Paris Temps

[P3D]

The $80 was supposing a human player.  But even a smaller Peru whould be an important market for industrial goods, mainly from Rohan, CSA, NS and GC. DKB is not as developed to supply too much of their own industrial production, so they are playing middleman here.

Orange is too far away to be an important partner, especially as Orange does not have much to offer what NS does not have (minerals from Australia), and it is far far away.

The involvement of Maoria on international trade is not significant.

PEru only won't affect you much, but it would affect you.

[Borys]

Peru for most of the life of the Sim had been a backwater, so it's now a $80 power? I thought you didn't want more $50+ powers.

Two words - caga de aves.
Think Saudi Arabia - not much industry, a single exportable commodity.
Borys

[maddox]

OOC

France is an important NS trading partner. Even if the political side is a mess.

France relies on the UNK, Dutch and NS civilian merchants for 75% of the total French transport over the 7 seas. Yes, France will lose pure cold $ on this blockade.
The denial of the use of the North Atlantic is a bad thing for the mercantile NS. Even in the Nverse.
Europe is the richest trading partner seen in size/population/resources.
We have the Baltics, Bavaria, Austria Hungaria, The Netherlands, Italia ,parts of Russia and the Ottoman Empire as affected by the French/UNK action.

[maddox]

Paris, premier Paixhans office

Ah, Admiral Geon. Be welcome. We have a lot to talk about.

I know premier, I know. Like, what's the talk about selling the 8th battle squadron of the Med fleet?

Admiral, you're very well informed. As you know, those 4 battleships are the eldest ,non modernised ships in the fleet. We could give these a refit, or we can build or buy new units.
Building new units is rather difficult, as our capacity is maxed out. With 20 large warships in build.
But we ordered 2 new large cruisers.
1 to replace the damaged Gloire,build by the Orange republic and a Habsburg design called Chevalier Rouge. To finance these 2 ships, we're selling the 4 Formidables to Gran Colombia. The reduced power in the Med will be solved by the reshuffling of the Atlantic fleet.

And if you, Premier, have everything planned already, why ask me for a cup of coffee? It's not that we have so much time to spare.

Ah admiral. Isn't that obvious. I want your approval. And want to ask you to give me a list of changes we need to make in our glorious Fleet. We lost 2 battleships to enemy action and 1 coastal battleship. 3 large cruisers and a handfull of sloops. We cannot afford that kind of attrition anymore.

Hmmm; that is a tall order Premier, getting the bugs out of Napoleon the Great is timeconsuming. Also, the hunt for NS ships on the Atlantic is demanding my time. This conversation robbed us of a task force of 7 fast ships. But I have several ideas. One of these is simple. Now we have battleships that are interchangable over the whole world. But with dedicated ships we can provide each fleet base with the best for the local situation. For example, the 6000nm range for our Med fleet is a bit long, but for Tricomalee that's on the short side

Admiral, you'll have time to spare when you go back to Indochina. Just say what ship you want to replace the Napoleon as flag of the Atlantic fleet. Your trip will have several purposes. For one , escorting a merchant convoy that is bound for Tricomalee and Tourane.  Those ships will carry supplies and material to give those 2 fleet bases airships for scouting.

What?

[swamphen]

Two words - caga de aves.

Agrival want a cracker?

-----------------------------------

Ambassador Takeda sends a note to the proper Ministers in Paris, stating that the Brandenburgian merchant fleet would be happy to pick up any slack caused by the freezing out of the Swiss.

[maddox]

Le Monde,  15 october 1907

" the coal eating monster so called Super Liner  "Le Magnifient" left Brest, at last. But to what purpose? Is our gouvernement again up to nasty plans, that detriment the French people?

What will we see from those bumbling fools? Not that the precious gouvernement under Premier Palpaté was any better, but Premier Paixhans did impose a stop on the automatic raise of the dole following comodoty prices.  And those are getting more and more expensive since the New Swiss , rightfully wanted to inspect a convoy of religious fanatics loaded with gold and weapons to the new Empire of the admiral Thrawn, Firenj. When Premier Jardan supported the creation of a new country, we were hopefull that for once ,our governement was humane , but alas. This country is even worse than the originator, the Caliphate. Religion is a very bad thing it seems, it turns peoples brains to much and gives them a deathwish.
Our protestant and Catholic northern Neighbors are as bad as the southern Muslims. war in name of an invisible, intangible all powerfull entity that never has showed anything except idiots claiming to do its word.
But the result now is weird. The New Swiss, enternaly misunderstood, are standing up in a war that could span the world. And that all because our governement wanted to show who has the biggest  bangala floating in the Indian Ocean. Why so much wasted lifes and resources?  Who in parliament is filling his pockets with this debacle?

[maddox]

Le monde 1 novembre 1907

" Gran Colombia :Savior of South America or Powermad France in the New World?
Sources inside our government indicate that Gran Colombia is ready to raise a step in humanity.
Yes, the seemingly ruthless capitalists have found an equilibrium between money and humanity and wish to use that money to ease the world problems and inequity.
As know, the situation in our colonies isn't as happy as in Glorious France. Brazil as perfect example. The French rule there was so horrible that the Brazilians opted for the Iberian Monarchy to replace the potentialy benefits of the democracy we know and cherish.
Gran Colombia had to step in and erase the problems started with idiotical ideas of our late Premier Palpaté. But contrary to our believes, they did not keep the lands they cleansed from the gruesome Anuhuac. No, the Gran Colombians under the benevolent rule of the Alizandro family let the people of Brazil the choise.
The same scenario for the Island Commonwealth. The failed invasion of the Northern American unknown, pushed by the aggression of the UNK was such a shock for the people there that Gran Colombia, again had to step in and save them all from a fate worse than death.
Now Gran Colombia offers France a way out of the colonialism and the attrocities that are common in that kind of rule over strange and far away people, with different morals, values and ideas.

Wil our government graciously allow the Gran Colombians to demonstrate the world what good statemanship is, or are our greedy politicians so powerhungry that they crave the rule over anything, even the unruled ones?

[maddox]

Le Monde 3 Novembre  1907

Rattling of sabers, or should we say shivering of timbers ?
There is much turmoil on the Seven Seas these days and many seem to point towards a bogey man who looks up in surprise at the sudden scrutiny. With the Great Powers vying for the last morsels of un-colonized territory in our world it is no surprise that their greedy visions now settle upon an opponent perceived to be weakened.
Rumors everywhere indicate that New Swiss will be the unhappy recipient of attacks from several angles. Will Glorious France join the vultures circling a near-corpse ? Should we be hyenas of the Seven Seas snarling around an old and decripit bull ?
The last decade has seen a multitude of attacks on one single nation, one only, who stands valiantly alone in this storm of atrocities that have ravaged her people. Can we claim to be the paragon of virtue in brotherhood, equality and liberty when a people elsewhere is condemned to slaughter ? We condomned them... by driving them out of their mountain county. We condemned them by forcing them to seek a new life in strange places where barbarism abounds. And in a way we even condemned them to be defensive whenver threathened. So, are we not accomplices to the crime ?
Let us not forget the crimes of our fathers, lest we commit them again ourselves. It is time to see justice reign surpeme again. It is time to stop the killing machines that slowly but seemingly unstoppable would crush a once-great people into the deserts of history:
- the great massacre by Impérateur Napoleon and subsequent exile of an entire nation
- the atrocious destruction of Hong Kong and Shanghai, by the inscrutable Middle Kingdom
- the horrible rout out of the Nipponese islands, sponsored by, again, the Middle kingdom
- the continuous harrassment at the borders of Firenj, by the muslim fanatics of Sultan Thrawn.
Was this not started by us ? And continued by countries we are allied with or at least have been seeking our friendship ? Why is Glorious France treating the New Swiss by this ? What crime could they have committed as a people so vile and so horrible that even after a century they needs still be punished ?
Have we not created the monster ourselves ? The monster that now threathens to kill innocent women and children again and again, just as it has done so in the past ?
Rally, Citoyens of France ! Let our voices be heard, and not the guns of death !

[The Rock Doctor]

"Gran Colombia: Savior of South America or Powermad France in the New World?"

"Exactly!", exclaims President Alizandro as he sets down the newspaper.  "Money well spent, I'd say."

[P3D]

Gran Colombia :Savior of South America or Powermad France in the New World?

"The title hit the nail on the head." mused Jean-Pierre in a small restaurant on Montmarte, drinking wine with his journalist friends "Gran Columbia is acting exactly like our Powermad France did in the last 100 years. They are in America, and called differently, that's all the difference."

[Borys]

20th of October
Firanjee Legation at Paris

Abdullach ibn Bamshidieh Hadji read slowly through the text. It was in French, even though it had come from the Austrian Embassy. He had prepared a sheet of paper for note taking, to help in deciphering diplomatic language. But it turned out to be unnecessary, the Austrians using simplistic, almost primitive language.
Now he will have to rewrite it to make it presentable to the Hand ...

"If the Sultanate will fight the New Swiss, the Habsburg Monarchy will provide weapons and other equipment for two corps. Free. And instructors teaching how to use it - all Muslims, if desired.
The weapons can arrive be sea from late November to mid April.

Enrico Di Runio, Foreign Minster

[maddox]

Paris, the halls of the parliament , current events

Ah minister Dupuytren, all well?
Yes monsieur Galgalue, and you?

Fine, thanks. But I have a nagging question. All rumors and information we get from the war in the far east indicate that the Dutch are weak, very weak, and have no stomache for any war. Shouldn't we at least think about protecting our northern borders? Like in expand France, and make Europe even a better place? As we both know, France is on the edge if it comes to money and industrialisation. Incorperating the Netherlands could give us the renewal of resources Glorious France needs.
Monsieur Galague. I would prefer that you will not raise this issue again. It feels very uncomfortable to speculate about war in Europe. Also, I'm not aware that you have any acces to sensitive files in the ministry of war. I think you won't like any attention from "le securité"

[maddox]

Djibouti island ,port, early november 1907.

That is a nice ship captain, it's almost a shame that she's abused as a weaponsmuggler

I demand acces to a New swiss Diplomat, and you know it, frog.

Doucement, monsieur, you're about to blow a vein. Lets settle this as gentlemen.
(riffling trough a stack of papers). This list here states that your collis are destined for New Zion.
A part of those list as heavy agricultural equipment. Unfortunatly, when we opened a few of those huge crates, we found things that are difficult to use as tools to work the land. Or do you believe that a 100mm rifled tube makes for a nice irrigation hose?

Of course not, you moron, those crates you opened aren't listed as agricultural thingamathings, but blatantly as gun assemblies, breeches and similar.

I told you, captain, that we would settle this as gentlemen. Your language isn't very gentlemenlike. I think we'll have to do a very thorough search of your ship. And with thorough, I mean that you and your crew better get a place to stay. We'll start tomorrow. Your presence is contraindicated.
if you, or your crew is on the ship by tomorrow morning 0800, you'll get some real forced  French hospitality. Oh, nothing of the cargo is ment to leave the ship. The guards will see to that.

[maddox]

Early november 1907

Bonjour Envoy Takeda, How can Glorious France help the Deutsche Kaiserreigh brandenburg?

Minister Dupuytren, that is fairly easy. It is common knowledge that the elder battleships of the Formidable class are slated to be scrapped.
We want to buy Formidable. For a better price than you can get for scrap.

If we sell you that ship, it would feel a bit underhanded supporting a country in war.
I myself still don't get it. Why going to war for a caper best explained as a bar brawl by a big, but stupid bully called New Swiss.


A few days later, a dry dock in Marseille

"What do we need this paint for ?"
"Re-paint the hull and everything, the officer said, make her look as good as new..."
"You're kidding me. Red paint ?"
"Says here on the form."

Sailor Duquesne didn't have high hopes for his career, and he was used to the odd thing happening. What he wasn't used to was this, Glorious France's eyesore. He tried to avert his eyes and let them rest on the cooler shades of the sea, but even the sea Herself reflected what he didn't want to see.

A month later, the middle of the Caribbean.

"Mon Capitaine, the men are complaining of head-aches."
"What do you mean ?"
"It's the colour, mon Capitaine, they claim it hurts the eyes and makes the mind go funny. We've had several fights already. And 2 sailors who jumped ship. Literally. While we're in the middle of the Océan. The crew is most unhappy."
"They will have to get used to it. This won't last long. We deliver and then we scoot, on a vessel with colours more ah... soothing to the eye."
"No doubt the men wil be celebrating that."
"Not just the men Gaston... sigh..."

[swamphen]

It must be Clifford, the Big Red Ship...  ;D