The Economist
News Highlights from Around the World, 1843 Edition
Leaders
Europe
Marriage of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
1843 bore witness to the marriage of Queen Victoria I to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, giving the United Kingdom a prince-consort and setting the stage for continuance of the royal House of Hanover. On the world stage, this marriage served to warm relations between Great Britain and the various German states. [-100,000 £, +1 Stability]
The British Navy and Army saw further improvement in 1843 with the passage of the Navy & Army Act of 1843. This act created several new military academies to train the officer corps of both services in military theory and, perhaps most importantly, requiring the officers to learn how to command without directions from a higher authority. [-150,000 £, +2 Army Levels in 4 turns, +2 Navy Levels in 3 turns]
In Paris, the Chamber of Deputies is finally roused from its slumber and quickly passes legislation providing funding for the construction of railways linking the cities of France with particular importance placed on connecting Metz, Verdun, Strasbourg, and Cherbourg to the major industrial cities of France. These efforts were strongly supported by the French people with many industrialists aiding in the project by lending knowledge and material to the project. [-135,000 ₣, +2 Infrastructure in 2 turns, +7 Industry in 1 turn]
The French were careful to not neglect the quality of their military and lavished funds upon them. The French Army would soon become one of the best equipped armies in the world with an extremely strong esprit du corps. [-25,000 ₣, +20% Equipment]
The new railway station in Omsk
The Russians begin the construction of railroad connecting Omsk, the gateway to Siberia, with their European cities. The construction of this railroad was to be exceptionally expensive, yet with would help bring the wealth of the East to the cities of Russia. [-50,000 руб, +1 Infrastructure in 3 turns]
1843 also saw a marked change in the Russian Army, with the overall expansion of the artillery corps and a vast improvement to the general quality of the Russian Army, as for the first time every Russian soldier was well armed and equipped. [-40,000 руб, +1 Army Level in 3 turns, +19% Equipment]
After half of a decade of grueling land reform payments, the Austrians had finally completed their programme. However, in almost every instance, the serfs had not been compensated adequately and the landlords felt they had lost too much land. Both parties were tremendously unhappy with the current situation. Favouring one over the other could lead to dire consequences for the stability of the Austrian state. To complicate matters, many of the serfs do not have enough land to feed themselves, and have begun migrating to major cities, in search of any form of employment. As such, massive slums have emerged on the outskirts of such cities as Budapest, Zagreb and Vienna.
[-125,000 AusF, Land Reform finished, +800 Base Income]
Austrian Domestic Policy saw a massive shift in the year 1843, with His Majesty appointing Chancellor Metternich to the head of the Royal Constitution Committee. With the Austrian Diet acting as only an advisory body, reform needed to be brought to Austria. First among these reforms was the definitive drafting of a rudimentary constitution. Only landholding men could vote, but it was still an improvement from the first Austrian Diet Election the year before. The committee sought to define the powers of the monarch and the powers of the diet, but the massive reactionary forces in Austria were staunchly opposed to the curbing of Imperial Power. The constitution was beginning to stir, but without heavy sacrifice from the central government and the aristocrats, it was unlikely to see the light of day
[1/7 Constitution Complete, Progress will be costly from here on out!]
The Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III toured Prussia to give speeches, with one item on his agenda: rallying Prussians against French imperialism. To this end, he denounced the unwarranted and unprovoked acts of aggression as nothing short of barbarity, saying:
“no civilised European state has ever acted in such a manner. Not since the days of Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan have civilised people had to watch their every step, lest they be set upon in the dark. It seems that today, now, the French have reverted to their true back-stabbing nature…”
The people of Prussia were greatly inspired by their monarch’s words, seeing him as a stern and noble captain, piloting their ship of state through stormy waters. Prussian support for their soldiers abroad and at home is massive, and anti-French sentiments run high, perhaps higher than in the days of Napoleon I himself.
[+2 Stability to Prussia]
With such huge popular support, it was a trivial matter finding more able bodied soldiers for the Prussian Army. Men flocked to recruiting stations across the Kingdom, and even more strikingly, several ‘Freibrigaden’, or Free Brigades, were formed across German confederation territory. These men were acting independent of any state or the German Bund, and volunteered to join the Prussian army oversees against the French menace.
[-72,600ℳ, +50,000 regulars in 1 turn, Freibrigaden formed]
The archaic cavalry doctrines of Prussia were standardized in 1843, consolidating the hussar, cuirassier and dragoons into designated light or heavy regiments. The light cavalry would act as the reconnaissance arm of the Prussian Army while also serving to skirmish and harass enemy formations; heavy cavalry would act as they had for millennia: sticking a piece of cold steel into the warm flesh of the enemy in the midst of a thunderous charge. The Prussian cavalry is expected to complete their reforms in 15 months, remarkable time considering the extent of the re-organization.
[-290,000ℳ, +1 Army Level in 1 turn]
A constitution was proposed for the Kingdom of Prussia, one that would put a restraint on the amount of power the monarch wielded, while still ensuring his place as the executive authority of Prussia. Limited local autonomy, a regulated free press and religious freedoms were all to be guaranteed under this document. The King ordered for prominent noblemen to form a Royal Advisory Committee to begin drafting the constitution, and the game was afoot.
[-80,000ℳ, 1/5 Progress on New Constitution]
An Artist’s depiction of the Walhalla once it is completed
King Ludwig was visibly upset when he was informed of the fate of his Walhalla project, and this time marched to a new site and personally began building his dream. The court was shocked, and immediately dispatched masons, labourers and architects to the location to save face. The Walhalla was now being commenced, and artists from across Germany and Europe were being drawn by royal commissions for their work. The likenesses of Mozart, Beethoven and Frederick the Great would adorn the marble halls of the Walhalla, a testament to German greatness. Bavaria was increasingly shining as the ‘white citadel upon the tall mountain’ as one poet put it, a beacon of light attracting the wary, disenfranchised masses of Europe to this paragon-state.
[-50,000 Bavƒ, +75 Prestige, +1 Stability, 1/3 Progress on Walhalla]
Orders for a new rail-line running through Hessen are put through, and ground is broken on the project in early 1843. The line would link the Bavarian Rhineland to Bayern proper.
[-40,000 Bavƒ, +1 Infrastructure in 1 turn]
Bavarian attempts to establish a South German currency union are rebuffed, with rulers seeing it as an affront to their sovereignty. The people, however, think differently…
The Bavarian Alpine regions were historically backward due to their isolation from the central government in Munich. King Ludwig ordered for the public school programme to expand south to the Swiss border, and achieve the high literacy rates across the country in Alpine Bayern. The programme is wildly successful, boys and girls in lederhosen flock to these small schools, and are taught such subjects as history and German.
[-10,000 Bavƒ, +5% Education]
1843 was a good year for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The new Dutch Waterline saw a new oversight advisory created to supervise and maintain the defenses’ integrity and capability. This administration was able to make significant improvements to the set-up of the fortresses. At crucial river crossings additional fields of fire were created to make attack even harder than it already was. The massive Dutch defenses stretched across the Low Countries, turning the myriad canals and rivers into a death trap for any advancing army.
[-20,000ƒ, +1 Army Level in 1 turn, NDW Administration established]
Efforts made by the Kingdom of Sweden-Norway to recruit new soldiers are tremendously successful. By instilling a patriotic pride in the Kingdom, young men flock to recruiting stations from across both Kingdoms. In addition, the Army reserves are called up, totalling a mighty 120,000 reservists. 30,000 new regular soldiers are expected to become combat ready in less than a year.
[-3,500kr, +120,000 Conscripts, +30,000 regulars in 1 turn(s)]
The massive expansion of the Royal Army was met by an equally massive expansion of Sweden’s fleet, which was to receive massive governmental funding for operations against the Danish and Prussian Fleets. As such, Swedish drydocks began producing a large amount of Ships of the Line, battle hardened ships that could take on any enemy. The drydock workers worked in tandem with Naval Engineers and Officers to design a better hull for these ships. Spending costs were lower than anticipated and the surplus was put into improving the Swedish Naval Artillery, which proved to be immensely successful.
[-3,000kr, -10,000 gold, +20 large ships in 2 turns, +1 Navy Level in 1 turn]
In Trondheim and Oslo, new unmarked crates appear in harbours. Several men in black coats load the crates onto carriages, and are not seen at the harbour again…
Denmark’s attempts at a recruitment drive are stymied by the war, as the frigate bearing 1,500 Dkr for recruitment was sunk by three Swedish privateers operating out of Trondheim.
[-1,500 Dkr, -1 small ship]
The Royal Danish Navy ordered for two new frigates to adorn their fleet. The keels were laid in early March, 1843, and progress went smoothly from there on out. The ships are expected to be finished by mid 1845 at the latest.
[-3,500 Dkr, +2 Small Ships in 1 turn(s)]
King Frederick VI, realising the state of native armament production, gave a royal charter for the expansion of a rifle factory and an ammunition factory within Denmark. The true cost was well over what was expected, but the increased production of a home supply for rifles and bullets would likely offset such costs.
[-15,000 Dkr, -2,000 gold, +2 Industry in 2 turn(s), +5% equipment in 1 turn(s)]
A small expedition of Danish geologists is dispatched to Greenland, but they are forced to seek shelter at Reykjavik during winter, as large storms waylay their schooner.
[-1,500 Dkr, Expedition stuck for 1 turn]
Despite the civil war raging in the North, Queen Isabella II of Spain calls for decisive action on the new Spanish constitution, intended to serve as a balanced compromise between the necessity of a strong monarch and the widespread desire for representation and democracy. Previously recalcitrant republicans are found to be much more conciliatory with the threat of a reactionary coup, as King Carlos V would be singularly unsympathetic toward their goals. The Constitutional Convention is called to order early in the year and substantial progress is made toward a document enshrining limited constitutionalism. [-28,500 ₧, 2/6 progress toward Spanish constitution]
To shore up the Queen's support among the common people, the Spanish Crown purchases and distributes large shipments of staple foods like bread and cheese. This display of compassion alleviates many of the concerns among loyalists that Queen Isabella II is a distant and uncaring figure. [-57,000 ₧, +1 Stability]
Though the Spanish Ministry of Education finds itself unable to shift entrenched clerical interests, which are currently in control of most of the schools in Spain, they do manage to pass a law calling for higher standards of education in secular fields, including science and technology. Faced with revocation of their charters for noncompliance, the religious schools have no choice but to implement a broader curriculum. [-57,000 ₧, +10% Literacy]
In response to the Infante Carlos' declaration of rebellion in the north, the generals of Spain attempt to make a substantial purchase of military equipment from French arms companies. Unfortunately, the shipment is intercepted by a Carlist privateer in the Gulf of Lyon and put to use in Carlos' army. [-85,500 ₧]
In an attempt to break Carlist Spain along its weakest point, the commanding general of the Spanish Army orders a general advance into the province of Cantabria, hoping to divide Galicia and Asturias in the west from Vasconia and Aragon-Catalonia in the east. Unfortunately for the loyalist forces, King Carlos V had foreseen such a stratagem and had concentrated his forces in Vasconia and Asturias. When the loyalist army marches on Cantabria, they find themselves flanked by a force nearly twice their size, newly equipped with modern French rifles and displaying a surprising amount of professional discipline. The Spanish Army takes staggering losses and is forced to retreat to central Spain while the Carlist army makes substantial gains in the north. [-10,000 Regulars to Spain, Carlist Spain controls northern Spain]
The Kingdom of Piedmont-Tuscany begins overhauling agricultural procedures in their lowland territories, introducing modern methodology and providing new tools for their farming communities. This increases yields dramatically, leading to increased tax revenue. [-26,000 PT₤, +400 Base Income]
Conscious of the debt incurred during the war against Sicily, the Piedmontese Crown begins plans for a Grand Exposition in their city of Torino. The Piazza San Carlo, the grandest plaza in the Piedmontese capital, is set aside for the Exposition, with tents and buildings going up for each of the national delegations. By the end of the year, dozens of entertainers and vendors have been scheduled to perform and sell at the Exposition, setting the stage for a truly marvelous international display. [-17,300 PT₤, Grand Expo preparations complete]
Efforts by the Sicilian Crown to secure a large low-interest loan from British banks fail spectacularly, as each informs the government of the Two Sicilies that persistent instability in their nation and "a tendency to disagree with their neighbors" make them a poor prospect for investment. [-10 Prestige]
Road crews are hard at work across Southern Italy, as bumpy, poorly-maintained dirt paths are replaced with modern paving stones, creating a new and highly modern method of travel for foot and horse traffic. [-37,600 TS£, +1 Infrastructure in 3 turns]
Further efforts by the Two Sicilies to encourage domestic industry come into effect, resulting in construction beginning on the first factory, a fish cannery, on the island of Sicily itself. [-25,000 TS£, +1 Industry in 2 turns]
In the Balkans, the Treaty of Serres goes into full effect, transferring the territories of Thessaly, Epirus, and Macedonia to the Kingdom of Greece. The wholesale liberation of all Greek territory formerly under Ottoman rule is met with widespread joy by the Hellenic people residing therein and almost doubles the territory available to the Kingdom of Greece. [+20 Prestige to Greece, +800 Base Income to Greece, -10 Prestige to Ottomans, -400 Base Income to Ottomans]
The Hellenic Crown mobilizes a massive aid effort to the revolt-wracked areas of northern Greece, sending shipments of food, water, and building supplies as well as reoccupying former Ottoman garrisons and tax offices. Nearly nine months after the Treaty of Serres, northern Greece is almost fully integrated into the Kingdom. [-16,300 ₯, +1 Stability]
The 1843 elections held in the Kingdom of Greece are some of the nation’s first, with numerous political parties making themselves known. The Liberal Party, the Nationalist Party, and the Modernist Party each garner sizable shares of the electorate, vanquishing their other competitors, and a Liberal-Modernist coalition led by Andreas Stavridis forms the new Greek government. [-32,600 ₯, +1 Stability]
As part of the coalition agreement, the pro-industrial Modernists require that government funds be set aside for the expansion of anemic Greek industry, including substantial tax breaks for any foreign investor who open a business in Greece. Unfortunately, the majority of these funds are siphoned off by a purported coalition of businessmen from Western Europe, one of whom wears a distinctive long red coat. The Kingdom of Greece sinks tens of thousands of drachma into this purported “Acme Corporation” before government investigators discover the fraud. The money is never seen again. [-80,000 ₯]
The Middle-East
Off the coasts of Prussian North Africa, the French, sailing from Marseilles, are quick to set up a strong blockade. With the blockade in place, the Prussian colony is completely cut off before any new supplies, or even notification that they were at war with the French, could be delivered to the Prussian defenders.
1843 also saw the stirrings of the Egyptian Army in North Africa, which in a series of lightning raids rode out of the Libyan desert to attack Prussian positions and harry their supply lines. These were largely successful and forced the capitulation of Tripoli, when the necessary supplies didn’t arrive in the port. [-5,000 Regulars to Prussia, -2,000 Regulars to Egypt]
The Prussian commander thus ordered his army to march out of Tunis to recapture Tripoli, as it had just fallen into Egyptian hands. This played directly into the hands of the French, who captured Tunis after a quick assault. The bulk of the French soldiers then loaded onto awaiting ships before they sailed south to intercept and capture the Prussian Army marching to Tripoli. The French were able to attack the Prussians in the dead of night and capture their supply train. This act would soon lead to the surrender of the Prussian Army in North Africa, for without supply or, even water, the army could not function, much less defend itself.
With this surrender almost all of Prussian North Africa was under French occupation save the lone holdout of Gabes. [-35,000 Regulars to Prussia (30,000 captured), -8,000 Regulars to France]
The Ottoman Empire begins a conscription campaign in eastern Anatolia, mobilizing thousands of Armenians and Kurds and forming them into armed militias. Though reluctant to serve in the Ottoman Army, guarantees of survivors' benefits help motivate the bands of farmers and shepherds in their duty to the Ottoman state. [-447,000 Ott£, +32,000 Conscripts]
The Ottoman Sultan, impatient with ongoing reforms to his armed forces while they battle the better-trained Egyptian Army, orders that efforts be redoubled and reforms be implemented this year, lest his generals' heads roll. This has a salutary effect on the speed of the reforms and soon Ottoman troops are displaying tighter, European-style formations. [+1 Army Level, '+1 Army Level in 2 turns' removed]
An Ottoman artilleryman, having dealt with the inefficiencies of his outdated foreign-made cannon for the entire Oriental Crisis and finally reaching his limit, makes several unauthorized modifications to the design to bring it up to snuff. His section's firing speed increases by a full ten percent and soon the modification becomes standard across the Ottoman Army. [-671,000 Ott£, +5% Equipment]
Sultan Abdülmecid I's temper makes itself known when he discovers evidence of widespread corruption in the Ottoman Empire's eastern provinces. He invites the governor of Adana, himself a major embezzler of Ottoman taxes, to a lavish feast in the Sublime Porte. Once he arrives in Constantinople, the governor is shackled, taken to a public square, and stoned to death by an angry mob. The level of graft in the eastern Empire drops precipitously. [-895,000 Ott£, +400 Base Income]
Domestically, the Egyptian government enacted several programs aimed at reducing corruption in the Sultanate. This program was surprisingly effective in that it removed several corrupt government ministers, great reducing the misdirection of government funds. [-80,000 Egy£, +200 Base Income]
Also notable was the improvement of the irrigation canals in the Nile delta. These canals would increase productivity in the region and led to Egyptian cotton becoming a common sight in European dockyards and textile factories. [-140,000 Egy£, +350 Base Income]
Further east, the Egyptians moved to recapture the Levant. Unfortunately, this decision was a costly mistake for the Egyptians, as they could no longer effectively choke the Ottoman supply lines. The Ottomans were quick to take advantage of this mistake, and quickly occupied positions behind the Egyptian Army, creating a large pocket containing the bulk of the Egyptian Army. [-6,000 Ottoman Regulars, -10,000 Egyptian Conscripts, bulk of Egyptian army pocketed]
The Americas
In the United States, Congress was becoming increasingly recalcitrant with the funds for a bill designed to pay for the development of a new rifle for the Army being reappropriated to fund an increase in congressional salaries. Similarly the deployment of American ships to Denmark was deemed unnecessary. [-$40,000]
The year also the construction of the first telegraph line between Washington and New York. The new line would improve the flow of information between the nation's largest city and its capital. This flow of information would have a positive effect on the nation's finances as many capitalists would make use of this information flow to grow their businesses. These capitalists would go to construct many factories throughout the North , making use of this new technology to streamline their businesses. [-$200,000, +8 Industry in 3 turn(s),+700 Base Income]
In Mexico, after the sudden death of his predecessor, Juan Mariano de Figueras was struggling to stabilize the situation caused by the devastating war against the United States and the civil war. In March 1843, Santa Anna's supporters attempt a coup to seize the Mexican Government. The struggle for control over the Capitol was bloody and resulted in the death of the President himself; however, by the end of the day, the rebels were defeated. After losing a great deal of his clout in Mexico, Santa Anna was forced into exile one more time. The Mexican Congress appoints General José Joaquín de Herrera as Provisional President of Mexico. [José Joaquín de Herrera President of Mexico, -2,000 regulars, Stability set to 4]
The new President is able to secure control over Mexico City, thanks to an alliance with both moderate liberals and conservatives and using his past military experience to draw support from the reluctant military. Similarly, an edict is issued to the general public, promising a return of all the civic liberties lost during the times of struggle, naturally in return for backing Herrera. The Mexican people embrace the new leader and hopes are high across the country [-29,000 Mex$, +2 Stability]
Herrera also promises the abandonment of the current Mexican Constitution and a return to a federal system that grants autonomy to the States. By the end of the year a new Constituent Assembly is summoned and work begins on a new Constitution. From the first day it becomes clear that much debating will be needed to create a new text that suits to all sides. [-17,500 Mex$, 0/5 progress on new Constitution]
South America
In the Empire of Brazil the Regent ordered that the government take direct control of the countries gold mines from local businessmen who used most of the money to bribe local officials. With the recent reform of the government that option was no longer available so the businessman turned to more forceful methods. They paid a large number of Police Officers to assist them in keeping control of their mines. The government called in the army to take control by force and by the end of the year policemen and soldiers faced each other from behind barricades. [-2 Stability to Brazil, -13,500 R$ from Brazil, Brazil on the brink of civil war]
Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil had always been interested in ships, so when the Regent headed for the interior to deal with the possibility of civil war Pedro began reviewing the ships of the Imperial Navy. He ordered that the oldest be scuttled and the crews be moved to the more modern ships., the removal of the drag on progress that the older ships had been and the increase in the number of crew per ship enabled the Imperial Navy to conduct more difficult operations and improved it’s quality. The Regent, highly impressed with the Emperor’s work granted him completely control of the Navies operations.[-38,700 R$ from Brazil, -8 Large ships to Brazil, -35 small ships from Brazil, +1 Navy level to Brazil]
The Regent in an attempt to secure the support of the administration with the current tension ordered that all regional laws that conflicted with national laws be repealed and that by the end of the year all regional laws be within the framework of the Constitution. [+1 Stability to Brazil, +500 Base Income to Brazil ,-69,200 R$ from Brazil]
Asia/Oceania
In the Empire of Dai Nam the Emperor announced that with the victory over the Qing 4,000 regulars would be given an honorable discharge and sent back to the families. This was very successful as the return of several thousand men to the fields boosted the income of the government [-4,000 regulars from Dai Nam, +1 Stability to Dai Nam, +500 Base Income, -9,000 ₫ from Dai Nam]
The Emperor also ordered that the printing rate be reduced from 50% to 45%, this was very successful with the economy improving quite a lot. He also ordered that Royal Land be sold to increase money in the Treasury which was also successful. [+1 industry to Dai Nam, -2,300 ₫ from Dai Nam, printing rate set to 45%]
In the Empire of the Great Qing the Emperor ordered that currency reforms like those enacted in Japan be started. This was quite successful but due to China being far larger than Japan it would take longer. [- 30,000 gold from China, -110,700 海關, +3,750 Base Income to China, Chinese Currency reform 2/5]
The Emperor also ordered the creation of a Board of Agriculture which would help improve the efficiency of farming in the Empire. This was quite successful with the efficiency of farming improving quite a lot. [+500 Base Income to China, -16,700 海關 from China]
The Emperor, deciding that China must move ahead on the path of westernization ordered the creation of a national Board of Industry who would use all available means to increase industry in the Qing Empire. Unfortunately they considered that several British owned factories were “available means” and ordered local soldiers to seize the factories. The British owners ordered their British Guards to take back the factories which they did, killing all the members of the board, before being overwhelmed by Chinese soldiers. London has yet to react to this news but war with China is a possible result. [-5,500 海關 from China, UK has CB on Qing]
In Japan the Shogun sent out invitations to the samurai for the Cherry Blossom Festival however not a single samurai came. When invitations were sent out for the Plum blossom festival a month later few of the messengers returned many having been skewered by the samurai irritated at being given so much paper. [-2,400 ¥ from Japan]
A Samurai after being delivered his invitation...
The Shogun also ordered that the last phase of the currency reform project be commenced concentrating on getting the project to the farthest corners of the country. This was successful and by the end of the year all of Japan was using the Yen. [-30,000 gold from Japan, -59,300 ¥ +5,000 Base Income , Japanese Currency reform completed, Japanese westernisation 1/10]
The Shogun also announced that every six months the most recent technological advances in Europe would be assembled in the Imperial Paper on European Technology and sent out to schools across the nation. Most of the information would come from the Dutch after the recent treaty who also sent weapons to improve the army. [-40,000 gold from Japan, +40,000 gold to the Netherlands, +1 Army Level to Japan, +20% Equipment to Japan, Japanese Westernisation 2/10]
