1895-1900 Industrialization! (Newpaper form)
Das Byzantienische Zeitung
0,25BM 21, August. 1895
With the wars' end, thousands of drafted men are returning home to find the nation in dreary need for more jobs. Many speculate that by the end of the century, major iron and coal shortages will lead to a catastrophic end to industrialization. A quiet few in Konstaninopolis have advocated the shift from coal to oil in fueling our nation's trains and factories.
"Until such a time when a more plentiful source of oil is found, the Byzantine National Railroads' trains will continue to use coal for its major source of fuel," said Otto von Trieste last Friday after accusations that the nation's rail roads did not have enough coal.
"These accusations are totaly false," said Fraz Gruber, director of coal management for the BNR, "There is plenty of coal to go around, and even if there is a small shortage, I am confident that the government will find a solution."
This statement comes after large depostits of coal and iron were found in West Siberia. Japanese officals have released that they too have found a great deal of iron in Ostsiberia.
"We will retain all necessary trading with the Byzantine government and continue to supply their need of coal as long as it does not effect the growth of Japanese industry," announced Itkhiro Matsuko, head of Japanese labour in Ostsiberia.
Das Byzantienische Zeitung
0,25BM 01, Juli. 1896
Württemburg, Großdeutschland; The state's minister of Industrial Developement, Boris Führer, has announced the expansion of several coal mines under his control, including two in the Lorraine region. Kleinerdeutschland officials have also admitted to a much larger expansion of coal minining in the Saarland region. This comes as no surprise after the price of coal rose 0,06BM a pound last month. Officials in Konstantinopolis says that a recent strike there caused a minor shortage that was made up through the importing of coal from Sweden and Norway. The two Byzantine protectorites in Scandinavia saw a major increase of income after Danish rule had ended.
"The expansion of these mines serves two purposes, to cut down and rapant unemployment after the war, and to make sure there is enough coal to heat every home in the Empire," explains Führer, "We do not acknowledge any shortage in coal due to over excavation!"
Das Byzantienische Zeitung
0,25BM 29, November. 1896
Today, outside of a small fishing viliage on the colonial island of Java, Herr Johannes Lehrer has discovered what might prove Hr. Dawin's theories of evolution applied to man too. The young doctor has claimed to have found the missing link in man 'evolution' from apes.
"The creture I have found walked up-right like a man, but had a large brow like an ape and retains several ape features such as longer forarms and stubbier fingers."
This is a startiling find after Hr. Dämer's find in the Ardenes last year. The Java man seems to like the Nieanderthalman and humanbeings. The Imperial court, a strong supporter of church opinion dening evolution has hinted toward allowing research to continue but no offical statement has been made.
Das Byzantienische Zeitung
0,30BM 04, April. 1897
Panamastadt, Transpanama-Colombia; Work has begun on the greatest endevor know to man, the Altanisch-Pasifik Canal! Engineers have said that being the canal here will give them training to building another one across the Suez pennisila on a unannocunced date.
"The Suez Canal will be much harder," says the canal's lead engineer, Calvin Hobbes, "It is much longer and will have to be built on shifting sands. Try it in your child's sand-box. Dig a hole in dry sand then watch the sand fill it back up. This is what my engineers and I have predicted for the Suez canal. Plus, the Suez Canal doesn't serve that great of a purpose. Goods coming from India simply sail to Basra, why have them sail ony further? Goods coming from California must travel to Virginia and Nordkarolina, and that leaves three paths: 1) Around Sudamerika and risking storms; 2) Across the continental Nordamerika and risking indian raids; or 3) Through our new canal!"
The canal is schedualed for completion in 1899 when it will become of use to Naval ships military and the like.
Das Byzantienische Zeitung
0,30BM 14, August. 1897
Today marks the end of the Trans-Afrika railroad. The rail road extends all the way down Byzantine Afrika to Cape Town and Johannesburg. It starts as part of the Algeris railroad network and spreads out hitting major cities and military points including Niger, Somoliland, Kongo, and Namibia. The rail road was started in 1889 but was paused during the war with Denmark and Russia. Construction resumed last year as hundreds of thousands of men came back looking for jobs.
Das Byzantienische Zeitung
0,25BM 01, Januar. 1898
Herr Daimler hast revieled what he believes is the future of transportation, the Automobile. Hr. Daimler explains that the 'auto' will be powered by oil, as accusations of coal shortages continue to run rampant.
"My internal combustion engine can lead to all shorts of wonderful inventions, including the key to flight!" Daimler exclaimed. His Internal Combustion Engine has solved the means of using oil as a fuel without having to rely still on steam. He continues, "There are also many forms of the engine that my brilliant drafters have though up, this included one designed by my head draftsmen Fredrik Diesel."
The excietment was so great, that even Kaiser Adolph IV Dukas showed up and took a ride in the noisy contraption. Though Mrs. Dukas was not happy with the greasy stains the Kaiser sustained on his sunday best, the Kaiser admits that, "It was a wonderful time." The government has granted Daimler enough funds to start several factories of his own, and a Royal auto manufactury will be erected outside of Konstantinopolis.
Das Byzantienische Zeitung +Spezial!+
0,35BM 07, Juli. 1898
In the seering heat of a Schwabian summer, Herr Daimler has done it again. Only six months after revealing the Internal combustion engine, a heavier-than-air contraption flew through the skies! Several military officals and the Kaiser-to-be, Größerfuhrsten Karl II watched in stunned amazement as 'pilot' Stephan Marz flew the 'airplane' a total of seven times. His longest time in the air was 56 seconds and the longest distance was an amazing 2046' 3"! Many watching ran along with the contraption as it putzed and coughed its way through the air. Even though both Daimler and Marz admit the plane was far from perfect, it proved that it could infact be done.
Military officals a less impressed than Daimler and the Größerfuhrsten, "That thing could hardly carry a single man let alone a platoon or even a grenade!" says Großadmiral Hans Jobrüke, "The Kriegsmarine has no use for it!" He was not alone in this belief. One Military offical who did see a little potential for it was General Patrik von Stok, current commander of the BBEF.
"If it was more powerful, it could be used to scout over enemy lines, though I see very little use for it other than that. It is meerly a toy."
Das Byzantienische Zeitung
0,25BM 23, Oktober. 1898
In the midst of the Oktoberfest, the nation's national holiday, Alexzander von Gram-bell, deminstarted what he is calling "Yankee know-how" in action. Yankees, a mutt breed of Germans, Cherokee and several other European ancestries, have been know for their over-coming of adversity in Nordamerika. They were the ones who helped build the new Grandfleet as well as industrializing Virginia and Nordkarolina. Yesterday he deminstarted his "Telephone," when he 'phoned' his assistant who was on the other side of the Konstantinopolis fair grounds (roughly 1.2 miles). Those who watched called it either "amazing" or a "grand hoax." Few believed in the invention until Hr. Gram-bell offered couples to be seperated and talk to each other. The Kaiser emiditally demaned one be set up in the palace to call between distant rooms. Generals want a national line so armies can coordinate, the navy wants a wireless version. Gram-bell believes a wireless verion is only a few months from a reality as he works with a little-known Italian inventor.
Das Byzantienische Zeitung
0,25BM 13, Februar. 1899
All production of steel has come to a halt as the predicted shortage of coal and iron have proven true. This leads us to wonder why nothing was being done for the problem! For the first time since 1842, citizens of Krimea can see a blue sky as the miriad steel factories closed shop for the duration of the shortage.
"It really is a god-sent," says Krimea resident Trischa von Pommern, "Though getting the smell of sulfur out of.... well.... everything.... will be very difficult."
It is to be noted that her husband works in the lumber industry. As for the families of steel workers, the government has offered their codelences and temporary jobs in laying new telephone lines conecting Krimea and Konstaninopolis.
"If it wasn't for the govnerment, my family would have probably starved, and I thank them," says a happy ex-steel worker Ronald Darfson, "Though it does do a number on your back."
Many people, for the first time, saw the extent of the effects of "Krimea-air" on buildings. Facal features on statues have been eaten off and houses that were once white or blue ar now a thick greyish-brown.
"We shall overcome this event," says Kaiser Adolph IV, "A massive overhaul of all of Byzantium's mines will make sure coal continues to flow into Krimea's coffers. This will be added to the recent advent of Hr. Edison's electricity and light. We are at the edge of a break through of science!"