alternatehistory.com

31 August

The Warsaw Mint changes the emphasis of their currency production, shifting to include more złote and fewer rubles.

Also on this date, the Sejm appoints Romuald Traugutt as the commander of all Polish armed forces. These are quite considerable in size, as the deliberate focus on liberal values (rather than strictly national ones) has kept foreign sympathy high and allowed plenty of arms purchases, and crucially the Huszaria irregulars have given the Polish time to train their new troops to a moderate standard. (They are hardly good parade-ground troops, with about the only close-order formation they are any good at being the rally square, but they are fairly effective at finding cover and using it - the typical formation is irregular dense skirmish order with the troops deliberately staying close enough together to form a quick rally square in case of cavalry.)

Romuald's first decision is to begin preparations for capturing the Warsaw Citadel - still occupied by about 7,000 Russian troops, this is a serious problem that the Polish state must solve.

3 September

Edward Reed is formally made chief constructor of the Royal Navy, succeeding Isaac Watts. Reed is very young for the task, at 33, but is considered to be an excellent choice owing to his time at the Royal Institute of Naval Architects.
His first projects are to take the current plans for the next generation ironclads in hand (succeeding the Warrior's generation, these will be the ones built with combat experience in mind from the start), and to advance plans for the harbour-defence vessels for Pearl Harbour.
He is also almost immediately approached by Cowper Coles, who wants approval for a masted turret design. Reed is not entirely sure this is a good idea - the conflict between the ideal form for a turret ship and the shrouds and mast required for a sailing vessel is considerable - though he does approve paper design work to begin immediately and asks for at least four alternative designs (of which more than one may be ordered if there is debate over which would be ideal).


5 September

Coles telegrams Armstrong asking how soon high powered breech loading armour penetrating guns can be expected. This is related to an idea of his for a particularly odd turret design - something of a mad wheeze, this is based on the idea that the Coles turret does not depend on a central spindle (using a roller path on the deck) but could potentially be built around the base of the foremast and mizzenmast. With two heavy BL guns per turret, one each side of the mast, then reloading would not significantly damage the mast.
This would still not be able to operate the turrets at all angles while under sail, but he feels it would be possible to design the rigging such that chase fire for the fore and aft turrets can be achieved while the shrouds are still present. The ship would clear for action and switch to steam before a general broadside battle.
Armstrong gives his best estimate as being around 1865 to 1866, ignorant of what Coles is planning to do with this information.


6 September

After a contentious discussion in the Confederate House of Representatives, the Foreign Relations Act passes. It will go on to the Confederate Senate, where it is expected to pass. (Essentially all the States have instructed their Senators to strongly consider the Act, as each of them is worried about what one of the others will do to accidentally get them into a war!)
On the same day, in Pennsylvania (still the temporary seat of the US Government) Congress authorizes the procurement of two broadside ironclads of the 'Defence' type (i.e. broadside frigates of comparable size to the largest wooden frigates built by the US Navy, though not as large as Warrior) to fit the specification issued previously for a sea service ironclad.