Senators,
Given the rebellions of the last several years, We sought to better understand the workings of the mind, that We might better understand and govern the peoples of the Empire. Initially, the research of the new Department of Psychology at the University on Constantinople focused on understanding how the mind forms associations from repeated experiences.
Simultaneously, on the recommendations of many Senators, We began a program of better the defenses of Constantinople, as well as recruiting an expanded Scholai Palatinae. The expanded Scholai Palatinae was drawn from families already living near The City. A new legion, XXXIII. Legio, was drawn from XVI. Legio in Durban and sent to Walvis Bay in south-western Africa. Likewise, XXXIV. Legio was split from XXXII. Legio in Sassandra and sent to Dakhla in north-western Africa. Finally, XXXV. Legio was split from XII. Legio in Luanda and sent to Baromo, deep in central Africa. IX. Legio in Tunis was transported to Ekaterinodar, on the Russian border. The Light fleet was divided among the five assigned transport fleets.
By May, the Psychology Department had scoured the knowledge of associationism from within the Empire and requested support to study the means by which the mind forms hypothesis from its associations. This support was given.
By October, the psychologists had again gathered the known information. Then they pointed out that it had been shown that the mind could also be studied by scientific methods, and asked for support for learning from the other science departments in how to conduct appropriate studies. We gave Our support within the university, which helped overcome the skepticism of the other departments.
The expanding knowledge of the mind did not help divert the small liberal rebellion of November 1885. Though the legions did. And in fact, it was shown that the psychological knowledge had quickly gone to better methods of training soldiers, improving the legions' ability in battle.
By May, experimental techniques had been developed, and it seemed the Empire's needs lie elsewhere. The navy had been neglected, and so We asked the admiralty to improve ship designs based around modern weapons.
When they had completed this work, We gave heed to the engineers who claimed they could make practical use of electricity, and gave them support to demonstrate their claims.
Near the end of 1886, Hedjaz blamed Us for Filipino protests in the Visayas region. Later, when those protests had earned violent crackdowns, We declared war on Hedjaz in order to bring the Filipinos under Our protection.
In February of 1887, after communist revolutions in Poland-Lithuania and Hungary, there was a large communist revolution in the Empire.
During this revolution, the expanding Scholai Palatinae proved their worth as they repelled rebels who had risen with The City itself.
While fighting the rebellion, the Filipino cause became critical, and We declared war on Hedjaz. XI. Legio did the usual work in the east, while I. Legio and XIX. Legio moved on the Hedjaz heartland. Meanwhile, the East Fleet also attacked any Hedjaz fleets that were forced out of port.
As the communist revolution was finished off, the various administrators throughout the Empire saw clearly that accommodations with the workers of the Empire must be made.
We used this new support to enforce minimum wages throughout the Empire, as people desperately wanted.
And by September 1887, Hedjaz surrendered. They instead were worried about India, who had declared war on them for the last of their Indian territory.
Shortly thereafter, the basics of making electricity practical were completed.
We directed the Humanities department to better explain the attitudes of Revolution and Counter-revolution in the hopes of avoiding more bloody rebellions.
During this time, tensions in the Philippines kept growing. Particularly in Iraqi-held parts of the islands, which caused spill-over violence into the Imperial-administered parts.
As the research into revolutions completed, We asked the businessmen in the Empire to find ways of making their workers more efficient.
The discovery of rubber in Africa was intriguing for the development of electronics.
With the better understanding of mass politics, We gave synagogues in Israel the same legal standing as churches, hopefully allowing for better integration of the Empire's Jewish population.
March of 1889 saw a small uprising of Spanish Nationalists, easily put down.
When the time saving measures had been researched, We sought to save time in travel by improving the Empire's railroads. Designs for steel engines were evaluated.
In July of 1889, the situation with the Iraqi Philippines came to a head, and We declared war. I. Legio marched on Mosul, and XI. Legio moved to bring Palawan under order. It was over almost as soon as it began, as the slightest show of force was all it took to make them surrender.
In November the designs for better railroads were complete, and some engineers claimed they could use the new petroleum fuels to make engines of unprecedented power. So We obliged them in their research.
