Lincoln’s reputation in the present might suffer but future generations will realise what an utter chad he was for preventing America from having race problems for decades more to come.
Fenians, Brits, Mexicans, Canucks and Frenchies....OH, MY! An alternate American Civil War
- Thread starter Alt History Buff
- Start date
Chapter 60
May, 1865
London
First Lord Disraeli would heave a sign of relief when the American copy of the Treaty of Madrid arrived in Lord Derby's office by the hand of the Ambassador (once again Adams). The entire conflict was an abject waste of time and money which ended up damaging Britain as much as America.
The direct cost of the war in gold and the loss of Canada would, no doubt, be foremost on the minds of his people but Disraeli suspected the true long term damage done by the war was that it blinded Britain to the events in the Ottoman. No one, not even Disraeli, had suspected the Russians could so easily overrun most of the Ottoman Empire. Allied with most of the denizens of the Balkans, France (inferred given the French naval forces arrayed in the region) and Egypt, the Russian bear had somehow maneuvered itself into a dominant position in the eastern Mediterranean.
Perhaps just as alarmingly, the French hegemon in western Europe seemed complete. With no enemies along her borders and allies blocking her POTENTIAL enemies in Prussia and Austria, it seemed likely that the Emperor felt more and more secure by the day.
Naturally, Lord Derby had spent much of his tenure attempting to find counters to this French expansionism but precious little could be done beyond declaring war upon France, Russia, the Balkans states, Egypt, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
Naturally this was absurd. No direct British colony or ally had been taken...unless one counted the Ottoman and Britain possessed no hope of reversing THAT disaster. Attempting to do so would only bring disgrace and dishonor to Her Majesty's troops.
In short, it had been a bad decade so far and Disraeli was uncertain if it would get much better in the near term.
Naturally, Derby was looking into alliances but there seemed to be few realistic options to counter the French and Russian Hegemonies splitting most of Europe.
Spain remained unattached but that nation was clearly in decline and hardly on the best of terms with Britain after Her Majesty's forces quietly informed the Spanish that further territorial gains in Morocco would NOT be taken well.
Portugal, an old British ally, was at best a tertiary power in Europe as was the Netherlands. Neither were interested in involving themselves in the affairs of Great Powers. Belgium had slowly entered the French orbit while the Scandinavians, having suffered defeat again and again at the hands of Russians and Germans, were now satisfied with observing European affairs. With the exception of the moderately strong Swedish and Danish navies, there remained little potential for adding much to a British alliance anyway.
That left only Prussia, no doubt scarred by the defeats of the past war, and Austria, also bitter and resentful of Russia, France and Italy. Forming a coalition with BOTH Prussia and Austria might have promise....if the two weren't perpetually at one another's throats. As it was, neither were open to anything resembling an alliance with Britain as it was unlikely Britain could or would do much to aid them on the continent and they couldn't or wouldn't do the same with Britain on the global stage.
America had never been one for alliances and, well, relations weren't exactly at their best ebb at the moment.
No, there seemed to be no other option than Britain going it almost along and serving her own interests.
In some ways, this could be liberating. More often than not, in fact. But the way the European and global power struggle was playing out, it seemed likely that Britain may need help at some time in the future.
Beijing
With the horrific "Taiping Rebellion" having finally been crushed in 1864, the Emperor's government would rededicate itself to modernization initiatives part of the "Self-Strengthening Movement".
Twice in the past 25 years, China had been humiliated by the Europeans in the Opium Wars, who forced huge indemnities upon China. For want of a few modern arms and ships, the Middle Kingdom was placed in a subordinate position to barbarians. This weakness led to a number of large rebellions of which the Taiping were only the most notable.
Factories and technology were imported from the west in hopes that China's armed forces may be strengthened to the point that it may finally be independent again.
Oddly, the Opium-led drain in silver specie for the past century had been almost halted by....the effective legalization of domestic opium production. The opium poppy may be grown virtually anywhere and domestic producers at least competed with the British Indian product. While still officially banned in some areas, the assorted provincial governments were lenient enough to local growers as they may tax the proceeds. In some regions of Chain, it became an important revenue source and the use of opium was getting largely de-stigmatized.
Though not preferred, the situation also inexorably led China another step or two to regaining her sovereignty.
Hawaii
King Kamehameha would see the writing on the wall. American missionaries seemed to be crawling through the Kingdom. His late brother had fought hard to avoid being annexed by that nation and instead pressed British and French citizens into service of his government. But now, with France and Britain at odds, it seemed he must make a choice of who to ally with. All three nations were pressing for him to lease Pearl Harbor.
In the end, Kamehameha opted to go with the least offensive of the three, the British. They received Pearl Harbor's lease and the King purged most of the American and French from his government.
It would be the beginning of the end for an independent Hawaii.
London
First Lord Disraeli would heave a sign of relief when the American copy of the Treaty of Madrid arrived in Lord Derby's office by the hand of the Ambassador (once again Adams). The entire conflict was an abject waste of time and money which ended up damaging Britain as much as America.
The direct cost of the war in gold and the loss of Canada would, no doubt, be foremost on the minds of his people but Disraeli suspected the true long term damage done by the war was that it blinded Britain to the events in the Ottoman. No one, not even Disraeli, had suspected the Russians could so easily overrun most of the Ottoman Empire. Allied with most of the denizens of the Balkans, France (inferred given the French naval forces arrayed in the region) and Egypt, the Russian bear had somehow maneuvered itself into a dominant position in the eastern Mediterranean.
Perhaps just as alarmingly, the French hegemon in western Europe seemed complete. With no enemies along her borders and allies blocking her POTENTIAL enemies in Prussia and Austria, it seemed likely that the Emperor felt more and more secure by the day.
Naturally, Lord Derby had spent much of his tenure attempting to find counters to this French expansionism but precious little could be done beyond declaring war upon France, Russia, the Balkans states, Egypt, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
Naturally this was absurd. No direct British colony or ally had been taken...unless one counted the Ottoman and Britain possessed no hope of reversing THAT disaster. Attempting to do so would only bring disgrace and dishonor to Her Majesty's troops.
In short, it had been a bad decade so far and Disraeli was uncertain if it would get much better in the near term.
Naturally, Derby was looking into alliances but there seemed to be few realistic options to counter the French and Russian Hegemonies splitting most of Europe.
Spain remained unattached but that nation was clearly in decline and hardly on the best of terms with Britain after Her Majesty's forces quietly informed the Spanish that further territorial gains in Morocco would NOT be taken well.
Portugal, an old British ally, was at best a tertiary power in Europe as was the Netherlands. Neither were interested in involving themselves in the affairs of Great Powers. Belgium had slowly entered the French orbit while the Scandinavians, having suffered defeat again and again at the hands of Russians and Germans, were now satisfied with observing European affairs. With the exception of the moderately strong Swedish and Danish navies, there remained little potential for adding much to a British alliance anyway.
That left only Prussia, no doubt scarred by the defeats of the past war, and Austria, also bitter and resentful of Russia, France and Italy. Forming a coalition with BOTH Prussia and Austria might have promise....if the two weren't perpetually at one another's throats. As it was, neither were open to anything resembling an alliance with Britain as it was unlikely Britain could or would do much to aid them on the continent and they couldn't or wouldn't do the same with Britain on the global stage.
America had never been one for alliances and, well, relations weren't exactly at their best ebb at the moment.
No, there seemed to be no other option than Britain going it almost along and serving her own interests.
In some ways, this could be liberating. More often than not, in fact. But the way the European and global power struggle was playing out, it seemed likely that Britain may need help at some time in the future.
Beijing
With the horrific "Taiping Rebellion" having finally been crushed in 1864, the Emperor's government would rededicate itself to modernization initiatives part of the "Self-Strengthening Movement".
Twice in the past 25 years, China had been humiliated by the Europeans in the Opium Wars, who forced huge indemnities upon China. For want of a few modern arms and ships, the Middle Kingdom was placed in a subordinate position to barbarians. This weakness led to a number of large rebellions of which the Taiping were only the most notable.
Factories and technology were imported from the west in hopes that China's armed forces may be strengthened to the point that it may finally be independent again.
Oddly, the Opium-led drain in silver specie for the past century had been almost halted by....the effective legalization of domestic opium production. The opium poppy may be grown virtually anywhere and domestic producers at least competed with the British Indian product. While still officially banned in some areas, the assorted provincial governments were lenient enough to local growers as they may tax the proceeds. In some regions of Chain, it became an important revenue source and the use of opium was getting largely de-stigmatized.
Though not preferred, the situation also inexorably led China another step or two to regaining her sovereignty.
Hawaii
King Kamehameha would see the writing on the wall. American missionaries seemed to be crawling through the Kingdom. His late brother had fought hard to avoid being annexed by that nation and instead pressed British and French citizens into service of his government. But now, with France and Britain at odds, it seemed he must make a choice of who to ally with. All three nations were pressing for him to lease Pearl Harbor.
In the end, Kamehameha opted to go with the least offensive of the three, the British. They received Pearl Harbor's lease and the King purged most of the American and French from his government.
It would be the beginning of the end for an independent Hawaii.
Strictly speaking, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery everywhere in America as the emancipation proclamation was a wartime executive order and was open to challenge in the courts.It also would need to be reissued every 2 years.
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I am not sure how voting rights will prevent race problems in the future.
I got the impression that was the plan. Whether freedfolks agree to it is another story.
Chapter 61
May - 1865
Paris
Jefferson Davis managed to keep the smirk off his face as the details of Bazaine's surrender were disseminated to the newspapers. By 1865, two years of living in France had brushed the former Confederate up on his French (not his best subject at West Point). Over the years, he'd received numerous ill-tempered letters from former Confederates condemning him for fleeing the Confederacy and leaving his constituents to their fates while he "lived high on the hog in Paree". He was also accusing of embezzlement for taking with him tens of thousands of Pounds Sterling in British gold which had arrived just before the Confederacy collapsed. While he had shared this money freely with several expatriates like himself, the truth was that it did not belong to him personally and he felt a bit of shame at using it to sustain his family in Paris (an expensive town).
Naturally, the French Foreign Ministry had sent numerous entreaties to Davis over the past few months gauging if he may attempt to raise another rebellion in the Confederacy. The blatant attempts to get Davis to fight their war for them were as obvious as they were insulting. Even a threat to revoke his passport was met with amused contempt.
Davis had lost his war. Even if he COULD raise an army among the Confederacy, there would be no James Buchanan to sit around and watch him do it. With already 150,000 Union soldiers in the South, it would be easy to crush another rebellion.
And what was the point?
The slaves had been freed. They were reportedly partaking in an exodus away from their plantations. For all the claims made that the 2nd American Revolution was about "States' Rights" or over differences in Tariff Policy..........it was always about slavery, of course. Now that the slaves had been freed, what was the point to another War of Secession beyond bruised feelings?
To hell with the French. He'd laughed when he heard that the French Navy had been defeated, followed up quickly by their army.
Offers of pardon for all ex-Confederates had largely been sincere, Davis was pleased to see. Even John Floyd, the former Secretary of War who, under Buchanan, had quietly moved Federal supplies into pro-Secessionist hands, had seen his sentence of death for treason (Davis had to admit he'd agree with that jury) commuted by Lincoln to ten years in prison.
But Davis had been the face of the Confederacy. Short of spending his life groveling to the Union sops over his regret at sundering the nation, he doubted he'd ever be left alone.
Paris was nice enough. Nice enough place to die in.
Paris
Napoleon III was a bold man but a reasonable one. His gamble in North America failed but he was not broke yet. He was still in the game. Opportunists were, by nature, pragmatists. He would not be the Emperor of Mexico. Too bad.
He'd put his enemies on the back foot for years. A few reverses wouldn't seriously weaken France. That was something.
Seeing no point in delaying the inevitable, he called for the American Ambassador and finally suggested a formal peace. He'd already ordered all French warships to halt offensive operations and only fire in their own defense.
The French had other irons in the fire and the Legion could be best used elsewhere rather than rotting in an American and Mexican prison camp.
Veracruz
With no hint of a French invasion fleet, the armies of Grant and Lee would board vessels for home. Longstreet returned to America with 3000 more men in early may, while Jackson, Thomas and Smith followed later in the month. Eventually, the 30,000 man American Army would be winnowed down to 10,000 by early July (no one wanted to be in Mexico for another July, no one).
Lee would be recalled a few weeks later to report, leaving Grant in command of the consolidated American forces, now largely confined to garrisons in Tampico and Veracruz. Grant was certain Lee's resignation from the army would be forthcoming the same day. The old Virginian had suffered greatly, torn between his country and his state. He deserved an honorable retirement.
Throughout the rest of Mexico, Juarez did not appear to be having too many problems regaining control of the country. Zaragoza had hunted down a few of the Junta Generals and Senators but most willingly surrendered.
There would be no further major insurrections and the Americans would not be called upon to settle Mexican affairs. This was a great relief to Grant and Lee as neither desired to clash swords with the Mexicans again. Twice in one lifetime was more than enough. These were a tough people acclimated to a harsh climate. Far better to leave it to them.
Between the obvious withdrawal of American forces and the Lincoln Administration somehow coming up with a lump sum payment to Mexico to reliquidate the Mexican Treasury, relations with the locals were going well enough. The Americans were largely out of sight of most of the country, being isolated in a couple of port cities keeping guard on the French prisoners.
To Grant's surprise, Lincoln even offered an updated Treaty with Juarez, obviously intending to bolster the little Mestizo's local popularity. Having granted Baja California to America in his near-exile in North Mexico, Juarez had also put some of the northern territories up as collateral for American gold, military aid, etc. He'd promised mining rights to American concerns as a form of payment with Sonora being the collateral. The new Treaty eliminated this provision as the "Junta" government trumpeted Juarez selling off the country as part of their propaganda.
Grant might have offered Baja California back, god knows it couldn't be worth much, but that would be unpopular in Washington.
It seemed a good enough compromise in the General's estimation. A strong and Republican Mexico could only serve America's interests. A weak and poor one would be a constant threat either of banditry or foreign invasion. The Monroe Doctrine was only a set of pretty words until backed up by steel. But keeping European nations out of the Americans was best accomplished with trade, prosperity and freedom.
Grant was sure Lincoln had it right.
Who knows? Maybe he would eventually accept the offer of the Republican Party to take office someday. Maybe Secretary of Defense?
Who could say?
Paris
Jefferson Davis managed to keep the smirk off his face as the details of Bazaine's surrender were disseminated to the newspapers. By 1865, two years of living in France had brushed the former Confederate up on his French (not his best subject at West Point). Over the years, he'd received numerous ill-tempered letters from former Confederates condemning him for fleeing the Confederacy and leaving his constituents to their fates while he "lived high on the hog in Paree". He was also accusing of embezzlement for taking with him tens of thousands of Pounds Sterling in British gold which had arrived just before the Confederacy collapsed. While he had shared this money freely with several expatriates like himself, the truth was that it did not belong to him personally and he felt a bit of shame at using it to sustain his family in Paris (an expensive town).
Naturally, the French Foreign Ministry had sent numerous entreaties to Davis over the past few months gauging if he may attempt to raise another rebellion in the Confederacy. The blatant attempts to get Davis to fight their war for them were as obvious as they were insulting. Even a threat to revoke his passport was met with amused contempt.
Davis had lost his war. Even if he COULD raise an army among the Confederacy, there would be no James Buchanan to sit around and watch him do it. With already 150,000 Union soldiers in the South, it would be easy to crush another rebellion.
And what was the point?
The slaves had been freed. They were reportedly partaking in an exodus away from their plantations. For all the claims made that the 2nd American Revolution was about "States' Rights" or over differences in Tariff Policy..........it was always about slavery, of course. Now that the slaves had been freed, what was the point to another War of Secession beyond bruised feelings?
To hell with the French. He'd laughed when he heard that the French Navy had been defeated, followed up quickly by their army.
Offers of pardon for all ex-Confederates had largely been sincere, Davis was pleased to see. Even John Floyd, the former Secretary of War who, under Buchanan, had quietly moved Federal supplies into pro-Secessionist hands, had seen his sentence of death for treason (Davis had to admit he'd agree with that jury) commuted by Lincoln to ten years in prison.
But Davis had been the face of the Confederacy. Short of spending his life groveling to the Union sops over his regret at sundering the nation, he doubted he'd ever be left alone.
Paris was nice enough. Nice enough place to die in.
Paris
Napoleon III was a bold man but a reasonable one. His gamble in North America failed but he was not broke yet. He was still in the game. Opportunists were, by nature, pragmatists. He would not be the Emperor of Mexico. Too bad.
He'd put his enemies on the back foot for years. A few reverses wouldn't seriously weaken France. That was something.
Seeing no point in delaying the inevitable, he called for the American Ambassador and finally suggested a formal peace. He'd already ordered all French warships to halt offensive operations and only fire in their own defense.
The French had other irons in the fire and the Legion could be best used elsewhere rather than rotting in an American and Mexican prison camp.
Veracruz
With no hint of a French invasion fleet, the armies of Grant and Lee would board vessels for home. Longstreet returned to America with 3000 more men in early may, while Jackson, Thomas and Smith followed later in the month. Eventually, the 30,000 man American Army would be winnowed down to 10,000 by early July (no one wanted to be in Mexico for another July, no one).
Lee would be recalled a few weeks later to report, leaving Grant in command of the consolidated American forces, now largely confined to garrisons in Tampico and Veracruz. Grant was certain Lee's resignation from the army would be forthcoming the same day. The old Virginian had suffered greatly, torn between his country and his state. He deserved an honorable retirement.
Throughout the rest of Mexico, Juarez did not appear to be having too many problems regaining control of the country. Zaragoza had hunted down a few of the Junta Generals and Senators but most willingly surrendered.
There would be no further major insurrections and the Americans would not be called upon to settle Mexican affairs. This was a great relief to Grant and Lee as neither desired to clash swords with the Mexicans again. Twice in one lifetime was more than enough. These were a tough people acclimated to a harsh climate. Far better to leave it to them.
Between the obvious withdrawal of American forces and the Lincoln Administration somehow coming up with a lump sum payment to Mexico to reliquidate the Mexican Treasury, relations with the locals were going well enough. The Americans were largely out of sight of most of the country, being isolated in a couple of port cities keeping guard on the French prisoners.
To Grant's surprise, Lincoln even offered an updated Treaty with Juarez, obviously intending to bolster the little Mestizo's local popularity. Having granted Baja California to America in his near-exile in North Mexico, Juarez had also put some of the northern territories up as collateral for American gold, military aid, etc. He'd promised mining rights to American concerns as a form of payment with Sonora being the collateral. The new Treaty eliminated this provision as the "Junta" government trumpeted Juarez selling off the country as part of their propaganda.
Grant might have offered Baja California back, god knows it couldn't be worth much, but that would be unpopular in Washington.
It seemed a good enough compromise in the General's estimation. A strong and Republican Mexico could only serve America's interests. A weak and poor one would be a constant threat either of banditry or foreign invasion. The Monroe Doctrine was only a set of pretty words until backed up by steel. But keeping European nations out of the Americans was best accomplished with trade, prosperity and freedom.
Grant was sure Lincoln had it right.
Who knows? Maybe he would eventually accept the offer of the Republican Party to take office someday. Maybe Secretary of Defense?
Who could say?
Chapter 62
June, 1865
Washington, DC
With the 13th Amendment formally ratified and the 14th Amendment certain to be approved within a few months, Lincoln knew it was time to prepare for the 15th.
Lincoln deliberately chose to wait until Congress was on recess before proposing the 15th Amendment which would ensure racial equality in suffrage. The President released the news to the northern papers first, hoping his Republican supporters would add their voice to the effort.
In the meantime, Lincoln also solicited the advice of a number of southern abolitionists regarding how the southern states would resist this assuming the Amendment passed. He was surprised how many different ways poor white trash had been kept from voting over the years in a number of states. This included poll taxes, literacy tests, etc. It dawned on Lincoln that he could not allow any State to set its own requirements or procedures for voting else the 15th could easily be circumvented.
Thus, Lincoln had not only included Racial equality in electoral systems but demanded a common criteria demanded by Washington.
It would only add resistance to the Amendment but Lincoln was intent to ensure the laws would be obeyed. The Confederate states had not been truly readmitted to the Union as of yet. Lincoln would refuse to act on that matter until the other was resolved.
Of course, Lincoln had a great deal more to do.
He ordered the Transcontinental railroad completed (it had been halted by the war) and this provided new opportunities in the west. He even had a study commissioned to investigate a series of trans-continental railroads, perhaps three (north, south and middle) to connect the country.
There was also a short term money crunch. Being offered Russian America for a few million dollars in gold could not be refused no matter the consequences to the exchequer. Lincoln could be rid of another European power on the continent for a few million. That alone was worth the cash. Of course, subsidizing the government of Mexico with a "gift" (really payment for Baja California) of millions in hard currency, plus a zero interest loan, plus wiping out any debts owed to the United States Government, etc, didn't exactly cure the Secretary of the Treasury's indigestion.
But these decision were necessary and vastly cheaper than another intervention in Mexico.
At least the French had offered their armistice. Lincoln imagined that that peace would be quick and easy.
Eastern Anatolia
The "Province of Armenia, Assyria and Alevistan" would be born in 1865. To the north, a new Greek state in Trabizond was born, under the Czar as well, of course.
The Turkish Sunnis were largely ejected. Oddly, the Armenians, Assyrians and Alevis were less than supportive of this pogram. The only significant help the Russians received was from the Kurds (who were generally a mix of Shia and Sunni).
By 1865, nearly two million Turks (mostly Sunnis) had been ejected from Eastern Anatolia, greatly altering the demographics of the region.
Other minorities, like Shia Muslims, Arabs, etc were granted protection from the Russians....on their way somewhere else. The Arabs tended to end up in Syria while the Shia were granted sanctuary in Persia.
Despite an agreement to allow migration without harm, the Turks viciously attacked any Greek, Armenian, etc which had the misfortune of living in Western Anatolia, the last refuge of the Ottoman Empire. Eliminating the business classes and the most educated would not be a good short term decision and the "Sick Man" of Europe would get a great deal sicker over the next few years as the economy utterly collapsed.
The Greeks, Armenians, etc fled across the border, bitter than the Russians had tacitly agreed to do nothing as they were ejected from their homes. But Russia wanted the Turks out of Eastern Anatolia, Europe and the Levant. The Turks wanted everyone else out of Western Anatolia.
Hispaniola
The Spanish and Dominican retribution against the Haitians would be nothing short of brutal. There was no expectation or attempt of accepting a Haitian surrender. Instead, the population of the unstable former San Dominique would be ruthlessly hunted down and exterminated.
To assist in the restoration of Spanish supremacy on the island (for the first time in over 200 years), the Spanish would seek the assistance of the French Foreign Legion which was preparing to ship home from Mexico. The Emperor of France deemed this a suitable punishment for their failures and even loaned some of the African units still which had served in the French cause (excluding those that had already been summoned home in 1863). He also ordered several of the other foreign regiments (common for the era in France) to the Dominican.
Maybe they could regain their honor.
Of course, Queen Isabella would pay the Emperor for their use.
The Rio Plata
As it so happened, the 2nd Regiment of the French Foreign legion,1500 strong....and another 2000 foreign mercenaries mainly hired from Northwest Germany....would sail much further south, this time to the Rio Plata. The damned President Lopez of Paraguay had upset the Emperor's plans to form an anti-British coalition in South America.
Brazilians, Uruguayans and Argentines (minus Buenos Aires, which once again stood alone) were already preparing to invade Paraguay and put an end to this Lopez fool.
The arrival of thousands of European and African mercenaries should put a quick end to this nonsense.
Moscow
The Czar simply could never comprehend the British mind. For years, the Russians had rolled over the twitching corpse of the Ottoman Empire which had once caused all of Christendom to shiver in fear, ending the Muslim threat to Europe. Throughout all this, nary a word was spared by the British. Even the Royal Navy, which hung menacingly off Ottoman shores in the eastern Mediterranean, had barely said a word as Russian armies marched past well in their field of view.
Yet, the Ottoman state finally collapsing had left the British willing to venture an opinion. The Czar received the British Ambassador and promptly express Her Majesty's indignation about.....the Khedive selling millions of shares in the Suez Canal to France and Russia.
Really?
The British preoccupation with protecting India had led to British alliances against Russia before. It had all been so unnecessary. Neither Alexander II nor his predecessors ever had more than a passing thought at seizing India. To do so in the past would require Russian troops marching thousands of miles through some of the harshest deserts and mountains on Earth, somehow maintaining a supply line through Persia and Afghanistan.....and only THEN even REACHING India.
Even with the imminent completion of the Suez Canal, this seemed unlikely to be possible...even if the Czar wished to.
Which he DIDN'T.
Of course, at least this obsession made them fairly predictable.
However, the British Ambassador did find a way to surprise the Czar in their meeting. After the obligatory bleats and complaints, the Briton announced that Her Majesty saw fit to do something to "recover the peace and tranquility" of the Eastern Mediterranean as well as see to the protection of Ottoman citizens.
He was surprised, though in hindsight he should not have been, that the British determined to do this by seizing Crete and Cyprus, to predominantly Greek islands which had suffered under Ottoman domination. By most accounts, the locals had overthrown the Ottoman governors the better part of a year ago but Russia, her forces still battling the Ottomans in Eastern Anatolia and evicting the Turk and other European Muslims from the Balkans, hadn't bother to dispatch an occupying force as of yet.
Thinking back, the Czar recalled the Greek Ambassador begging him for a flotilla of ships and transports to carry Greek soldiers to seize the islands but he had put the fellow off.
Well, the Czar concluded, THAT may have been a mistake.
Still, the Czar was not put off much by the news. If HE could seize huge swathes of Ottoman Territory, so could the British. He rather suspected the French were kicking themselves at the moment as well.
These two islands, along with the Ionians, Malta and Gibraltar, would ensure that the Royal Navy could keep a watchful eye upon the entire Mediterranean.
If the British Ambassador was expecting to get a rise out of the Czar, he would be disappointed. In the past few years, Russian had conquered millions of square miles of territory and tens of millions of new subjects. If Queen Victoria wanted to crow about gaining two poor Greek islands, more power to her.
Such matters were beneath the notice of the Czar. However, in moment's of pique over the next few days, Alexander II would consider making some announcement regarding "adding territory" in Asia. It would probably drive the British political classes mad.
Washington, DC
With the 13th Amendment formally ratified and the 14th Amendment certain to be approved within a few months, Lincoln knew it was time to prepare for the 15th.
Lincoln deliberately chose to wait until Congress was on recess before proposing the 15th Amendment which would ensure racial equality in suffrage. The President released the news to the northern papers first, hoping his Republican supporters would add their voice to the effort.
In the meantime, Lincoln also solicited the advice of a number of southern abolitionists regarding how the southern states would resist this assuming the Amendment passed. He was surprised how many different ways poor white trash had been kept from voting over the years in a number of states. This included poll taxes, literacy tests, etc. It dawned on Lincoln that he could not allow any State to set its own requirements or procedures for voting else the 15th could easily be circumvented.
Thus, Lincoln had not only included Racial equality in electoral systems but demanded a common criteria demanded by Washington.
It would only add resistance to the Amendment but Lincoln was intent to ensure the laws would be obeyed. The Confederate states had not been truly readmitted to the Union as of yet. Lincoln would refuse to act on that matter until the other was resolved.
Of course, Lincoln had a great deal more to do.
He ordered the Transcontinental railroad completed (it had been halted by the war) and this provided new opportunities in the west. He even had a study commissioned to investigate a series of trans-continental railroads, perhaps three (north, south and middle) to connect the country.
There was also a short term money crunch. Being offered Russian America for a few million dollars in gold could not be refused no matter the consequences to the exchequer. Lincoln could be rid of another European power on the continent for a few million. That alone was worth the cash. Of course, subsidizing the government of Mexico with a "gift" (really payment for Baja California) of millions in hard currency, plus a zero interest loan, plus wiping out any debts owed to the United States Government, etc, didn't exactly cure the Secretary of the Treasury's indigestion.
But these decision were necessary and vastly cheaper than another intervention in Mexico.
At least the French had offered their armistice. Lincoln imagined that that peace would be quick and easy.
Eastern Anatolia
The "Province of Armenia, Assyria and Alevistan" would be born in 1865. To the north, a new Greek state in Trabizond was born, under the Czar as well, of course.
The Turkish Sunnis were largely ejected. Oddly, the Armenians, Assyrians and Alevis were less than supportive of this pogram. The only significant help the Russians received was from the Kurds (who were generally a mix of Shia and Sunni).
By 1865, nearly two million Turks (mostly Sunnis) had been ejected from Eastern Anatolia, greatly altering the demographics of the region.
Other minorities, like Shia Muslims, Arabs, etc were granted protection from the Russians....on their way somewhere else. The Arabs tended to end up in Syria while the Shia were granted sanctuary in Persia.
Despite an agreement to allow migration without harm, the Turks viciously attacked any Greek, Armenian, etc which had the misfortune of living in Western Anatolia, the last refuge of the Ottoman Empire. Eliminating the business classes and the most educated would not be a good short term decision and the "Sick Man" of Europe would get a great deal sicker over the next few years as the economy utterly collapsed.
The Greeks, Armenians, etc fled across the border, bitter than the Russians had tacitly agreed to do nothing as they were ejected from their homes. But Russia wanted the Turks out of Eastern Anatolia, Europe and the Levant. The Turks wanted everyone else out of Western Anatolia.
Hispaniola
The Spanish and Dominican retribution against the Haitians would be nothing short of brutal. There was no expectation or attempt of accepting a Haitian surrender. Instead, the population of the unstable former San Dominique would be ruthlessly hunted down and exterminated.
To assist in the restoration of Spanish supremacy on the island (for the first time in over 200 years), the Spanish would seek the assistance of the French Foreign Legion which was preparing to ship home from Mexico. The Emperor of France deemed this a suitable punishment for their failures and even loaned some of the African units still which had served in the French cause (excluding those that had already been summoned home in 1863). He also ordered several of the other foreign regiments (common for the era in France) to the Dominican.
Maybe they could regain their honor.
Of course, Queen Isabella would pay the Emperor for their use.
The Rio Plata
As it so happened, the 2nd Regiment of the French Foreign legion,1500 strong....and another 2000 foreign mercenaries mainly hired from Northwest Germany....would sail much further south, this time to the Rio Plata. The damned President Lopez of Paraguay had upset the Emperor's plans to form an anti-British coalition in South America.
Brazilians, Uruguayans and Argentines (minus Buenos Aires, which once again stood alone) were already preparing to invade Paraguay and put an end to this Lopez fool.
The arrival of thousands of European and African mercenaries should put a quick end to this nonsense.
Moscow
The Czar simply could never comprehend the British mind. For years, the Russians had rolled over the twitching corpse of the Ottoman Empire which had once caused all of Christendom to shiver in fear, ending the Muslim threat to Europe. Throughout all this, nary a word was spared by the British. Even the Royal Navy, which hung menacingly off Ottoman shores in the eastern Mediterranean, had barely said a word as Russian armies marched past well in their field of view.
Yet, the Ottoman state finally collapsing had left the British willing to venture an opinion. The Czar received the British Ambassador and promptly express Her Majesty's indignation about.....the Khedive selling millions of shares in the Suez Canal to France and Russia.
Really?
The British preoccupation with protecting India had led to British alliances against Russia before. It had all been so unnecessary. Neither Alexander II nor his predecessors ever had more than a passing thought at seizing India. To do so in the past would require Russian troops marching thousands of miles through some of the harshest deserts and mountains on Earth, somehow maintaining a supply line through Persia and Afghanistan.....and only THEN even REACHING India.
Even with the imminent completion of the Suez Canal, this seemed unlikely to be possible...even if the Czar wished to.
Which he DIDN'T.
Of course, at least this obsession made them fairly predictable.
However, the British Ambassador did find a way to surprise the Czar in their meeting. After the obligatory bleats and complaints, the Briton announced that Her Majesty saw fit to do something to "recover the peace and tranquility" of the Eastern Mediterranean as well as see to the protection of Ottoman citizens.
He was surprised, though in hindsight he should not have been, that the British determined to do this by seizing Crete and Cyprus, to predominantly Greek islands which had suffered under Ottoman domination. By most accounts, the locals had overthrown the Ottoman governors the better part of a year ago but Russia, her forces still battling the Ottomans in Eastern Anatolia and evicting the Turk and other European Muslims from the Balkans, hadn't bother to dispatch an occupying force as of yet.
Thinking back, the Czar recalled the Greek Ambassador begging him for a flotilla of ships and transports to carry Greek soldiers to seize the islands but he had put the fellow off.
Well, the Czar concluded, THAT may have been a mistake.
Still, the Czar was not put off much by the news. If HE could seize huge swathes of Ottoman Territory, so could the British. He rather suspected the French were kicking themselves at the moment as well.
These two islands, along with the Ionians, Malta and Gibraltar, would ensure that the Royal Navy could keep a watchful eye upon the entire Mediterranean.
If the British Ambassador was expecting to get a rise out of the Czar, he would be disappointed. In the past few years, Russian had conquered millions of square miles of territory and tens of millions of new subjects. If Queen Victoria wanted to crow about gaining two poor Greek islands, more power to her.
Such matters were beneath the notice of the Czar. However, in moment's of pique over the next few days, Alexander II would consider making some announcement regarding "adding territory" in Asia. It would probably drive the British political classes mad.
Jim Crow stalled the normalisation of race relations and civil rights for decades. If Reconstruction had stamped it out and allowed blacks their full voting rights, racists would find it much harder to rise to power, causing a trend toward moderation.
Also British Hawaii? Interesting. That locks America out of the Pacific… for now. Given how American cities were shelled, there’s no way they’re not building up a fuck huge navy and the USN can challenge the Royal Navy by 1900.
France and Russia dividing Europe between them be like.
Somehow I think Russia and the USA are gonna drive Britain crazy as the two powers become more powerful then Britain can hope to match.
With Canada lost, I’m wondering if we’ll see an Anglo majority South Africa. In any case with the loss of Canada and the rise of France, Russia, and America, Britain is gonna be scurrying to claim as much of Africa as they can to compete and with no powerful Germany and a discredited Bismarck, no Berlin conference.
Well, let aside that the butterflies of an Argentine divided between the province of BS, As., and the 'Argentine Confederation', would have made unlikely the recents political development in the region. And, even more that the leader of the landlocked Paraguay, even if a so 'overconfident' as OTL, would have decided to become so pro British,'d have been so trustful of the British support, as to risk a war over it...
But, perhaps, the French expedition,'d be 'useful', if these troops would serve as a way to dissuade/make to desist to the Paraguayan leader, and so, ITTL avoid that'd start one of the bloodiest Latin American wars...
But, if they'd fail to achieve it, then I fear that they would be pretty useless given that if there were something that the local powers not lacked were troops, but even if clearly not at European level. But, the South Americans had the key advantage that their armies could be deployed and operate either in the Chaco and in the Mato Grosso, earlier and more importantly easier supplied than the French, who would have to do it and fight, at the end of a very large logistical chain...
Chapter 63
July, 1865
I think that I had an independent Kurdistan based around Mosul.
Will Kurdistan be getting its own local government with Russian aid?
I think that I had an independent Kurdistan based around Mosul.
I've read a bit about the Paraguayan War and am intrigued about a successful Lopez. I don't see him as looking to Britain or anyone else to assistance. Therefore, I'm not sure if Britain/Buenos Aires would do anything to help.
French assistance in this TL may help offset the loss of Buenos Aires in the original TL.
Chapter 62
July, 1865
Washington
With the peace with France looking guaranteed (the final treaty was making its way across the Atlantic) looking guaranteed, President Lincoln could at last concentrate on domestic mattered.
Naturally, the 14th Amendment (Proposed) would be the priority in the fall session of Congress. It would be a relatively non-contentious approval given the lack of Southern Representation. However, the 15th (guaranteeing no hindrance based upon race) would be more contentious, no doubt. Even loyal Unionists may have trouble accepting Negroes as equals politically and economically. Only so many wanted to see their children in school with black children or see black politicians running for election.
It would all take a great deal of getting used to. However, Lincoln did see the upside. Very few states (if any) did not have SOME laws on the books which limited suffrage be it due to residence, nation of origin, economic status, etc. There were plenty of immigrants and poor white trash which had been removed from the voting process by such means, even in the northern and western states.
Lincoln was encouraged to be the President to change this. Despite being linked to the "rich", in reality, the business community of employers and employees were united in benefiting from a healthy economy. Lincoln was intent on attempting to gain support from both as long as he could. The Unionization effort was gaining steam throughout the textile and steel industries. No doubt that would come to a head sooner rather than later and probably split the manufacturing sector into an unnecessary "Labor" versus "Management". Given the option, most political parties would go towards whoever had the most votes.
Lincoln was also intent on improving the lives of the impoverished Irish immigrant, already so mistreated at home and held as dung beneath the feet of many native-born Americans for their poverty. Like many immigrant classes, the Irish had served well in the Army and Navy to preserve the Union. Letting them return to their miserable status was unacceptable. Indeed, Lincoln felt more than the occasional twinge of guilt at encouraging Ireland to rise up against the British by supplying them with arms. The entire attempt was futile and only resulted in dead Irish and a few British Regiments remaining at home. The President could not help but feel he'd used the poor Irish peasant for his own purposes and the best he could do to rectify this was improving the lives of those who reached America's shores.
But there were plenty of other issues with which to deal:
1. A demand for pensions for Union soldiers and sailors was gaining steam and Lincoln could hardly disagree no matter how the financial hardship may strain the government.
2. Congress was already hesitant to keep funding the navy despite dozens of coastal towns being leveled over the past two years.
3. The Freedmen's Bureau was reporting violence against the Negroes remaining in the south (roughly 75% of the former slaves remained in the state in which they'd been held in bondage). Lincoln ordered all of his Military Governors to do their utmost to put a stop to this.
4. Calls for the southern states to be readmitted to the Union continued ever louder. However, Lincoln was unwilling to bend until State Conventions were held upholding the 13th, impending 14th and still negotiating 15th Amendments. Nothing less would get Lincoln to move.
5. Absurdly, some members of Congress wanted the high tariffs against Britain (and presumably France once the peace was official) to be lowered. Given that America had a huge debt BECAUSE of these nations, this seemed unreasonable. It would be a long time before the "low tariffs" lobby gained ascendancy. Lincoln wanted his nation to match or exceed Britain in Manufacturing by that point and the British and French manufacturer to pay at least partially for America's wartime debt.
And there were so many more. So much to do, so little time to do it.
Saskatchewan River
Loathing the thought of seeing so many slaves walking about Louisiana as if they owned the place, Nathan Bedford Forrest agreed to sign on to an expedition exploring the vast Rupert's Land and British Columbia territories now gained by America.
However, within weeks of crossing the Plains, Forrest would be horrified to see an entire 3rd Regiment of Negro Cavalry patrolling Dakota Territory. Then, when the expedition rode even further north, he was revolted to find a dozen free black men sign on to the expedition.
This was too much, Forrest would rather loudly disparage Lincoln, the Union and all black people in a drunken stupor that night. By morning, he was found with three bullets in his back.
Oddly, he was still alive. He was sent back to Dakota under guard of three (white) porters. He would recover in the same frontier fortification which was the base of the 3rd Regiment.
Hispaniola
Over the past month, the violence only escalated as the well-armed Spanish Armies made no effort of withholding the slaughter which they'd commenced months ago. With the arrival of the French and African mercenaries, the bloodshed among the Haitians only increased.
Soon, the larger cities of Haiti had fallen and the population forced into the countryside. Despite their best efforts, the Haitians had never quite made themselves entirely self-sufficient in foodstuffs. With the transportation system breaking down as Spanish soldiers blocked roads, locally grown food would rot in the fields. Hunger would be common by Christmas and starvation by February. Naturally, disease would crop up as bodies weakened.
The worst was yet to come as more mercenaries from Cuba and Puerto Rico, spurred by promises of land grants, joined the fray. Even Europeans from Portugal, France, Italy and other locales would flock to the Spanish colors with promises of plantations in the "Pearl of the West Indies".
Washington
With the peace with France looking guaranteed (the final treaty was making its way across the Atlantic) looking guaranteed, President Lincoln could at last concentrate on domestic mattered.
Naturally, the 14th Amendment (Proposed) would be the priority in the fall session of Congress. It would be a relatively non-contentious approval given the lack of Southern Representation. However, the 15th (guaranteeing no hindrance based upon race) would be more contentious, no doubt. Even loyal Unionists may have trouble accepting Negroes as equals politically and economically. Only so many wanted to see their children in school with black children or see black politicians running for election.
It would all take a great deal of getting used to. However, Lincoln did see the upside. Very few states (if any) did not have SOME laws on the books which limited suffrage be it due to residence, nation of origin, economic status, etc. There were plenty of immigrants and poor white trash which had been removed from the voting process by such means, even in the northern and western states.
Lincoln was encouraged to be the President to change this. Despite being linked to the "rich", in reality, the business community of employers and employees were united in benefiting from a healthy economy. Lincoln was intent on attempting to gain support from both as long as he could. The Unionization effort was gaining steam throughout the textile and steel industries. No doubt that would come to a head sooner rather than later and probably split the manufacturing sector into an unnecessary "Labor" versus "Management". Given the option, most political parties would go towards whoever had the most votes.
Lincoln was also intent on improving the lives of the impoverished Irish immigrant, already so mistreated at home and held as dung beneath the feet of many native-born Americans for their poverty. Like many immigrant classes, the Irish had served well in the Army and Navy to preserve the Union. Letting them return to their miserable status was unacceptable. Indeed, Lincoln felt more than the occasional twinge of guilt at encouraging Ireland to rise up against the British by supplying them with arms. The entire attempt was futile and only resulted in dead Irish and a few British Regiments remaining at home. The President could not help but feel he'd used the poor Irish peasant for his own purposes and the best he could do to rectify this was improving the lives of those who reached America's shores.
But there were plenty of other issues with which to deal:
1. A demand for pensions for Union soldiers and sailors was gaining steam and Lincoln could hardly disagree no matter how the financial hardship may strain the government.
2. Congress was already hesitant to keep funding the navy despite dozens of coastal towns being leveled over the past two years.
3. The Freedmen's Bureau was reporting violence against the Negroes remaining in the south (roughly 75% of the former slaves remained in the state in which they'd been held in bondage). Lincoln ordered all of his Military Governors to do their utmost to put a stop to this.
4. Calls for the southern states to be readmitted to the Union continued ever louder. However, Lincoln was unwilling to bend until State Conventions were held upholding the 13th, impending 14th and still negotiating 15th Amendments. Nothing less would get Lincoln to move.
5. Absurdly, some members of Congress wanted the high tariffs against Britain (and presumably France once the peace was official) to be lowered. Given that America had a huge debt BECAUSE of these nations, this seemed unreasonable. It would be a long time before the "low tariffs" lobby gained ascendancy. Lincoln wanted his nation to match or exceed Britain in Manufacturing by that point and the British and French manufacturer to pay at least partially for America's wartime debt.
And there were so many more. So much to do, so little time to do it.
Saskatchewan River
Loathing the thought of seeing so many slaves walking about Louisiana as if they owned the place, Nathan Bedford Forrest agreed to sign on to an expedition exploring the vast Rupert's Land and British Columbia territories now gained by America.
However, within weeks of crossing the Plains, Forrest would be horrified to see an entire 3rd Regiment of Negro Cavalry patrolling Dakota Territory. Then, when the expedition rode even further north, he was revolted to find a dozen free black men sign on to the expedition.
This was too much, Forrest would rather loudly disparage Lincoln, the Union and all black people in a drunken stupor that night. By morning, he was found with three bullets in his back.
Oddly, he was still alive. He was sent back to Dakota under guard of three (white) porters. He would recover in the same frontier fortification which was the base of the 3rd Regiment.
Hispaniola
Over the past month, the violence only escalated as the well-armed Spanish Armies made no effort of withholding the slaughter which they'd commenced months ago. With the arrival of the French and African mercenaries, the bloodshed among the Haitians only increased.
Soon, the larger cities of Haiti had fallen and the population forced into the countryside. Despite their best efforts, the Haitians had never quite made themselves entirely self-sufficient in foodstuffs. With the transportation system breaking down as Spanish soldiers blocked roads, locally grown food would rot in the fields. Hunger would be common by Christmas and starvation by February. Naturally, disease would crop up as bodies weakened.
The worst was yet to come as more mercenaries from Cuba and Puerto Rico, spurred by promises of land grants, joined the fray. Even Europeans from Portugal, France, Italy and other locales would flock to the Spanish colors with promises of plantations in the "Pearl of the West Indies".
The US could build better coastal defences with heavy guns that can reach far out to sea to defend coastal cities.
Those big guns could be useful when America gets a blue water navy. The budget of coastal defence could be used to make it seem to congress that America was not spending on the navy but in reality, the money spend on improving coastal defence would be spent on building battleships on land and the tech would later be transferred to the navy.
I could see the Americans putting a lot of money into developing submarines. strangely one of the first modern submarines built was for the Fenians by John Philp holland.
en.wikipedia.org
The main purpose of early submarines would be coastal defence and breaking blockades.
The Irish rebelling and being transported to Australia could be a much larger prison escape and recuse aby American ships.
en.wikipedia.org
Those big guns could be useful when America gets a blue water navy. The budget of coastal defence could be used to make it seem to congress that America was not spending on the navy but in reality, the money spend on improving coastal defence would be spent on building battleships on land and the tech would later be transferred to the navy.
I could see the Americans putting a lot of money into developing submarines. strangely one of the first modern submarines built was for the Fenians by John Philp holland.
John Philip Holland - Wikipedia
The Irish rebelling and being transported to Australia could be a much larger prison escape and recuse aby American ships.
Catalpa rescue - Wikipedia
Chapter 63
August, 1865
Washington DC
The 14th Amendment was passed in August, much to Lincoln's relief. But the battle over the 15th Amendment would only be starting.
The first of the Kalamazoo class warships had been launched despite a concerted effort on the part of some Congressional leaders to cancel all new construction. Lincoln assured Secretary Welles that the navy would not see the budget cuts affecting so many other parts of the government (notably the Army) would not affect the Navy. Sure, large numbers of ships would be commissioned but these were mainly old sailing ships, hastily upgraded merchant ships, side-wheel river vessels, etc.
The heavy ship program would continue apace. Even the submersibles would be continually experienced upon.
London
With the American War finally over, the Disraeli Administration was pleased that the peace would bring employment back to hundreds of thousands of British weavers, though the supply of cotton had not come remotely back to pre-war levels. It was debatable that, without slavery, it ever would. The British Raj had been encouraging cotton production in India for years, even before the War between the States. Egypt, Brazil, the West Indies....many regions had spent the past years converting over to the suddenly popular cotton crop.
But none had yet come close to replacing that production.
The textile industry was changing. However, the passage of the new Suffrage Expansion laws in Britain would gain Disraeli's party a measure of popularity that would see them through the current crisis....he hoped.
At least the price of grain had plummeted.
In the meantime, the sudden collapse of the Ottoman and expansion of the Russians would no doubt lead to long term ramifications in the balance of power.
Oddly, the fears of French domination seemed to have died down as Napoleon III did not make any moves toward directly challenging the British in any particular region. He wondered if the Emperor would regret his actions in the Eastern Mediterranean someday as much as the British.
While the French had managed to secure their borders with allies (Italy and Northwest Germany) and marginalized their only continental enemies (Prussia and Austria) with lost territory and an expanding Russia to the east.
But that expanding Russia may someday bring as much heartburn to the French. Napoleon III may believe that his aims and those of the French are compatible....but Disraeli doubted that would prove the case.
Constantinople
With much fanfare, the Hagia Sofia was reborn once again as an Orthodox Christian Church. The Czar would be elated to finally regain one of the pillars of Eastern Christendom.
Damascus
The Khedive's forces had finally ejected the last of the Ottoman influence in Syria. Establishing a new Arab Dynasty would not be easy. However, Khedive Isma'il would do all he could to reduce the ethnic and religious enmity of the region. Like in Egypt, where the Christian minority had been prospering over the past few decades, the Khedive would seek to turn the Levant....and Egypt....into modern nations.
At least that was the plan. Unfortunately, the Khedive's massive overspending was already causing problems with his new "Arab Kingdom".
Washington DC
The 14th Amendment was passed in August, much to Lincoln's relief. But the battle over the 15th Amendment would only be starting.
The first of the Kalamazoo class warships had been launched despite a concerted effort on the part of some Congressional leaders to cancel all new construction. Lincoln assured Secretary Welles that the navy would not see the budget cuts affecting so many other parts of the government (notably the Army) would not affect the Navy. Sure, large numbers of ships would be commissioned but these were mainly old sailing ships, hastily upgraded merchant ships, side-wheel river vessels, etc.
The heavy ship program would continue apace. Even the submersibles would be continually experienced upon.
London
With the American War finally over, the Disraeli Administration was pleased that the peace would bring employment back to hundreds of thousands of British weavers, though the supply of cotton had not come remotely back to pre-war levels. It was debatable that, without slavery, it ever would. The British Raj had been encouraging cotton production in India for years, even before the War between the States. Egypt, Brazil, the West Indies....many regions had spent the past years converting over to the suddenly popular cotton crop.
But none had yet come close to replacing that production.
The textile industry was changing. However, the passage of the new Suffrage Expansion laws in Britain would gain Disraeli's party a measure of popularity that would see them through the current crisis....he hoped.
At least the price of grain had plummeted.
In the meantime, the sudden collapse of the Ottoman and expansion of the Russians would no doubt lead to long term ramifications in the balance of power.
Oddly, the fears of French domination seemed to have died down as Napoleon III did not make any moves toward directly challenging the British in any particular region. He wondered if the Emperor would regret his actions in the Eastern Mediterranean someday as much as the British.
While the French had managed to secure their borders with allies (Italy and Northwest Germany) and marginalized their only continental enemies (Prussia and Austria) with lost territory and an expanding Russia to the east.
But that expanding Russia may someday bring as much heartburn to the French. Napoleon III may believe that his aims and those of the French are compatible....but Disraeli doubted that would prove the case.
Constantinople
With much fanfare, the Hagia Sofia was reborn once again as an Orthodox Christian Church. The Czar would be elated to finally regain one of the pillars of Eastern Christendom.
Damascus
The Khedive's forces had finally ejected the last of the Ottoman influence in Syria. Establishing a new Arab Dynasty would not be easy. However, Khedive Isma'il would do all he could to reduce the ethnic and religious enmity of the region. Like in Egypt, where the Christian minority had been prospering over the past few decades, the Khedive would seek to turn the Levant....and Egypt....into modern nations.
At least that was the plan. Unfortunately, the Khedive's massive overspending was already causing problems with his new "Arab Kingdom".
The US could build better coastal defences with heavy guns that can reach far out to sea to defend coastal cities.
Those big guns could be useful when America gets a blue water navy. The budget of coastal defence could be used to make it seem to congress that America was not spending on the navy but in reality, the money spend on improving coastal defence would be spent on building battleships on land and the tech would later be transferred to the navy.
I could see the Americans putting a lot of money into developing submarines. strangely one of the first modern submarines built was for the Fenians by John Philp holland.
The main purpose of early submarines would be coastal defence and breaking blockades.John Philip Holland - Wikipedia
The Irish rebelling and being transported to Australia could be a much larger prison escape and recuse aby American ships.
Catalpa rescue - Wikipedia
I think I will add the submersibles to this TL as you suggest.
The royal navy will see them as not the weapon of a gentleman.
Only Fenians and Americans would use such cowardly weapons.
Firing on an enemy ship without displaying your colours could be considered to be again the rules of war.
Submarines can't do that.
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