The Economist
News Highlights from Around the World, 1840 Edition
Leaders
Europe
In the United Kingdom, Native Rights Bill of 1840 was passed. It stipulated the Native Peoples of British North America, British Africa, and British Asia shall be given the basic rights of landownership, ability to sue in courts, specific areas of land that cannot be taken, without due form of reparations. [-25,000 £, Improved colonial relations]
A demonstration of the new British steam engine
Efforts to modernize the British Navy continued during 1840, with advances made in the adapting steam engines to better serve as propulsion units. Though they were able to increase the power generated by 25%, it would take a few years before the new engines would be considered reliable enough to be used. [-22,000 £, +1 Naval Level in 3 turns]
Education was also another major priority of the British Empire and 1840 saw the expansion and construction of schools all across the empire. The schools would provide education to children in the three R's, reading writing, and arithmetic. [-20,000 £, +5% Literacy]
Efforts to improve the British Army were similarly successful, with a new drilling program instituted to increase the discipline among the men. [-13,000 £, +1 Army level in 2 turns]
In a shocking move, the French parliament drastically lower tariffs to 5% and in some cases 3%, this drove many French businesses to bankruptcy as without the tariff barriers they could not compete in the international market place. [-2 Industry, -400 Base income] ((Tariffs exist for a reason...))
However, recent advancements in domestic agriculture did allow for the agricultural sector to grow, even if faced with greater competition. [-10,000 ₣, +200 Base Income]
Efforts to modernize the French Navy continued during 1840, with advances made in the adapting steam engines to better serve as propulsion units. Though they were able to increase the power generated by 20%, it would take a few years before the new engines would be considered reliable enough to be used. [-20,000 ₣, +1 Naval Level in 3 turns]
Work continues on the new Dutch Constitution, with a surprising amount of progress being made in 1840. [3/5 Progress on new constitution]
The Royal Dutch Navy at sea
Mindful of its position on the world stage, and desiring to protect their independence work to improve their military capabilities. Though efforts to recruit men for the army are an abject failure, the naval program was rather successful. [-39,600 ƒ, +5 large ships, +5 small ships, +1 Naval Levels in 2 turns]
King Frederick VI, eager to spur on the industrialization of his nation opens the government coffers to invest in his nation's industry and infrastructure. Both of these programs are moderately successful with a small rail line being built in Jutland and some more industry in Sjaelland. [-47,000 Dkr, +1 Infrastructure in 3 turns, +2 Industry in 2 turns]
Efforts to invest in the expansion of the navy where for naught when the timber purchased for the new ships proved unexpectedly weak, costing the government a fortune to no effect. [-5000 Dkr]
Further progress is made on the new Danish Constitution with many agree to a more liberal, representative form of government. [2/5 progress on new constitution]
The newly launched HMS Stockholm
In the frozen North of Sweden, the King orders the expansion of the Royal Navy and the reforming the army into a more specialized force. The costs of these programs prove burdensome on the Swedish treasury but results will be known in time. [-26,000 Skr, +5 large ships in 3 turns, +1 Army level in 2 turns]
In other news, the Swedish King once causes a negative stir among the Norwegian populace addressing them only in Swedish and French. This leads to several demonstrations across Norway. [-1 Stability]
Further to East in Russia, the ports of Archangel and Sevastopol was expanded. Additionally, in the wastes furthers East, several mines were expanded, though output of these mines was less than expected. [-35,000 руб, +800 Base income]
The wreak of the Идиот...
Efforts to better equip the Russian army however, were considerably less successful than expected as the ship, Идиот, carrying most of the purchased foreign weapons sank to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland during a particularly horrible storm. It was later discovered, after questioning the sole surviving crewman, that the entire crew had been drunk on vodka before the storm hit, and some men had even jumped into the sea believing it to be an ocean of vodka. [-5,000 руб, -6,000 gold +1% Equipment]
The year also bore witness to a massive famine that swept across the Russian steppes. To counteract this, the Tsar made a proclamation authorizing the distribution of bread and grain to the peasantry. [-30,000, +1 Stability]
The Prussian Dreyse “needle gun”
The Prussian Army saw further reforms in 1840, in particular to its equipment. The year saw the issue for the Dreyse “needle gun” as the standard issue weapon of the Prussian Army. [-45,000 ℳ, +5% Equipment, +1 Army level in 2 turns]
The year also witnessed the construction of a new railway connecting Berlin to Stettin, where the active refitting of the nations navy with new steam engines, though the process would take several years. [-50,300 ℳ, +1 Infrastructure in 2 turns, +1 Naval level in 4 turns, Entire Prussian Navy laid up for 4 turns]
Continued diplomatic efforts in Northern Germany were less successful than hoped, but fortunately no further damage was done. [-10,000 ℳ]
The spirit of progress was similarly strong in Bavaria with decision made to construct a rail line linking Nuremberg with Augsburg. The line was slated to be completed in a few years time. The announce of the new line was greet by the offer of Saxony and Saxon-Coburg to construct a line the Bavarian border so the nation's could be more closely tied. [-38,900 Bavƒ, +1 Infrastructure in 3 turns]
The fire that destroyed the Bavarian Artillery Foundry
These Bavarian government also spent the year improving the military were also made that year. Improvements to the Fort Ingolstadt made the fortress virtually impregnable, however attempts to procure new artillery were dashed when a fire destroyed the main foundry in Bavaria. [-15,000 Bavƒ, Bavaria needs to rebuild the foundry or purchase artillery from abroad, Ingolstadt well defended]
Maximilian University in Munich
In Munich, 1840 saw the foundation the Maximilian University. The central focus of the new university was the classics. [-8,000 Bavƒ, +3% Literacy, +5 Prestige]
Efforts by the Austrian Empire to invest in the creation of a new industrial centers in Prague and Vienna were stymied when they were forced to instead use the money set aside for the project on funding the Imperial Land Reform Act of 1840.
The Austrian Land Reform Act of 1840 was great step forward for the Austrian Empire, no longer would peasants toil under the bonds of serfdom, they were free! With this new found freedom productivity increased across the empire. However, the costs for this program were staggering as the nobles demanded far more compensation than previously expected. As a result only a fraction of the land transfers were able to made in 1840, as the government ran out of funds. [-250,000 Ausƒ, +2,500 Base income, 1/3 land reform payments completed]
Emperor Ferdinand I takes the opportunity afforded by the Austrian Land Reform Act of 1840 to tour the country and raise goodwill. He makes a good impression on his subjects and is able to diffuse the growing tensions in the Kingdom of Lombardia-Venetia. [-25,000 Ausƒ, +1 Stability]
Austrian Army units of various ethnicities
The Austrian Empire having faced several losses during the war against the Two Sicilies, began a large scale recruitment project in the Hungarian steppes and Dalmatia. The efforts were surprisingly successful with 30,000 volunteers signing up to join the Austrian Army. [-7,500 Ausƒ, +30,000 Regulars]
Efforts by King Victor Emmanuel II to emulate the Greek Constitution are met with strong resistance by the local nobility, particularly those whose counties and duchies were absorbed during the current war in Italy. The wealthy landowners rally rural support and manage to stall the Sardinian King's reform efforts entirely.
More successful is a strong push on national industry by the young king and his newly-appointed Minister of Industry, who heads a vigorous contingent of engineers dedicated to creating factories for the Kingdom. Construction of several industrial facilities begins in Turin, centering around a factory for the production of cement and a new industrialized winery. [-53,750 SP₤, +3 Industry in 1 turn]
Continuing his efforts to improve education in Sardinia-Piedmont, the King of Sardinia orders the construction and staffing of a College of Technology and Industry at the ancient University of Turin. This modern facility and its professors serve as a vital resource for training a literate, technologically-capable workforce for the Sardinian Kingdom. [-17,900 SP₤, +5% Literacy]
As the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont prospers and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany suffers from the ill fortunes of war, several spontaneous demonstrations break out in Florence, with trained artisans and students waving the Sardinian flag and calling for North Italian unity against Sicilian aggression. Grand Duke Leopold II responds with a speech from the palace balcony referring to Victor Emmanuel I as "a great Italian leader and friend to all Tuscans". [Tuscany favors unity with Sardinia-Piedmont]
By royal decree, Sicilian gunsmiths work double and triple shifts to produce the necessary rifles and bullets for Ferdinand II's war machine. The end result is a wave of inferior and defective products, many of which are not noticed until they've already been paid for. [-23,400 TS₤, -5% Equipment]
On the Italian Peninsula, the revocation of military access to all belligerent parties by the Pope leads to a stalemate in the Italian War, as no nation wishes to violate the Papal States' declared neutrality. Austrian forces retreat to Lombardy-Venetia and construct defensive fortifications, rather than risking further guerrilla attacks from Sardinian or Tuscan citizens. However, foreign propaganda decrying the Austrian Emperor's close relationship with the heathen Turks does little to improve his soldiers' morale, as half of the force designated to reinforce the Ottoman Sultan deserts en masse and the other half doesn't deploy, citing confused lines of communication. [-5,000 Regulars to Austria]
During this apparent lull and contrary to the King of Sardinia's explicit orders, the garrison on Sardinia remains complacent and does little to improve their defensive positions, believing that the Sicilians will continue to ignore them as they have throughout the war. The Sardinian squadron defending Sardinia is actually caught with most of its sailors on shore for a raucous, drunken leave when the entire Sicilian fleet sails up to the island, destroying almost half the Sardinian force before the commanding admiral manages to order the retreat. [-5 Big Ships to Sardinia-Piedmont, -10 Small Ships to Sardinia]
15,000 Sicilian marines land on Sardinia's southern shore and launch a devastating lightning attack on the unprepared garrison, rapidly seizing control of the entire island and digging in to resist further attempts to shift them. While the Sicilian marines lose nearly a third of their number, Sardinian losses are much heavier. [-8,000 Regulars to Sardinia-Piedmont, -5,000 Regulars to Two Sicilies, Two Sicilies controls Sardinia]
Further Portuguese efforts to modernize their fleet are unsuccessful, as the majority of their vessels remain in drydock for previously-ordered refits, and most of the allocated funds disappear into that project. [-33,000 P$]
With the successful completion of the refit project, the Portuguese Admiralty orders an additional five ships for each of their extant classes using the new designs. Progress goes roughly as expected and the new vessels are expected to sail out of the shipyards early next year. [-28,900 P$, +5 Big Ships in 1 turn, +5 Small Ships in 1 turn]
Portuguese investment in the spice trade continues as construction begins on a brand-new factory in Lisbon to process and package a variety of exotic spices for transport around the world. [-41,300 P$, +1 Industry in 1 turn]
In the Kingdom of Greece, the National Constitutional Convention announces the completion of the new Greek Constitution and submits it for national review and approval. The response from the Greek people is overwhelming support for an elegantly-written document that enshrines a host of modern liberal ideas, including freedom of speech and assembly, a free press, guaranteed rights to cultural minorities, and the right to vote for every adult male in the Kingdom. The Greek Constitution is considered to be a shining beacon of progress and modernity in what was previously dismissed as a culturally backward nation, and every Western country is forced to revise its opinion of the Greek Kingdom. [+30 Prestige, +1 Stability, Constitutional Monarchy established]
In the wake of the Constitution's passage, George I, King of the Hellenes, goes on a tour of Greece to promote the document's liberal ideals and associate himself with its success. Across the Greek countryside and in all the major cities, he's greeted by cheering crowds waving the Greek flag and a citizenry that increasingly views the monarch as the guardian of its freedoms. [Greece supports Constitutional Monarchy]
During his national tour of Greece, King George I gives a speech in which he praises the liberal forces at work within his country and sharply condemns the forces of reaction and absolutism that might oppose his government's efforts to promote freedom and justice across the Kingdom. Encouraged by the King's speech, more and more Greek citizens become involved in national political discourse, with three new newspapers in operation by the end of the year. [+5% Literacy]
As the liberal ideas of the Greek Constitution are implemented and the Greek government puts forth new policies encouraging the free market and free capital, a burgeoning class of businessmen and entrepreneurs makes itself known as a force within Greece. The nation's first canning factory is projected to open in Athens in early 1841, subsidized by the Greek government. [-42,400 ₯, +2 Industry in 1 turn]
North America
The newly christened USS Boston
Determined to strengthen the United States Navy, the Van Buren administration authorizes the construction of five new ships-of-the-line. This coincided with an expansion of the Norfolk Naval yard. The patriotic zeal of the shipwrights resulted in the ships being completed ahead of schedule, while the expansion of the Norfolk Naval Yard was completed the following year. [-$40,300, +5 large ships in 1 turn, +1 Naval level in 2 turns]
The Election of 1840 saw one of the first organized political campaigns in American history. The Harrison Campaign featured such enduring slogans as “Tippecanoe and Taylor Too,” “Keep the Ball Rolling” after one of the campaign programs that featured rolling a large ball of twine between towns, and perhaps the most famous “to get on the bandwagon” after the wagon that carried the campaign, and whiskey between towns. Harrison would go on to win the campaign and the election and replace Old Kinderhook the following year. [Harrison is the next president]
The year also marked the beginning of a concerted effort to promote a Westward expansion of the American republic westward. One of the primary regions of settlement was the newly adjudicated Oregon Territory. [Oregon Territory settled by the USA, +200 Base income]
After the death of Morazan, the country plunged into deep chaos, as expected. The new government struggled with establishing any type of formidable rule over the rebellious people – many of them did not even know who the new president was. In order to try and raise the stability of the failing nation, the new President, José Rafael Carrera Turcios, gave an official speech in the war torn capital. What he said made a lot of sense and those who’d heard it liked it a lot. The new leader was fairly charismatic and had a way with words which captured large crowds and gave the despaired people hope. However, due to the chaos and bloodshed that reigned rule in Central America, only a very limited group of people heard the speech. This meant it had no effect on the stability of the nation as a whole and could be considered a waste of time.
Despite this, the despaired government tried to use the positive characteristics of the new President to try and sway some of the rebels to their side. Instead of buying food or weapons, government funds were allocated to producing ineffective propaganda about how great the new leader is. This backfired completely – public speakers that were meant to bring the “good news” were shunned upon, and some, that were unlucky enough to be sent to regions occupied by hostile rebels, were outright executed in the streets. On the streets, President Turcios was referred to as "Carrera la Vibora." [-4,000 CAR$]
Meanwhile, foundations for a new Police Force were being laid in San Salvador. The government promised young boys hefty wages and food ratios for helping to bring order to the streets. Lured by these promises, quite a few men turned up. The first regiment was poorly trained and equipped with out-dated weapons; after some time in “training” they marched out on the street and began the “sweeping” effort. All went well for about a day or two, but then it turned out the Government did not have the money or food promised. The Police Force quickly mutinied, and many went home, using their free weapons to loot shops and houses along the way. Originally the government intended to take the best 5,000 of these men and recruit them into the armed forces, but this also failed horribly as not even half of that amount originally turned up. [-15,000 CAR$, +1,000 Regulars]
But all these events were not nearly as fruitful in failure as the Central American war effort. With many of the best generals on the other side of the fence, Turcios’ government needed to come up with a war plan themselves. As brilliant of a speaker as he was, the new President had no clue about how the military works, as he had earned his position through nepotism. His initial order was to split the already tiny army into two 15,000 strong forces that would lead a two pronged attack into Nicaragua. Both the armies were instructed to be harsh to any guerrilla fighters. This particular order soon would have disastrous consequences. The first army, instructed to strike from the West, stumbled into the town of Esteli after a few days of marching. The attrition already took its toll, and the ever surrounding forests meant that guerrilla fighters could take out small groups of Government troops with no problems. The dim-witted General Corazón de Pollo became very paranoid, and claimed that all the people of Esteli were in fact partisans and traitors, ordering the town sacked and the people shot. The soldiers did not listen to his lunatic ravings – instead they stripped him naked and tied him to a pole in the middle of the town square. Nearly all the soldiers switched sides; those who did not were allowed to go back to their homes, after promising that they will never obey the mad government again. [-12,500 Regulars]
The new second in command of the Central American Armed Forces, Admiral Gato Gordo
The eastern army did not fare much better. After a few days of marching everyone got too tired to even walk, let alone fight, and mass desertions were in order. Possibly the most humorous part of this display of military prowess was when the generals themselves deserted the camp at night. Soon most of the Eastern Force “dissolved” into the thin air. [-10,000 Regulars]
Working to support their Central American allies, the United States enacts a blockade of the Atlantic coasts of the newborn Republics of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The governments of these republics were presented with an ultimatum, “Surrender to the Central American Republic, or face the might of the US Army.” The two states initially responded that they would only do so if they were granted considerable autonomy in the resultant state. However, following the brutality of the Central American invasion and the "defeat" of the invasion forces, they instead request their independence be protected by the United States and the United Kingdom.
South America
Desiring to bolster relations with Chile and better train its new found ally, the United States sent several army officers to train the Chilean army. The veteran officers from the Mexican-American War were able train their South American compatriots in several new strategies based on that war. This was supplemented by President O’Higgins ordered that the army’s weapons and training be improved substantially, this was effective although rather expensive. [-2,000 to USA, -5,000 gold to Chile, +2 Army Level to Chile in 2 turns]
The government also announced that people or companies who attempted to discover minerals in Patagonia would be rewarded once their claim had been verified by government geologists, this was extremely successful with large numbers of deposits being found and a reasonable number of mines were set up awaiting only connection to the main ports of the area to be used. [-33,000 Chi$, +500 Base Income to Chile once 1 infra built]
An attempt by the government to get the people to forgive the Argentines and concentrate on the Peru-Bolivia Confederation was a failure as many viewed the Argentine actions as unforgivable, however the people would not mind if the President decided that attacking the Confederation was the first priority. [-17,000 Chi$, Chileans don’t mind war with the PBC]
Chile also signed a trade agreement with both Austria and Portugal. The agreement with Portugal also included other conditions however these were not enacted by the Chileans this year. [Chile will need to break other trade deals to enforce these]
One of the new Argentine factories
In the Argentine Republic Rosas called for the people to invest in Argentine industry to strengthen the nation, due to the lack of funds there was not much investment however a few individuals did invest in the economy. [-30,500 A$, +1 industry to Argentina in 3 turns]
However there were enough funds to start improving the cotton fields in the northern part of Argentina and after a promising start Rosas immediately diverted government funds to the plantations. [-30,500 A$, +500 Base Income to Argentina]
This came at the cost however of the planned investment into the Paraguayan and Uruguayan economies and the small amount of money invested was not enough to cause any real improvement. [-24,400 A$ from Argentina]
Rosas also sent an envoy to Uruguay to attempt to convince the President to sign a military alliance, he almost immediately agreed, and Uruguay effectively became a protectorate of Argentina. [-15,250 A$ from Argentina, Uruguay protectorate of Argentina]
The government’s decision to dissolve the defensive alliance with the Peru-Bolivia Confederation damaged Argentina’s international image. [-10 prestige from Argentina]
In the Republic of New Granada election were held, however when a pacifist candidate emerged victorious the military took action. Elite forces took control of the capital and the surrounding area as well as the port of Cartagena. In the countryside however attempts by the military to take control were a complete failure.
In March Panama declared independence while José Ignacio de Márquez Barreto declared himself President of the Grenadine Confederation. By August the lines were clearly drawn with the Military controlling the North-West and the Republicans the rest of the country while Panama was neutral.
In the Empire of Brazil, an attempt to encourage immigration to Brazil was a complete failure when the wrong posters were sent to Europe. [-3,000 gold from Brazil]
The Regent decided that after the recent defeats in the South the Brazilian army needed reinforcing. The numbers were far above expectations with the army doubling by the time recruitment was stopped. [-12,000 R$ from Brazil, +10,000 regulars to Brazil]
The last place the geologists were seen
A party of geologists was also sent out into the Amazon to look for resources however after heading into the deeper part of the Amazon they were never seen or heard from again. [-2000 R$ from Brazil]
The Regent also attempted to repeal the Additional Act. The attempt looked like it would be successful, however when underhanded tactics such as gerrymandering and intimidation were used the delegates rallied against the proposal and defeated it. When the Regent attempted to punish them for it Pedro himself stormed into the Regents office and threatened to dismiss him if he did. [-2,000 R$ from Brazil]
After this fiasco the Regent ordered the army to end the rebellion in Rio Grande do Sul, the entire army advanced into the area and only faced token resistance from the rebel forces before marching into their capital and crushing the rebellion. [Rio Grande do Sul under Imperial control]
Asia/Oceania
Though efforts by the Ottoman Sultan to produce a constitution for his nation had fallen by the wayside during the onset of the Oriental Crisis, his son makes it the centerpiece of his coronation speech, calling for a modern document to unite his far-flung empire and bring it into the industrial age. Progress resumes quite satisfactorily, but one final issue remains on the constitution's direction: What kind of nation does the new Sultan want? The new constitution could be easily written to favor the Empire's European half as a modern, secular document, it could serve as a pan-Islamic charter bringing closer the Empire's Asian territories, or it could serve as a compromise between the two, all according to the Sultan's will. [-532,000 Ott£, 4/5 progress toward Ottoman constitution]
In response to the new Sultan's coronation, a further 20,000 volunteers offer their service to the Ottoman Army, but the Army lacks the essential equipment to properly supply them and a promised Prussian arms shipment has yet to arrive. Rather than dismiss the men, the Grand Vizier orders them to be kept in reserve at Constantinople until they can be issued proper weapons. [-426,000 Ott£, +20,000 Regulars once Prussian arms arrive]
With a single British squadron successfully closing down all maritime traffic in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Sultan orders the bulk of his fleet back to Constantinople for refits and repairs. Each vessel receives significant improvements in hull design and armament, though the Ottoman fleet remains wind-powered, and the refits are expected to be completed on schedule during the following year. [-1,703,000 Ott£, +1 Navy Level in 1 turn]
Due to the ongoing chaos and uncertainty of the Oriental Crisis, funds earmarked by the Ottoman Grand Vizier for refurbishing Constantinople and rebuilding the ancient city of Antioch are siphoned off by a variety of corrupt functionaries and one shipment of gold is even stolen outright by bandits. [-1,065,000 Ott£]
In the Sultanate of Egypt, the newly-independent bureaucracy is rife with corruption as officials that once served as petty Ottoman functionaries are now ministers and vice-ministers in their own right and wield their power with almost drunken abandon. Unfortunately for them, the Sultan takes notice of their flagrant behavior and tasks his secret police with investigating official abuses of power. Several prominent bureaucrats are carried off in chains and the Sultanate notices a modest uptick in revenue now that it isn't being siphoned off quite so heavily. [-207,000 Egy£, +100 Base Income]
Sultan Muhammad Ali of Egypt makes his second yearly speech to the nation; while the first was lightly attended, this time the public square in Cairo is packed to the brim with citizens waving red banners with the moon and three stars of Egypt. His fervent words on behalf of a modern, independent Egypt whip the crowd into a patriotic fervor and by the end of the month 30,000 able-bodied men have enlisted in the Egyptian Army, straining the ability of the Sultanate to equip them all. [-620,000 Egy£, +30,000 Regulars]
Muhammad Ali's yearly address also serves to bolster the morale of Egyptian nationalists, as the proselytizing movement expands beyond the industrial workers and students at its core to prominent clerics, government bureaucrats, and even some of the peasants laboring along the Nile. With its broad base of support, widespread acceptance of Egypt as a national idea in its own right seems just around the corner. (3/4 progress toward Egyptian nationalism]
A common problem in the Egyptian Army is lack of supplies, ranging from basic needs like ammunition to larger, more complex issues like a persistent shortage of usable artillery pieces. While efforts by the Sultanate to acquire foreign weapons and supplies are largely unsuccessful due to the Anglo-Ottoman blockade, a few shipments from French arms companies are smuggled in through French Algeria and serve to address the most critical shortfalls. [-103,000 Egy£, +5% Equipment]
Having secured Egyptian Syria, the 50,000-man Ottoman Army continues its southward march into Palestine, bolstered by an additional 20,000 lightly-armed militiamen and 10,000 British regulars from Malta and Gibraltar. With only 30,000 men, the Egyptian Army declines a direct engagement and instead continues its campaign of gradual withdrawal punctuated by harassing raids and skirmishes. Even outnumbered two-to-one, the Egyptians inflict impressive casualties on the enemy forces with only light losses of their own. By the time the fall campaign has come to a close, the reduced Anglo-Ottoman forces have achieved control over the northern Levant while the Egyptian Army has retreated to Jerusalem. [-8,000 Regulars to Ottomans, -12,000 Conscripts to Ottomans, -4,000 Regulars to UK, -8,000 Regulars to Egypt, Ottomans control Northern Levant]
In the Eastern Mediterranean, a British squadron finally corners the majority of the Egyptian fleet at the port of Alexandria after a protracted and wearying chase lasting almost nine months. Rather than attempt to reclaim the former Ottoman ships, the commanding British admiral simply chooses to bombard Alexandria with the full might of his squadron's broadsides. Three hours later, the Egyptian fleet has been sunk and the port of Alexandria lies in smoking ruins. The remaining Egyptian ships are forced to relocate to the island of Crete. [-5 Large Ships to Egypt, -15 Small Ships to Egypt, -100 Base Income to Egypt]
A Portuguese fleet weighs anchor off the coast of the tiny village of Aden, carrying goods and construction supplies to expand the tiny settlement into a larger town with attendant fort. After a few hefty bribes, the Sultan of Lahej agrees to cede Aden in its entirety to Portugal in exchange for a nominal 'official' fee, and Portuguese settlers begin the arduous work of turning the isolated hamlet into a viable trading post for their overseas empire. [-61,900 P$, Portugal controls Aden, +1 Colonial Infrastructure in 2 turns]
1840 saw the Russian Army march into Central Asia. Fortunately for the Russians, the nomads of the region put up little resistance, largely withdrawing in advance of the Russians. [North Central Asia occupied]
Japanese Currency, Old and New
The Tokugawa Shogunate to the opportunity to move away the complex Tokugawa currency system and the koku, the amount of rice required to feed one person for a year, replacing the complex coinage system and the archaic practice of using rice as a unit of account with adoption of the decimalized Yen currency (1 Yen = 100 Sen = 1000 Rin). However, due to the staggering costs of reminting coinage, addressing previous debasement, and educating the people, by the end of 1840, the Yen had only penetrated the region surrounding Osaka and the Kantō Plain, in particular the region surround Edo. Yet, in these regions it lead to an economic boom due to the reduced complexity of the currency system and its improvement in rendering accounts. [-100,000 ¥, -50,000 Gold, +4,500 Base Income, Japanese Currency Reform progress: 1/4]
In the Empire of Japan the, predictably empty, Cherry Blossom Festival was held by the Shogun. [-2,650 ¥]
The Shogun also continued the process of westernization, importing more books from the west and placing them in a large library in Edo. [+500 Base Income to Japan, -13,100 ¥]
One of the Muskets used by the Shogun
The Shogun also attempted to use the western weaponry recently imported to produce new weapons for the army however the artisans were not able to produce enough to really improve its situation. [-2,650 ¥]
In The Empire of the Great Qing the Emperor announced that an arsenal would be built in Tianjin which would import foreign weapons for the Banner Armies. [-35,000 海關, +1 army level in 2 turns to Qing]
One of the ships of the Imperial Fleet
The Qing also announced that all slaves in the Empire would be freed. However the slaveholders resisted the move and forced the Emperor to abandon the attempt. [-1 Stability from China]
Meanwhile a force of 15,000 men was being landed by the Imperial Fleet in the central part of Dai Nam near Hue. After successfully landing the Chinese were confronted by the majority of the Vietnamese army, 60,000 men. The Chinese immediately fled for the beach were they landed however upon arriving they discovered that the Imperial Fleet had left t blockade Hue itself. With no way to escape and heavily outnumbered in a terrible position the Chinese surrendered without a fight. [-15,000 Regulars from China]
In the North 70,000 Chinese faced 10,000 Vietnamese. The Chinese advanced unopposed securing the northernmost part of Dai Nam. However when they attempted to cross the Red River to take control of Hanoi they were faced by the 10,000 Vietnamese in the North.
The Chinese, confident in there superior numbers, attacked and managed to force the Vietnamese back slowly. Then, surprisingly, the Vietnamese stopped retreating and turned around charging into the ranks of the Chinese and forcing them back across the river.
The Vietnamese Southern Army had arrived and the Vietnamese now had the advantage. The Chinese, realizing that they were defeated streamed back across the river while a few brave souls held off the Vietnamese. [-20,000 regulars from China, -2,000 regular from Dai Nam]
The Red River, frontline in the Sino-Vietnamese war
The front effectively stalemated along the Red river as the Vietnamese artillery would cause huge casualties to the Chinese before the latter could close.
The Dutch continue their colonization of the East Indies. Sending a small expedition to Borneo, charting the interior of the island and making contact with local tribes. However, their primary focus is the continued development of the coastal regions. Additionally, a larger expedition set out was able to convince the Raja Bali-Lombok to become a protectorate of the Netherlands. [-24,000 ƒ, Borneo colonized by the Dutch, Bali-Lombok controlled by the Dutch]
Further Portuguese expeditions into the Lesser Sunda Islands bear fruit this time, even finding the picked-over skeletons of the previous colonial mission. A few days later, the native village responsible for their deaths is found and put to the torch. Afterwards, the rest of the Lesser Sundas seem much more accepting of Portuguese colonial authority. [Portugal controls Lesser Sunda Islands]
After years of work in pacifying and allying varied native tribes, Danish New Guinea is able to claim control of most of the Northwestern Peninsula of the Island. [-5000 Dkr]
The new settlement of Christchurch, New Zealand
Efforts to expand the New Zealand colony continued through 1840 with the British establishing a base on the South Island at Christchurch, in addition to expanding their control over the North Island. [-25,000 £, South Island claimed by UK]
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