News from the Americas
RIOTS IN HISPANIOLA LEAD TO INDEPENDENT LEADER DEATH. Port of Spain, Empire of Holy Spain. A series of major acts against the Spanish colonial government in Hispaniola have led to the outbreak of full scale rioting and unrest in Port of Spain. The Spanish colonial army has done well to maintain order, and violence has begotten violence as they take measures against any rebellious activity. In Port of Spain, the leader of Hispaniola's independence movement was a key figure in the unrest. The result was that while agitating the masses, the leader was present, leading to his own death at the hands of the Spanish army, quite accidentally in what could be considered battle. The result has been a collapse of the organized independence movement for now, as various other would-be leaders hope to gain control for themselves. (+1 Stability)
RACIAL VIOLENCE IN DUTCH WEST INDIES. San Fernando, Republic of the Netherlands. The islands in the Dutch West Indies have faced a considerable amount of unrest this year as the freed slave and white population clashed in the jungles and towns. A growing amount of racial violence and hatred continued to worsen as both the white settlers and the former slaves clashed over unending issues and concerns. The freed slaves, resenting their lack of representation with the Dutch government, and a deep hatred of their former owners and plantation overseers, have constantly fought and conflicted with the whites. Most of the violence has been initiated by the former slaves as they attack overseers with particularly dubious reputations. The local governor has taken a fairly neutral approach, letting each side fight it out and only preserving order in the main towns and ports. (-1 Stability)
POLITICAL OPPONENTS EXECUTED IN ECUADOR. Quito, Ecuador. Despite the hope of the revolution from the Republic of New Granada, the liberals in Ecuador have found their cause finally and firmly dashed as the upstart King Simon systematically rounded up his political opposition throughout the nation. Most of Simon Bolivar's closest supporters were arrested due to their liberal sensibilities, crushing the spine of any further movement against an Ecuadorian monarchy. Under King Simon's orders, the liberal leaders were executed, hung by the neck until dead. The result has been a growth of support from the army, while the political opposition has been gutted. Though many despise the king, his position has never been more firm than it is now. (+1 Stability)
NEW PAPER STIRS TROUBLES IN PANAMA. Panama City, Panama. The government of Panama has fallen under siege by a new political faction this year, threatening the existence of the nation as they know it. These outspoken individuals have stated that Panama's political position is highly precarious, and could fall to a resurgent New Granada or any number of other political threats. They have pointed out the common heritage and position with the government of New Spain, and have called for unification with this new republic. They have idolized the government of the new sister republic to the north, claiming it to be far more efficient. Members of the ruling Conservative Party have even openly supported this group, though the political leadership still refuses to consider any sort of debate or action on the topic. (-1 Stability)
ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. Washington D.C., United States of America. The United States of America went through another campaigning season this year, as President Harrison came under siege by Democrat Arthur Taylor, a veteran general of the war against Spain. Taylor claimed that Harrison has been abusing his power as President, citing the recent surges in the size of the American army, which the Democratic Party has claimed to be against the nature of the American nation. The Democrats have pledged less involvement in the affairs of the states, and less centralized government over state affairs. The Democrats have also smashed the Whigs in constant debates, and a large conservative portion of the Whig Party has even defected to the Democrats. The Democrats have called for a different approach to government, deriding the agreements made with nations like New Spain and the United Kingdom, instead lobbying on a base of southern money and support. This tactic has proven enormously effective, and the Whig Party has been clearly shattered by the disputes. The Democrats and the new President Taylor have swept their way into office in the White House. (+1 Stability)
BRAZILIAN BLOCKADE BRINGS THREATS OF WAR. Montevideo, Uruguay. In a call for free democracy in Uruguay, the Empire of Brazil has demanded that the local violence stop and new elections to be held. To enforce their demands, they have sent the navy to blockade Montevideo, with the limited support of a British squadron. The recent disrepute of elections in 1838 has cast some shadows upon Uruguayan elections, but they have refused to alter the system at all. The Colorados ruling Uruguay have refused further changes, and the blockade has brought about a strange turn in local politics. Argentina and Paraguay have joined together against the Empire of Brazil and have demanded the immediate end of the blockade, stating that it hinders local commerce. Both nations have mobilized their armies and have threatened war if the blockade is not lifted at once.
NEW SPAIN BANS SLAVERY. Managua, New Spain. In a move not surprising many, the government of the United States of New Spain has banned the practice of slavery. During the war of independence against Spain, most of the remaining slaves were set freed or scattered during the chaos of the war The practice, having been fairly moribund in the recent years since gaining freedom, has been eliminated entirely with a pittance of compensation to any remaining slave owners. There's been little backlash of any kind against the government by this action, with most believing that it is about time the institution was abolished for good. This has placed some strain on the nation's relationship with the United States and Brazil however, as the government denounces the moral evil of an institution vital to the economy stability of those two nations. (+1 Stability)
UNITED STATES CUTS DOWN MILITARY SIZE. Washington D.C., United States of America. The problems of the electoral campaign this year have forced President Harrison to make substantial cutbacks in terms of military size and strength. With the possibility of a lost election looming, the newly recruited brigades of the American army were eliminated and the President vowed to return the power of national defense to the militias. Unfortunately this was too little, too late for the president to achieve victory in the elections, and the political damage was already done. The vast amount of arms and other equipment produced for these disbanded regiments have been given to various state militias or otherwise stored in various arsenals.
UNITED STATES COMPLETES PORT MODERNIZATION. New York City, United States of America. The American government was pleased to announce the completion of an ongoing private and government sponsored project to modernize the largest shipping ports in the United States. The cities of New Barcelona and New York City have been supplied with modern steam engines and coal fueling apparatuses to help with coaling and logistics for trade on the Atlantic Ocean. The production has created numerous new jobs and production, encouraging the use and development of local steamships. Already, a number of private entrepreneurs have offered steamship transportation up the Mississippi River from New Barcelona for purposes of travel and trade.
JAMAICA BEGINS NAVAL DEVELOPMENT. Kingston, Jamaica. As war threatens to erupt between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the Empire of Holy Spain, the Jamaican government has viewed its position as rather unstable. The reliance of Jamaica upon Britain seems to be at risk, and efforts have begun to establish a coastal navy to aid in the defense of the island. The efforts include the construction of a new naval base, updating of port facilities, and the establishment of the infrastructure required to build warships in Kingston. A number of engineers have been hired from the United Kingdom to aid in the effort, providing some optimism that the project will go ahead without too many problems.
News from Africa and the Middle East
BANDIT LORDS STRIKE ONCE MORE IN ABYSSINIA. Addis Ababa, Abyssinia. The Abyssinian bandit warlords, though they have declined in activities in recent years, have never quite vanished. Minor raids and actions though have frequently been contained by the Abyssinian cavalry and main army. Unfortunately this year, the relative peace has collapsed once again as the bandits rise to new heights, though perhaps not at the peak of their power once again. The bandits have managed to win an impressive victory against the Abyssinian cavalry, defeating it and opening a large swathe of the country for looting and pillaging. Ultimately other cavalry groups managed to restore order, but the bandits had managed to get away with everything not nailed down. (-1 Cavalry Brigade)
ZANJ REVOLTS FROM OMANESE CONTROL. Mji Mkongwe, Zanzibar. After constant turmoil and unrest in Oman, and with the collapse of the international slave trade, the governor of Zanj has declared himself the sultan of the new state of Zanzibar. With the support of local merchants and the garrison, the new state has managed to secure its independence rather swiftly, taking the largest population centers and strongest forts in the region. An attempt by Oman to reclaim its wayward colony was rebuffed, and the locals managed to repel any invasion of the territory. The status of de facto independence was recognized in Muscat, further weakening the position of Oman along the Indian Ocean. (-2 Infantry Brigades, -1 Cavalry Brigade, -1 Artillery Brigade)
SPANISH GUINEA A GROWING REFUGE. Port Fernando, Empire of Holy Spain. As a policy begun by the Spanish emperor, Spanish warships hunting down slave traders in the Atlantic Ocean have begun offering rescued slaves passage home, or more frequently, travel to the Spanish colony of Guinea. The Spanish colony has been billed as a new refuge for freed slaves and those being forced into servitude for transport to Brazil or the United States. With their own locations of homes uncertain, most of those rescued from would-be slave traders have chosen, more or less of their own free will, to live in Spanish Guinea. This has led to dramatic recent population growth, and even some more enlightened free slaves from places such as Jamaica or the Dutch West Indies have migrated here. The result has been a growing vibrant culture in the colony, as they establish a new country from their mixed heritages. (+5 Manpower in Spanish Guinea)
SWEDISH TADJOURA INSTALLS PAVED ROADS. Tadjoura, Sweden. The Swedish colony of Tadjoura has been provided with immense funds and support to establish paved roads in the colonial city. The amount of money provided was more than was required for the project, and the result has been a substantial amount of waste and corruption developing in the colony. Regardless, the job has gotten done, but the haste of the endeavor and the growing claims of corruption have led many to believe that the job which was done was subpar compared to current European standards. On the other hand, observers state that the project appears to be as up to code as any of the ongoing efforts in Stockholm or Oslo.
NEW UNREST AGAINST MADAGASCAR INTEGRATION. Antananarivo, Madagascar. Queen Ranavalona's efforts to create a united nation out of the tribes of Madagascar hit another snag this year as new political resistance erupted. This time, the source came from the center of the budding nation, as her own tribe began protesting against some of the changes. They have accused the queen of placing her own tribe as a lower priority in order to further her own power and influence over the rest of the island. This has created a number of political opponents who have slowed the process, causing inordinate amounts of difficulty in further development. Thankfully this hasn't directly sabotaged the process, but the stability of the nation has been threatened by the discord. (-1 Stability)
TRIBES CONTINUE OPPOSITION AGAINST YEMENI CENTRALIZATION. Sana'a, Yemen. The Yemeni government have faced constant resistance towards their efforts of centralization by the various nomadic tribes within their borders. The instability in Oman has only worsened the situation, as tribal conflicts continue to intensify, even to the point of attacking patrols of Yemen's army in the field. They've managed to inflict some losses, and the Yemeni government is doing its best to contain the unrest. The hopes are that the nomads can be corralled to a point where the new legislation of centralization can simply be forced upon them. (-1 Infantry Brigade)
News from the Far East
PRINCES IN BRITISH INDIA ISSUE SUPPORT FOR THE EMPIRE. Calcutta, United Kingdom of Great Britain. A group of princes in British India have come together to officially proclaim their further support for the British Empire. In recent years, some suspicion has come upon these leaders about their loyalty to the crown, particularly in the wake of the collapse of the Maratha Confederacy. In response, the majority of princes have avowed their loyalty to the government in London once again. They have pledged their veritable fealty to the crown of Britain, firmly establishing them as subjects of the British Empire. King John IX has welcomed this expression of loyalty, particularly with the worsening situation with Spain and the threat of a near global war on the horizon. (+1 Stability)
REVOLT IN VIETNAM. Saigon, United Kingdom of Great Britain. A minor revolt took place this year in the British imperial possession of Vietnam, specifically in the city of Saigon. A group of former nobles and other anti-British factions rose up, hoping to spark a rebellion throughout the entire nation. Unfortunately, the rebellion was unable to amass any more than local support for their cause, with most being too intimidated or bribed by British power. The result was a fairly one-sided battle, even though for a time the rebels were able to secure control of the city. The British army and navy soon arrived and set their control once again upon this portion of the empire. The rebels were crushed with some losses among the British soldiers, but nothing more destabilizing to their rule. (-2 Infantry Brigades)
NETHERLANDS AND DENMARK CONCLUDE NEW GUINEA DEAL. Fredericksborg, Republic of the Netherlands. After considerable rhetoric and debate on the matter of the island of New Guinea, the Danes and Dutch have managed to reach a deal about the new Danish settlement there. The Danes have agreed to recognize previous claims to the island by the Dutch, and have given up control of their colony there to the Republic of the Netherlands. The Dutch have occupied the colony, on the promise of making several payments to the Danes, helping compensate for expenses paid in establishing the colony. Unfortunately, the giving up of the colony has not been popular among the upper classes of Denmark, who viewed the new colony as a ticket to new relevance on the global stage. (-1 Stability for Denmark)
PORTUGUESE ESTABLISH SETTLEMENT IN SOUTHERN NEW ZEALAND. Nova Porto, Portugal. In a move which seems rather hasty on the heels of the recent debate over the fate of New Guinea, the Portuguese have established a new settlement in the Pacific. Opening trade with the local Maori, as an alternative to the British, with more goods, including guns, the Portuguese have managed to set up a settlement on the southern island of New Zealand. The new settlement has proven surprisingly successful, turning out a modest profit, though it remains expensive to maintain from Lisbon. The locals have eagerly traded with the Portuguese over the British, with a much more varied assortment of good provided to them.
WAR IN CHINA. Peking, Imperial China. The war in China continues to escalate in brutality, as the competing factions struggle to win on the battlefield, as well as destroy the bases of their enemies' support. Villages and towns continue to be burned, and cleansing of those old enough to fight has become a fairly commonplace practice that even the Mongol raiders have embraced. Tens of thousands, perhaps even more, died this year as the fighting reach a new level on all fronts, and to the shock of many, direct European involvement occurred. The Nian Realm was the recipient of European invasion, as the British dispatched an expedition in support of the government in Peking from the bases in Formosa. The British managed to secure a number of ports and positions which they turned over to imperial control immediately, while retaining some of their own positions. The Nians amassed an army to respond, with nearly six times the amount of British in their forces. The sheer numbers of the Chinese bandits overran the British positions, and none of the British expedition sent managed to escape from the onslaught. Only rumors from Chinese peasants even let the British commanders know that their army was extinguished. The Imperial government hoped to encounter a weakened Nian army, but fell into an ambush and were massacred in battle by the Nians. The Imperial army was routed and the Nian Realm continues to hold on to their territory in the east. The fighting in the west was less fortunate for the Nians, as the Ascendant Kingdom took advantage of their diversion, driving east. After a brief battle, the Nian army in the west was badly defeated and forced to retreat. The north has continued to fall to Mongol raiding and warfare, while the Ascendants and Imperials attempt to contain the raiding parties as much as possible, with some substantial successes. In the west, some minor skirmishing has taken place between the Ascendants and Yunnan and Tibet, as the Ascendants hope to further their authority in China. Most of the fighting has been small scale as the armies of Tibet and Yunnan easily repulse these minor raids. As happened last year, the largest battles of the war have taken place in the south between the so-called Fuzhou Empire and the governor of Guangzhou. This year, the Fuzhou armies saw a chance to seize Guangzhou itself after last year's victories. The resulting major battle between the main armies of both forces was bloody and decisive, as at last the army of Guangzhou was able to reverse their defeats. They managed to outwit and outflank the Fuzhou Empire and shatter their army in the field, driving them back from the city. Furthermore, with Fuzhou's armies in chaos, Guangzhou has managed to establish control over formerly Imperial territory as well to the north.
Casualty List
Ascendant's Kingdom of Holy China: 9 Infantry Brigades, 5 Cavalry Brigades, 1 Artillery Brigade, 12 Manpower
Fuzhou Empire: 18 Infantry Brigades, 4 Cavalry Brigades, 3 Artillery Brigades, 43 Manpower
Guangzhou: 8 Infantry Brigades, 2 Cavalry Brigades, 1 Artillery Brigade, 44 Manpower
Imperial China: 9 Infantry Brigades, 6 Cavalry Brigades, 1 Artillery Brigade, 68 Manpower
Nian Realm: 23 Infantry Brigades, 4 Cavalry Brigades, 6 Artillery Brigades, 73 Manpower
Tibet: 1 Infantry Brigade, 6 Manpower
United Kingdom of Great Britain: 6 Infantry Brigades, 3 Artillery Brigades
Yunnan: 1 Infantry Brigade, 7 Manpower
Zunghar Khanate: 16 Cavalry Brigades
BURMA STARTS CONSTRUCTION OF NEW CANNON BATTERIES. Rangoon, Burma. In order to continue development of the nation's defenses against any European invasion, the government of Burma has followed behind that of Siam. The emphasis has been placed upon the establishment of strong new fortifications along the Burmese coasts and mouths of the main rivers nearby. These forts have been paid for to include a number of modern European and locally made cannon, hopefully to be able to shatter all but the largest of European attacking fleets. The construction efforts are planned to take four to five years, as the Burmese king struggles to establish superiority in the region.
SWEDES FORCED OFF OF JEJU IN WAKE OF SABOTAGE. Seoul, Korea. The Korean monarchy has ordered the immediate eviction of the Swedish merchant quarter from the island of Jeju after Swedish merchants were indicted in stirring up problems in Korea. They were accused of sabotaging food production, intimidating Korean merchants and otherwise worsening the famine in Korea. Swedish trading rights with Korea have been revoked and outrage in the Korean court is vast, though many are not too surprised after the duplicity which took place in Siam. The Korean army has forced out the Swedes and sent them packing, closing their ports again to European trade, much to the relief of leaders of the army and the upper classes. (+2 Stability)
Financial Section
PARIS-BURGUNDY BUYS OFF THE MASSES. Dijon, Kingdoms of Paris-Burgundy. In a move which most governments would shudder to contemplate, a large amount of taxes were refunded to the population. This has done quite a bit to forestall local unrest, as nothing buys a bit of peace like a large pile of money. This has also managed to do a bit for local business, as the population have more money and have thus begun buying goods they otherwise would not. The overall effect has truly helped hold the nation together, at least for now, as they preserve their nation for the time being. (+1 Stability)
PORTUGAL LAUNCHES SUBSIDIES AND WAR ON CORRUPTION. Lisbon, Portugal. The Portuguese government funded two major economic initiatives this year, financing what is hoped to be a rebirth of Portugal's economy. The first of these was a number of small subsidies to local businesses and industry, hoping to develop a new foundation for the modern economy. The efforts have been fairly successful, but too limited in scope to provide much more than a minor boost to the economy. The other Portuguese initiative has been to ferret out corruption within the political and economic system of Portugal. Unfortunately this effort was barely funded at all and has made little headway except for a few token arrests of smugglers.
BRANDENBURG INVESTS NEW FUNDS INTO ECONOMY. Berlin, Brandenburg. The government of Brandenburg has provided extensive funding to new businesses in order to help spur industrial development. Furthermore, grants have been provided to those studying the economy coming up with new theories and ideas, particularly at the nation's leading universities. This has spurred some new papers and thoughts, but nothing concrete or of any real value to the national economy yet, but the scholarly of Brandenburg thank the King for his efforts. Hopes remain that further funding and grants could assist in future development of better methods to run an economy.
UNITED STATES AND NEW SPAIN SIGN TRADE AGREEMENT. Tegucigalpa, New Spain. The United States of America and New Spain have signed a trade agreement this year, establishing a new trade pact between the nations. The trading agreement has eliminated tariffs between the two nations, and has caused no end of political outrage in Washington. The concern has mainly been in regards to the lettering of the treaty which makes some feel that it could threaten the cotton market at home, rather than provide it a boost. With the victory of the Democratic Party in this year's elections, most suspect that this treaty will be short-lived at best.
AMERICAN FARMERS PROSPER FROM NEW AGREEMENT. Chicago, United States of America. The governments of the United States and the United Kingdom signed a new trade agreement this year, opening even more economic doors. The treaty calls for even greater supply of grain to be provided to the British Islands from the United States, in order to reduce food prices at home. So far, the American farmers have been unable to meet the demand as well as their own supply, and thus have driven up prices both at home and in the United Kingdom. Though the average worker suffers with the rising price of food, farmers in the United States continue to prosper and new wheat and grain farming homesteads have popped up across the growing American nation.
ECONOMIC FLUCTUATION REPORT. Madrid, Empire of Holy Spain.
Random Stat Changes and Fluctuations
+1 Stability for Secret Police activities for the following nations: Brandenburg, Hungary, Kingdoms of Paris-Burgundy
Diplomatic Pouch
To:
Republic of the Netherlands
From: Flanders
As of this year, we are considering military and economic responses towards your aggression and are not pleased about your attempts to sabotage our government. We can see that your republican government has weakened your virtues and morality to the point of being completely untrustworthy.
To:
Milan
From: Savoy
As a neighboring king, we have viewed the political developments in your nation with some concern, but as a moderate myself, I wish to propose an offer. Our nations stood united in the war against Austria and Spain, and I propose the following. If you accept me, King Charles Albert, as the king of Milan and Sicily, we can unite our nations in common cause. The current Senate will be allowed to retain power and elect a Consul, and I would be willing to part with some of my current executive power to allow a continuation of the cause. A proper Italian nation will require a king, and I believe that the might of Savoy will be more than ample to help pursue this goal, providing benefits to all of us.
To:
Brandenburg
From: Hanover
As fellow members of the Northern League, we hope to integrate our current infrastructure project with yours in order to further restore commerce and trade between us. We simply wish to link the new roads and other infrastructure in a like manner to keep things as similar as possible.
OOC
@Grandkhan: yes, education expenses are set and based on the minimum level of population and the type of education system you have.
@Ayra126: in lieu of orders, I accepted the Dutch proposal for the sale of Danish New Guinea.
@SouthernKing: Unfortunately the Imperial Administration is a set amount unless you're willing to destabilize and (eventually) lose the empire. This goes up the larger the empire gets.
@GamezRule: As per our discussion on AIM, I have adjusted the title and price of your infrastructure project to take everything into consideration.
@Agent 89: Sicily's EP was used before any annexation took place, and thus was not factored into your orders.
@Double A: All Brigades cost the same: Artillery, Infantry, or Cavalry. Also, as requested in your orders about the Domestic policy expenses, the money was taken out of the roads project. Quality is a bit difficult to shift in this NES, and rarely does shift at all except as a result of actual combat. Building (or buying from another) a superior navy is probably the best you can do for a good navy.
The following players have been booted due to a lack of activity, but, I will allow them to reclaim their nations if they can claim their nations before anyone else: Warman17 (Austria), Nailix (Kiev), Bestshot9 (Moscowy), das (Persia), crezth (Ascendant's Kingdom of Holy China)
World Map
