000 tons?

"Proudly":Yes ,She weighs just over 35000 tons ,with 9 405 mm guns.

"A bit gleeful":Other plans for "your navy".

We will scrap or sell "Lyn&Torden" or replace them, but We cant decide, whether to build 2 follow-ups of the ocean or build some coastal-battleships that can easily operate both from the Elbe/Weser, The Baltic and from the Norwegian Fiords.

[ledeper]

Berliner Tagesblatt.

Nov 19

Officials in "Auswärtiges Amt" today confirmed the visit by The Bavarian Foreign Minister, in the coming days.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss matters of mutual interests both on the economic and military level.

One subject will be the planning of a large exercise along the same line as the big 1917 exercise, but this time combined with a joint naval exercise, both in the Adriatic and the Atlantic.

[ledeper]

16/12 1919

Myrvik

Flensborg.

Vize Adm. Lewenhaupt.

Adm. Gudjohnsson

Are we attending the Durban Naval Competition?
Yes I am sending the Gorch Fock.
An interesting choice, a training cruiser, but don't we have anything bigger to send?
No, not for the moment as both Preussen and Sweden is docking at this moment for a 6 month refurbishment and the two Ocean class isn't ready until the end of March.
This will be quite a treat for the cadets onboard.
But to jump subject completely, what to do about Lyn and Torden?
The will be replaced with two CBb and a fourth unit of the Ocean class.
We plan to lay them down in 1922, thus dispose of Lyn and Torden in 1924.
Can we in the meantime send them to the Indian Ocean and send the Gujarat till Bremen for an over haul? 
Good idea, then we can also install our new Huelsmeyer-type "radar" before she returns to Gujarat.
When will you recall Gujarat?
Sometime during the spring, there will be docking space available around June.
By the way, Felix passed by the other day.
So! What did he have on his mind?
Do you remember during the latest Zionite war, there were rumours of a New Swiss raider were roaming the Med and the Atlantic and strewing mines?
Yes I remember, but it was just unsubstantiated rumours.
Could there be a New Swiss raider lose in the Atlantic?
No, we would have noticed, our triangular patrols in the North Atlantic would have observed anything suspicious.
Could there be any other forces at play?
The question is rather who has most to gain by placating the New Swiss for indiscriminate use of mines, and there was also this business in the Med with this yacht.
You mean the remains of the Agrival Mars network?
Possible, but what other powers could benefit from placating N.S?
G:Hmm, your thoughts move along the same lines as mine.
I hope not,but they will certainly gain from it.
Exactly,they are apparently devious enough .
I sure hope we both are wrong.
Yes, this would have grave implications.

[ledeper]

 28/12 1919

(Conversation between two A.A ("Auswärtiges Amt") officials in Karlstad)

There seems to be trouble brewing in Ukraine.

Yes our Bavarian friends are strongly disputing the election of the young woman Margita and also the election of Flowranis of Rumania.

I presume their resistance is based on "Lex Salica", the Bavarians is very traditionalistic in those matters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salic_law

Do we have any opinion in those matters?

None what so ever, but we will give any necessary support to our good and trusted ally, and talking about friends, we will be sending another delegation, to Sct. Petersburg in a short time.

Yes negotiations will be continued over the spring and it seems that it will conclude positively in the nearest future.

21/1 1920

Myrvik
Heinrich Zum Mecklenburg CIC &MOD.
Adm Gudjohnsson CIC Navy.

Well, how did our boys do in Durban Naval Competition?

I am very proud of our young cadets; they lived up to more than expected and the machinery on the Gorch Fock proved the validity of the Diesel/Electric concept.

But is it feasible in something larger than a Light Cruiser?

I am very tempted to ask for funds to build one of our planned Panzershiffe with Diesel/Electric machinery.

Wouldn't it be better to try with one of the planned Cbb?

I guess you are right, I will order the first unit whit Diesel/Electric machinery, and the rest with the ordinary machinery.