United Kingdom News 1900

[Darman]

2 June 1900
10 Downing Street, London

Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury and currently serving as Her Royal and Imperial Majesty's Foreign Secretary sits back in his armchairf after reading the latest dispatches from Eastern Europe. 
"When will the lunacy end?" he asks the empty room. 

A little while later at Whitehall...

"...we can't allow that empire to fall apart! What happens when the Russians, Italians, Germans, and, god forbid! the Ottomans! start snapping up little pieces of it?  Even if they leave chunks of it intact, it will be smaller independent nations that will be far more volatile and susceptible to outside influences.  Intercession would be..."
"How, sir! How could we prevent it!" interjects Lord Lansdown, his voice drowning out Balfour's.  "The army is powerless, we are only in a position to defend ourselves, not to protect others!  And the navy..." he gestures towards Lord Gorschen, First Lord of the Admiralty, "...the navy itself is powerless in the landlocked middle of Europe!"
Lord Gorschen nods reluctantly but stays silent. 
"In other words, gentlemen, there is little we can do directly. I shall instruct our ambassadors to discreetly inquire about the intentions of the powers in question." Lord Salisbury finishes speaking and looks down the table, "Are we agreed?"  All heads nod in agreement. 


(OOC: figure this as your heads up that the UK's ambassadors have made these "discreet inquiries" with the nations in question.  If you'd like details PM me.)

[Darman]

3 June 1900
London

Albert Vickers finished perusing the latest letter from his brother Thomas. Looking up at Trevor Dawson, he says, "Well Trevor, it looks like my brother smells the opportunity in the air this time. See if you can get in touch with this Zaharoff fellow who claims to have contacts in Hungary. He could prove helpful in finding a new market for our products"


3 June 1900
Madrid
Basil looks at the telegram from his sponsor again: GO TO HUNGARY AT ONCE STOP ALL EXPENSE PAID STOP CONTACT LOCALS AND GET CONTRACTS STOP USUAL RATES STOP TD

[Darman]

Some snippets from various newspapers in London from the late spring:

Amidst some concerns over its rapidly aging fleet of cruisers, the Royal Navy has placed before the Cabinet for inclusion in the budget a request for funding for eighteen new-model light and protected cruisers to be laid down within the next two years.  This promises to be a huge boon for the smaller shipyards that have been excluded by virtue of their size from competing for the Navy's many large capital ships now under construction.  The promised relief in unemployment this will bring in these shipbuilding regions will ensure a speedy passage through Parliament. 

The Royal Army has proposed the procurement of sufficient equipment to outfit five brigades of modern infantry to be held in readiness to equip units of the local militias who may volunteer for foreign service. 

An undisclosed private firm is seeking investors for a new industrial complex in Birmingham. 

Sources from within the India Office have confirmed earlier rumors from India that the Viceroy has requested permission to begin construction of a new fortress on the Northwest Frontier within striking range of the tribal areas next year.  This will help ensure the safety of the border regions against the untamed mountain tribes. 

There have been growing concerns about the security of the sea-lanes vital to the commerce and defense of the Empire through the Suez Canal.  While there is no reason to doubt the Ottomans' abilities to secure the canal itself, it would ease the fears of many in the shipping and insurance industries to know that there is a permanent British presence in the region, outside of the port at Makadi Bay, which is insufficient to maintain even a small squadron of cruisers. 

[Darman]

Snippets from English newspapers:

The official announcement was made late yesterday of the appointment of Sir Francis Plunkett, previously ambassador to the court in Vienna, to a new posting as ambassador to the Kingdom of Hungary.  Additional appointments are rumored to be in the offing, as speculation abounds as to where these appointments might be. 

An unsubstantiated quote from a meeting of a portion of the Cabinet indicates growing concern within the Government over affairs in Eastern Europe

Throughout the history of mankind lesser mortals have trembled at the approach of tyrants, and here it happens yet again: the Russians and the Germans are both seeking territorial aggrandizement under the guise of "foreign intervention" to protect local population and out of a charitable sense of humanity towards the reputedly persecuted populations of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.  Our current government has done nothing more than send a representative to sit idly by and watch the nationalist aspirations of millions of people be trampled by the iron-shod boots of Prussian and Russian soldiery.  We need to do more to protect these people, who wish nothing more than to live in peace in their own nations. 

[Darman]

[OOC note: I'm uncertain of the date vis a vis the Constantinople Conference, but the trip should take about a week, this occurs when new instructions are deemed necessary for the British delegation in Constantinople]

Today Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, left London onboard HMS Foresight for a fast trip to Constantinople, bearing sealed instructions from Whitehall for the British delegation in Constantinople. 

[Darman]

25 July 1900
The Royal Navy publishes a request for bids to construct the newest class of commerce-protection cruisers, to consist of 12 vessels, and to be laid down no later than one year hence. 

[Darman]

1901 news

Britain is seeking tenders for the delivery of armour plating: 13,696 tons of 9" plates, 712 tons of 2" plates and 8,832 tons of 6" plates for the armored belts, 23,240t total, composed of compound (1890) steel or better.  Delivery to be the first half of 1902. 
The Royal Dockyards will accept various quantities in quotes tendered. 


Laydown of the 12 new escort vessels of the RN commenced in June


Recruitment has commenced in England of a Reserve division of mountainers, experienced huntsmen and the like, intended to be sent to the Northwest Frontier of India in case of war there. 


Recruitment has commenced in India of 2 Divisions of Reserve Infantry


Edited for clarification of specific types of armour plating ordered. 

[Darman]

Unification of the disparate Australian colonies into a single federation was declared on 1 January 1901

[Darman]

September 16, 1901

Representatives of Her Royal Majesty Queen Victoria will deliver to the appropriate authorities of all nations the following invitation:

The government of the United Kingdom formally invites all nations to sent representatives to attend at the Isle of Wight in Newport for a gathering of England's finest industrialists and view several modern Royal Navy warships.  This event to occur between August 1st and September 30th 1902. 

(more information will be provided as time goes on)

[Darman]

October 1901

Several rumors have been floating around the Admiralty and Royal Navy circles concerning the vessels that would be represented at the upcoming event at the Isle of Wight.  The Admiralty has confirmed today that it plans on reducing inventories of some older cruiser types as they reach the end of their 10year life-spans. 

Vickers has said it would be offering to construct destroyers based on the Royal Navy's Greyhound design.