News and Stories from the Vilnius Union

[TacCovert4]

Captain Usem returns the salute crisply,  in the Aztec style.  And says. "Of course. Right this way, my steward is getting some refreshments to the officers mess"

[The Rock Doctor]

Cech completed the salute and nodded.  "My XO and I will be pleased to join you, Captain, but before we do so, we'd like to see to another matter.  Chief?"

"Sir.  The Ulan is named for the light cavalry recruited from emigrating Tatars to fight on behalf of the Grand Duke of Lithuania in the fourteenth century," the Chief Petty Officer said.  "When she was launched in 1895, Ulan was sponsored by a retired sergeant of the Third Latvian Ulan Regiment.  The regiment's formal history traces back to 1756, when it was raised to fight on the Union's behalf in the War of German Unification.  Its subsequent honors included the Brandenburg and Saxony campaigns, Catherine the Great's War, the Hetman Uprising, frontier defence against the Golden Horde, and the final defeat of the Hapsburg Regime.  The lance in Komandor Cech's hand was bestowed upon Ulan at the time of her launching and is known to have been used in battle against the Horde.  It's said that the tip is blunted as a result of impacting the spine of a Horde chieftain, though we cannot prove this to be so."

The XO nodded.  "Captain Usem, Ulan is on her way back to Europe to be scrapped.  Her sponsor is long deceased, his regiment disbanded  in favor of new infantry units, and we are unaware of a new Ulan to carry on the name or tradition of this ship.  It is unclear what would happen to a keepsake like this lance once the ship is decommissioned; perhaps it would end up in a museum somewhere in Gdansk or Tallinn, perhaps a warehouse.  Regardless, it would be forgotten in time."

Cech said, "The crew of OZW Ulan, having been consulted on the matter, have instead recommended that we bestow upon HMS Revenge this lance, in recognition of the invaluable assistance rendered to the Vilnius Union and its citizens by her complement.  Should you accept this offering, we asked that it be displayed in a place and manner that will remind those who observe it of the traditions and duties of both our naval services - and we ask that, in due time, when Revenge's service comes to an end, that her complement find another vessel to take on the responsibility of embarking the lance."

He held out the lance, tip point skyward.

"Will you accept this offering, Captain?"

[TacCovert4]

Captain Usem was momentarily taken aback.  Then he smiled.  Finally a European understood the Aztecs.  "Yes captain, I will accept on behalf of the Aztec People.  It shall have a place of great honor."  Taking the lance, the whole group went to the Officer's mess.  Captain Usem summoned the Carpenter's Mate, who was normally tasked with small repairs and deck work.  "Build and mount a case for this in the mess." Captain Usem said, handing over the lance.  The Carpenter's mate bowed slightly as he took it, understanding the honor bestowed.

[The Rock Doctor]

OOC:  Thanks for joining in, Tac.  There'll be some ship-related developments from this incident and I may follow Komandor Cech's career, but I reckon this part of the story is about done.

[TacCovert4]

OOC:  Agreed.  If there are passengers who want to sail to Martinique, HMS Humpback will be available for it.  And I'm sure the stir of an Aztec Razee in the Azores, as well as a replenishment ship, will be interesting in the papers.

[The Rock Doctor]

23 February 1919

Casualties are unclear following a major fire in Xaragua's town centre overnight.

City officials say that the blaze appears to have started in their own building, the town's administrative offices, sometime around 2 AM, and spread to adjacent buildings housing several small businesses, including a barbershop, two restaurants, and a tobacconist.  As of press time, much of the administrative office and four other buildings had been fully engulfed and at least six others damaged, with containment efforts ongoing.

"Nobody was in the municipal offices at the time - or, at least, nobody should have been there - but we understand that there were residential apartments above some of the businesses destroyed in the fire.  we're asking those occupants, as well as friends, neighbours, and business associates, to reach out to the police so we have a sense of who we need to find," the mayor noted.

Officials noted off the record that it would likely be multiple days before the wreckage of the buildings was cool enough to permit searches by emergency workers and scent dogs.


28 February 1919

"Ironic, I'm heading back to the Azores and taking over the Werra," Ulan's final and former XO mused as he read the sheet of paper in his hands.

"It's a command, so congratulations," Komandor Cech said.

"Thank you, Sir.  Chief, what about you?"

"I'm going over to the Copernicus," the armored cruiser's former chief petty officer said.  "Not entirely surprised at that.  Got an old mate aboard her, mentioned they were having some problems with crew discipline."

"Maybe he put in a word for you," Cech said.

"Maybe he did, Sir.  Old cruiser to a new battleship will be quite the change of scenery," the Chief replied.  "What about you?"

"Desk job," Cech said.  "Operational Development, in Gdansk."

"They're going to pick your brains while they find a new ship for you," the XO said. 

"I was hoping against hope to get Lansjerzy.  It's around the time they'd be appointing the command staff for her," Cech shrugged.

"I'd heard that they were drawing heavily from the officers aboard the two Luczniks," the Chief said.  "If I had to guess, there's a good chance you'll get one of them in six months."

"I'd be alright with that," the XO grinned.

"We'll see," Cech said.

[The Rock Doctor]

2 July 1919

The Vilnius Union lays down a second Rybolow class korsarz, named Jastrzab, in Amsterdam.  The move is perhaps mildly surprising to domestic observers, given how late to the party the Union was in terms of MTB stuff.

Yet Orzel's early service and Rybolow's early trials have raised some eyebrows here and there, with the latter's amphibious landing capabilities particularly notable.  Useful in a number of potential roles requiring speed and stealth – anti-piracy, infrastructure raids, et cetera – the Rybolow's utility could only be bolstered by a second ship capable of the same high-speed annoyance.

Jastrzab should be completed before the end of 1920, with no significant modifications to the basic design. 

19 July 1919

The armored cruiser Szermierz begins speed trials in the Baltic Sea between Gotland and Gdansk, though on this particular day she is only pushed to twenty knots.  Rumors suggest she might spend part of the next year in the Caribbean as the two Lucznik class cruisers rotate home for refits.

16 August 1919

Grand Admiral Grabowski retires from the Vilnius Union Navy after a lengthy career that has seen the fleet transform from a coastal defence force to a true blue water navy – or, at least, the beginning of one.  His replacement is expected to be named in the fall.

21 September 1919

"Here we go," Komandor Erat said, holding up the decoded telegram for the other three commanding officers of the Smoczyogon Squadron to see.

"Don't leave us hanging, Sir," Komandor-Porucznik Hauke suggested, folding his arms in front of his chest.

"Fine," Erat said.  "We're deploying to the Azores when we're done here."

"Nice," Hauke said.

Kopa nodded.  "I can handle that.  Although I guess that means mid-Atlantic patrols are in our future."

"Our sloops are certainly well-suited for it, and after that near-disaster in January, I'm guessing there's some pressure for a presence like ours," Erat mused. 

"Hopefully the Aztecs are about ready to fully take over," Hauke said.

"We'll see," Erat said.

[The Rock Doctor]

5 October 1919

Admiral Thorvald Zahle is appointed Grand Admiral of the Marynarka Wojenna Zwiazku.

Born in Kopenhagen in 1863 to a clerk and his wife, Zahle enlisted in the navy in 1879 and would subsequently be commissioned as a podporucznik marynarki two years later.  He served numerous tours aboard the navy's torpedo-boats, cruisers, and monitors in the Swarm that defends the entrance to the Baltic.

Zahle's most recent posting was commanding officer of the High Seas Fleet, most recently going to sea with the Second Battle Squadron on its voyage to attend the opening of the Trans-Erika Canal in January.  His appointment was widely expected by the chattering classes in Vilnius, and likely comes as no surprise to foreign observers, either. 

28 October 1919

A major rescue operation takes place in the estuary of the Srebrna Rzeka [OTL Rio Plata] after a passenger liner runs aground west of Widoknagory [Montevideo].  No lives are lost in the operation, but almost seven hundred people have to be evacuated by locally-based torpedo-boats.

Most of the passengers are Czech, bound for the new settler territory known as Taragui [OTL Corrientes Province].  Located between the coastal Yaro Tribal Lands and Guarani-dominated Paragui, it is - other than Widoknagory - the major locus of European emigration to the area.

The incident also raises further questions about the need to improve regulation and oversight of the shipping industry, coming mere months after the loss of the Irena Chychla in January.

[The Rock Doctor]

20 November 1919

"Good morning," Retired Grand Admiral Grabowski greeted his successor.

"Good morning, Sir," the newly-minted Grand Admiral Zahle replied, greeting him with a handshake rather than a salute.

"None of that sir thing now.  I'm retired," Grabowski grinned.

"And how are you enjoying that thus far?"

Grabowski held up a hand and wiggled it.  "Not quite used to spending the whole day at home.  Nor is my wife accustomed to it, for that matter.  It will be an adjustment."

Zahle nodded.  "I can only imagine.  Well, my time will come soon enough, I'm sure."  He beckoned for Grabowski to take one of the two chairs in the private dining room in the Admiralty building in Vilnius.  A steward soon slipped in to crack a bottle of red wine and top up their goblets.

"Thank you for finding time for me," Grabowski said, sniffing at his glass.  "I know you're receiving no shortage of briefings at the moment and probably have plenty to think about – but I wanted to talk a bit about the politics of the job you've just signed on for."

"I'm happy to hear your thoughts on this," Zahle said.  "I believe we're getting Chicken Kiev today, if that's alright."

"Ah, yes, the old Meat, Breaded, Mark Two.  It's Wednesday, that's right," Grabowski nodded.  "So of course the most important thing to realize about this job is that it is highly political.  It's the politicians and the government bureaucracy you'll clash with, not the Iberians, Norse, or Mayans."

"Mmm-hmm."

"The current defence minister is a decent fellow.  His loyalty is to the government, of course, but he's reasonably interested in good outcomes for the navy.  He listens to sound advice, and he's not terribly interested in bullshit.  If anything, he sometimes declines to sling bullshit when it might be effective," Grabowski shrugged.  "That said, it's hard to say just how much longer he'll be in the position.  A shuffle is overdue, assuming the government doesn't fall for good again soon."

"They survived the last fall," Zahle noted.

"Barely, yes.  It's important to note that the Prime Minister is not interested in good outcomes for the navy, or indeed any outcomes at all.   The military hasn't interested him much at all, really, except for its ability to advance the Loob Doctrine."

"Which has run its course so far as naval operations are concerned," Zahle said.  "It's all inland at this point."

"Absolutely.  I think there's an opportunity to draw some attention to trade protection around the Trans-Erica Canal because it's newsworthy, but that might be a fleeting opportunity and it might distract from other needs."

A different steward knocked and entered with a trolley in tow.  "Gentlemen."

"Markus, good to see you once more," Grabowski greeted him. 

"And you, Sir," the steward replied, lifting china lids off the serving platters.  "I told the kitchen you were here today, so hopefully the vegetables are good and crunchy for you.  I know you detest them overcooked."  He set one steaming plate down in front of Grabowski, then another in front of Zahle before topping up the wine.  "Ring if you need me, gentlemen, and do enjoy."

"Thank you, Markus, and do say hello to Magda for me," Grabowski requested.

"I will, Sir, thank you."  Markus wheeled the trolley out and closed the door behind him.

"I thought he was retiring as well," Grabowski murmured after a few moments.

"I've heard nothing about it," Zahle said.  "The man's an institution.  I just assumed he'll be here till his dying day."

"That would make more sense than retirement.  Back on subject, then:  The Sejm.  A considerable nuisance for the most part, but not without potential allies.  Representatives from cities with shipbuilding interests, for example, are always interested in new construction or upkeep opportunities.  That also goes for inland constituencies such as those with major arsenals.  Skoda, to name an obvious example. 

"On the other hand," Grabowski continued, "Many fancy they know more than they do.  There is still, for example, a tremendous enthusiasm for abandoning the battleship entirely and adopting a new school of cruiser warfare."

"It's been over seven years since Dakar," Zahle objected.

"Like yesterday so far as they're concerned.  It's why the order of building for the Second Naval Replenishment Plan is screwed up.  If certain luminaries in the Sejm get their way, there'll be six Czarowniks rather than two plus battleships.  I was under a lot of pressure to make that call over the past several months and they'll be on you, too."

"There can't be much more time before a final decision needs to be locked in," said Zahle.

"The second Czarownik is a sure thing for January," Grabowski nodded.  "But there's maybe six months left to play around with plans for 1921.  There was some muttering at the Cabinet level about a pause year for capital ship construction – I don't think that's necessary, and I don't think it's to the navy's benefit.  Lobby hard for a battleship, get her laid down.  Once that happens, arguing for a sister is a lot easier – we've trained them to expect pairs of ships."

"Noted," Zahle said.  "How's lunch?"

"The chicken is the chicken.  Carrots are delightful, the broccoli slightly over-done.  It brings back memories," Grabowski smiled.

[The Rock Doctor]

3 January 1920

The Vilnius Union lays down its first purpose-built aviation ships - the small riverine seaplane carrier Woznica and the larger, oceangoing Oriona. 

Oriona will take a full year to build, though the cost is greatly reduced on account of recycling gently-used turbine machinery from a light cruiser (Lippe, specifically, for those scoring at home).  She's expected to be a one-off.

Woznica - already inexplicably nicknamed "Great and Powerful Woz" by shipwrights at Hamburg's Voss und Blohm yard - is expected to be the lead ship of a class of at least two or three.  The navy's talking about deploying one to Orimirlandia for use on the great river there, while ongoing operations in South Erica suggest utility in two or more units there.  Nobody's really pressing for units in the Caribbean or North Erica at the moment.  With their low cost and brief build time, the type is a useful way to gather some experience in general seaplane-tending operations, provided oceangoing capability is not required.

Rumors abound that the Union Navy is looking to build or convert into service a dedicated "landing trials ship" to see about having wheeled airplanes recover aboard ship.  Quite what this looks like is unclear, but supposed candidates have included an old Vitava-class cruiser, the armored cruiser Dragon, a collier, or a large barge. 

17 January 1920

"Righ, so you and yer mates are dead," said Sierzant Bloch.

"Sorry, what?  Er, Sierzant?" asked Kapral Gustav as he and his two comrades watched the rest of Bloch's squad advance in teams from the beached landing craft, across the beach and up to their little bunker overlooking the Caribbean.

"We're in an exercise," Bloch explained.  "Amphibious raid off the Rybolow.  Those other boats offshore are the rest of our company coming in."

"Oh," Gustav said.  "We, uh, didn't get notice of an exercise."

"Would you get notice of a hostile raid?  Say, the Mayans?"

"Maybe?" Gustav replied.

"Not from them, you wouldn't.  If your own command structure didn't say nothing, that's not my problem," Bloch shrugged.  "But here's the orders from Caribbean Front Headquarters confirming what I'm saying.  You three are dead, you didn't get a chance to engage or send a warning."  He showed the three deceased defenders an official-looking sheet of paper.

One of the advancing fire teams tossed a rock through a slot in the bunker's seaward wall, then shouted, "BOOM!"

"Alright, so your bunker's been disabled as well," Bloch added.  "You can go back to it, but you are not to report back to your command structure until they telephone you to provide confirmation that the exercise is over.  Obviously if the Mayans actually do show up behind us, you would report that."

"Um, okay."  Gustave looked at his colleagues, who seemed just as baffled as he was.

"Good, thank you.  Carry on."  Bloch turned and waved to the landing craft, which winched up its forward ramp and began to back off the beach.  "Have a good day, fellas."  He and his men continued past the bunker, across the road, and into the jungle beyond.

"That was weird," Gustav commented after the interlopers had disappeared from sight.

"Where do ya thinking they're going?" Goring asked.

"I dunno, the canal?  Not sure what else is around, really," Gustav replied.

"Sucks that we just got ruled dead," Swartzchild grumbled. 

"Well we were just standing around here smoking," Goring noted.  "Our rifles are back in the bunker, right?  Easy enough to pop us.  The machine gun on their boat could've done that."

"Still think it sucks," Swartzchild muttered.

[The Rock Doctor]

22 February 1920

"That, of course, is the Czarownik, a little more than twenty-five percent complete, in one of the Union's two largest drydocks," Rear-Admiral Antii Lehto said as he and Grand Admiral Zahle stood atop an observation tower at Stoczine Gdanska.  Lehto was in charge of capital works - construction and refits - and had a near-photographic memory of what hulls were in what dock in what city.  "It's two hundred fifty metres in length, so just barely long enough for an armored cruiser of that scale."

"No doubt," Zahle said, having been at the keel-laying ceremony the previous January. 

"And just a short distance away, there to be precise, is the yard's two hundred metre dock," Lehto added, pointing to a near-empty, cavernous area.  "It's hard to see from here, but the keels of four motor torpedo-boats have been laid.  They'll be completed around the same time and floated out together come Spring."

"Forty tonners?"

"No, some of the additional twenty-tonners for the Korsarz squadron," Lehto said.  "Next over, the yard's pair of hundred fifty metre docks.  There's one of those addled torpedo-boats in one, and...four harbour defence boats in the other.  Same basic idea as the motor torpedo-boats there."

"Okay," Zahle nodded.

"In the trio of hundred metre docks, a sloop and two pairs of harbour defence boats.  And way over there, the little fifty metre dock, one of the forty ton motor torpedo-boats," Lehto said.

"Seven docks, all in use," Zahle observed.

"Yes," Lehto said.  "Three of them with multiple smaller units."

"Seems like an efficient use of the space," Zahle said. 

"Yes, but actually no," Lehto said.  "For the next few months, I have exactly one drydock in all of Europe available to take on emergency work because everything else is building stuff.  One.  That's the one-fifty at Voss und Blohm in Hamburg - so not even large enough to accommodate our newest capital ships  Meanwhile I have five large docks occupied by projects that could be accommodated in smaller docks if I happened to have more small docks."

"We have the overseas docks..."

"We have the overseas docks," Lehto agreed.  "Because I've made sure we have them idle.  But even then, we've only got the big floater at Johannestadt capable of taking in a capital ship.  The rest are hundred metre jobs."

"I feel like I'm being set up for a sales job," Zahle commented.

"You are," Lehto said, lighting a cigar.  "This is sustainable exactly as long as we're not trying to do any more than is currently the case.  I'm sure that isn't going to last much longer, Admiral.  I know there's a lot of interest in expanding the coastal defence programs but I don't have the small docks to build more small ships in.  They're going to clutter up the larger docks and reduce our capabilities there.  That disregards a return to the eight-a-year torpedo-boat programs or, God help us, a war."

"You want me to petition for funding for more docks?"

Lehto shook his head, then exhaled smoke into the crispy winter air.  "I have in mind to see if we can start up small-craft construction in North Erica, but that's a side-concern for now.  We've got eleven small docks in Europe and I want to expand them all.  Increase a fifty metre dock by ten metres and I can build two motor torpedo boats or harbour defence craft there instead of one.  Twenty-two hulls rather than eleven, and it means that I could free up three of the bigger docks here for more appropriate projects - or contingencies."

"How long would that take?"

"Six months," Lehto said.

"No, for all of the docks."

"Six months," Lehto repeated.  "This is not brain surgery.  Find me the money, we finish the current works and come summer we start digging.  It's all over by Christmas."

"We'd have no fifty metre docks available at all," Zahle frowned.

"We can make up for the build shortfall in the first half of the new year," Lehto shrugged.  "And it's not like we actually repair anything that small - if it survives a damaging event, We'll just scrap it and build a new one the next year."

"That seems like a big ask," Zahle said.

"It'll cost less than the extra two hundred fifty metre dock I'm going to ask for next year," Lehto said with a wolfish smile.

"Oh."
   

[The Rock Doctor]

8 March 1920

"You know, a few years back I was in a boardroom for a discussion about the Orzel..." Komandor Podporucznik Gzowski remarked, sipping at his coffee.

"Oh yeah.  Nice ship.  That must've been interesting," his colleague, Komandor Porporucznik Lorenc replied.  The two were sitting in their basement office in the Navy's design bureau in Gdansk on a chilly spring day.

"Yeah, it's an interesting concept - but a technological dead end.  Motor torpedo-boat carriers are doomed to a short service life before they're rendered obsolete," Gzowski said.  "Airplanes.  They're the future."

"Think so?"

"Yeah," Gzowski said.  "And being the young wet-behind-the-ears kid that I was at the time, I said as much.  And the whole room erupted into laughter."

Lorenc grimaced.  "Ouch."

Gzowski nodded.  "It hurt, man.  I won't lie to you.  Cut me deep.  But:  The navy's starting to catch on.  You heard about the work down the hall, the new ships laid down earlier in the year.  The Age of Airplanes is coming."

"I mean sure but-" Lorenc started.

Gzowski cut him off.  "Come over here for a moment, have a look."  He uncurled a big roll of paper, weighing down the corners with little sandbags.

Lorenc stood up and ambled across the short gap to Gzowski's desk.  "Uh..."

"I've been working on it after hours," Gzowski said with a satisfied smile on his face.  "Airstrip One, I'm calling it."

Lorenc glanced at the drawing, then down to the scale bar in the bottom right corner, then back.  "This is huge."

"Three hundred metres long and fifty wide at the water," Gzowski nodded.  "Around fifty-three thousand tonnes light displacement.
Specifically designed for long-term, large scale aerial domination operations anywhere."

"Fifty metres wide means she can't fit through the canal."

"I don't want to be constrained by a single piece of infrastructure.  If the situation's dire enough, she'll just go around the bottom of South Erica or Africa," Gzowski said.  "The width of the hull means there's room for two flight operations decks on the beams, plus either a taxi-way or loitering area on the centreline fore and aft of the control area and funnels.  Use one deck for landing airplanes while the other launches them, or use both for a massive surge."

"Uh huh," Lorenc grunted.

"Four mechanical lifts on the corners, leading to a compartmentalized hanger under the flight deck level.  Asbestos fire curtains here, here, and here to contain fires if something goes wrong.  Along the beam, on either side, a powerful anti-air and anti-torpedo-boat armament plus protection against torpedoes and light shellfire."

"Uh huh," Lorenc grunted.

"By my calculations, she could embark approximately one hundred ninety aircraft - enough to sweep the skies of virtually any enemy presence or to launch a massive bombing raid against enemy fleets," Gzowski continued with evident pride.  "Or torpedoes, when they get that figured out.  I'm sure that's coming down the pipe."

"That is...," Lorenc said.  "That is sure something."

"I'm going to do another version this weekend, maybe see about siting some of the anti-air battery on a raised level around the control area," Gzowski noted.  "Then I think I'm going to book a time slot with the Chief and make a pitch."

"Huh," Lorenc said.  "Well that is...good luck with that, man.  Good luck."

"Thanks!" Gzowski said, clapping him on the back.

[Desertfox]

Its Wilno's very own Douhet/Mitchell!

[The Rock Doctor]

14 June 1920

Half a mile astern of the royal yacht Cztery Korony, the 40cm guns of the monitor Attakulla trained out to port and elevated to fifteen degrees. 

"Three doesn't seem like a lot of guns," Queen Sophie mused, peering at the other ship with wine glass in hand.  "The ships we toured at the canal opening had quite a few more, in most cases."

"No, Your Highness," Grand Admiral Zahle said, "The Attakulla is more of a testbed for those guns and a shore bombardment platform when required.  She's not a battleship."

"Ah," the queen murmured.  She cocked her head as the monitor's horn sounded - a flat, trumpet-like sound.  "That's-"

"They're-," Zahle started.

Smoke jetted out from Attakulla's guns, then the thunderous roar reached the yacht.  King Sigismund startled; Sophie dropped her glass, which shattered on the yacht's teak deck.  "Oh my," she remarked as a servant darted in to deal with the mess.

"They're very powerful guns, Your Highness.  The horn was a warning that they were about to shoot," Zahle noted.

"I realize that...now," Sophie said.  "It's been a while since I've been to one of these."

"Of course, Your Highness."

"Impressive," Sigismund said.  "I understand similar guns are in use elsewhere in the fleet?"

"They're being installed on a pair of armored cruisers now under construction, Sire," Zahle nodded.  "We're awaiting final confirmation from the government about a new class of battleship that would also carry such guns."

"That'll keep everybody on their toes," Sigismund nodded.  "If it's forty centimetre guns now, does that mean the next go-round will be forty-five centimetres instead?"

"It's a possibility, Your Highness," Zahle said.  "Certainly there's some early design work taking place around the notion, but we're finding that the forty centimetre guns are themselves quite powerful and can be difficult to incorporate into a ship without it damaging itself from concussive force.  We've already modified the design of the armored cruiser's superstructure to account for blast effects.  It would be worse with a forty-five centimetre weapon.  There are also questions about funding - whether the Sejm would fund the larger ships necessary to embark a proper battery - and whether there are any international arms limitations in place at the time."

"I thought that whole enterprise fizzled out," Sigismund said as Attakulla's horn sounded again.

Zahle waited for the monitor to fire her second salvo at the distant target range.  The king jumped again, but at least the queen had not yet been re-supplied with a beverage.  "That particular initiative did not gain sufficient momentum, but I've heard there's still some appetite for naval arms control in international circles.  I wouldn't rule it out."

"Interesting," Sigismund murmured. 


7 December 1920

The protected cruiser Vitava is decommissioned, in anticipation of being sent for scrap in early 1921.

She is the lead ship of eight, the last class of protected cruisers built with VTE engines.  Armed with 100mm guns on the broadside, a top speed of 18.6 knots, and a range of 4,000 nm, she was perfectly suitable for her role as a screening unit when laid down in 1895. 

Vitava and three sisters were backing up the Swarm in the defence of the entrances to the Baltic; now quite incapable of keeping up with modern torpedo-craft, and under-armed compared to modern cruisers, they are quite obsolete in this role.  There had been some discussion about deploying them to the Caribbean to serve as trade-defence ships, but even there they'd be vulnerable to a number of Mayan warships if shit were to hit the fan.

The second quartet of the class are currently assigned as escorts to the navy's four surviving pre-dreadnoughts.  Their lifespan is also limited, but they've got maybe four or five years of service left in this capacity - essentially a reserve function, given that it's quite unlikely the High Seas Fleet commander-in-chief would willingly shackle his line of battle to obsolete battleships such as those.

[The Rock Doctor]

10 December 1920

To:  Unified Berber States; Empire of Ethiopia
From:  Vilnius Union

Sir,

Please be advised that the Vilnius Union has completed acquisition of lands it finds desirous in the Orimirilandia region of Africa.  No further expansion is planned at this time.

Sincerely,

Etc., etc.