Co-operative Empire. An interactive AAR

[Novare_Res]

To His Majesty The King and His Majesty's Government,

RE: Proposed Budget for the United Kingdom; 1836

Many thanks for your flattery, Your Noble Majesty. I will attempt my best to do your kind words' justice. I also cannot commend you enough on your wise decision to eliminate the unemployment subsidies and to conservatively reduce the size of the navy. I apologize for my tardiness, I have toiled many hours meticulously crafting this years budget, I'm sure it will be well received and maintain a surplus for the entire year. In addition I suggest that we import a bare minimum of 3 Iron, 3 Cotton, 3 Dye, 3 Timber, 3 Regular Clothes and as many Explosives as possible so that our industries may run smoothly. Any disputes, changes or suggestions are welcome by any and all.

God Save The King,
John Hanlon, Chancellor of the Exchequer

 

[robou]

To The King and the Indian Viceroyal
RE The Dutch Question

I have been working with the Boers for many years now. I trust them with running my country and my army. I know from personal experience that the Boers are men of their word. The Boers are the closest i know to the Dutch and i would hope that the Dutch will stick with what they have said during procedings at the Treaty of 1826. I am only worried as the Indian subcontinent gets the Lions share of the Empires resources and that my slim ammount may not be able to take the strain of French, Portuguese, Spanish and Belgian colonial efforts.
Africa is the only place left for the Belgians to turn to, and no doubt they will try and forge an empire as their own borders a so slim.

It is in the best interests of our African policies if the Belgian nation does not come into existance

God Save the King
Sir Robert Thesiger
Governor-General of South Africa

 

[Novare_Res]

To His Majesty King Edward IV, Sir Dorian Russell, Chief Executive of the East India Company and Rear-Admiral Noel Holland,

RE: The Colombo Fleet

I cannot thank you gentlemen enough for your cooperation in reaching an agreement over the status of the Navy. To offer my gratitude might I suggest a compromise for you: Why don't we just loan the entirety of the Colombo Fleet to the Administration of British India? That way we will relieve ourselves of any financial burden but still have the ships in reserve around the subcontinent should any need arise. I don't mean to overstep my authority but I had not heard any mention of the idea as of yet. Of course if Sir Dorian Russell says to decommission them then by God I say let the bloody things burn!

God Save The King,
John Hanlon, Chancellor of the Exchequer

 

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To Viceroy of India and Governor General of South Africa
RE Treaty of London

Dear sirs I respect both of your opinions and as such will not decide between your positions. As such I have asked the prime minister to consult with me on the issue. I will allow him to decide on this issue.

Signed and Sealed

King Edward IV

 

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To Chancellor John Hanlon,

Sir, an excellent suggestion regarding the Colombo fleet. My suggestion to decommission the vessels was merely a consequence of yours and His Majesty the King´s requests for austerity as regards the Navy budget- I have no particular desire to see our warships, the pride and first defence of the people of Britain after all, retired and dismantled. For my part I am quite willing to see them turned over to the control of the Company- though I am unfortunately not in possession of the full facts of the Indian budget, thus I cannot say for sure whether or not the Company treasurers will consider it necessary to return control of the vessels to the Admiralty (thus alleviating their share of the costs). I consider this a somewhat unlikely eventuality, however, and thus I would be fully in support of the Company´s assuming control of the ships at Colombo.

I applaud your initiative, and look forward to seeing the Empire´s finances prosper under your supervision. I might furthermore add an earnest hope that the Royal Exchequer and the Company Treasury can continue their hitherto happy and successful association.

With warmest greetings,

God Save the King,

Sir Dorian Russell, Chief Executive of the East India Company

 

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To His Britannic Majesty King Edward IV,

Your Highness, I applaud and respect your sound deferral of the Belgian question to the Prime Minister. I hope that Your Majesty will also give your talented consideration to this question to reach the correct decision. I might take this opportunity to remind both Your Majesty and the Prime Minister that the comparative worth and wealth of India and the holdings of the Company are far more valuable than our (nevertheless important) Cape Colony. One´s decision on the question must surely rest at least for a large part on this factor, and thereby only one conclusion can sensibly be reached.

Might I also forward a request from the Company Central Office in Calcutta that London send all available information and dociers regarding the mainland of India to us in Bombay- military, economic and territorial information as far as London has such documents. This is in order to streamline Company bureaucracy and corroborate the information of all offices together, along with that of His Majesty´s Government in London.

God Save the King,

Sir Dorian Russell, Chief Executive of the East India Company.

 

[General_Grant]

To His Majesty King Edward IV,

Your Highness, thanks for the valuable and usefull informations about the population of Canada. There is no doubts than Canada will soon become a valuable industrial base, with little interventions. The current situation can be keeped as it is, with maybe a few improvements: a railroad covering the most populated regions between Quebec and London (Canada), may definitivly provide a boost for the local industry and would ease the connumications. The line Quebec - Montreal - Ottawa - Toronto - London would be perfect, when the Empire will be able to afford such expenses.

Regarding any naval presence in Canada:
Considering the important needs of squadrons of various sizes trough the World, the relative peace in the colony (any immediate threat may only come from our subjects), and the fact than Canada is nearer from the Home Islands than South Africa, Ceylon or Singapore, any important naval presence in Canada would be a waste of recources. The naval base of Halifax will alway be opened in a case of emergency, but keeping a regular force in Canada would be useless. In a case of a war with the United States reimforciments would not take much time to arrive from Aberdeen.

God Save the King,
Sir Charles Grant,
Governor-General of Canada

 

[General_Grant]

To Chancellor John Hanlon,

Sir, i can only aprove the proposed budjet regarding the finances of the Empire, but would like to point out the fact than it had been badly labeled '1886'.

As Governor of an industrialized colony, i would like to know how far the actual budjet and money reserves may allow spendings regarding investements about the colonial railroad network. Investements estimated to around 10 000£ where calculated to grant the colony a modern infrastructure, along with various other resources. As i perfectly understand than the developement priority will and must be granted to the Home Islands infrastructure, i would like the governement of His Majesty to not exclude the colonial devellopement. A maximum delay of 4 years seems reasonable for the envoy of those pounds, if the reserves of the Royal Exchequer allow such expenses.

God Save the King,
Sir Charles Grant,
Governor-General of Canada

 

[Novare_Res]

To Sir Charles Grant, Governor-General of Canada,

Thank you for pointing out my mistake in the budget good sir, I have swiftly corrected it and fired a handful of clerks at my Downing Street office for their embarrassing blunder.

RE: Canadian Railway

I stand with you my boy that the need for railroads in your great Colony would provide a tremendous boost to the local economy. Might I add that Sherbrooke neglected to make your list but is home to one of the region's lumber mills. I am afraid you are mistaken, however, as appropriating funds for railroad expansion is not one of my duties as Chancellor. It is the policy of this laissez-faire government that railroads remain privately funded. We have, however, taken the initiative with our proposed budget to dramatically reduce upper income taxes by 25% and maintain a low tariff of approximately 15% to stimulate economic investment from the private sector, including those businessmen in Toronto and Montreal. My analysts project that we should see the benefits of our tax policies in a matter of only about six months. I grant you every bit of confidence that in four years you will be demanding that we regulate against railroad expansion because Canada will be thoroughly landscaped in lumber & steel! I look forward to riding along the Canadian Intercontinental Railway one day.

God Save The King,
John Hanlon, Chancellor of the Exchequer

 

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To Sir Charles Grant, Governor-General of Canada,To Chancellor John Hanlon,

Gentle men I understand that both of you have interests in an extended imperial rail lines. Is our current capitalist numbers sufficient to ensure that our capitalists will be building rails within the governor generals target of 4 years for the completion of initial lines within Canada.

Do we need to promote new capitalists?

Signed and sealed
King Edward IV

OOC all what techs should we research. Answer this as a letter or however but I don't have time to write a letter to the imperial science bureau or whatever to solicit your opinions so just come out with it.

 

[Freddan]

To John Hanlon, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Sir Dorian Russel Chief Executive of the East India Company.
RE: The Colombo Fleet

Excellent idea Sirs, I believe that we could lend the Colombo fleet over to the EIC this would strengthen their flotilla. I’m not really fond of disbanding any of the ships unless there’s a good reason therefore I like this idea.

Rule Britannia, rule the seas!

God Save The King
Rear-Admiral Noel Holland

 

[Freddan]

To Sir Charles Grant, Governor-General of Canada
Regarding Halifax Flotilla

Good idea, the Halifax Flotilla could be merged with the Aberdeen Flotilla to create a more powerful strike force and have Halifax just used for emergency repairs and a place to stock up on food and such.
Of course if war should come to the North American continent Halifax will be used as a permanent base for our navy.

Rule Britannia, rule the seas!

God Save The King
Rear-Admiral Noel Holland

 

[robou]

To King Edward IV
RE Technology

I believe that in the best efforts of the Empire we concentrate of technologies that we will help both our Commerce and Navy. We must also throw in Army Technologies unless we wish to fall behind other nations.

Only my opinion

God Save the King
Sir Robert Thesiger
Governor-General of South Africa

 

[Novare_Res]

To His Majesty King Edward IV,

RE: Canada

I must advise against raising anymore capitalists in Canada. There is approximately 2,000 residing in the territories of Quebec and Ontario as we speak and my estimation is that Sir Charles Grant's requested railroad will well be on its way to completion by January of 1840 with things as they are. To promote anymore would be a waste of resources and unnecessary government interference. This would lead to less profit for all businessmen, leading in turn to less investment and the current workforce of Canada as it stands will not be able to fill any new factories that an over-populated entrepreneurial class in Canada might overzealously build.

RE: Research

I suggest we develop high & low pressure steam engines, as machines that are more specific to their application will lead to greater productivity and pofitability. These are only because you sought my counsel, I will gladly endorse whatever decisions you make Your Majesty.

God Save The King,
John Hanlon, Chancellor of the Exchequer

 

[robou]

The Coming Storm

To the King and Parliment
RE South African Affairs

On the morning of the 1st of January, 1836

Today, a letter was given to me from the Govenor of Queen Adilaide Province which borders onto the land of Xhosan cattle hearders. This letter carries worrying news which i convey to you with the upmost urgency.

To Govenor Thesiger of the Cape Province

I bring terrible news. Today, i ,with a loyal band of Boer horsemen, fought off a Xhosan Warband which had entered our lands. I would not normally worry you will such matters as the Warband number only 50, however, i have had several Boer cattle hearders coming over the border with news that i thought was worthy of you hearing.
An army is mustering and i am quite sure that my small garrison of 100 men for the Adilaide Province will not be able to hold, even if we call up the Militia and send families into the Kraals.
I need reinforcements quickly, be they from Capetown, India or the United Kingdom herself. If i do not recive reinforcements by the 23rd of January, i will be forced to evacuate Queen Adilaide Province of all her White Settlers. The latter,i would prefer not to happen.
Please send men a supplies as soon as you can.

Yours very Worried
Rene Van Voorbeck
Govenor of Queen Adilaide Province

As few of the Parliment have veiwed the situation in South Africa, i will take a while to explain.


Current Affairs in South Africa

The Red block is the Cape Province.
The Blue line is the Route of the current Boer "Great Trek"
The Purple line is the extent of Xhosan lands

Queen Adilaide Province borders the land of the Xhosa and thought even this was once Xhosan, white settlement by the Boers in 1818, forced back the boundry.

The Xhosans, like their neigbours the Zulus, Swazis and Sothos, are a warlike people that are a constant menace to White Settlement on the Cape. We believe that at full strength that the Xhosa can muster an Impi (War Group) of almost 30,000 men. These forces are high mobile and can easily outnumber and surround my Redcoats. The only forces that i could use to beat them would be my Boer Cavalry.
However, without funds and the basic equipment, my Boer cavlry will stay as Militia and cannot be raised into a formal Reserve force. I would like to Rasie the "Boer Mounted Police" to match the great Mobility of Xhosa and to harras them until my Redcoats are able to move into their positions and beat the Xhosa. But to do this i need the 7th Division, currently of one Regiement, to be brought to the full strength of 3 Regiments. With a full Infantry divsion and a Irregular Division of fast moving cavalry, i can smash the Xhosa back into their homelands. I will be able to hold them at bay for now with the forces i have, but i will never be able to beat them. I need the Full 2 divisions to be able to beat any of my oponents in South Africa.


The men i count on daily to save my Colony from disaster

This may not seem like an imminent threat to the British Empire, but without the required support, the Cape will fall. If the Cape falls, ships will not be able to reach India. There will be a huge nock on affect. Send troops and equipment now or be ready to face the consequences.

God Save the King
Sir Robert Thesiger
Govenor-General of South Africa

 

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you need a certain number of posts to be entitled to a signature iirc

its under Edit email adress and password.

 

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To John Hanlon, Chancellor of the Exchequer
RE Capitalists

I did not mean to suggest the promotion of a capitalist pop in canada. Rather I meant to suggest the promotion of a large capitalist POP somewhere in the home isles. As capitalists build rails where ever in the empire that it appears a profitable investment this large POP would speed up the general speed of construction in the empire. Even as far from the isles as canada and ceylon.

signed and sealed
King Edward IV

 

[Novare_Res]

To His Majesty King Edward IV,

RE: RE: Capitalists

I do apologize for my misunderstanding Your Majesty. My answer is still the same, however, we need not influence the economy in such away, she will do her bidding as she wishes and she will do it well. I assure you that we will have far more factories then we will have workers and far more railroads then we have territory soon enough.

God Save The King,
John Hanlon, Chancellor of the Exchequer

P.S. Thank you for tending to my query, cheers!

 

[Freddan]

To Sir Robert Thesiger, Govenor-General of South Africa
Regarding Naval Support.

The Capetown Flotilla now stands under your command, I will assist you in this operation as Admiral of the Flotilla.
If needed we can lend the four frigates currently stationed in Mauritius.

Rule Britannia, rule the seas!

God Save the King
Rear-Admiral Noel Holland

 

[robou]

To the Admiralty

I thank you for your continued support of my Colony. But i fear that just your naval support alone will still not be enough

God save the King
Sir Robert Thesiger
Govenor-General of South Africa