WesWorld

13 January

The aircraft carrier Urumi is in the process of receiving some new aircraft. Four Marut B fighter aircraft were taken aboard for trials over the coming weeks.

“The Marut B is an improvement on the original Marut, which has been in service for four years now”, said Major Atul Sehwas of the Naval Aviation Command. “Kiran Industries have been developing the model for over a year now, and a late re-design has incorporated some operational experience gained during the Filipino Revolution.”

The changes included a slight larger fuselage, which allows for a more powerful engine and higher speed. The instruments in the cockpit have been modified to make them more visible at a glance, allowing pilots to keep their focus on the environment outside the aircraft.

“The aircraft now includes two bomb racks, each of which can hold a single 20 kg bomb or two 10 kg bombs. These should allow for use, albeit with reduced performance, in a ground attack or anti-MAS role”, noted Major Selwas.

Should the Naval Aviation Command be satisfied with the aircraft, it’s expected that the type will be introduced into service by the end of the year, probably immediately after the 1930 SATSUMA exercise.

26 January

Work has slowed but not stopped on the Bhamo-Kunming railroad over the course of the winter. Now eighteen months into construction, the railroad is on schedule, though slightly over budget.

Chief Engineer Dr. Hermann Randhawa told AWNR, “In the west, we made initially good progress going from Bhamo through Lawmun and Mingmwe to the border. The jog down to Ruili, however, is slower as we’re blasting out a route rather than following one. We stopped laying track about twenty kilometres inside China and are now concentrating on developing the right-of-way through blasting and mucking, bridge construction, and the like. We’ll start laying track again in about May, and hope to make Ruili by October.”

Another work party, primarily Chinese, is working its way west from Kunming, and has reached the town of Nanhua, west of Chuxiong. “This route is running parallel to a road so supply has been a bit easier, even if there is still a need to blast in places”, Dr. Randhawa observed. “The objective is to reach Xiaguan by the end of the summer.”

Dr. Randhawa remains optimistic that the project will conclude with both sides reaching a bridge, now under construction over the Salween River near Longshan, in the autumn of 1931.



(Let me know if this doesn't show up - the firewall here prevents me from viewing the pic itself)

18 February

Persia and Pacifica were welcomed into SATSUMA at a ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Hyderabad.

The event took place in the palace’s Marble Chamber, a ballroom capable of holding several hundred people. In this case, approximately three hundred dignitaries were in attendance, mostly seated in front of a green marble table on which the original copy of the SATSUMA treaty lay with a gold pen. Behind the table were the five flags of the existing alliance members, India’s in the centre as is standard for the hosting country.

The amended document was first signed by Persian Foreign Minister Mozaffer Tabatabaee, who was even able to deliver a short statement in Hindi for the benefit of the local press: "This is a great day for all of our peoples, as we continue to make the ties of friendship between Asian peoples stronger and stronger."

Pacifican president Kapono Upskamkook, looking mildly haggard after the lengthy trip from his capital, then signed the document. Speaking through a translator, he said, “I am honored to sign the Accord, which will further establishes the deep relationship between our young nation and the progressive countries of Asia.”

The two then shook hands in turn with representatives from the five existing contracting powers: Prince Brashkar of India, Nakamura Maeko of Japan, Juan Diego De La Vega of the Philippines, Cho Mu-sang of Chosen and Liao Kuan-yin from Formosa, all of whom stood in front of their respective flags. Honor Guards from Persia and Pacifica then added their own flags to the collection, whereupon the seven leaders stood for a brief photographic opportunity before departing to a side-room for private discussions.

The ceremony was not without complications. As noted, Prince Brashkar was representing India in place of his father, the Raj. This was apparently a decision made on short notice, as the ceremony’s original start time of 11:00 AM was pushed back to 2:00 PM on short notice, after many of the guests were already seated.

21 February

The Raj has spoken to the empire in an unexpected radio broadcast. Sounding slightly shaky, the emperor spoke to the nation on the Voice of India network after the noon prayers. His brief speech is transcribed as follows:

“My beloved people,

“For some time now, you have known that I am not entirely well. I have been battling malaria for several years now, and its effects have grown worse with age. There have been many occasions on which I am unable to tend to my duties as a result of this illness.

“This was the case three days ago, when I was to host an critical event in which our nation and our allies welcomed the Empire of Persia and the young nation of Pacifica to the South Asian Trade, Scientific Undertaking, and Military Accord. The honorable representatives of these nations flew great distances to be here in Hyderabad, following careful diplomatic discussions, but barely an hor before the event itself was to take place, I was struck down once again by my illness. As has been the case before, my family, ever devoted to India’s well-being, were able to step in for me, and so Prince Brashkar was, after a short briefing, able to stand in my stead during the ceremony.

“While I thank Prince Brashkar for representing me in this critical time, I must also apologize to the people and representatives of Persia and Pacifica for this. I do hope that they will understand that no dishonor or slight was intended, and that I do look forward to greater cooperation and prosperity for our nations in the years to come.

“Since recovering from this latest fit, I have spent some time in contemplation and in discussion with my wife, your Rana. Just as Prince Shrinivas and Prince Braskhar have taken my place at critical junctures, so too has my wife represented India in times of need, such as at Copenhagen last year. There have been many such occasions that this has been the case - in fact, more occasions than I am comfortable with. I have thus concluded that my health is preventing me from giving the empire the guidance and sound government it deserves; India can not endure a part-time sovereign.

“Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that I state my intention to abdicate the throne on Victory Day [12 April]. At that time, I shall have the honor of presiding at the coronation of my son, Crown Prince Shrinivas, as the next emperor of India.

“I have the utmost faith that Shrinivas shall rule wisely and compassionately, and I call upon all citizens of this great land to support him in this time of transition. I thank you all.”

February 21, 1930 - Hyderabad

The German Embassy, after a quick flurry of diplomatic cables, released the following statement at 7:00 pm local time: "The German Reich hears with sadness the news that our old friend the Raj will be laying down his post in April. We will, of course, support his son and heir in his new position, but we will miss our old friend. We trust that the great nation of India will be in good hands when the Crown Prince takes the throne, and the German people look forward to working with him in the future for the betterment of both our peoples."

The Embassy also released a statement that said that the Foreign Minister is expecting to attend the Indian Victory Day celebrations.

Well done...

In the SAE one wonders what kind of effect a change on the throne will have while the news itself is not seen as a surprise. "The Raj has always lead the Indians with great wisdom and we trust in him to find the right sucessor. Crown Prince Shrinivas has proven his will and his skills to follow his father." a diplomat stated.

Addendum: a quick biography of His Royal Highness Shrinivas Canagasundrum

Shrinivas Canagasundrum was born to Rajiv and Savita Canagasundrum, the Raj and Rana, on 5 September 1901, in the Imperial Palace. Upon his birth, he became the Crown Prince and heir to the throne, supplanting his cousin Atal (a year and seven months older) in this regard. He has three younger siblings: brother Brashkar and sisters Prahminder and Mamtaz.

At the age of thirteen, relatively late for his age, he was married to twelve year old Prea Kumaraswamy, who descends from the Rajputs that once ruled large portions of India. They have two daughters - Asha, born in 1923, and Amrita, born in 1926. It is believed that the couple may be expecting a third child in early to mid 1930.

Given his eventual destiny, Prince Shrinivas received considerable private tuition on a wide variety of subjects from the age of six. This included the social and physical sciences, music, sports, languages, and history. Very astute in languages, he is fluently bilingual in Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, and German, and is competent in Punjabi, Afrikans, and Japanese. He is said to be studying Spanish at present.

At the age of seventeen he was accepted into the Imperial University at Hyderabad, where he began studies in political science. During his four years of study, he was involved in an number of extracurricular activities, including a historical studies group, the Afrikans Language Club, the university’s football team, and the fencing club, the latter resulting in at least one trip to the hospital (so far as the public is aware). His sporting style was described as “cautious and deliberate” by a fellow student; this is said to have served him well as a defender on the pitch, but not so well with the saber and foil. As expected, Prince Shrinivas graduated with a Bachelor of Political Science degree in April of 1922, his thesis being his great-grandfather Brashkar’s eviction of the British from the subcontinent in 1857-9.

In a break from tradition, Shrinivas chose to enlist in the navy, rather than the army, following his graduation. Following a six month training period, Seaman His Royal Highness Shrinivas Canagasundrum reported for duty aboard the cruiser Chennai in March 1923. Promoted to an Able Seaman, he worked in the ship’s propulsion section and later on its damage control team. He was wounded in action aboard Chennai during the Battle of Ko Racha Yai on 23 August 1924, while fighting fires caused by Danish shelling. Following the battle, he spent approximately three months rehabilitating his arm and was assigned to an administrative position with the navy’s Eastern Maritime District in Sittwe.

On the recommendation of his former commanding officer, the captain of the Chennai, he entered the Officer Training Program in September of 1925. The crown prince was in the first class to undergo a two year program, and graduated in June 1927. As a lieutenant, he was assigned to the minesweeper Yamuna as her executive officer. Participating in the 1927 SATSUMA exercises, Lieutenant Canagasundrum led the ship’s fire-fighting and rescue activities when the nearby Japanese aircraft carrier Soho caught fire. Yamuna was later assigned to the Indian forces involved in the Filipino Revolution, but despite partaking in some patrol and escort duties, the ship saw no action.

In September 1929, Lieutenant Canagasundrum was appointed to the Logistics Division of the navy’s Administrative Command in Chennai. He was granted an honorable discharge for family reasons on 28 February 1930 following his father’s announcement that he would be abdicating in April.

[Note: the majority of this info can be found in various Indian new reports if one cares to look]

I'm amazed that Prince(or Raj) Shrinivas didn't enter the Navy as midshipman, instead choosing to become a seaman. As a univeristy graduate and crown prince he would certainly be accepted into whatever naval academy India has. Unless all officers are up from the ranks.

Everybody starts out enlisted in this navy. A throwback to the start of the navy in ~1880s when there were German officers and Indian enlisteds only.

Your officers will have lots of experience then, and relations between ranks should be fairly good. However the main problem will be that it will be almost impossible to change traditional practices. As an AB you just get into a pattern of doing what are told and don't question what it is that you are doing. This could present some serious problems if the navy needs to adapt to some new way of conducting warfare.

An enlisted man's job, for the most part, is to keep the officers out of trouble (or in some cases keep them in trouble).

Filipino Presidente de la Vega sends his regards to the Raj and the Crown Prince, along with his intentions to be in attendence at the Victory Day celebrations.

(...by when I hope to have the brainpower to come up with a more suitable statement...)

***

Ask any Sarge or Chief, they are the ones who run the military, and their first duty is to ensure that the officers are kept as far away as possible from the actual running of things, lest they foul up the works beyond recognition. ;-)

[insert properly formated diplomatic boilerplate condolences/congratulations here]

-The Right Honourable Mackenzie King, Dominion of Canada

I know, those condolence/congratulatory things can be a drag. I tend to respond only to those that affect my closer allies.

Look at Navalism, where there were something like six national leaders offed in the span of about a year. Heaps of the damn messages to go 'round.

I agree that traditional practices could be hard to remove, but with the navy getting into so many conflicts, there is still ample opportunity for men at all levels to learn lessons the hard way.

No heir to the throne of the UKA, the King is still alive and well!!

Yeah but the King of Spain is dead.
Long live The King...ME