~May-Aug 1891: Growing family
May 1891: With the collapse of the Argentine banking system and their sovereign default in the wake of the Baring Crisis the International financial community has been imposing extremely high interest rates on all Latin American borrowers. The Brazilian Prime Minister Afonso Celso has been granting large loans on very favourable terms to conservative landowners as a way to placate their opposition to his reforms. Many of these landowners have been using these funds in 'get rich quick' schemes rather than productive investments, creating a large economic bubble which is now collapsing. In an effort to halt the collapse, Celso abandons his loan scheme and previous plans for a private central bank based around the Banco de Brasil, in favour of a state owned central bank to be known as the Banco Imperial do Brasil.
May 1891: The long awaited smokeless powder round is introduced for the Lee-Metford, along with a new Mark II version of the rifle to accommodate it, with new sights and an improved ten round double stack magazine.
May 1891: A joint negotiating committee is formed consisting on three US, two Canadian and one British representative to develop a new agreement regarding mutual access to fisheries and hopefully a US-Canadian free trade agreement.
June 1891: Canadian Premier John MacDonald ides unexpectedly in office. Despite his reservations due to his Catholic faith, John Thompson is persuaded to accept the post of Premier. Thompson will prove to be an extremely effective leader, contributing to a noticeable reduction in hostility and prejudice towards the French Canadian community.
June 1891: Having failed to get a home rule bill introduced, William Shaw feels compelled to stand down as leader of the Irish Reform Party to be replaced by Justin McCarthy. McCarthy immediately moves to reaffirm the party's commitment to home rule, distancing it from its previous alliance with the Liberals.
June 1891: With the success of the Treaty of Potsdam defining British and German interests in Africa the Germans have launched a diplomatic offensive in an effort to draw the British into the Triple Alliance. They highlight colonial rivalry with the French, along with mentioning Russian expansionism in the east. While the British are concerned by French imperialism and Russian expansion in Asia, the German approach falters on their insistence on a formal arrangement, and British concerns this may drag them into a war with Russia over the Balkans.
July 1891: After extensive discussions with Lord Salisbury, no suitable compromise has been reached over Campbell-Bannerman's devolution plans. Nonetheless, he is confident he can get it past the Lords with some modification and the support of the Progressive Lords. Thus a modified Regional Administration Boards Bill is introduced. The new bill separates off the primarily protestant Irish Province of Ulster as a fifth board, though still under the Irish Office. Also the provision for the creation of an English and Welsh Office is removed, with these boards falling under the Home Office, with the English board sitting in Birmingham. Additionally, a provision requiring that any ordinances relating to education does not favour a particular faith is included. While finally, all ordinances will require approval by the relevant government minister before coming into effect and control of the level of the sales tax for their funding is to be retained by Westminster. Campbell-Bannerman's belief proves correct, with the bill finally passing into law in November.
July 1891: The arbitration commission in The Hague established in 1890 to resolve the Bering Sea Sealing Dispute and the Alaskan Boundary Dispute delivers its findings. Regarding the Bering Sea Sealing Dispute, the arbitration commission finds in favour of the British and Canadians on all points and awards Canada $500,000 {£108,050} in compensation for interference with its sealing industry. However it also imposes a serious of restrictions on the taking of seals intended to preserve the seal herds. Regarding the Alaskan boundary it establishes a compromise solution, roughly dividing the competing claims in half and awarding much of the Lynn Canal to Canada. The results of the arbitration are generally well received in Canada and the US, though some in the US feel too much had been granted to the Canadians.
July 1891: In an attempt to deal with growing land agitation in Scotland, the Congested Districts (Scotland) Act is passed. Nearly identical to the 1888 Irish congested districts legislation, it sets up similar Congested District Boards in Scotland with the same objective.
July 1891: Since 1887 Tsar Alexander III's attempts to modernise have been hampered by a ban in Germany on investment in Russia. Additionally, the end of the League of Three Emperors last year has left the Russians without a Great Power ally. Seeing an opportunity to end France's isolation after the Franco-Prussian War, President Sadi Carnot dispatches a French naval squadron to Krondsadt on a 'goodwill mission.' However the squadron carries a secret proposal offering French investment and an alliance. The Russians, now themselves isolated, are eager for the proposed alliance and respond positively,
August 1891: In light of the concerns expressed at the Durban Imperial Conference regarding the concentration of the shipbuilding industry in Britain, the Royal Dockyard (Triconmalee) Act is passed, It authorises the expansion of the Royal Dockyard at Triconmalee in Ceylon to repair and construct the largest ships envisaged in the foreseeable future. The act includes provision for the establishment of an ordnance factory capable of producing naval artillery of all calibres and the construction of the Queen Victoria Graving Dock, which at over 280m will be the largest graving dock in the world.
August 1891: As a counter to the Brazilian armoured cruiser ordered from the US, the Chileans order a 7,000 ton armoured cruiser from the UK. This, along with the earlier Brazilian order greatly alarms the Argentians, Despite their dire economic situation they are able to raise loans to order two armoured Cruisers from Italy. Based on the Vettor Pisani class, they mount two 8" guns and eight 6" guns.
August 1891: The communist Second International hold their next Congress in Brussels. Once again representatives from the anarchist Black International also attend, despite their still being considerable discord between the two groups. The anarchists push heavily for the Congress to support their intention to organise general strikes for May Day next year, however this meets with considerable resistance. Nonetheless a tentative agreement for cooperation is eventually reached. The Congress is also deeply divided over the issues of anti-Jewish racism and women's rights. A resolution condemning persecution of the Jewish people is modified by members in the French delegation to also condemn the 'Semitic' tyranny over the working class by 'Jewish financiers and banks.' On women's rights, no specific resolutions are adopted beyond a declaration that the liberation of women will only be brought about by achieving a 'true socialist state.' These disputes serve to further increase the divide between the anarchist and communists. Finally it is agreed a Third Congress should be held in Zurich in 1893.
