Chương 117: Fated meeting? (January-March, 1891)
Five Arrows: New Solomonic Era]
1891 arrives and after a relatively short time, the Great Ethiopian Famine, the smallpox pandemics and the mass death of cattle in Abyssinia ends. This marks, for some historians, the definitive beginning of the "New Solomonic Era", the project made by Emperor Alexander III of Russia and Menelik II of Ethiopia.
After the Great Ethiopian Famine, 1/4 of the population had died (3 million out of a population of 12 million) and 80% of the livestock died, but not everything turned out as badly as it might have after all.
The Addis Ababa-New Moscow railway was completed, the rule of Menelik II was centralized and undisputed when the secondary claimants to the throne (Yohannes IV's son, Ras Mengesha Yohannes) abandoned their claims to the throne in 1891.
Russia also benefited economically, now Ethiopian exports came mainly from the Russian colony and also benefited Russia, the Russian-Ethiopian conglomerates (under Russian control) obtained new rights, investment security and labor (famine migrants who became free laborers), and the economic output of the Russian colonies increased enormously.
Russia also continued to expand into Somali lands in the great Ethiopian famine and with the influx of money, labor, etc.
Now it was time for the New Solomonic Era, a new era of reconstruction, progress and growth for Ethiopia. On the one hand a modern army was formalized, trained by Cossacks and Russian officers, armed with modern weaponry to create a force loyal to the government of Menelik II.
On the other hand, the great business of slavery as it was known was ended, now there was a lot of land available but labor was needed, so the Ethiopian economic and social situation was forced to change.
In Sagallo and the Russian colonies, land was offered in exchange for certain years of working it, the Ethiopian government and business conglomerates did the same, taking the labor of the new workforce to carry out the reconstruction and modernization projects, get a loyal population and more capable, etc.
Now "Ethiopian" was defined as a nationality, a citizenship, linked not to tribal aspects but to a unique state with certain values that would respect its fellow citizens regardless of ethno-cultural barriers.
This would be a long and difficult road, but Russia in Sagallo and Ethiopia were on the right track through church and education (indoctrination).
Ethiopia was getting a loyal common class, and Sagallo continued to feed on the most educated and developed individuals for its commercial development, a jewel in East Africa.
The Russian-Ethiopian conglomerates also give rise to the mechanization of agriculture, the renewal of livestock and a more efficient exploitation of the extractive industries, with a wool and metallurgical revolution.
In more elaborate sectors, Sagallo takes the amazing lead when they begin to manufacture coffee machines, as in Europe, the Russians would apply assembly lines that competitors and other locals would take years to use, making it easier and faster to manufacture machinery for export and profit. .
The objective was given that in the future the production of coffee machines would also be a profitable business of the Ethiopian economy.
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* Perspective of Tsar Alexander III.
"3 million people have died, without my intervention more would have died ... but even so this was a tragedy.
For the moment, we can only move on and work so that such catastrophic events do not happen again in Ethiopia and East Africa. We can remember the dead another time.
My fingers and my shadow, my influence, go very far.
But the further they are from Russia, their impact is less.
A sad reality that I have accepted. "
*******
[Navy: Drednout]
Tsar Alexander III met with Navy Minister Stepan Makarov and other trusted associates such as Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov, among others of course.
The next major expansion of the Russian navy was yet to come, but Tsar Alexander III wanted to know how progress was going on the Drednout and the proto-Drednout.
The imperial navy was already integrating (like the army), the new methods of communication (radio), investigating the new technologies for the drednout and developing the theory and practice about the proto-Drednout.
These were also expensive to build, and they would be less developed than a full Drednout, but with proper strategy and adaptations a group of proto-Drednouts were still a threat to enemy fleets and useful for defending some Russian positions.
Russia could fully develop its first Drednout in the late 1890s or early 20th century, according to speculations by the navy minister.
Politically and economically speaking, it helped that Russia was increasing its navy less than the United Kingdom and Germany (the Russian objective was to defend its territories and simply overcome regional powers, not dominance of the world ocean), which had come into greater tensions due to the new policies of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
*******
[Okhrana: Korea]
The Russian government's control over Korea plans to continue expanding, which is why Tsar Alexander III and the Okhrana officials sent Afanasy Ivanovich Seredin-Sabatin as a spy to the Joseon dynasty.
Seredin-Sabatin posed as an architect and construction worker assigned to certain projects in Seoul, with the aim of keeping an eye on members of the royal family, nobles, and other possible non-loyalists.
The Okhrana put Seredin-Sabatin in contact with various members of the Russian support in Korea, officials and administrators who had problems and suspicions against such important personalities as Queen Min of Korea.
Russian surveillance and support over the region would be vital to put an official and definitive control over the region, now we just had to wait for the right moment.
After all, there were still 2-4 generations before things got more complicated, Korea was still largely illiterate and subjugated to Russia's interests through investment, education, Korean migration to Russia, civic elements- military aligned to Russia, etc.
Seredin-Sabatin and Korean officials would discover some pro-Qing Korean elements that would of course be eliminated, but it would still be a few years before the coup towards Korean independence could take place.
(OOC: Fun fact, Seredin-Sabatin is an OTL figure, a Russian in Korea during the assassination of Queen Min, with information collected in his diary or something.)
*******
[Army: Updates]
The Russian army finished adapting the modified Mosin rifle and other vital elements of reforms needed since 1886 (second Grand Meeting of April).
Unlike for example Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary and the United Kingdom (among other less important powers), the Russian Empire was prepared for an industrialized and modern war (by the standard of 1890s and early twentieth century of course).
Reforms that would not seem so important in the beginning, but that would still be extremely useful. For example the Russian army began testing the potential of aircraft for warfare (with the first major steps ending in 1892).
The use of the radio was introduced and the encryption of military messages through these, the logistics and the protection of the army undoubtedly increased with this but it was still necessary to continue working on giving more radios to the army (and therefore adequate training to its users).
The Russian army became the basis of a more advanced military-industrial complex, with technological innovation, and the ability to convert civil production into war production, which included helmets, vehicles, etc.
Another vital aspect that the Russian Empire understood, thanks to the Bloch report, was the importance of the availability of food, medicine and morale, not only in the army but also among civilians and how they were involved at the front.
For this reason, in addition to large reserves of military weapons, large warehouses for food and medicine were made, in addition to other propaganda plans, food rationing for the civilian population, evacuation routes for civilians, the possibility of martial law, etc.
Tsar Alexander III also discussed with his war minister, Iosif Romeyko-Gurko, and deputy minister Mikhail Skobelev, the need to prepare precautions for the enemy to use chemical-biological weapons against the Russian army.
This would lead to research and preparation for the production of gas masks.
*******
* SEiPK.
In 1891 Tsar Alexander III would meet again with Nikola Tesla in Vladivostok, to observe the progress of the SEiPK company. Tesla and the IIR (department of research & development) had developed and completed the company's first radio, which proved to be a success in tests demonstrated to Tsar Alexander III.
With this success Tsar Alexander III and the SEiPK board of directors discussed business between the SEiPK and the production of radios for the army. Tesla didn't have much trouble selling or producing for the military, in part he didn't care and was possibly motivated by his status as a veteran.
In addition, although Tesla made advances in the design of the radio, he was still not very popular and present within the civilian population, so working for the state was a sure source of income to continue developing the business.
Both groups benefited, radio would continue to develop publicly and privately, the armed forces increased their reserves of radios, and the SEiPK made money (the goal of every company).
Russia for its part continued to become a country at the forefront of technological development with the first developments of radio for military and civil purposes (although the latter were to a much lesser extent).
*******
[Manchurian project: Transmanchurian]
The Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich had the happiness of returning to Manchuria after nine months, and finding that nothing had gotten too out of hand.
Then in 1891 the Tsesarevich inaugurated the recently completed Transmanchurian Railway, linking Port Arthur, Mukden and various cities of Inner Manchuria with Korea and Outer Manchuria, and therefore with the Trans-Siberian.
This on the one hand proved in the public eye that the Tsesarevich had gained experience or useful administrators, and on the other hand it triggered the economy and development of Inner Manchuria.
The new Russian Manchuria took an economic shot by connecting with the Russian railway network and the New Silk Road, allowing products to go and leave through Inland Manchuria (products from European Russia arriving at Port Arthur, or products from the Russian colonies arriving to Port Arthur to enter Russia, etc).
There was also a demographic surge, partly from infrastructure and economic growth, and partly from the flood of Russian migrants in the region, hungry for jobs and land.
There was still work to be done, the railway line had to be expanded and more infrastructure had to be developed, but doing this was easier with more resources (capital and human resources).
*******
[Automotive industry]
* Companies.
While the RVZ (Rossiyskiy Vagonostroitel'nyy Zavod) was very famous abroad in Russia, it still had competition within Russia itself (domestic competition which had widely adopted assembly lines, as opposed to foreign competition).
The different Russian companies manufactured the same as the RVZ, with different degrees of quality, there were for example tractors, engines and vehicles, among other associated industries.
For example, there was Zavod Gazovykh Dvigateley-Rossiya (Gas Engine Factory - Russia) Nicolaus Otto and Eugen Lagen, among other companies developed by Germans.
Among the Russian production itself was Baltiyskiy Vagonostroitel'nyy Zavod (Baltic Carriage Works), stationed in Riga, but there are also electric vehicle companies in Saratov and St. Petersburg, producers in Kiev and cities on the Volga River, etc.
Of other immigrants there were companies created by Americans, mainly for the agricultural sector (tractors).
Among Russia, however, there was a city that was crowned as the largest car producer, and with this more developed sector, Stavropol.
And rightly so, it is the main headquarters of the RVZ.
Located in the North Caucasus, it is one of the many proofs of the diversification and decentralization of the Russian economy under the Alexandrian period.
*******
* Cossacks and races.
Tsar Alexander III arrived to observe the event, the police had received a strange request from a group of young Cossacks to reserve some streets for new entertainment.
Car racing, it seems that some Cossacks interested in engineering (coming from the experiments with cars in Yakutia) decided to modify some Romanov cars and race against each other, nothing "new", the son of the tsar, the Tsesarevich Nicholas, had made races against Wilhelm II of Germany.
The event also received some popular, Cossack, and civilian attention.
Also some members of Russian society had made "illegal" races (not technically illegal as there were no rules against them but without proper supervision or measures).
Given this, Tsar Alexander III compiled some laws against illegal racing without proper papers, but he did order the construction of the first "Modern Hippodrome."
A stadium for car races instead of chariots, but in architecture largely inspired by Roman (Byzantine) designs, though with modern safety of course.
This attracted the attention of a new part of Russian sports culture, more people were interested in cars and Russia could benefit from the markets associated with racing.
These decisions curiously also continued to point Russia towards "Byzantinism", an autocratic state full of Eastern Roman symbolism, so much so that it even had new developments of hippodrome.
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[International]
On the 1st of January economic and social developments take place ... curious, on the one hand, in Germany the payment of old-age pensions is given for the first time, while in the United Kingdom certain expenses are rebelled.
Britain was interested in expanding its navy against Germany, but they were also having to pay for its vast colonial administration, and not only that, but also paying the French (land power against Germany).
Which led to certain cuts in the salaries and budget (mainly the budget) of the English army, while the budget of the navy increased. This obviously enraged the soldiers, sparking some strikes in certain positions and barracks.
The strikes had to be suppressed by loyal forces, but no doubt the Conservatives (and the nobility) were somewhat scared that another strike would occur in the army, but they did not change anything about the budget. Some aristocrats looked at Boulangisme / Boulangism, and saw that the suppression of the labor movements and other policies of Boulangism were useful to their interests.
On January 5 and 7, solidarity demonstrations were held for the soldiers by some English unions, while in Australia the shearers' strike took place, leading to the creation of the Australian Labor Party.
January 16, the Chilean civil war begins between forces that support the Chilean Congress and forces that support the President of Chile, José Manuel Balmaceda.
This was due to several disputes between the congress and the Balmaceda administration, seen negatively by this and a manifesto regarding the 1891 budgets.
January 29, after an election, Liliuokalani becomes queen of Hawai'i after the death of her predecessor.
January 31, the Portuguese revolution of 1891 begins, in the city of Porto, republican soldiers (of ideology) proclaim themselves against the Portuguese monarchy.
Product of the English ultimatum to Portugal, and the economic crisis experienced under the reign of the current King Carlos I of Portugal (inherited from Luis I), which gave rise to anti-monarchical sentiments.
The revolution is crushed, but it will be remembered.
February, while the civil war in Brazil continues, begins to take on a more international character when the British become interested in supporting the republicans (for economic interests, and the possibility of creating a telegraph on the republican island of Trinidad).
February 21, a serious mining disaster causes protests by Scottish unions.
Between March 9 and 12, the Great Blizzard of 1891 occurs, where the south of the United Kingdom suffers from heavy snowfall and large accumulations of snow, which sink 14 ships and kill more than 200 people.
March 14, in New Orleans, United States, a mob lynches 11 Italians arrested (but found innocent), allegedly for their involvement in the murder of David C. Hennessy.
It is suspected the relationship of Italians (called dago), the mafia (fights between the Provenzano and Mantranga), etc. The press and public opinion also have a lot to do with it, freely blaming Italians.
March 17, the SS Utopia and HMS Anson (two British ships) collide and sink in Gibraltar. The Utopia carried Italian immigrants to New York, and more than 500 people have died in its collapse.
Obviously many Italians are not happy with how fate treats them with respect to Anglo-Saxons and Anglo-Americans.
On March 18, the French economy continues to grow wonderfully, in fact there is a boom regarding colonial exploitation, foreign investment and industrial growth.
The state continues to offer various infrastructure projects creating artificial labor, receiving money from native and foreign capitalists, modernizing and militarizing the country, producing propaganda, etc.
The Second French Empire practically seems very different from the France of the 1870s in a short time, attributed to the Boulangisme, the persecution of the socialists, among other reasons. The noble elites, radical leftists associated with Boulanger, conservative-monarchists, and capitalists are happy, but Boulanger and the regime are not going to leave yet.
While the military presence and French colonists continues to increase in Africa (causing in part tensions and / or mobilization of natives, labor), Boulanger (and Napoleon IV, more puppet than sovereign) a new renewal of Paris to honor the new France , the renovations of the "Ville Impériale".
(OOC: Think of something similar to Hitler's Welthauptstadt Germania).
*******
*Kurdistan.
Sheikh Abdul-Kadir Ubeydullah and various Kurdish leaders meet again at the beginning of February, drafting a constitution. A Kurdish state was formed, this meant establishing Kurdish laws and powers (legislative, executive and judicial), putting things in order and deciding foreign policy, etc.
Kurdistan was proposed to be a monarchy, but although princely and noble titles were maintained, there was no one who wanted to be king or who would agree to appoint a king. Sheikh Abdul-Kadir Ubeydullah was not interested, but he installed the values of his father in the constitution.
Kurdistan became the Kurdish state, with a parliament of Kurdish chiefs for decision-making.
It was obvious that the Ottomans weren't going to want to trade, Kurdistan was landlocked and Persia didn't want to trade, so Kurdistan soon turned to Alexandrian Russia.
Russian Kurdistan was larger than independent Kurdistan, more developed and with richer citizens, and more money. It was obvious, the Russia-Kurdistan partnership was "natural".
*******
[The Bullmoose]
* Perspective of Theodore Roosevelt.
"The Travels of Theodore Roosevelt Jr".
"In Moscow I bought a Romanov car, and from Moscow I traveled to St. Petersburg on the 'scenic route', it was quite an experience in itself.
Upon my arrival I quickly notice the difference between Moscow and St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg is Russia's gateway to Europe, or that was the intention, and it showed.
While it had unmistakably Russian structures, it also had a lot of foreign inspiration. Not only that, but Saint Petersburg was a hot center for the presence of foreign artists, that is, from all over Europe (Germans, Dutch, French, English, Italians, etc). The 'Tower of the Sun' or Eiffel Tower is a classic, it has orthodox Slavic symbologies, but it is not "Russian", it has a foreign architecture (the problem is that foreigners do not appreciate it, Russians do).
Also like the capital, there was a lot of nobility, a pompous air so to speak. You could notice a "competition" between the Russian cities, Moscow as the old capital and industrial center (a metal heart) and Saint Petersburg as the new capital and cultural center (a creative brain), there were also all the other big cities with its peculiarities (Baku as a major oil producer, Vladivostok as the pearl of the Pacific, etc).
In Saint Petersburg I also found something remarkable, the mail of Tsar Alexander III, I decided that during my stay I asked for an interview for my book, and I waited for the answer ..."
*******
[Sports culture: 7th edition]
For the Seventh Edition of the Russian Soccer League, the first 4 teams are victorious, of the next edition held in Minsk.
*Minsk.
*Kharkov.
*Moscow.
*Baku.
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