~Sept-Dec 1898: Downward spirals
September 1898: With the Gew 88 Commission rifle having proved to have many issues in service, the German army has been looking for a replacement. After several years of trials, a further improved version of the Mauser M1895 is adopted as the Gewehr 1898. Despite the adoption of the new rifle, production will be limited with an initial order of only 65,000 examples.
September 1898: While work on the Main Trunk Line across New Zealand's North Island Volcanic Plateau has progressed well, the line is now faced with the challenge of crossing the 200m drop from the plateau to the Whanganui River. The problem is solved by engineer Robert Holmes who proposes constructing a route which would loop back then spiral down by utilising tunnels and bridges. The proposed route would reduce the gradient from 1 in 24 to a manageable 1 in 52. The Ruarimu Spiral will be acknowledged as one of the greatest feats of railway engineering of the era.
September 1898: US Secretary of State William Day is appointed to lead the negotiation of a peace treaty with Spain. John Hay, ambassador to Britain is appointed as his replacement. Hay will lead the US to pursue a highly pro-British foreign policy.
September 1898: A new Famine Relief (India) Act is passed, implementing the recommendations of the Temple Report. Not only does the act increase the funding of the Indian Famine Relief Commission, it includes funding to encourage a move away from subsistence agriculture in India. These measures will be supplemented by similar legislation passed by all the Indian Provincial assemblies. As the Relief Commission's funds have been all but exhausted, an immediate cash injection of £1,500,000 {£1,629,573}, jointly funded by the British and Indian governments, is include in the act.
September 1898: The Vickers Canada shipyard in Montreal is completed and the Quebec, first of two Highflyer class protected cruisers is laid down. She will be followed by the first two St Lawrence class destroyers, HMCS Saguenay and HMCS Margaree, to be built in Canada.
September 1898: The Guangxu Emperor announces his most ambitious reform to date, a plan to transform China into a constitutional monarchy. A formal written constitution is to be drafted by 1900, followed by provincial elections in 1902 and national elections for an Imperial Parliament in 1904. Fearing these plans will undermine the fundamental basis of Qing power, the proposals alienate many moderate reformers who had previously supported the Emperor's program.
October 1898: In line with the Liberal Government's policy of regional devolution in Britain, a new Regional Assemblies Act is passed. While the act only extends the six regional assemblies competence to include agriculture, roading and Retail trading hours, it for the first time gives them the power to impose a sales tax on certain items giving them some limited control over their own finances. It also finally establishes a Welsh Office separate from the Home Office. Despite the limited expansion of the regional assemblies powers, these last two provisions again create considerable controversy, with the act only narrowly passing the Lords.
October 1898: With the Lebel Mle 1886 rifle rapidly falling behind the more modern service rifles which have been introduced since its entry to service, the French redesign the 8mm Lebel cartridge in attempt to improve its performance. The new Balle D round will once again be a revolution in small arms design. The Balle D bullet will feature a streamlined pointed tip and boat tail rear, increasing its muzzle velocity from 628m/s to 700m/s giving a flatter trajectory resulting in increased point blank range along with increased wounding potential.
October 1898: The years of reform coupled with the austerity measures forced by Brazil's economic depression have built up considerable opposition amongst the Brazilian elites. This boils over in an attempt by politician Ruy Barbossa to lead a coup to overthrow the government. Unlike the 1889 coup attempt, the plotters do aim to install a republic, rather their intent is to replace Empress Isabel with her cousin Prince Pedro Augusto. While the coup attempt does gain some support in the military, the majority of officers remain loyal. Barbosa's attempt to seize the General Assembly is thwarted by National Guard and Marines. However he is able to gain support in the southern province of Rio Grande do Sul and he able to start an insurrection there with support from Uruguayan mercenaries.
October 1898: The 1st US Volunteer Cavalry Regiment returns from service in Cuba and is formally disbanded. The units activities in the war received extensive press coverage and its commander Theodore Roosevelt is popularly acclaimed as a war hero. Seeking to capitalise on his fame, the Republican Party selects him as the candidate for Governor of New York, a position to which he is duly elected in November.
November 1898: Brazilian aeronautic pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont demonstrates his latest non-rigid airship with a thirty minute flight around the Eiffel Tower. The success of his No. 6 airship gains him considerable worldwide fame.
November 1898: The French Hotchkiss company introduces an export model of the Mle 1897 machine gun. The new weapon will find some success in South America and particularly with Japan, who order no less than 200 guns, though they request it be modified to use 250 round cloth belt as in the Maxim. The Hotchkiss will become the first viable competitor to the Maxim gun.
November 1898: Though the US Navy totally dominated over their Spanish opponents during the Spanish-American War, they still suffered unexpectedly heavy losses with two battleships, one armoured cruiser and two other cruisers sunk, and another four cruisers requiring extensive repairs. Facing heavy criticism over these losses, Secretary of the Navy John Long resigns, while a Congressional inquiry into the Navy's performance headed by Henry Cabot Lodge is begun.
November 1898: Continuing his efforts to turn China into a western style capitalist economy, the Guangxu Emperor grants US and British companies the right to establish modern machine tool factories in Shanghai, Nanjing and Guangzhou. By this stage the Emperor's clear preference for British and US interests is causing considerable alarm amongst the other Great Powers.
November 1898: A boulangist extremist, Pierre Géroux murders George Picquart, claiming he is a 'Jew loving traitor to France.' Picquart's murder serves to further polarise the nation over the Dreyfus Affair, especially when Géroux is only given a five year sentence on the grounds the murder was 'politically motived.'
December 1898: While the British had acquired the lease over Weihaiwei planning to develop it into a major naval base, a survey by the Royal Engineers indicates the site is unsuitable for such purposes. While many suggest simply returning the territory to the Chinese, it is decided to retain the lease and develop a minor base to support operations in Northern China. Agreement has also been reached with the Guangxu Emperor to use the Weihaiwei Regiment to further the training of Chinese officers and NCOs for the Chinese New Armies.
December 1898: Despite having gained wide support amongst radical elements in China, the Guangxu Emperor's reforms have alienated many within the Qing court. This has allowed the Dowager Empress Cixi, with secret French, German and Russian backing, to gather enough support to plan a coup to regain control of the Qing government. While the Emperor does become aware of Cixi's plans, he places his reliance on Yuan Shikai, commander of the Beijing Army to counter it. Unfortunately Yuan betrays him, revealing his preparations to Cixi, allowing the coup to succeed, bringing an end to the Emperor's reforms after just 217 days. With Cixi and the conservatives back in control, most of his reforms are quickly reversed, with only the new universities in Beijing, Nanjing and Guangzhou, along with his unification of the navy surviving. The Emperor himself is placed under house arrest while many of his leading supporters are executed or forced to flee overseas. While Cixi is unable to undo the sale of iron works to British and US interests, the contract for machine tool plants is cancelled and reissued to French, German and Russian interests.
December 1898: The Treaty of Paris bring an official end to the Spanish-American War. Under its terms Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines are transferred to US control with their ultimate status to be determined later. Pending a decision on their final status, the territories are placed under US Military administration.