Jan-March 1903: Armies and navies
~Jan-March 1903: Armies and navies
January 1903: US Secretary of State James Hay and Colombian diplomat Tomás Herrán negotiate a treaty allowing the US to build and control a canal across the Isthmus of Panama. Under the terms of the Hay-Herrán Treaty, Colombia would lease land required for the canal for 100 years, renewed at US discretion, for a one off payment of $10 million {£2,078,307} and an annual payment of $250,000 {£51,598}. While the treaty is easily ratified by the US Congress, the Colombian Senate reject the treaty, demanding a significant increase in the sums offered. Roosevelt refuses their demands, instead begins a policy of working with separatist rebels in Panama, believing they will be more amiable to the US offer.
January 1903: Lacking a domestic source of production, the Southern Qing have been forced to obtain massive quantities of weapons from overseas, costing approximately 30 million yuan {£6,150,000}. As the vast majority of small arms have been obtained from Britain, chambered in 0.303” British, the decision is made to adopt this along with the Lee-Enfield as standard for front line units. However these purchases and the ongoing cost of the war have left the Southern Qing treasury exhausted, with only British and US loans holding off financial collapse.
January 1903: The Anglo-American cable from Hawai'i to the Philippines is completed, establishing a direct communication link between the colony and US. The Anglo-American Telegraph Company is now seeing considerable financial success, even expanding into the domestic US communications market. In an effort to further their network, work begins on planning cables linking the Philippines to Hong Kong and another from the Philippines to Japan via Formosa.
January 1903: Continuing his efforts to improve relations with the British, hopefully to bring them into an alliance against Germany, French Prime Minister Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau reaches an agreement over China with British Foreign Secretary James Gascoigne-Cecil in the French resort town of Cannes. The Cannes Agreement will see the French agree to back the British supported Southern Qing in the Chinese Civil War, in return for the British providing up to date intelligence regarding the ongoing civil war. Additionally, while not willing to enter an alliance against Germany, even an informal one such as suggested by Waldeck-Rousseau, the British do agree to adopt a policy of friendly neutrality toward France in the event of war.
February 1903: Ronglu, the Commander in Chief of the Northern Qing forces and who has frequently clashed with the Dowager Empress Cixi over the conduct of the war dies in suspicious circumstances. He is replaced by Boxer supporter, Prince Zhuang. Zhuang immediately orders Dong Fuxiang's Gansu Army into Jiangsu Province where they, in coordination with Guixiang's Beijing Army launch a renewed assault on Nanjing. They are faced by the Southern Qing First Corps under General Chen Jiongming and the Third Corps under General Cao Kun, both directly controlled by Commander in Chief General Lu Yongxiang. The quality of the Southern Qing troops has now greatly improved, giving them a significant advantage over the Northern Qing forces allowing them to hold even though they are heavily out numbered.
February 1903: With tensions between Japan and Russia rowing, the Japanese order two Lake Champlain class armoured cruisers from the US as the Kasaga and Nisshin. Additional as the submarine is becoming an effective weapon, they place an order in the US for five 'Holland' type submarines similar to the US Plunger class. While the submarines will be built in US yards, it is intended they be shipped dismantled to Japan for final assembly.
February 1903: After a lengthy period of political instability and two national bankruptcies, King Carlos of Portugal appoints the reformer and republican José de Castro as Prime Minister. De Castro embarks on an extensive program of political reform intended to overhaul the Portuguese political system and economy. These reforms will immediately spark intense opposition from conservative elements within Portugal.
February 1903: The Esher Commission into Imperial defence delivers its final report. Perhaps its most radical recommendation is the formation of an Imperial General Staff to coordinate both the British and Dominion armies along with a common pool of general officers. It also advises cadet training should be undertaken in Imperial universities to provide a pool of potential officers in the event of a general mobilisation. Regarding reserves it finds the current militia and volunteer system inefficient and cumbersome, recommending they be combined into a single territorial army, with improved training and liable for both home and overseas service. The report also notes many units have difficult attracting sufficient recruits to maintain full strength. If an effort to address this issue it recommends improving the terms of service, in particular pay and increasing technical education for others ranks in order to make the military a more attractive career option. It also recommends establishing schools for training NCOs throughout the Empire, with schools in Australia, Canada, India and South Africa as well as Britain.
February 1903: The British, Japanese and US secretly agree to begin sharing intelligence regarding French, German and Russian activities in China and the Far East. The agreement will become known the Three Eyes Agreement and will play a major role in improving all three nations intelligence in the region. British access to signals intelligence due to their overwhelming dominance of the global telegraph network will be particularly important.
March 1903 : The Emperor's report into the state of the French military is accepted virtually unaltered, with only a few minor changes. The main of which are the Conseil de la Défense National is to be chaird by the Emperor rather than the Prime Minister, and a reduction of the Imperial Guard to 26,000 men. With his new role as chair, the Emperor begins pushing for major reforms to both the army and navy, including the development of further modern artillery, the complete overhaul of French shipbuilding, the long overdue adopton of adequate machine guns and the abandonment of the doctrine of the offensive in favour of the British fire and movement tactics. This immediately puts him at odds with the majority of the French military establishment.
March 1903: With the Southern Qing beginning to recieve Madsen light machine guns it is rapidly noted the cost of a Madsen is only Kr250 {£13.76}, against £200 {£200.66} for a Maxim. With the cost of the war continuing to climb this simple fact will result in the Southern Qing purchasing large numbers of Madsens in preference to Maxims.
March 1903: Since the 15th century Britain's primary naval threat has come from France and Spain. Consequently the Royal Navy's bases in Britain are almost entirely located in the Channel and Southeast of England. With the rise of Germany as a naval power, the Royal Navy faces the prospect of a naval war in the North Sea where they have no available bases. In order to rectify this work begins on a new Royal Dockyard at Rosyth on the Firth of Forth.
March 1903: Work on the Berlin to Baghdad railway has been stalled since it reached Konya in 1896 due to lack of funding, though several British proposals have been rejected due to the Anglo-Ottoman War. Finally the liberal controlled Ottoman government the concession to finish the line to a consortium of German interests. This new contract is indicative of the growing German influence in the Ottoman Empire, however it also raise a great deal of alarm in both Britain and Russia, with both concerned about that growing influence. Work on the new line will begin in late July.
March 1903: Aware of the French effort to court the British into an alliance and concerned the recent Cannes Agreement is the first step in the toward such an alliance, German Foreign Minister Oswald von Richthofen travels to London for talks with his British counterpart, James Gascoigne-Cecil. The talks open promisingly with Gascoigne-Cecil making it clear to his opposite number the British have no interest in an alliance with the French and are seeking to avoid European entanglements. Reassured, von Richthofen brings up the matter of the ongoing Chinese Civil War. Again the discussions go well, as while the two nations do have competing interests, there does appear to be a willingness to compromise on both sides. However the talks founder when they turn to the matter of German naval expansion. Here Gascoigne-Cecil makes it clear the British regard the fleet proposed in the 1900 Second Naval Law as far in excess of German needs and an obvious threat to British security. Unfortunately von Richthofen is completely unwilling to entertain any potential reduction in the German naval program, stating a world leading fleet is vital in light of Germany's position as a Great power. Discussions continue in this vein for some time, but it soon becomes apparent no compromise can be reached, and the talks are a complete failure, serving only to increase British concerns and further distance the two powers.
January 1903: US Secretary of State James Hay and Colombian diplomat Tomás Herrán negotiate a treaty allowing the US to build and control a canal across the Isthmus of Panama. Under the terms of the Hay-Herrán Treaty, Colombia would lease land required for the canal for 100 years, renewed at US discretion, for a one off payment of $10 million {£2,078,307} and an annual payment of $250,000 {£51,598}. While the treaty is easily ratified by the US Congress, the Colombian Senate reject the treaty, demanding a significant increase in the sums offered. Roosevelt refuses their demands, instead begins a policy of working with separatist rebels in Panama, believing they will be more amiable to the US offer.
January 1903: Lacking a domestic source of production, the Southern Qing have been forced to obtain massive quantities of weapons from overseas, costing approximately 30 million yuan {£6,150,000}. As the vast majority of small arms have been obtained from Britain, chambered in 0.303” British, the decision is made to adopt this along with the Lee-Enfield as standard for front line units. However these purchases and the ongoing cost of the war have left the Southern Qing treasury exhausted, with only British and US loans holding off financial collapse.
January 1903: The Anglo-American cable from Hawai'i to the Philippines is completed, establishing a direct communication link between the colony and US. The Anglo-American Telegraph Company is now seeing considerable financial success, even expanding into the domestic US communications market. In an effort to further their network, work begins on planning cables linking the Philippines to Hong Kong and another from the Philippines to Japan via Formosa.
January 1903: Continuing his efforts to improve relations with the British, hopefully to bring them into an alliance against Germany, French Prime Minister Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau reaches an agreement over China with British Foreign Secretary James Gascoigne-Cecil in the French resort town of Cannes. The Cannes Agreement will see the French agree to back the British supported Southern Qing in the Chinese Civil War, in return for the British providing up to date intelligence regarding the ongoing civil war. Additionally, while not willing to enter an alliance against Germany, even an informal one such as suggested by Waldeck-Rousseau, the British do agree to adopt a policy of friendly neutrality toward France in the event of war.
February 1903: Ronglu, the Commander in Chief of the Northern Qing forces and who has frequently clashed with the Dowager Empress Cixi over the conduct of the war dies in suspicious circumstances. He is replaced by Boxer supporter, Prince Zhuang. Zhuang immediately orders Dong Fuxiang's Gansu Army into Jiangsu Province where they, in coordination with Guixiang's Beijing Army launch a renewed assault on Nanjing. They are faced by the Southern Qing First Corps under General Chen Jiongming and the Third Corps under General Cao Kun, both directly controlled by Commander in Chief General Lu Yongxiang. The quality of the Southern Qing troops has now greatly improved, giving them a significant advantage over the Northern Qing forces allowing them to hold even though they are heavily out numbered.
February 1903: With tensions between Japan and Russia rowing, the Japanese order two Lake Champlain class armoured cruisers from the US as the Kasaga and Nisshin. Additional as the submarine is becoming an effective weapon, they place an order in the US for five 'Holland' type submarines similar to the US Plunger class. While the submarines will be built in US yards, it is intended they be shipped dismantled to Japan for final assembly.
February 1903: After a lengthy period of political instability and two national bankruptcies, King Carlos of Portugal appoints the reformer and republican José de Castro as Prime Minister. De Castro embarks on an extensive program of political reform intended to overhaul the Portuguese political system and economy. These reforms will immediately spark intense opposition from conservative elements within Portugal.
February 1903: The Esher Commission into Imperial defence delivers its final report. Perhaps its most radical recommendation is the formation of an Imperial General Staff to coordinate both the British and Dominion armies along with a common pool of general officers. It also advises cadet training should be undertaken in Imperial universities to provide a pool of potential officers in the event of a general mobilisation. Regarding reserves it finds the current militia and volunteer system inefficient and cumbersome, recommending they be combined into a single territorial army, with improved training and liable for both home and overseas service. The report also notes many units have difficult attracting sufficient recruits to maintain full strength. If an effort to address this issue it recommends improving the terms of service, in particular pay and increasing technical education for others ranks in order to make the military a more attractive career option. It also recommends establishing schools for training NCOs throughout the Empire, with schools in Australia, Canada, India and South Africa as well as Britain.
February 1903: The British, Japanese and US secretly agree to begin sharing intelligence regarding French, German and Russian activities in China and the Far East. The agreement will become known the Three Eyes Agreement and will play a major role in improving all three nations intelligence in the region. British access to signals intelligence due to their overwhelming dominance of the global telegraph network will be particularly important.
March 1903 : The Emperor's report into the state of the French military is accepted virtually unaltered, with only a few minor changes. The main of which are the Conseil de la Défense National is to be chaird by the Emperor rather than the Prime Minister, and a reduction of the Imperial Guard to 26,000 men. With his new role as chair, the Emperor begins pushing for major reforms to both the army and navy, including the development of further modern artillery, the complete overhaul of French shipbuilding, the long overdue adopton of adequate machine guns and the abandonment of the doctrine of the offensive in favour of the British fire and movement tactics. This immediately puts him at odds with the majority of the French military establishment.
March 1903: With the Southern Qing beginning to recieve Madsen light machine guns it is rapidly noted the cost of a Madsen is only Kr250 {£13.76}, against £200 {£200.66} for a Maxim. With the cost of the war continuing to climb this simple fact will result in the Southern Qing purchasing large numbers of Madsens in preference to Maxims.
March 1903: Since the 15th century Britain's primary naval threat has come from France and Spain. Consequently the Royal Navy's bases in Britain are almost entirely located in the Channel and Southeast of England. With the rise of Germany as a naval power, the Royal Navy faces the prospect of a naval war in the North Sea where they have no available bases. In order to rectify this work begins on a new Royal Dockyard at Rosyth on the Firth of Forth.
March 1903: Work on the Berlin to Baghdad railway has been stalled since it reached Konya in 1896 due to lack of funding, though several British proposals have been rejected due to the Anglo-Ottoman War. Finally the liberal controlled Ottoman government the concession to finish the line to a consortium of German interests. This new contract is indicative of the growing German influence in the Ottoman Empire, however it also raise a great deal of alarm in both Britain and Russia, with both concerned about that growing influence. Work on the new line will begin in late July.
March 1903: Aware of the French effort to court the British into an alliance and concerned the recent Cannes Agreement is the first step in the toward such an alliance, German Foreign Minister Oswald von Richthofen travels to London for talks with his British counterpart, James Gascoigne-Cecil. The talks open promisingly with Gascoigne-Cecil making it clear to his opposite number the British have no interest in an alliance with the French and are seeking to avoid European entanglements. Reassured, von Richthofen brings up the matter of the ongoing Chinese Civil War. Again the discussions go well, as while the two nations do have competing interests, there does appear to be a willingness to compromise on both sides. However the talks founder when they turn to the matter of German naval expansion. Here Gascoigne-Cecil makes it clear the British regard the fleet proposed in the 1900 Second Naval Law as far in excess of German needs and an obvious threat to British security. Unfortunately von Richthofen is completely unwilling to entertain any potential reduction in the German naval program, stating a world leading fleet is vital in light of Germany's position as a Great power. Discussions continue in this vein for some time, but it soon becomes apparent no compromise can be reached, and the talks are a complete failure, serving only to increase British concerns and further distance the two powers.
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