Thank you, the wording definitely needs improvement. The eight general merchants are not actually troop transports. They're cargo ships to carry the corps heavy equipment such as artillery as well as horses. The actual troops (my estimate is around 40,000 for the full corps) are transported by the three liners, each of which should be able to pack in 10,000 to 15,000 men. This is not an amphibious assault force, just a sealift capacity. The amphibious assault capacity (that RMLI brigade) will be added later, with specialist ships.
Why the Chinese play cricket (an Imperial Federation timeline)
- Thread starter Miss Construction
- Start date
Thank you, the wording definitely needs improvement. The eight general merchants are not actually troop transports. They're cargo ships to carry the corps heavy equipment such as artillery as well as horses. The actual troops (my estimate is around 40,000 for the full corps) are transported by the three liners, each of which should be able to pack in 10,000 to 15,000 men. This is not an amphibious assault force, just a sealift capacity. The amphibious assault capacity (that RMLI brigade) will be added later, with specialist ships.
Is this better
October 1903: With the end of the Boer War, the Imperial Army Corps in Egypt called for by the Melbourne Imperial Conference in 1901 is finally created. Consisting of two infantry divisions each consisting of twelve infantry battalions organised into three brigades, supported by a pioneer and cyclist battalion along with three field artillery battalions each with four six gun batteries, with a heavy battery with four guns attached at divisional level. The Corps will also include a three battalion cavalry brigade and a battalion of three four gun horse artillery batteries. The final component of the Corps will be a brigade with the four Royal Marine Light Infantry battalions and four batteries of Royal Marine Artillery each with four mountain guns. The Corps will incorporate the majority of the existing Egyptian garrison which is reduced to one third of the size of the Egyptian Army. In order to provide for the agreed transport capacity for the Corps, three large ocean liners will be purchased along with eight general merchant ships to provide sealift capacity for the corps.
=McUpdate=
An interesting point which I haven't mentioned is approximately 14% of the corps will be drawn from the Dominions, some 5,600 men. And 45% of these (2,500) are Canadian. This fact will become quite important in the near future.
Pretty much they have evaporators at this point but the whole set-up will have to be beefed up.
The RN probably needs to look into a dedicated transport desgin for use by the Navy to compensate for this.
To be honest, there's no need to build dedicated naval transport ships for sealift. There are way more than enough ships flying the red ensign which can be taken up from trade to meet any such need, and having dedicated sealifts vessels really doesn't make sense. They'd just spend the vast majority of their service in port, the only reason these ships were acquired was to shave a little time off deployment times for the ready reaction corps. To be honest on reflection, I might dump them entirely. What does make sense is specialist amphibious warfare vessels, and these will be coming.
Yeah, I had similar thoughts. Maintaining all these ships ready to move at little notice will not be cheap, while British sea capacity in this era is massive. There should always be some liners available relatively close by (by which I mean a couple of weeks away, not days).
The corps is stationed in Egypt, one of most heavily trafficked shipping hubs in the world. There will be ships available probably within a week. The more I look at it, the more I'm convinced the sealift capacity is entirely unnecessary. I'm going to scrap it.
Jan-March 1904: In search of arms
~Jan-March 1904: In search of arms
January 1904: As war in the Far East seems ever more likely both the Japanese and Russians have been purchasing equipment for the upcoming conflict, in particular machine guns which both feel may be important. While most of these purchases have been 'conventional' types, with the Russians purchasing Maxims from Vickers in Britain and the Japanese Hotchkiss guns from France, the Russians have also ordered 400 Madsen light machine guns for their cavalry. Over the course of the war, the Russians will purchase another 1,000 Madsens, with weapon again showing its flexibility in providing flexible fire support.
January 1904: The Casemont Report into conditions in the Congo Free State is released. The report clearly shows the territory has been run by King Leopold II of Belgium purely as a profit making business ever since he was granted the region by the 1884 Berlin Conference. it details appalling human rights abuses on a massive scale, all committed with official sanction. The report receives wide press coverage throughout Europe, resulting in a massive scandal, with very vocal calls for intervention by the Great Powers. The scandal is particularly intense in Belgium, with calls for the government to assume control of the region. In an effort to counter the scandal, Leopold will launch a massive propaganda campaign to discredit the report.
January 1904: Despite possessing a considerable numerical superiority, the Northern Qing general offensive launched in November has only made limited gains. The refusal of Yuan Shikai to commit the Beifang Army, along with the availability of fresh units raised in 1903, has allowed the Southern Qing to focus on the defence of Hunan while General Yin Chang's Third Army continues to trade ground for time in Sichuan. With the drive into Hunan felt to pose the more serious threat, the bulk of the new Southern Qing units have been deployed to reinforce the Second Army, resulting in the Northern Qing Yousheng Army suffering particularly heavy casualties.
February 1904: British agents in Port Arthur provide the Imperial Japanese Navy with a detailed map of the Russian minefields protecting Port Arthur. With this information, the Japanese launch a surprise torpedo boat attack on the Russian Pacific Fleet at its anchorage in Port Arthur. The attack is carefully timed to coincide with a Japanese declaration of war, giving the Russians no time to prepare. While no ships are sunk in the attack, two Russian battleships and a cruiser are disabled and their repairs will take some time due to the limited facilities available. While the attacks have little practical effect, they have a major impact on the Russians, shaking their confidence. Seizing the initiative, the Japanese impose a blockade on Port Arthur and land a considerable force in Korea.
February 1904: In line with the agreement reached at the Edinburgh Imperial Conference last year, the first steps are taken to implement the Esher Report on Imperial defence with the establishment of a new Imperial Army Committee as part of the Imperial Council, along with the creation of an Imperial General Staff. The new Imperial Army Committee will include three representative selected by the Dominion governments in addition to the British Secretary for War, two civil servants and four military officers. The position of Commander in Chief of Forces is also abolished, replaced by the new Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Finally an Imperial Cadet Corps is established in every university in the Empire to provide training for potential officers in the event of war.
February 1904: While it is now being clear the common belief in an imminent Southern Qing collapse was premature, the Northern Qing take Chongqing in Sichuan Province. Despite having suffered heavy losses in both men and material, the Northern Qing remain confident victory can be achieved in less than six months. While the manpower losses are being made up by increased forced conscription along with reduced training of new troops, the equipment losses are proving harder to replace. With the Russians fully committed supplying their own forces for the impending war with Japan, the Northern Qing turn to Germany. With it clear a Southern Qing victory would mean British, Japanese and US dominance in China, the Germans reverse their previous policy and agree to allow unrestricted arms sales to the Northern Qing.
February 1904: In his next step in reforming the French military, Emperor Napoleon IV begins to address the failings of the French navy, particularly the dominance of what he regards as the flawed doctrine of the Jeune École. Focusing on the issues in French shipbuilding, particularly the constant design changes during construction resulting in excessive build times and the production of what are essentially one off designs, he successfully engineers the replacement of Émile Bertin as Director of Naval Construction with Léon Lyasse, while engaging the services of the British naval architect Eustace Tennyson d'Eyncourt as his assistant, bringing with him the latest British design concepts.
March 1904: After several months of heavy fighting, the Northern Qing offensive in Hunan is now threatening Changsha and the vital tail junction critical for supplying the Southern Qing forces in both Sichuan and Jiangxi Provinces. However by this stage, the losses suffered by the Northern Qing Yousheng Army has pushed many units to the verge of mutiny. With the Northern Qing now diverting significant supplies to support the Russians in Manchuria, the Hunan offensive drags to a halt. Meanwhile, the Southern Qing begin planning a counter offensive in Hunan aimed at pushing the Northern Qing away from Changsha. This setback further convinces Yuan Shikai the Northern Qing strategy is heading for disaster, leading to him secret talks with the Japanese aimed at gaining their support for a coup. While cautious, the Japanese do agree to give Yuan 800,000 yen {£82,047} worth of gold to support such a coup.
March 1904: While most other Great Powers have already adopted quick firing artillery with recoil compensation systems, the British have delayed its introduction, though they have purchased some 75mm quick firing field guns Germany as an interim measure. The delay was in order to fully incorporate the lessons of the recent Anglo-Ottoman, Boer and Boxer Wars, along with information gained from the Southern Qing in the Chinese Civil War. This carefully approach results in the British developing the best first generation quick firing artillery of all the Great Powers. The first three new pieces are the 76.2mm 13 pounder light gun intended for use by horse artillery in support of cavalry, the 84mm 18 pounder field gun which is to become the standard British field artillery piece, and finally the 127mm 60 pounder gun to be issued to heavy batteries. While fully comparable to other nations weapons in most aspects, these pieces fire a far heavier shell resulting in significantly greater damage. The development of these new pieces is just part of an ongoing program of reform to British artillery, with entirely new doctrine and tactics also being developed to take full advantage of these new weapons capabilities.
March 1904: While the activities of the Southern Qing Navy have thus far been limited since the fall of Jiangsu Province, their attacks on Northern Qing coastal shipping and raids by Tuji forces have been a constant irritation to the Northern Qing. In their most daring raid to date, a Southern Qing squadron under Admiral Sa Zhenbing consisting of the armoured cruiser Hai Chun, protected cruiser Hai Yung and four destroyers recently transferred from the Royal Navy raid the major port of Tianjin, still garrisoned by troops from the Great Powers. Despite the desire of the German and Russian representatives, the British commander of the garrison refuses to intervene, allowing the Southern Qing Second and Fifth Tuji groups to do considerable damage to the port, though great care is taken to avoid damage to European property. While the raid again has little practical effect, it is a major blow to Northern Qing prestige, ultimately bringing profound consequences, the most immediate being the Northern Qing governor of Sichuan, Duanfang, beginning secret negotiations with the Southern Qing regarding switching sides.
March 1904: With the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, President Roosevelt agrees to divert shipyard workers and resources, along with materials being gathered for the second pair of US Lake Champlain class armoured cruisers to speed the construction of the Japanese pair. As a result the completion of the two US ships will be significantly delayed.
March 1904: As a result of the Casemont Report and King Leopold's ongoing propaganda campaign to counter the massive public outrage it has generated, the Congo Reform Association is formed. Created by leading humanitarians and religious leaders throughout Europe, the CRA will receive very extensive funding by public donations from across the political and social spectrum. The CRA will successfully keep the Congo Question alive in the face of Leopold's propaganda campaign, eventually making it a major political issue in many European countries.
January 1904: As war in the Far East seems ever more likely both the Japanese and Russians have been purchasing equipment for the upcoming conflict, in particular machine guns which both feel may be important. While most of these purchases have been 'conventional' types, with the Russians purchasing Maxims from Vickers in Britain and the Japanese Hotchkiss guns from France, the Russians have also ordered 400 Madsen light machine guns for their cavalry. Over the course of the war, the Russians will purchase another 1,000 Madsens, with weapon again showing its flexibility in providing flexible fire support.
January 1904: The Casemont Report into conditions in the Congo Free State is released. The report clearly shows the territory has been run by King Leopold II of Belgium purely as a profit making business ever since he was granted the region by the 1884 Berlin Conference. it details appalling human rights abuses on a massive scale, all committed with official sanction. The report receives wide press coverage throughout Europe, resulting in a massive scandal, with very vocal calls for intervention by the Great Powers. The scandal is particularly intense in Belgium, with calls for the government to assume control of the region. In an effort to counter the scandal, Leopold will launch a massive propaganda campaign to discredit the report.
January 1904: Despite possessing a considerable numerical superiority, the Northern Qing general offensive launched in November has only made limited gains. The refusal of Yuan Shikai to commit the Beifang Army, along with the availability of fresh units raised in 1903, has allowed the Southern Qing to focus on the defence of Hunan while General Yin Chang's Third Army continues to trade ground for time in Sichuan. With the drive into Hunan felt to pose the more serious threat, the bulk of the new Southern Qing units have been deployed to reinforce the Second Army, resulting in the Northern Qing Yousheng Army suffering particularly heavy casualties.
February 1904: British agents in Port Arthur provide the Imperial Japanese Navy with a detailed map of the Russian minefields protecting Port Arthur. With this information, the Japanese launch a surprise torpedo boat attack on the Russian Pacific Fleet at its anchorage in Port Arthur. The attack is carefully timed to coincide with a Japanese declaration of war, giving the Russians no time to prepare. While no ships are sunk in the attack, two Russian battleships and a cruiser are disabled and their repairs will take some time due to the limited facilities available. While the attacks have little practical effect, they have a major impact on the Russians, shaking their confidence. Seizing the initiative, the Japanese impose a blockade on Port Arthur and land a considerable force in Korea.
February 1904: In line with the agreement reached at the Edinburgh Imperial Conference last year, the first steps are taken to implement the Esher Report on Imperial defence with the establishment of a new Imperial Army Committee as part of the Imperial Council, along with the creation of an Imperial General Staff. The new Imperial Army Committee will include three representative selected by the Dominion governments in addition to the British Secretary for War, two civil servants and four military officers. The position of Commander in Chief of Forces is also abolished, replaced by the new Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Finally an Imperial Cadet Corps is established in every university in the Empire to provide training for potential officers in the event of war.
February 1904: While it is now being clear the common belief in an imminent Southern Qing collapse was premature, the Northern Qing take Chongqing in Sichuan Province. Despite having suffered heavy losses in both men and material, the Northern Qing remain confident victory can be achieved in less than six months. While the manpower losses are being made up by increased forced conscription along with reduced training of new troops, the equipment losses are proving harder to replace. With the Russians fully committed supplying their own forces for the impending war with Japan, the Northern Qing turn to Germany. With it clear a Southern Qing victory would mean British, Japanese and US dominance in China, the Germans reverse their previous policy and agree to allow unrestricted arms sales to the Northern Qing.
February 1904: In his next step in reforming the French military, Emperor Napoleon IV begins to address the failings of the French navy, particularly the dominance of what he regards as the flawed doctrine of the Jeune École. Focusing on the issues in French shipbuilding, particularly the constant design changes during construction resulting in excessive build times and the production of what are essentially one off designs, he successfully engineers the replacement of Émile Bertin as Director of Naval Construction with Léon Lyasse, while engaging the services of the British naval architect Eustace Tennyson d'Eyncourt as his assistant, bringing with him the latest British design concepts.
March 1904: After several months of heavy fighting, the Northern Qing offensive in Hunan is now threatening Changsha and the vital tail junction critical for supplying the Southern Qing forces in both Sichuan and Jiangxi Provinces. However by this stage, the losses suffered by the Northern Qing Yousheng Army has pushed many units to the verge of mutiny. With the Northern Qing now diverting significant supplies to support the Russians in Manchuria, the Hunan offensive drags to a halt. Meanwhile, the Southern Qing begin planning a counter offensive in Hunan aimed at pushing the Northern Qing away from Changsha. This setback further convinces Yuan Shikai the Northern Qing strategy is heading for disaster, leading to him secret talks with the Japanese aimed at gaining their support for a coup. While cautious, the Japanese do agree to give Yuan 800,000 yen {£82,047} worth of gold to support such a coup.
March 1904: While most other Great Powers have already adopted quick firing artillery with recoil compensation systems, the British have delayed its introduction, though they have purchased some 75mm quick firing field guns Germany as an interim measure. The delay was in order to fully incorporate the lessons of the recent Anglo-Ottoman, Boer and Boxer Wars, along with information gained from the Southern Qing in the Chinese Civil War. This carefully approach results in the British developing the best first generation quick firing artillery of all the Great Powers. The first three new pieces are the 76.2mm 13 pounder light gun intended for use by horse artillery in support of cavalry, the 84mm 18 pounder field gun which is to become the standard British field artillery piece, and finally the 127mm 60 pounder gun to be issued to heavy batteries. While fully comparable to other nations weapons in most aspects, these pieces fire a far heavier shell resulting in significantly greater damage. The development of these new pieces is just part of an ongoing program of reform to British artillery, with entirely new doctrine and tactics also being developed to take full advantage of these new weapons capabilities.
March 1904: While the activities of the Southern Qing Navy have thus far been limited since the fall of Jiangsu Province, their attacks on Northern Qing coastal shipping and raids by Tuji forces have been a constant irritation to the Northern Qing. In their most daring raid to date, a Southern Qing squadron under Admiral Sa Zhenbing consisting of the armoured cruiser Hai Chun, protected cruiser Hai Yung and four destroyers recently transferred from the Royal Navy raid the major port of Tianjin, still garrisoned by troops from the Great Powers. Despite the desire of the German and Russian representatives, the British commander of the garrison refuses to intervene, allowing the Southern Qing Second and Fifth Tuji groups to do considerable damage to the port, though great care is taken to avoid damage to European property. While the raid again has little practical effect, it is a major blow to Northern Qing prestige, ultimately bringing profound consequences, the most immediate being the Northern Qing governor of Sichuan, Duanfang, beginning secret negotiations with the Southern Qing regarding switching sides.
March 1904: With the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, President Roosevelt agrees to divert shipyard workers and resources, along with materials being gathered for the second pair of US Lake Champlain class armoured cruisers to speed the construction of the Japanese pair. As a result the completion of the two US ships will be significantly delayed.
March 1904: As a result of the Casemont Report and King Leopold's ongoing propaganda campaign to counter the massive public outrage it has generated, the Congo Reform Association is formed. Created by leading humanitarians and religious leaders throughout Europe, the CRA will receive very extensive funding by public donations from across the political and social spectrum. The CRA will successfully keep the Congo Question alive in the face of Leopold's propaganda campaign, eventually making it a major political issue in many European countries.
Been a really hectic few months. A break up, then a boyfriend (my first boyfriend in 33 years), then a new girlfriend, then the hugely stressful task of introducing said boyfriend and girlfriend to each other. Thankfully the two of them seem to get along really well.
I found my copy, and I'm wrong about NGS. But Marconi sets were used by the RN in the war (the Army gave theirs, as atmospherics and topography limited their effective use). They were used on blockade duties, and on one occasion resulted in the cancellation of a landing which would have been somewhat disastrous - the Boers had sussed it out, and were waiting.
The book is old, but good - it's a collection of stories and information that aren't easily found elsewhere.
Another book: Thomas Pakenham's 1991 The Scramble for Africa. Every chapter left me thinking "it can't get worse". Then I read the next chapter, and was proved wrong.
I think this might add to supply difficulties, with different calibres.
Somewhere or other I read/was told that British Intelligence stole not merely the plans for a German field piece, back in the 19th century, but an entire gun, from Krupps.
I think German field pieces were 77mm.
As long as they both like jazz. Is the boyfriend Louis Balfour?
I find it more interesting British success with the All Red Line of telegraph cables actually hindered their adoption and use of radio, given Marconi developed it there.
Sigh little about colonial Africa can be called good lol.
Yeah never did understand why the British had separate pieces for field and horse artillery. Especially since the horse artillery pieces were always significantly lower throw weight.
Germany was the 77mm nA/98 I think, an older piece converted to QF. French had the 75mm, Russians 76.2mm and I think the A-Hs settled on a Skoda 75mm conversation of their older gun like the Germans. US have their own 3" adopted around this time. From memory everyone else just bought or licenced the Krupp 75mm.
70 year old widower, ex navy CPO of 47 years service.
This isn't actually a change in the TL, just an OTL event which helps explain what's coming up
November 1900: A political scandal in Newfoundland over the allocation of railway contracts results in the fall of the Conservative government of Premier James Winter and his replacement by Liberal Robert Bond. Bond adopts a policy of attempting to negotiate a free trade treaty with US similar to Canada.
=McUpdate=
November 1900: A political scandal in Newfoundland over the allocation of railway contracts results in the fall of the Conservative government of Premier James Winter and his replacement by Liberal Robert Bond. Bond adopts a policy of attempting to negotiate a free trade treaty with US similar to Canada.
=McUpdate=
Yay, finally got a handle on 1907 I think, or at least hope. Who'd have thought Newfoundland could play such an important role lol. Now just have to add some finishing touches to fill in a few gaps, get all the events in proper order, then make sure I've not missed anything. Only taken three or four months to get this one year done haha.
Following another interesting thread on the ImpFed and adding my two peneth. Kind of useful for putting my thoughts into order and see what needs to happen. Plus always useful to hear other people's thoughts. Right next quarter of 1904 should follow soon, today with luck
Following another interesting thread on the ImpFed and adding my two peneth. Kind of useful for putting my thoughts into order and see what needs to happen. Plus always useful to hear other people's thoughts. Right next quarter of 1904 should follow soon, today with luck
April-June 1904: Hidden turns
~April-June 1904: Hidden turns
April 1904: With some fearing the US may be drawn in to the Russo-Japanese War, the annual US naval program includes two repeat Vermont class battleships, two armoured cruisers, and four scout cruisers, along with eight submarines, five suitable for operations in the open sea.
April 1904: The Russian Pacific Fleet under Admiral Stephan Makarov attempts to break out of Port Arthur to cut the Japanese supply line to Korea. However the Japanese have been laying extensive offensive minefields outside Port Arthur. As the Russians attempt to leave port, two battleships strike mines, with the flagship Petropavlovsk sunk and Sevastopol crippled. More critically, Admiral Makarov is lost along with the Petropavlovsk.
April 1904: While Russian troops moved into Korea after the Japanese landing, their orders where not to engage the Japanese until they reached the Yalu River. With the Russians falling back, the Japanese have been advancing easily against token Korean opposition. The two armies will finally engage in the Battle of the Yalu River as the Russians attempt to prevent a Japanese crossing into China. The battle will be a hard fought but the Japanese force the Russians from their positions and begin advancing along the Liaodong peninsula toward Dal'niy.
April 1904: With the death of Bartolomé Masó in 1902 and fragmentation of the Cuban rebels, insurgency on the island has been gradually decreasing. In an effort to bring an end to the lingering conflict, Congress passes the Cuban Organic Act. A virtual copy of the 1902 Philippines Organic Act, it promises limited self government with an elected lower house and US appointed upper house once peace is restored to Cuba.
April 1904: The British expedition into Tibet has encountered no opposition during its advance until reaching the Gyantse Dzong fortress guarding the approaches to Lhasa. There the Dalai Lama has assembled the best Tibetan troops with Tibet's only modern weapons. British commander Brigadier James MacDonald, who has taken great pains to avoid combat during his advance, attempts to negotiate the fortress surrender for several days. Eventually, with the Tibetans rejecting his offer, he orders the fortress stormed, with it falling will minimal effort. With the only resistance he will face overcome, MacDonald continues his advance, leaving a small garrison to hold the fortress.
May 1904: The outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War has placed the French in a very difficult position. On one side, they are anxious to support their most important ally Russia to maintain the Entente. On the other, their support can not be too overt or extensive for fear of alienating the British and jeopardising the possibility of bringing them into the Entente. The solution adopted by Prime Minister is to avoid giving any material assistance, confining French support to diplomatic actions. His hope is this will allow him to balance British and Russian sensibilities.
May 1904: Since the loss of the battleship Petropavlovsk to mines, the Russians have been laying their own offensive minefields. The Petropavlovsk's sinking has also emboldened Japanese Admiral Togo Heihachiro, with him ordering his battleships to bombard Port Arthur. This results in the battleships Noto and Yashimo both striking mines on one such mission. The Noto sinks within minutes after a magazine explosion, while the Yashimo strikes two mines, flooding a boiler room and her underwater torpedo room, resulting in a severe list. Despite efforts to save her, the Yahimo will sink several hours later.
May 1904: Brigadier James MacDonald's Tibetan expedition finally reaches Lhasa, entering the city unopposed only to find the Dalai Lama has fled. With no Tibetans to negotiate with, MacDonald negotiates with the Chinese resident. Under the terms of the Lhasa Convention the British recognise and guarantee Chinese sovereignty over Tibet in return for the Chinese guaranteeing to prevent any other nations establishing any control or influence in Tibet. The British will continue to occupy Lhasa and several other strategic points until replace by a 'suitable' Chinese garrison. Something which there is no possibility of due to the Chinese Civil War. In fact Viceroy Lord Curzon has given secret instructions under no circumstances should the Chinese be allowed to take control.
May 1904: Southern Qing General Liu Yongfu's Second Army launches its offensive against the Yousheng Army in Hunan. By this point the war, most of the Northern Qing's trained pre war troops have become casualties, with Guixiang's force increasingly composed of ill trained conscripts who's morale is close to breaking due to losses. Within a week, the Yousheng Army breaks and begins a full retreat back toward Hubei Province.
May 1904: With the Japanese advancing along the Liaodong Peninsula, the Russians have formed a strong defensive position at Nanshan, the peninsulas narrowest. The Battle of Nanshan continues for three days before the Japanese farce the Russians to retire. Though at the cost of casualties four times greater than the Russians. The battle also sees more ammunition expended than the entire Franco-Prussian War. This along with similar reports from the Chinese Civil War will force all nations to dedicate far greater resources to logistical support in future. With their defeat at Nanshan the Russians abandon the strategic town of Dal'niy, falling back to Port Arthur instead. This allows the Japanese to advance unopposed, with Port Arthur under siege by August.
June 1904: With his Conservative government having governed for nearly five years, British Prime Minister Arthur Balfour calls for new elections. The campaign is fought over four key issues, social reform, devolution, women's suffrage and Imperial integration, with the Conservatives focusing on the record on the last issue. However the election results in a Liberal landslide victory, with them taking 342 seats, while the Conservatives plummet to 216. Except for the Irish Parliamentary Coalition who fall to just eight seats, all the minor parties see an improvement in their representation, with the Federalist Party taking 74 seats including 19 in England and the Labour Party 30. The election also sees Jan Hofmeyr step down a Dominion Secretary, to be replaced by New Zealander Joseph Ward.
June 1904: With the Northern Qing forces in Hunan being in full retreat, Southern Qing Commander in Chief General Lu Yongxiang, despite fears regarding the Second Army becoming over extended, agrees to allow General Liu Yongfu to continue his offensive into Hubei with the aim of retaking Wuhan. Fears regarding the rate of the Southern Qing advance lead to the vital Hanyang Arsenal being evacuated to Zhengzhou in Henan. This victory, along with the raid on Tianjin, has seen a major boost in the Southern Qing's prestige, convincing Duanfang, the Northern Qing Governor of Sichuan the time is right to switch sides. Despite having serious misgivings, General Lu authorises General Yin Chang commanding the Third Army in Sichuan to move to occupy as much of the province as is possible without 'undue risk.' General Yin, who has been drawing up plans for an offensive to capitalise on the Northern Qing Nanfang Army's depleted state for some months, choose to take a very liberal interpretation of his orders and throws the full weight of his forces against Dong Fuxiang's troops. His instincts prove correct as the Nanfang Army breaks into a headlong rout, offering no effective resistance to the Southern Qing advance.
June 1904: To replace the loss of the battleships Noto and Yashimo, the Japanese order a pair of powerful armoured cruisers as the Tsukuba class. Intended to be armed with four 10” guns, experience in the Battle of the Yellow Sea results in a change to 12” guns. With this heavy armament and capable of 23 knots, they will be the most powerful cruisers thus far ordered by any nation.
June 1904: Since the Southern Qing raid on Tianjin, Yuan Shikai has been actively planning a coup against the government of the Dowager Empress Cixi in Beijing, managing to gain the support of both Ma Anling in the Nanfang Army and Cao Kun in the Yousheng Army, as well as tentative support from both the Germans and Japanese. With the ongoing Northern Qing collapse in Hebai and Sichuan, he judges the moment to be ideal. Taking 8,000 of his best troops and with German agreement, he moves by rail to Beijing. There he is successful in seizing control of the Forbidden City and imprisoning the Northern Qing Grand Council. At the same time his allies Ma Anling and Cao Kun imprison Guixiang and Dong Fuxiang, taking control of the Nanfang and Yousheng Armies, effectively giving him control of the Northern Qing. With the success of his coup, Yuan immediately switches Northern Qing support from the Russians to Japanese in the war in Manchuria. While Northern Qing supplies food and ammunition along with military support provided by Honghuzi forces under Zhang Zoulin will prove useful, it will be the Northern Qing provision of vital intelligence from the local Chinese population which will give the Japanese a decisive advantage in the war.
April 1904: With some fearing the US may be drawn in to the Russo-Japanese War, the annual US naval program includes two repeat Vermont class battleships, two armoured cruisers, and four scout cruisers, along with eight submarines, five suitable for operations in the open sea.
April 1904: The Russian Pacific Fleet under Admiral Stephan Makarov attempts to break out of Port Arthur to cut the Japanese supply line to Korea. However the Japanese have been laying extensive offensive minefields outside Port Arthur. As the Russians attempt to leave port, two battleships strike mines, with the flagship Petropavlovsk sunk and Sevastopol crippled. More critically, Admiral Makarov is lost along with the Petropavlovsk.
April 1904: While Russian troops moved into Korea after the Japanese landing, their orders where not to engage the Japanese until they reached the Yalu River. With the Russians falling back, the Japanese have been advancing easily against token Korean opposition. The two armies will finally engage in the Battle of the Yalu River as the Russians attempt to prevent a Japanese crossing into China. The battle will be a hard fought but the Japanese force the Russians from their positions and begin advancing along the Liaodong peninsula toward Dal'niy.
April 1904: With the death of Bartolomé Masó in 1902 and fragmentation of the Cuban rebels, insurgency on the island has been gradually decreasing. In an effort to bring an end to the lingering conflict, Congress passes the Cuban Organic Act. A virtual copy of the 1902 Philippines Organic Act, it promises limited self government with an elected lower house and US appointed upper house once peace is restored to Cuba.
April 1904: The British expedition into Tibet has encountered no opposition during its advance until reaching the Gyantse Dzong fortress guarding the approaches to Lhasa. There the Dalai Lama has assembled the best Tibetan troops with Tibet's only modern weapons. British commander Brigadier James MacDonald, who has taken great pains to avoid combat during his advance, attempts to negotiate the fortress surrender for several days. Eventually, with the Tibetans rejecting his offer, he orders the fortress stormed, with it falling will minimal effort. With the only resistance he will face overcome, MacDonald continues his advance, leaving a small garrison to hold the fortress.
May 1904: The outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War has placed the French in a very difficult position. On one side, they are anxious to support their most important ally Russia to maintain the Entente. On the other, their support can not be too overt or extensive for fear of alienating the British and jeopardising the possibility of bringing them into the Entente. The solution adopted by Prime Minister is to avoid giving any material assistance, confining French support to diplomatic actions. His hope is this will allow him to balance British and Russian sensibilities.
May 1904: Since the loss of the battleship Petropavlovsk to mines, the Russians have been laying their own offensive minefields. The Petropavlovsk's sinking has also emboldened Japanese Admiral Togo Heihachiro, with him ordering his battleships to bombard Port Arthur. This results in the battleships Noto and Yashimo both striking mines on one such mission. The Noto sinks within minutes after a magazine explosion, while the Yashimo strikes two mines, flooding a boiler room and her underwater torpedo room, resulting in a severe list. Despite efforts to save her, the Yahimo will sink several hours later.
May 1904: Brigadier James MacDonald's Tibetan expedition finally reaches Lhasa, entering the city unopposed only to find the Dalai Lama has fled. With no Tibetans to negotiate with, MacDonald negotiates with the Chinese resident. Under the terms of the Lhasa Convention the British recognise and guarantee Chinese sovereignty over Tibet in return for the Chinese guaranteeing to prevent any other nations establishing any control or influence in Tibet. The British will continue to occupy Lhasa and several other strategic points until replace by a 'suitable' Chinese garrison. Something which there is no possibility of due to the Chinese Civil War. In fact Viceroy Lord Curzon has given secret instructions under no circumstances should the Chinese be allowed to take control.
May 1904: Southern Qing General Liu Yongfu's Second Army launches its offensive against the Yousheng Army in Hunan. By this point the war, most of the Northern Qing's trained pre war troops have become casualties, with Guixiang's force increasingly composed of ill trained conscripts who's morale is close to breaking due to losses. Within a week, the Yousheng Army breaks and begins a full retreat back toward Hubei Province.
May 1904: With the Japanese advancing along the Liaodong Peninsula, the Russians have formed a strong defensive position at Nanshan, the peninsulas narrowest. The Battle of Nanshan continues for three days before the Japanese farce the Russians to retire. Though at the cost of casualties four times greater than the Russians. The battle also sees more ammunition expended than the entire Franco-Prussian War. This along with similar reports from the Chinese Civil War will force all nations to dedicate far greater resources to logistical support in future. With their defeat at Nanshan the Russians abandon the strategic town of Dal'niy, falling back to Port Arthur instead. This allows the Japanese to advance unopposed, with Port Arthur under siege by August.
June 1904: With his Conservative government having governed for nearly five years, British Prime Minister Arthur Balfour calls for new elections. The campaign is fought over four key issues, social reform, devolution, women's suffrage and Imperial integration, with the Conservatives focusing on the record on the last issue. However the election results in a Liberal landslide victory, with them taking 342 seats, while the Conservatives plummet to 216. Except for the Irish Parliamentary Coalition who fall to just eight seats, all the minor parties see an improvement in their representation, with the Federalist Party taking 74 seats including 19 in England and the Labour Party 30. The election also sees Jan Hofmeyr step down a Dominion Secretary, to be replaced by New Zealander Joseph Ward.
June 1904: With the Northern Qing forces in Hunan being in full retreat, Southern Qing Commander in Chief General Lu Yongxiang, despite fears regarding the Second Army becoming over extended, agrees to allow General Liu Yongfu to continue his offensive into Hubei with the aim of retaking Wuhan. Fears regarding the rate of the Southern Qing advance lead to the vital Hanyang Arsenal being evacuated to Zhengzhou in Henan. This victory, along with the raid on Tianjin, has seen a major boost in the Southern Qing's prestige, convincing Duanfang, the Northern Qing Governor of Sichuan the time is right to switch sides. Despite having serious misgivings, General Lu authorises General Yin Chang commanding the Third Army in Sichuan to move to occupy as much of the province as is possible without 'undue risk.' General Yin, who has been drawing up plans for an offensive to capitalise on the Northern Qing Nanfang Army's depleted state for some months, choose to take a very liberal interpretation of his orders and throws the full weight of his forces against Dong Fuxiang's troops. His instincts prove correct as the Nanfang Army breaks into a headlong rout, offering no effective resistance to the Southern Qing advance.
June 1904: To replace the loss of the battleships Noto and Yashimo, the Japanese order a pair of powerful armoured cruisers as the Tsukuba class. Intended to be armed with four 10” guns, experience in the Battle of the Yellow Sea results in a change to 12” guns. With this heavy armament and capable of 23 knots, they will be the most powerful cruisers thus far ordered by any nation.
June 1904: Since the Southern Qing raid on Tianjin, Yuan Shikai has been actively planning a coup against the government of the Dowager Empress Cixi in Beijing, managing to gain the support of both Ma Anling in the Nanfang Army and Cao Kun in the Yousheng Army, as well as tentative support from both the Germans and Japanese. With the ongoing Northern Qing collapse in Hebai and Sichuan, he judges the moment to be ideal. Taking 8,000 of his best troops and with German agreement, he moves by rail to Beijing. There he is successful in seizing control of the Forbidden City and imprisoning the Northern Qing Grand Council. At the same time his allies Ma Anling and Cao Kun imprison Guixiang and Dong Fuxiang, taking control of the Nanfang and Yousheng Armies, effectively giving him control of the Northern Qing. With the success of his coup, Yuan immediately switches Northern Qing support from the Russians to Japanese in the war in Manchuria. While Northern Qing supplies food and ammunition along with military support provided by Honghuzi forces under Zhang Zoulin will prove useful, it will be the Northern Qing provision of vital intelligence from the local Chinese population which will give the Japanese a decisive advantage in the war.
A somewhat heavily modified version of the OTL support, but yes. The Chinese did provide food, auxiliary militia to fight and critically important intelligence. Here the motives are different, supplies have been added and the auxiliary militia is better organised and equipped.
Frankly the significant support the Chinese gave the Japanese in the OTL has always seemed curious to me. Not like the Japanese had any less designs on exploiting and dismembering China than the Russians. Only thing I can come up with is the Russians had been kicking the Chinese so much longer they hated them so much they just wanted to see the Russians get the crap beaten out of them. Regardless of the fact the Japanese would just take over from the Russians in kicking the Chinese.
Hopefully ITTL the motives are a little more logical. The initial Northern Qing support for Russia got them vital military hardware and they did desperately need to get a Great Power backer. Yuan's switch also makes sense. At this point, the military situation is running somewhat in Japan's favour, they did support Yuan's coup, the need for a Greater Power back is even more desperate with the collapse in Hunan, and there is a chance the need to retain US support may moderate Japanese ambitions to some degree.
And the Southern Qing fight back has been coming some time. They just had to hold out long enough for their advantages (better organisation, training, equipment etc) to kick in. Now it has, the tide has definitely turned.
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