~Oct-Dec 1909: They cost how much
October 1909: Since the Russo-Japanese War, Russia has been investing heavy in developing their infrastructure and industry, forcing Germany to increase its military budget to match. Attempting to reduce expenditure, German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg arranges secret talks in London to end the ruinously expensive Anglo-German Naval Arms Race. The talks initially go well, with the British equally as anxious to reduce spending. However talks founder over German insistence on tying reductions in naval building to a guarantee of British neutrality in any European war, something totally unacceptable for the British.
October 1909: Greek businessman Georgios Averof leaves 8 million drachma {£277,384} in his will to strengthen the Greek Navy. The money is used to purchase a Pisa class armoured cruiser being built on speculation in Italy. The Georgios Averof will be the most powerful warship in the region, sparking alarm in the Ottoman Empire.
October 1909: Since the Copenhagen Dano-Norwegian security meeting in April, the design of the new joint coastal defence ships has been finalised. Displacing 5,700 tons. Armed with four 11” guns, 10” belt armour and oil fired turbines giving them a speed of 18 knots, the ships would be the most powerful coastal battleships ever built. Despite their impressive nature, many are concerned regarding cost, feeling funding is politically impossible. While counter arguments are advanced regarding the discount of scale four ships will give and the significant economic benefits their construction will bring, a great deal of scepticism remains. Nevertheless it is decided to present the proposal to the Sorting and Folketing, hoping to capitalise on fears generated by the Bosnian Crisis.
October 1909: Continuing his reforms of the French Imperial Guard and unwilling to wait for the development of the proposed new self loading rifle, Emperor Napoleon IV orders the adoption of a modified version of Berthier Mle 1902 Indochinese rifle for service with the Imperial Guard and Troupes Coloniales. With a shorter 60cm barrel and improved five round en-bloc clip, though still firing the existing 8mm Lebel cartridge, the new Fusil de Garde Impériale Modèle 1909 dit “Fusil Berthier de Garde Impériale” will be a roughly compatible with British SMLE, with the rifle most frequently referred to simply as the Berthier guard rifle.
October 1909: Since reunification, Italian foreign policy has been highly expansionist. Driven by irredentist claims in Austria-Hungary, expanding interests in the Adriatic and the belief the acquisition of a colonial empire is vital to their status as a Great Power. In light of the recent political turmoil in the Ottoman Empire, the Italian government believe the time is ripe to expand into Libya. However the recent Bosnian Crisis has highlighted the extreme volatility of the situation in Europe. In order to secure Russian support for this expansion, King Victor Emanuel III and Tsar Nicholas II meet secretly in the Italian town of Racconigi. There they sign what will become known as the Racconigi Bargain agreeing to cooperate in the Balkans as well as recognising Russian interests in the Turkish straits in return for recognition of Italian interests in Libya.
November 1909: The scheduled combined Danish and Norwegian military manoeuvres are held on the Island of Zeeland, simulating defence against an armed landing at Købe Bay. The exercise highlights numerous problems with both nations militaries and efforts begin immediately on changes intended to rectify these issues. More seriously however, it alarms the German navy, increasing their belief Denmark should be occupied in the event of war.
November 1909: In one of the highest profile such cases to date, the Standard Oil Trust, which controls the vast majority of the US oil industry, is ruled to have been in violation of the Sherman Anti Trust Act. The federal court finds that despite its market share having fallen from 91% in 1904 to approximately 70%, Standard Oil has engaged in sustained anti competitive practices for many years which have allowed it to establish its dominant market position and consequently orders the company broken up. While Standard Oil will appeal, the Supreme Court upholds the verdict in 1911, finally forcing the trust to be dismantled, with 47 new independent companies created in its place.
November 1909: The program for the new joint Dano-Norwegian coastal battleships is put to the Norwegian Sorting and Danish Folketing. With new ships estimated to cost between Kr 10 and Kr 11 million {£495,872-£545,459} each, as opposed to the Kr 6 to Kr 7 million {£297,523-£347,110} for previous vessels, the proposed plan incites exactly the opposition predicted. Over the next three months fierce debate will rage in both countries regarding the ships. Matters are helped when a consortium of Danish and Norwegian industrialists raise Kr 12 million {£595,046} toward the ships through public subscription. Eventually, with fears over the threat of a European war still running high, both the Sorting and Folketing narrowly vote to approve all four ships.
November 1909: The Japanese Imperial Diet has become deeply divided by disagreements between the liberals lead by Prime Minister Saionji Kinmochi and conservatives headed by his immediate predecessor Katsura Tarō. These arguments has become particularly intense regarding military spending, with the liberals determined to limit it in favour of economic development and the conservatives committed to increasing it regardless of economic disruption. Since become Prime Minister in 1906, Saionji has been heavily criticised for supposedly neglecting the navy, with only two dreadnoughts, two battlecruisers and six cruisers being ordered since 1905. Taking advantage of a sudden surge of public concern after the publications of an article in a leading Tokyo newspaper decrying the governments supposed failure to match the latest British super dreadnoughts, the conservatives are successful in forcing Saionji’s resignation, with Katsura selected to replace him.
December 1909: Hopes the formation of the Imperial Safety Police (PSI) in Brazil last year would lead to a speedy end to the Revolutionary Socialist Movement’s (MRS) terrorist campaign have proved false, with the violence appearing to continue unabated. Indeed the situation has deteriorated, as the conservative landowning elites, who still have significant power and influence have reacted forming vigilante groups to target labour leaders, liberal politicians, suspected MRS supporters and the like. The two most prominent such groups being Hermes de Fonseca’s Milícia Imperial de Salvação (MIS) or Imperial Salvation Militia and Delfin Moreira’s Frente de Proteção Nacional (FPN) or National Protection Front. In response Prime Minister Rodrigues Alves expands the PSI’s operations to include these groups.
December 1909: Emperor Shikai’s purge of the Zheng administration has resulted in tens of thousands of victims who have been variously imprisoned, executed, murdered or fled into exile. Though at first aimed at eliminating the conservative traditionalists, the Emperor also taken the opportunity to target other potential opposition. With the purge’s initial goal of removing traditionalist now largely having been completed, the Emperor begins reducing its intensity to allow some stability to return, with significantly fewer deaths as imprisonment becomes the main method of repression. Nevertheless, despite the lower level of outright violence, the purge will continue in order to protect and strengthen the Emperor’s control of the regime regime. However, with the traditionalists now gone and Emperor Shikai feeling secure due to the climate of fear generated by the purge, generated a climate of fear, he launches an series of far reaching radical reforms, many drawn from the former Guangxu Emperors program during his 200 day reforms. The goal of these reforms is to transform Zheng China into a modern state similar to Japan.
December 1909: After the revelations regarding the atrocities committed in the Congo Free State, Belgium King Leopold II’s popularity and support plunged, leaving him disgraced. Since being forced to hand control over to the Belgium government, Leopold’s health has been steadily deteriorating, leading to his eventual death. Leopold’s extreme unpopularity with his people at the time of his death results in his funeral procession being jeered and booed by the assembled crowds. With his only legitimate male heir having dies in 1869, he is succeeded by his nephew Albert. With Leopold having left the Belgium monarchy’s prestige at an unprecedented low, the new King Albert will immediately begin a campaign to restore the status of the monarchy, engaging in extensive charitable works and adopting a sober devout catholic lifestyle.
December 1909: While Canadian Vickers winning the contract for the new Russian battlecruisers well the well established shipbuilding industries of Britain, Europe and the US has become a matter of immense pride amongst Canadians, the government has taken it as a clear sign the yard no longer needs government support. Since the completion of the Trans-Canadian Railway the Province of British Colombia has been rapidly developing, with industry growing and economy booming As a consequence, the Conservative government of Premier Richard Borden a permanent naval squadron on the Pacific coast should be established, requiring the Royal Canadian Navy to further expanded and order two additional destroyers, with the orders going to smaller yards to encourage the further growth of the Canadian shipbuilding industry.