Re: Let's Play "Rule The Waves" w/ Steve's Custom Country "Cascadia"
Posted: 2017-02-12 12:05pm
July 1919
The Shepard is commissioned.
The US Government offered compensation for the plans developed by the Navy for quadruple turrets. The offer was approved.
New power training and elevation gear continued to elude design teams. Further difficulties in Naval Ordnance held up new fuzes with improved reliability.
Progress was made, however, in newer high capacity batteries for submersibles.
The Kaiden is delayed.
The end of the war continued to reap dividends in Cascadian society. The number of worker stoppages from strikes and other forms of social upheaval were virtually disappearing from public life. It was a boring time to be a Socialist, for much of the country seemed to be enjoying a Golden Age, with prices going down and wages on the rise. Cascadian economic influence in China had become second only to Britain's, and even there it seemed that the Cascadians would challenge the British lead soon.
Unrest at 0
The Aurora was brought into the yards for reconstruction work.
August 1919
The submersible Narwhal, replacement for a similar ship sunk by the Germans in the North Sea, joined the fleet, as did the destroyers Williams and Hackett.
Work would need to be completely restarted on building a new computer machine for synthetic fire control computer. New batteries with increased capacity for submersibles were finished and readied for implementation into the fleet.
The Pressley was delayed at the yard.
The Naval Base at Tsingtao was expanded to accommodate the increasing role of the Cascadian Navy in Chinese waters. The Japanese Government issued a slight protest, insisting the expansion of Cascadian naval capability so close to their home waters was an unnecessary provocation.
The cruisers Seattle and Esquimalt were brought in for refitting.
September 1919
The Stingray and the six new minesweepers were commissioned.
More refits were completed. Champion, Reprisal, and Vancouver left the yards.
The Marine Nationale paid generously for new plans, these for improved long-wise framing on ships.
Artemis went to the yards for reconstruction.
Two more submersibles were ordered as part of the 1919 construction plan.
October 1919
At the beginning of the month, a delegation from Hungary arrived in Moscow. The remaining Hungarian nationalists informed Lenin their army couldn't remain in the field. Desertion from soldiers who wanted to return to homes in occupied territory was rife, the Germans and Romanians had rolled up their left flank in Transylvania, and the Soviet forces falling apart in Poland meant no relief from that end. If the Soviets couldn't pour another large army into the fighting, they had no choice but to seek peace.
But there was no army to give. Trotsky was successfully holding east of Warsaw, and Stalin had led the army in the South to repel a Romanian-German attempt on Odessa, but with the increased internal security need and Japanese forces massing in Manchuria, Lenin had nothing to spare. He attempted to get the Hungarians to agree to a partisan campaign, to make Hungary unoccupiable until the Soviet forces could rally.
The Hungarians left Moscow broken men. A wire was sent to the Hungarian delegation in Paris, asking them to seek terms.
The terms from Franz Ferdinand had hardened. Hungary would sign over half of their territory west of the Danube to direct Austrian rule, to compensate Austria for Galicia-Lodomeria. Slovakia, Croatia, and Bohemia-Moravia would be recognized as equal partners in a new federal imperial organization, the Danubian Imperial Federation. Hungarian authorities would pay reparations. In exchange, Franz Ferdinand, as King of Hungary, would pardon the nationalists and allow them to sit in the Diet if they gave loyalty oaths.
The Hungarians had obvious hate for the terms. British officials commented to the Foreign Office that the Emperor had let vindictiveness get in the way of sober judgement. But for Hungary, to fight on would invite occupation and far harsher terms, as victory seemed unlikely for Soviet Russia either. It was facing Germany and Austria already, it had to deal with the Finns and other nationalities demanding independence, and the Japanese and Cascadians were potential foes in the Far East. The Cascadian prospects further soured when Admiral Garrett, in an interview with the Post-Intelligencer - listed the Soviets as one threat that the Navy had to be ready to face.
France tensions to 3, Russia at 6
The writing was on the wall for the Hungarians. They accepted the terms on October 18th. Hungarian forces put down their guns a day later while the Soviet troops withdrew past Debrecen into Soviet territory. The Austro-Hungarian Civil War was over. With it would come Franz Ferdinand's new experiment in federalism, and whether or not it would function in the polyglot structure of the Empire.
The Daniels, Moreau, and Adams were commissioned.
The Constitution-class battleships were sent to the yards for refit.
Constitutions up for refit
The Garrett House
West Portland, Oregon
25 October 1919
It was, for Admiral Garrett, the remaining bright spot to his weekly routine. Saturday was the day that Sophie came over for dinner. Seeing his little girl, now a grown woman of learning and society, gave him something beyond the Navy and the difficult task of raising a defiant 15 year old.
The three were at the table together, a pot roast and other portions spread among them, and they quietly dined on the culinary talents of Mrs. Laurie.
But there was something in the air. The Admiral felt like Sophie was nervous. This worried him and, inevitably, he looked to her and said, "You needn't be silent on what's bothering you, Sophie. I'm here to talk."
Sophie finished a mouthful of food and sighed briefly. "I know, Papa. But I am afraid of hurting you."
To that he smiled gently. "I know. But it would hurt me to think you couldn't talk to me."
She didn't seem quite convinced. But after another couple of bites and a drink of wine Sophie finally relented. "Have you heard of Professor Theodore Walters, Father?"
"He is that historian at the National University," came the reply. "Before the war he interviewed me for a book he was writing on the Great North American War."
"Yes. 'The Southern Cause'." Sophie nodded. "I was in his class for a few terms, and I admit to have become a favorite student." She nearly took another bite, but stopped herself. If she drew this out, she might lose her nerve. "He is going to Europe after New Year's to research original sources on the Congress of Vienna. He asked me to accompany him as his research assistant."
The Admiral set his utensil on the table quietly. "I see," he managed. "How long?"
"A year, maybe two," she said. "Perhaps longer. It all depends on the budget the University provides for him, and if he can make any additional funds lecturing in Europe. He's already agreed to a lecture series on 19th Century North American history at Oxford this coming spring. That's why he needs me to come along, I can focus on research for the book while he handles other matters."
"And he can't find anyone else?" The question was sullen in its chillyness.
"He might, but Papa… I am the first he asked, and the opportunity…" Sophie's face beamed. "I would be assisting him in writing the book, Papa. The experience alone would… it would give me the grounding to begin my own works. And I have never been able to see Europe before."
Gabriela looked at her older sister with a mix of sadness and envy. Wordlessly she glanced toward her father.
When he spoke, it was with a tone trying desperately to be supportive. "Well, if it will help you along, I cannot be against it. Let me know if you need anything for the trip."
Sophie smiled at that. "Thank you, Papa! I'll make you proud."
He nodded at that, and tried not to notice the fuming look on Gabriela's expression.
November 1919
The Donnelly and Kaiden came out of the dockyard and joined the fleet.
The Sovereign and Richland finished reconstruction.
The Japanese Navy approached Cascadian authorities about permission to license the new higher-capacity submersible batteries being installed in the latest submersibles. Although some in the Admiralty balked at the suggestion, desire to maintain amicable relations with Japan led the Foreign Secretary push for the Admiralty's acceptance, and it was given.
With the refit plan proceeding and partially completed, Admiral Garrett presented to Naval Secretary Santiago the Office of Naval Design and Procurement's final design for the next group of Cascadian warships. The Intrepid-class battlecruiser would be of equivalent size to the Titan-class ships. A massive machinery plant would give it a flank design speed of 31 knots. 10" belt armor, 3" deck, and 14" conning tower armor would give it acceptable protection for a battlecruiser. The armament would be nine of the new 16" naval rifles in three triple turrets, sixteen 5" guns in eight dual turrets, and 16 4" deck guns. And improved torpedo defense system would improve the ship's survivability against enemy torpedoes.
The design was approved. At the end of the month, the new Intrepid was laid at Bremerton.
December 1919
New orders from South America helped to spur on a dock expansion at Hunter's Point.
The Pressly was commissioned.
The Seattle and Esquimalt finish reconstruction work.
Relations with Washington took another blow when Cascadian Socialist Representative Howard Seagall of San Francisco, attending a meeting of Great North American War veterans, denounced the United States' inability to protect racial minority groups from "savage and unequaled oppression", denouncing segregation as "the work of a diseased mind". The US Ambassador protested the remarks and prevailed on the House to censure the remarks, but the House refused to be dictated to on the matter.
When the news was reported in the US, the Southern states erupted in outrage at the insult, and many in the other states were also quick to take offense at Seagall's remarks. Numerous editorials denounced the attack on the justice of the American system - cruder critics, South and North, derided Seagall as a "racial agitator" looking to spur trouble among the non-white populace.
US tensions to 3
The Interceptor was laid to be the second Intrepid-class battlecruiser.
At the beginning of the month, the German Socialists struck. Under the direct of Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemberg, Socialist agitators and organizers started a general strike. The demand on the government was an immediate cessation of hostilities, the return of all Soviet-held land to Lenin's government, and a new set of social and political reforms aimed at crushing the power of the remaining German nobility and upper classes.
With needed supplies to the front in critical danger, the government recalled troops to restore order.
This gave Trotsky the opening he needed. The Red Army lunged with a vicious winter offensive to reclaim Polish territory and drive the Germans from East Prussia. All along the front the exhausted, cold German troops were facing the bulk of Russia's remaining reserves, thrown in one last effort to drive the Germans back.
It seemed to work. For nearly three weeks the Soviets battered their way across frozen trenches, securing bridgeheads over the Vistula and the Bug. Just a few days before Christmas Warsaw was nearly surrounded, and it looked like the Red Army would be triumphant.
But the Germans and the Poles held on. On Christmas Day, 1919, Pilsudski's Nationalist Polish Army smashed out of the encirclement alongside the German 4th Army, while outside of it the 2nd Army forced its way inside the Russian ring. The counter-attack developed into a full-blown counter-offensive, overseen by Feldmarschall August von Mackensen, that caught Trotsky's forces along the flanks and forced them to flee Warsaw. By New Year's Day the city was safe once again. The dramatic turn of fortune would be forever remarked as the "Miracle on the Vistula".
The Shepard is commissioned.
The US Government offered compensation for the plans developed by the Navy for quadruple turrets. The offer was approved.
New power training and elevation gear continued to elude design teams. Further difficulties in Naval Ordnance held up new fuzes with improved reliability.
Progress was made, however, in newer high capacity batteries for submersibles.
The Kaiden is delayed.
The end of the war continued to reap dividends in Cascadian society. The number of worker stoppages from strikes and other forms of social upheaval were virtually disappearing from public life. It was a boring time to be a Socialist, for much of the country seemed to be enjoying a Golden Age, with prices going down and wages on the rise. Cascadian economic influence in China had become second only to Britain's, and even there it seemed that the Cascadians would challenge the British lead soon.
Unrest at 0
The Aurora was brought into the yards for reconstruction work.
August 1919
The submersible Narwhal, replacement for a similar ship sunk by the Germans in the North Sea, joined the fleet, as did the destroyers Williams and Hackett.
Work would need to be completely restarted on building a new computer machine for synthetic fire control computer. New batteries with increased capacity for submersibles were finished and readied for implementation into the fleet.
The Pressley was delayed at the yard.
The Naval Base at Tsingtao was expanded to accommodate the increasing role of the Cascadian Navy in Chinese waters. The Japanese Government issued a slight protest, insisting the expansion of Cascadian naval capability so close to their home waters was an unnecessary provocation.
The cruisers Seattle and Esquimalt were brought in for refitting.
September 1919
The Stingray and the six new minesweepers were commissioned.
More refits were completed. Champion, Reprisal, and Vancouver left the yards.
The Marine Nationale paid generously for new plans, these for improved long-wise framing on ships.
Artemis went to the yards for reconstruction.
Two more submersibles were ordered as part of the 1919 construction plan.
October 1919
At the beginning of the month, a delegation from Hungary arrived in Moscow. The remaining Hungarian nationalists informed Lenin their army couldn't remain in the field. Desertion from soldiers who wanted to return to homes in occupied territory was rife, the Germans and Romanians had rolled up their left flank in Transylvania, and the Soviet forces falling apart in Poland meant no relief from that end. If the Soviets couldn't pour another large army into the fighting, they had no choice but to seek peace.
But there was no army to give. Trotsky was successfully holding east of Warsaw, and Stalin had led the army in the South to repel a Romanian-German attempt on Odessa, but with the increased internal security need and Japanese forces massing in Manchuria, Lenin had nothing to spare. He attempted to get the Hungarians to agree to a partisan campaign, to make Hungary unoccupiable until the Soviet forces could rally.
The Hungarians left Moscow broken men. A wire was sent to the Hungarian delegation in Paris, asking them to seek terms.
The terms from Franz Ferdinand had hardened. Hungary would sign over half of their territory west of the Danube to direct Austrian rule, to compensate Austria for Galicia-Lodomeria. Slovakia, Croatia, and Bohemia-Moravia would be recognized as equal partners in a new federal imperial organization, the Danubian Imperial Federation. Hungarian authorities would pay reparations. In exchange, Franz Ferdinand, as King of Hungary, would pardon the nationalists and allow them to sit in the Diet if they gave loyalty oaths.
The Hungarians had obvious hate for the terms. British officials commented to the Foreign Office that the Emperor had let vindictiveness get in the way of sober judgement. But for Hungary, to fight on would invite occupation and far harsher terms, as victory seemed unlikely for Soviet Russia either. It was facing Germany and Austria already, it had to deal with the Finns and other nationalities demanding independence, and the Japanese and Cascadians were potential foes in the Far East. The Cascadian prospects further soured when Admiral Garrett, in an interview with the Post-Intelligencer - listed the Soviets as one threat that the Navy had to be ready to face.
France tensions to 3, Russia at 6
The writing was on the wall for the Hungarians. They accepted the terms on October 18th. Hungarian forces put down their guns a day later while the Soviet troops withdrew past Debrecen into Soviet territory. The Austro-Hungarian Civil War was over. With it would come Franz Ferdinand's new experiment in federalism, and whether or not it would function in the polyglot structure of the Empire.
The Daniels, Moreau, and Adams were commissioned.
The Constitution-class battleships were sent to the yards for refit.
Constitutions up for refit
The Garrett House
West Portland, Oregon
25 October 1919
It was, for Admiral Garrett, the remaining bright spot to his weekly routine. Saturday was the day that Sophie came over for dinner. Seeing his little girl, now a grown woman of learning and society, gave him something beyond the Navy and the difficult task of raising a defiant 15 year old.
The three were at the table together, a pot roast and other portions spread among them, and they quietly dined on the culinary talents of Mrs. Laurie.
But there was something in the air. The Admiral felt like Sophie was nervous. This worried him and, inevitably, he looked to her and said, "You needn't be silent on what's bothering you, Sophie. I'm here to talk."
Sophie finished a mouthful of food and sighed briefly. "I know, Papa. But I am afraid of hurting you."
To that he smiled gently. "I know. But it would hurt me to think you couldn't talk to me."
She didn't seem quite convinced. But after another couple of bites and a drink of wine Sophie finally relented. "Have you heard of Professor Theodore Walters, Father?"
"He is that historian at the National University," came the reply. "Before the war he interviewed me for a book he was writing on the Great North American War."
"Yes. 'The Southern Cause'." Sophie nodded. "I was in his class for a few terms, and I admit to have become a favorite student." She nearly took another bite, but stopped herself. If she drew this out, she might lose her nerve. "He is going to Europe after New Year's to research original sources on the Congress of Vienna. He asked me to accompany him as his research assistant."
The Admiral set his utensil on the table quietly. "I see," he managed. "How long?"
"A year, maybe two," she said. "Perhaps longer. It all depends on the budget the University provides for him, and if he can make any additional funds lecturing in Europe. He's already agreed to a lecture series on 19th Century North American history at Oxford this coming spring. That's why he needs me to come along, I can focus on research for the book while he handles other matters."
"And he can't find anyone else?" The question was sullen in its chillyness.
"He might, but Papa… I am the first he asked, and the opportunity…" Sophie's face beamed. "I would be assisting him in writing the book, Papa. The experience alone would… it would give me the grounding to begin my own works. And I have never been able to see Europe before."
Gabriela looked at her older sister with a mix of sadness and envy. Wordlessly she glanced toward her father.
When he spoke, it was with a tone trying desperately to be supportive. "Well, if it will help you along, I cannot be against it. Let me know if you need anything for the trip."
Sophie smiled at that. "Thank you, Papa! I'll make you proud."
He nodded at that, and tried not to notice the fuming look on Gabriela's expression.
November 1919
The Donnelly and Kaiden came out of the dockyard and joined the fleet.
The Sovereign and Richland finished reconstruction.
The Japanese Navy approached Cascadian authorities about permission to license the new higher-capacity submersible batteries being installed in the latest submersibles. Although some in the Admiralty balked at the suggestion, desire to maintain amicable relations with Japan led the Foreign Secretary push for the Admiralty's acceptance, and it was given.
With the refit plan proceeding and partially completed, Admiral Garrett presented to Naval Secretary Santiago the Office of Naval Design and Procurement's final design for the next group of Cascadian warships. The Intrepid-class battlecruiser would be of equivalent size to the Titan-class ships. A massive machinery plant would give it a flank design speed of 31 knots. 10" belt armor, 3" deck, and 14" conning tower armor would give it acceptable protection for a battlecruiser. The armament would be nine of the new 16" naval rifles in three triple turrets, sixteen 5" guns in eight dual turrets, and 16 4" deck guns. And improved torpedo defense system would improve the ship's survivability against enemy torpedoes.
The design was approved. At the end of the month, the new Intrepid was laid at Bremerton.
December 1919
New orders from South America helped to spur on a dock expansion at Hunter's Point.
The Pressly was commissioned.
The Seattle and Esquimalt finish reconstruction work.
Relations with Washington took another blow when Cascadian Socialist Representative Howard Seagall of San Francisco, attending a meeting of Great North American War veterans, denounced the United States' inability to protect racial minority groups from "savage and unequaled oppression", denouncing segregation as "the work of a diseased mind". The US Ambassador protested the remarks and prevailed on the House to censure the remarks, but the House refused to be dictated to on the matter.
When the news was reported in the US, the Southern states erupted in outrage at the insult, and many in the other states were also quick to take offense at Seagall's remarks. Numerous editorials denounced the attack on the justice of the American system - cruder critics, South and North, derided Seagall as a "racial agitator" looking to spur trouble among the non-white populace.
US tensions to 3
The Interceptor was laid to be the second Intrepid-class battlecruiser.
At the beginning of the month, the German Socialists struck. Under the direct of Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemberg, Socialist agitators and organizers started a general strike. The demand on the government was an immediate cessation of hostilities, the return of all Soviet-held land to Lenin's government, and a new set of social and political reforms aimed at crushing the power of the remaining German nobility and upper classes.
With needed supplies to the front in critical danger, the government recalled troops to restore order.
This gave Trotsky the opening he needed. The Red Army lunged with a vicious winter offensive to reclaim Polish territory and drive the Germans from East Prussia. All along the front the exhausted, cold German troops were facing the bulk of Russia's remaining reserves, thrown in one last effort to drive the Germans back.
It seemed to work. For nearly three weeks the Soviets battered their way across frozen trenches, securing bridgeheads over the Vistula and the Bug. Just a few days before Christmas Warsaw was nearly surrounded, and it looked like the Red Army would be triumphant.
But the Germans and the Poles held on. On Christmas Day, 1919, Pilsudski's Nationalist Polish Army smashed out of the encirclement alongside the German 4th Army, while outside of it the 2nd Army forced its way inside the Russian ring. The counter-attack developed into a full-blown counter-offensive, overseen by Feldmarschall August von Mackensen, that caught Trotsky's forces along the flanks and forced them to flee Warsaw. By New Year's Day the city was safe once again. The dramatic turn of fortune would be forever remarked as the "Miracle on the Vistula".