News and Stories from the Vilnius Union

[maddox]

Clippers did make the Tea -races with the least amount of stops.  Shanghai-London in 1 go.

The last commercial cargo sailing ship, Pamir, sank in 1957.

[The Rock Doctor]

Appreciate the info on Hawaii.  I reckon the guy doing the actual discussion was not well-briefed/forgetful on the matter anyway.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Appreciate the info on Hawaii.  I reckon the guy doing the actual discussion was not well-briefed/forgetful on the matter anyway.

I covered it in the initial news, and an Inca-related one since, but that info is far less documented than I wanted. 
Guinea is also a protectarate, but in that case they asked for Parthian military help.  Again, only 1 story on it :(

[The Rock Doctor]

Select results from the 1914 Union Census:

Top Five Cities (European) by Population:

1.  Kopenhagen (1.9 million):  Still a thriving centre despite being heavily damage in its conquest in 1799
2.  Berlin (1.5 million):  A centre of Deutsch industry and culture.
3.  Warsaw (1.2 million):  The nation's commercial capital, based more on history than size
4.  Prague (0.7 million):  Another industrial centre
5.  Amsterdarm (0.6 million):  Important trading port

For reference, Vilnius itself is a sleepy 0.4 million

Top Five Cities (North Erican) by Population:

1.  Nitapekunk (Philadelphia):  0.5 million; major port & commercial hub
2.  Gihe'hoga (Cleveland):  0.4 million; lake port &administrative centre
3.  Duzegodomu (Baltimore):  0.3 million; major port & administrative centre
4.  Nieupoort (Newport News):  0.3 million; major port and initial Union trading centre/seat of government
5.  Yamacrawstadt (Savannah):  0.2 million:  Port & administrative centre

Note that this list will evolve as Union interests in North Erica expand.

Note:  These are not necessarily historical figures.

Top Five Cities (Caribbean Region)

1.  Caciqua (Santo Domingo):  0.3 million :  Port
2.  Caracagrod (Caracas):  0.3 million :  Port
3.  Marakayo (Maracaibo):  0.2 million :  Port and regional oil production
4.  Xaragua (Port-au-Prince): 0.2 million :  Port
5.  Zlotabrama(Barranquilla):  0.1 million :  Port

Top Five Cities (South Erika)

1.  Widoknagory (Montevideo):  0.4 million:  Port and administrative and commercial hub
2.  Meiembipe (Florianopolis):  0.2 million:  Port
3.  Swiety Piotr (Porto Alegre):  0.2 million:  Port
4.  Cayasta (Santa Fe):  0.1 million:   River port and hub
5.  Guacu Parana (Belem):  0.1 million:  Port and administrative centre

Top Five Cities (Orimirilandia)

1.  Igwuocha (Port Harcourt):  0.1 million:  Port and oil production
2.  Warri:  0.1 million:  Port and oil production
3.  Eko (Lagos):  0.1 million:  Port
4.  Ubini (Benin City):  0.1 million:  Rubber production
5.  Ogui (Enugu):  0.1 million:  Coal mining

Note:  Populations largely historical, if extrapolated in some cases.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Very interesting.
For my part, I find the population growth a bit staggering.
3.1 million urban dwellers, and likely 5-10x that rural folks farming/logging/mining,
all moved in the space of 24 months.
Perhaps those are provincial populations and those are the administrative centers?

[Jefgte]

For my part, I find the population growth a bit staggering...

Vilnius Shipyards have recruited a lot in recent years.

;)

[The Rock Doctor]

I'm not sure I understand your observation, Kirk.

[Kaiser Kirk]

In the past Urban populations were usually a fraction of the rural populations.
So, if you have 3.1 million people move from Wilno to just 5 new cities.
Even using 1900 's 40% urban, the expansion factor to the total populations would be 7.75million people having moved in the past 4 years.   
Actually the number would be higher because those are only the 5 largest.

Anyhow, this seems high given the low levels of infrastructure in new lands, and the fraction of Europe Wilno represents.
The US did take in ~9million in 1900-1910, from all of Europe, but that's over more time from more of Europe.

The numbers would seem more appropriate if they reflected provinces represented by the provincial capitals.

[The Rock Doctor]

I'm assuming that these cities are pre-existing, and are populated almost entirely by the local indigenous folks. 

[Kaiser Kirk]

I'm assuming that these cities are pre-existing, and are populated almost entirely by the local indigenous folks.

Ah, well then that would change matters. :)
I'm presuming less urbanized populations, and tending to pick lower population density areas.

[The Rock Doctor]

Likely so, for the most part.  From what I can tell, there aren't many, if any, other serious urban centres that the Union will encounter in its intended expansions.

At any rate, it's a "flavor" post more than anything else.

[Kaiser Kirk]

At any rate, it's a "flavor" post more than anything else.

And enjoyed and appreciated :)

[The Rock Doctor]

13 January 1915

Amidst a moderate amount of hoopla and press coverage, the refurbished Lock A is officially re-opened at the Kiel Canal.  The Prime Minister, the Minister of Infrastructure, and the Mayor of Kiel are amongst the dignitaries in attendance.

After a year of digging and dredging of the channel, along with the expansion of the lock, the canal will now allow the transit of ships up to 225 metres long.  This is sufficient to accommodate all existing and near-future military warship and all but the largest civilian traffic.  A new Lock C, due for completion in mid-1916, will accommodate 250m ships.  Lock B remains 125 m long, sufficient to accommodate a fair bit of smaller marine traffic.

First through the canal was a cutter, CT-14, after which the battleship Zwinny and several smaller escorts passed west to east for a shortened voyage to Amsterdam.

19 February 1915

A blitz of infrastructure construction is taking place around the Atlantic as the government invests heavily in new road and rail infrastructure, electricity generation, and manufacturing.

No part of the Union is ignored.   Ground is broken in the Azores and Bermudez; ties are laid along the North Erican coast and in Haiti; warehouses and cranes go up in the Orimiri delta and the great estuary of South Erica.  Even the distant, frigid south sees construction begin on proper port facilities to service shipping come around the tip of the continent.

5 March 1915

The torpedo-boat carrier Orzel begins sea trials off the coast of Deutschland.  Seventeen days later, while at anchor, she hoists aboard a motor-torpedo boat for the first time.  In May, one of the first "live" tests of a combat disembarkment goes awry as MTB-8 catches a rogue wave and collides with its mothership's hull.  Orzel is not noticeably damaged, but the motor-torpedo boat begins taking on water and is hastily winched back aboard.

27 April 1915

In Prague, the venerable Skoda artillery works is developing a new twin deck mount for its 130/45mm guns.  Commonly found as the main battery on Union protected cruisers and as secondary weapons on capital ships, the 130/45 twin mount is expected to figure into Union designs taking shape in 1916 and onward.  Whether they replace single mounts and casemates entirely or in part remains to be seen.

8 June 1915

The last two Odwazny class battleships have been sold to Japan.  The previous five examples had been sent to the breakers over the past two and a half years and it seems the fate of the surviving ships will be similar.  The cash for scrap deal does, however, provide a bit of a cash infusion for the Government.

[The Rock Doctor]

9 July 1915

To:  Confederation of the Five Nations; Northern Kingdom
From:  Vilnius Union

Dear Sirs,

We share - with some degree of rivalry, and in the case of the Northern Kingdom, a history of conflict regarding - navigational, trade, and fishing interests in the Atlantic.  Those interests are now protected by vast military forces, expensive to construct and deploy.

In recent years, we have also become neighbours on the Great Lakes as well as the Atlantic.  We have navigational, fishing, and recreational interests on Lake Erielhonan and intend to establish the same on Mishigami.  You each have the same in some of the remaining lakes.

What we do not yet have on the Great Lakes is the history and the rivalry we have on the Atlantic.  We have an opportunity now, while the genie is still trapped in the bottle, to prevent an arms race on the Great Lakes.  Do we wish to agree to a hard prohibition or strong cap on armed naval forces on the lakes, or do we wish to engage in unfettered military build-ups? 

The Union, for its part, is not interested in triggering such a build-up, but would feel obliged to respond to one.  We have the industrial capability at Gihe'hoga and could, if deemed necessary, add a shipyard; but we would prefer not to.  We are curious to know what your stance would be, and whether you wish to formalize an agreement in this regard. 

Sincerely,

Etc., etc. 

[Kaiser Kirk]

This is problematic, as both the Norse and 5 Guys are currently NPCs, and NPCs are not "open" for treaty interaction.  I am getting 'caught up' on where I was...oh about August before everything blew up.  I will think on this and confer with Snip