Oh yes, plantations have always been an issue. The problem at the end of the day is always the same. Large demand for work that is hard to fill and marginal profits making it hard to pay workers, hence the drift in slavery, underpayment or indentured work.
Under the Southern Cross we Stand, a sprig of Wattle in our hand
- Thread starter johnboy
- Start date
I think that is a gimme and with the expansion of Japanese interests post Meiji, a conforntation is inevitable at some stage. Maybe very soon...
Not sure about the second point, but religion was very strong in Fiji at that time. Many Chinese have indeed converted to Christianity there, hence there is a partial mixing of the two cultures.
12 December 1892, - Shipping developments
12 December 1892, Adelaide Steam Navigation Company, Adelaide, South Australia, Australasian Protectorate
SS Australis, newly refitted, docked at Adelaide, from there to go on to Perth and then on to the United Kingdom, which would be her first trip post her refit. Still the biggest ship afloat, as events would manifest themselves, she was only to undertake two voyages under her new guise.
There was a plethora of shipping companies in Australasia, conveying passengers, mail and export goods, from minerals to lamb and wool. Adelaide Steam Navigation Company had, aside from Australis, the 8,000 ton liner Pacifica, also on European routes, plus three 800 ton and one 450 ton coaster working the Perth-Adelaide to Melbourne routes, with 16 more vessels, three of the Port Nicholson to Melbourne and Adelaide route, five more on the Adelaide to Sydney route.
There was also the Australasian Steam Navigation Company, plying routes between Brisbane to Melbourne, with a variety of vessels of up to 1,200 tons. Then there was the Illawarra Steam Navigation Company, which both exported coal to Asia and worked routes on Australia's East Coast from cairns as far as Melbourne, with a fleet of 32 ships of up to 1,400 tons.
McIlwraith, McEacharn & Co worked two ships bringing migrants from Europe, but mainly was concerned with coal and mineral exports from Capricornian ports. They also ran services to Daru in New Guinea and Palmerston in North Australia. The Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company ran routes from both Hobart and Launceston to Melbourne, but also Hobart to Port Nicholson and Dunedin. It had six ships of up to 2,200 tons.
The Zealandic Steamship Company was also a large concern, running 22 vessels of up to 4,600 tons. Based in Auckland, they ran routes to Japan and China from both Auckland and Sydney, as well as to San Francisco via Auckland, Port Nicholson, and Tahiti. However, one of the largest companies was based in Port Nicholson, the Union Steamship Company and their fully owned subsidiary Windego Freight. Owning over 110 vessels, some up to 6,000 tons, they controlled coastal shipping from New Zealand, Aotearoa and Fiji, as well as most of the Pacific Islands, having many government contacts, including for mail and passengers. There vessels were many and varied, including steam liners of up to 5,000 tons. However, the company had specialised in buying clippers that had reached the end of their lives in Europe, purchasing them for very little. They saw a new lease of life in the Pacific, where ship building facilities had not kept pace with demand for freight.
Union Steamship was one of the largest companies in Australasia, wielding enough political power that they were able to convince the Australasian government in June 1892 to purchase the Pitcairn Islands from the United Kingdom for 25,000 Pounds, so that the company could use them as a stopover for their South American route to Santiago. By the end of 1892, the Australasian merchant marine had reached 725 ships and over 750,000 tons in tonnage.
SS Australis, newly refitted, docked at Adelaide, from there to go on to Perth and then on to the United Kingdom, which would be her first trip post her refit. Still the biggest ship afloat, as events would manifest themselves, she was only to undertake two voyages under her new guise.
There was a plethora of shipping companies in Australasia, conveying passengers, mail and export goods, from minerals to lamb and wool. Adelaide Steam Navigation Company had, aside from Australis, the 8,000 ton liner Pacifica, also on European routes, plus three 800 ton and one 450 ton coaster working the Perth-Adelaide to Melbourne routes, with 16 more vessels, three of the Port Nicholson to Melbourne and Adelaide route, five more on the Adelaide to Sydney route.
There was also the Australasian Steam Navigation Company, plying routes between Brisbane to Melbourne, with a variety of vessels of up to 1,200 tons. Then there was the Illawarra Steam Navigation Company, which both exported coal to Asia and worked routes on Australia's East Coast from cairns as far as Melbourne, with a fleet of 32 ships of up to 1,400 tons.
McIlwraith, McEacharn & Co worked two ships bringing migrants from Europe, but mainly was concerned with coal and mineral exports from Capricornian ports. They also ran services to Daru in New Guinea and Palmerston in North Australia. The Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company ran routes from both Hobart and Launceston to Melbourne, but also Hobart to Port Nicholson and Dunedin. It had six ships of up to 2,200 tons.
The Zealandic Steamship Company was also a large concern, running 22 vessels of up to 4,600 tons. Based in Auckland, they ran routes to Japan and China from both Auckland and Sydney, as well as to San Francisco via Auckland, Port Nicholson, and Tahiti. However, one of the largest companies was based in Port Nicholson, the Union Steamship Company and their fully owned subsidiary Windego Freight. Owning over 110 vessels, some up to 6,000 tons, they controlled coastal shipping from New Zealand, Aotearoa and Fiji, as well as most of the Pacific Islands, having many government contacts, including for mail and passengers. There vessels were many and varied, including steam liners of up to 5,000 tons. However, the company had specialised in buying clippers that had reached the end of their lives in Europe, purchasing them for very little. They saw a new lease of life in the Pacific, where ship building facilities had not kept pace with demand for freight.
Union Steamship was one of the largest companies in Australasia, wielding enough political power that they were able to convince the Australasian government in June 1892 to purchase the Pitcairn Islands from the United Kingdom for 25,000 Pounds, so that the company could use them as a stopover for their South American route to Santiago. By the end of 1892, the Australasian merchant marine had reached 725 ships and over 750,000 tons in tonnage.
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2 December 1892 - Protectorate Navy
2 December 1892, Mort's Dock, Garden Island, Sydney, Protectorate of Australasia
As the battleship New South Wales tasted the sea, it was joining a vastly more modern navy than five years ago. It consisted of:
Battleships:
2 9,728 ton Lalor Class battleships, 4x9.4 inch, 7x6inch, 12 x3 inch, 19.75 knots(Lalor, Gillies)
0+3 13,112 ton Capricornia Class battleships, 8x9.4 inch, 8x6 inch, 8x3inch, 22.5 knots (Capricornia, Aurelia, New South Wales)
Cruisers:
0+3 6,260 ton Perth Class protected cruisers, 10x6 inch, 5 TT, 25.5 knots (Perth, Port Nicholson, Palmerston)
4 5,920 ton Christchurch Class protected cruisers, 1x9.4 inch, 10x6 inch, 2TT, 18.75 knots (Christchurch, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide)
2 6,160 ton Raffaello Carboni Class protected cruisers, 10x6 inch, 3 TT, 20.5 knots (Raffaello Carboni, Suva)
2+5 1,940 ton Queenstown Class unprotected cruisers, 6x3 inch, 2 TT, 20 knots (Queenstown, Launceston, Albury, Newcastle, Dunedin, Townsville, Norfolk)
Torpedo Boat/Destroyers:
2+5 137 ton T-1 Class torpedo boat destroyers, 1x3 inch, 3TT, 24 knots
Torpedo Gunboats/Gunboats:
5 525 ton Thames Class torpedo gunboats, 2x3 inch, 4TT, 18.5 knots
4 700 ton Yarra Class gunboats, 6x3 inch, 13 knots
Others:
1 2,612 ton sail training ship, Southern Cross
1 2,700 ton old mine-layer New Guinea, 4x6 inch, 150 mines, 13 knots
2 2,172 ton small liners of troops transport and sea training, Java, Cuba
2 1,080 ton colliers
Three battleships would complete in the next 16 months, with the brand new Gillies currently on a shakedown cruise that would terminate in Hawaii before her return.
As the battleship New South Wales tasted the sea, it was joining a vastly more modern navy than five years ago. It consisted of:
Battleships:
2 9,728 ton Lalor Class battleships, 4x9.4 inch, 7x6inch, 12 x3 inch, 19.75 knots(Lalor, Gillies)
0+3 13,112 ton Capricornia Class battleships, 8x9.4 inch, 8x6 inch, 8x3inch, 22.5 knots (Capricornia, Aurelia, New South Wales)
Cruisers:
0+3 6,260 ton Perth Class protected cruisers, 10x6 inch, 5 TT, 25.5 knots (Perth, Port Nicholson, Palmerston)
4 5,920 ton Christchurch Class protected cruisers, 1x9.4 inch, 10x6 inch, 2TT, 18.75 knots (Christchurch, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide)
2 6,160 ton Raffaello Carboni Class protected cruisers, 10x6 inch, 3 TT, 20.5 knots (Raffaello Carboni, Suva)
2+5 1,940 ton Queenstown Class unprotected cruisers, 6x3 inch, 2 TT, 20 knots (Queenstown, Launceston, Albury, Newcastle, Dunedin, Townsville, Norfolk)
Torpedo Boat/Destroyers:
2+5 137 ton T-1 Class torpedo boat destroyers, 1x3 inch, 3TT, 24 knots
Torpedo Gunboats/Gunboats:
5 525 ton Thames Class torpedo gunboats, 2x3 inch, 4TT, 18.5 knots
4 700 ton Yarra Class gunboats, 6x3 inch, 13 knots
Others:
1 2,612 ton sail training ship, Southern Cross
1 2,700 ton old mine-layer New Guinea, 4x6 inch, 150 mines, 13 knots
2 2,172 ton small liners of troops transport and sea training, Java, Cuba
2 1,080 ton colliers
Three battleships would complete in the next 16 months, with the brand new Gillies currently on a shakedown cruise that would terminate in Hawaii before her return.
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11 January 1893, - A royal cruise to Hawaii
11 January 1893, PNS Gillies, Malma Bay, Kingdom of Hawaii
The battleship PNS Gilles had reached the apex of her shakedown cruise, from whence she had stopped at 14 separate ports. This was her last stop of significance, scheduled to be a seven day stop over before she made her way back to Sydney with no stops at all. She had on board the Hawaiian Princess, Victoria Kawēkiu Kaʻiulani Lunalilo Kalaninuiahilapalapa Cleghorn, generally known as Kawēkiu, returning from her schooling at Melbourne Ladies College, accompanied by her friend Daisy von Pierra. With a two month break between school years, it was seen as desirable for the girl to go home during her break before her final year of schooling in 1893.
As Captain William Rooke Cresswell supervised the ship anchoring in the bay, not far from the American cruiser Boston, he was concentrating on the fuss and feathers of getting the Hawaiian royal back onto shore. He had no idea that he had sailed his ship into a diplomatic tinderbox, a tinderbox that was about to be lit.
The battleship PNS Gilles had reached the apex of her shakedown cruise, from whence she had stopped at 14 separate ports. This was her last stop of significance, scheduled to be a seven day stop over before she made her way back to Sydney with no stops at all. She had on board the Hawaiian Princess, Victoria Kawēkiu Kaʻiulani Lunalilo Kalaninuiahilapalapa Cleghorn, generally known as Kawēkiu, returning from her schooling at Melbourne Ladies College, accompanied by her friend Daisy von Pierra. With a two month break between school years, it was seen as desirable for the girl to go home during her break before her final year of schooling in 1893.
As Captain William Rooke Cresswell supervised the ship anchoring in the bay, not far from the American cruiser Boston, he was concentrating on the fuss and feathers of getting the Hawaiian royal back onto shore. He had no idea that he had sailed his ship into a diplomatic tinderbox, a tinderbox that was about to be lit.
That probably won't happen, but she will not stay on passenger runs to Europe post the 1893 election wash up. Thankfully, the ship has partially been refitted for cargo and the vents of 1893 will see a use for her. 1893 will see a major diplomatic incident. Then a war in 1895.
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That looks like a very interesting battleship design. I assume a twin turret forward and aft, with single turrets or casemates at the corners of the superstructure. If it is four twin turrets, that is a dreadnought more than ten years before OTL. I wonder if it will be seen as a significant step forward, an earlier Lord Nelson semi-dreadnought, or will it get ignored because it only has 9.4" guns?
Yes, twins and singles. Effectively it is a mini dreadnought, just with cruiser rate weapons I suppose. For that reason, will likely not be considered. Of course, engines are still triple expansion.
Yes, it might get discounted because it only has cruiser-sized artillery, and the regular pre-dreadnought owners will say "Yes, it can fire six guns on each broadside, but they are only puny 9.4" instead of proper 12".
I doubt very much that any ships US, Australian, or otherwise are getting blown up. I expect he is returning a Hawaiian princess to Hawaii during the coup that overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy. The coup leaders invited support from the US cruiser, which is much less likely to offer such support given the presence of an Australian battleship. The question then is did they really need the support, or does the coup fail? If the latter, then what?
Maybe Hawaii becomes part of the Australasian Protectorate? If so, how does that affect US-AP relations going forward?
It should be interesting.
Perhaps, a situation not so extreme as the mentioned, USS Maine, but perhaps the situation, that the above mentioned Coup attempt or similar kind of incident, would spiral so quickly that somehow both Navies vessels, may have part of their crew on land and get involved, when/if a shooting would happen?
Or, even if, perhaps, less likely, could be happening, that the Australian Captain might be forced to take active measures to protect his ship and crew from either a mob/armed gang attempting to get/harm to the Hawaiian Royals under his watch (sames that are his government guests).
Also, I would guess, that, any possible involvement of the American ship, might be depending, on the American captain's reaction. When/if being asked to support and/or if he would witness that some of his countrymen are in danger/being shot by the Australasian... Now, in the broader context, I think that would be interesting to know, if TTL US and Japan, were able to overcome their foreign policy differences, about China and, if they're, IMO, likely sharing of interests in the Pacific (competition/opposition to Australasian ones), would turn, at least, in a de facto alliance between them...
The remaining royals flee to the Australian ship asking for protection followed by the Yank scumbags who proceed to be entirely too honest about their intentions and are promptly warned that if they attempt to board the ship they'll get scattered across the island via naval artillery? the diplomatic situation would be entertaining to say the least.
Quite possible. For that matter, it might even be better from the coup plotters' perspective if the Royal family is seen fleeing to a foreign warship instead of being in prison. She is less likely to attract sympathy if not imprisoned and easier to slander as backed by foreign (non-Hawaiian/non-American) interests when she is taking refuge on a foreign ship.
I think the presence of the two ships will tend to stalemate each other. I doubt very much that either wants to see a shooting incident between US and AP forces.
What will be really interesting is seeing how President Cleveland reacts to this. IIRC in OTL he was disgusted by the plotters and refused their entreaties to join the US. Hawaii didn't become US territory until Mckinley's term in 1898.
15 January 1893, - Spark lit
15 January 1893, United States Legation, Honolulu, Kingdom of Hawaii
Lorrin Thurston felt confident that they could proceed with their plans to overthrow the current Hawaiian royal government, based on the discussion they had held the previous night on Saturday 14th. The aim was simple enough, to replace the current government with one dominated in full by the Committee for Safety, of which Thurston was the dominating force. Last night they had agreed to “take up the subject of dethroning the Queen and proclaiming a new Government with a view of annexation to the United States."
It was the fruits of that agreement that took Thurston to a meeting with US Legation Minister John L. Stevens, whom he informed of their plans, asking him to arrange the landing of troops from the USS Boston “for the purpose of protecting life and property” of American citizens in Hawaii, in case fighting broke out during the putsch. They had fixed a date for the operation to succeed, namely Friday the 20th, a date when many government offices would not be manned after lunch and also a date whereby there should be no foreign military present, aside from Boston. Of course, secrecy was the key.
Of course, secrets are always hard to keep and there are always times when information is given to those only feigning loyalty. On morning of January 16, the Marshal of the Kingdom Charles Wilsonreceived a tip off as to the planned coup. Later that day, he requested warrants to arrest the Committee of Safety and to place the Kingdom under martial law. He was also aware that coup plotters would need a cache of arms and advised Honolulu police to be on the lookout for those transporting arms.
However, after the 'bayonet constitution", many government officials were aligned with the Committee of Safety. The plotters became aware that they had been unmasked. By noon, US Legation Minister Stevens contacted Boston. “In view of the existing critical circumstances in Honolulu, including an inadequate legal force, I request you to land marines and sailors from the ship under your command for the protection of the United States legation and United States consulate and to secure the safety of American life and property.”
Later that afternoon, troops from the USS Boston were ordered ashore by Captain Wiltse, landing around 5.00pm with the first of what was to be 34 marines and 128 sailors. Wiltse's orders to Lieutenant Commander Swinburne read as follows:
“You will take command of the battalion, and land in Honolulu for the purpose of protecting our legation and the lives and property of American citizens, and to assist in the preservation of public order. Great prudence must be exercised by both officers and men, and no action taken that is not fully warranted by the condition of affairs and by the conduct of those who may be inimical to the treaty right of American citizens. You will inform me at the earliest practicable moment of any change in the situation.”
Wilson tried to negotiate with Thurston, without success. After this, he began to collect his men for a possible confrontation. The Queen he advised to stay in the Iolani Palace. Crown Princess Kawēkiu thought it best to stay apart from her Aunt, holing up in accommodation provided by the Union Steamship Company with her friend Daisy von Pierra, who's immensely wealthy father owned part of. Captain Creswell, worried, in particular, about her safety, also dispatched a shore party of 12 sailors lead by Warrant Officer James White, a 6 foot 5 inch, 260 pound ex boxer and a man with a well founded reputation of not giving an inch.
By the morning of the 17th, Wilson and Captain of the Royal Guard, Nowlein, had rallied a force of 496 men to protect the Queen. Very early in the morning, at 0625, John Good, a revolutionist, shot Leialoha, a native policeman who was trying to stop a wagon carrying weapons to the Committee of Safety. It was to spark an unpleasant confrontation.
Lorrin Thurston felt confident that they could proceed with their plans to overthrow the current Hawaiian royal government, based on the discussion they had held the previous night on Saturday 14th. The aim was simple enough, to replace the current government with one dominated in full by the Committee for Safety, of which Thurston was the dominating force. Last night they had agreed to “take up the subject of dethroning the Queen and proclaiming a new Government with a view of annexation to the United States."
It was the fruits of that agreement that took Thurston to a meeting with US Legation Minister John L. Stevens, whom he informed of their plans, asking him to arrange the landing of troops from the USS Boston “for the purpose of protecting life and property” of American citizens in Hawaii, in case fighting broke out during the putsch. They had fixed a date for the operation to succeed, namely Friday the 20th, a date when many government offices would not be manned after lunch and also a date whereby there should be no foreign military present, aside from Boston. Of course, secrecy was the key.
Of course, secrets are always hard to keep and there are always times when information is given to those only feigning loyalty. On morning of January 16, the Marshal of the Kingdom Charles Wilsonreceived a tip off as to the planned coup. Later that day, he requested warrants to arrest the Committee of Safety and to place the Kingdom under martial law. He was also aware that coup plotters would need a cache of arms and advised Honolulu police to be on the lookout for those transporting arms.
However, after the 'bayonet constitution", many government officials were aligned with the Committee of Safety. The plotters became aware that they had been unmasked. By noon, US Legation Minister Stevens contacted Boston. “In view of the existing critical circumstances in Honolulu, including an inadequate legal force, I request you to land marines and sailors from the ship under your command for the protection of the United States legation and United States consulate and to secure the safety of American life and property.”
Later that afternoon, troops from the USS Boston were ordered ashore by Captain Wiltse, landing around 5.00pm with the first of what was to be 34 marines and 128 sailors. Wiltse's orders to Lieutenant Commander Swinburne read as follows:
“You will take command of the battalion, and land in Honolulu for the purpose of protecting our legation and the lives and property of American citizens, and to assist in the preservation of public order. Great prudence must be exercised by both officers and men, and no action taken that is not fully warranted by the condition of affairs and by the conduct of those who may be inimical to the treaty right of American citizens. You will inform me at the earliest practicable moment of any change in the situation.”
Wilson tried to negotiate with Thurston, without success. After this, he began to collect his men for a possible confrontation. The Queen he advised to stay in the Iolani Palace. Crown Princess Kawēkiu thought it best to stay apart from her Aunt, holing up in accommodation provided by the Union Steamship Company with her friend Daisy von Pierra, who's immensely wealthy father owned part of. Captain Creswell, worried, in particular, about her safety, also dispatched a shore party of 12 sailors lead by Warrant Officer James White, a 6 foot 5 inch, 260 pound ex boxer and a man with a well founded reputation of not giving an inch.
By the morning of the 17th, Wilson and Captain of the Royal Guard, Nowlein, had rallied a force of 496 men to protect the Queen. Very early in the morning, at 0625, John Good, a revolutionist, shot Leialoha, a native policeman who was trying to stop a wagon carrying weapons to the Committee of Safety. It was to spark an unpleasant confrontation.
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Yes, I think any warship explosions are off the table, at least from a saboteur point of view.