Kinshasa Klarion, November 15th
Foreign Minister Count Nzinga Mvemba is scheduled to make his presentation to the League of Nations today, seeking explicit international standing as a free nation.
For the peoples of the Kongo this is a momentous day. Fifty years ago, a gathering of prominent Europeans saw fit to simply bequeath the rights to the territories and the peoples of the Kongo to the hands of Leopold III. While Leopolds man Stanley had bribed some chiefs along the Congo, the majority of the peoples of the Congo had never heard of a Caucasian at that time, a deficit to be rectified only after extreme suffering.
While Leopold may represent the worst that humanity has to offer, in the past thirty years the peoples of the Kongo have seen rapid progress. The intervention of the Dutch Queen on our behalf led to not only the ousting of Leopolds Force Publique, but also establishment of our own Kingdom, leading to investment and development by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the South Afrikaan Empire, to whom much is owed. The Regent, Prince-Consort Hendriks connection to Germany saw the crucial addition of skilled German Great War refugees turn the depopulated Katanga province into a strong portion of our Kingdom.
In the past fifty years our people have plunged to the depths, only to be reborn stronger, wiser, richer and with a bright future.
The Maastricht Mercury , November 19th.
The DMZSBD held a rally yesterday, claiming nearly 30,000 black clad party members attended the Prime Ministers speech in the softly falling snow. The Prime Minister awarded Brigade-Generaal Snellensoon a newly minted medal, the Krook Cross, emblazoned with Hou En Trou.
Prime Minister Krook:
"WHAT seems to us almost a miracle as we look back upon it is nothing else than the reward for infinite and unwearying labor.... And now for that labor we have received from Providence our reward, custody of our nations hopes.
From blood, authority of personality, and a fighting spirit springs that value which alone entitles a people to look around with glad hope, and that alone is also the condition for the life which men then desire. And when that is realized, then that too is realized for which today the political parties strive: prosperity, happiness of the individual, family-life, etc.
First will come honor and then freedom, and from both of these happiness, prosperity, life, since there will be an endless chain of generations to follow: man will know that what we create will not sink into Orcus but will pass to his children and to his children's children.
The electoral victory which we have won this spring is nothing else than the winning of a new weapon for our fight, one which we must use to carry forth our agenda. Only the first step has been taken, there is a long path to follow to hone the steel of the Netherlands.
Within our own party, many feel that mere accession to power marks victory. This is False! We must mold the state to our image, we must break those who would sap our strength by resisting change. Do not write on your banners the word 'Victory': today that word shall be uttered for the last time. Strike through the word 'Victory' and write once more in its place the word which suits us better - the word 'Fight.'" (1)
(1) Except a couple bridging phrases, not my words, stolen from two historical speeches.
Kinshasa Klarion, November 20th
The Government has announced the commencement of new hydroelectric dam on the upper Luapula river near Nchelenge. This will be the nations third full hydroelectric dam and will supply power for both local towns and more particularly enlargement of smelting and refining operations of Union Minière du Haut Katanga. The Union Minière du Haut Katanga mines Copper, Cobalt, Tin, Zinc, Radium and Uranium. A former Belgian company many of these ores formerly were exported to Belgium for refining. The severance of links to Belgium after 1905 eliminated those ties and the company sold out to the Bank of the Kongo in 1907. The companies mining languished until new trade links could be established and then boomed after Silesian refugees came and the SANTA treaty was finalized. Now Union Minière du Haut Katanga seeks to boost local employment and profits through retention of more of the processing and manufacture process.
The government revealed continued studies on micro dams and wing dams intended for use on low gradient rivers. At this time, large diameter, low rpm turbines mounted in wing dams appear the most effective for providing power for small riverfront communities and industries. Government planners have debated schemes proportioning power to an industrial facility during a 10 hour day time shift, and then to the community for nighttime power.
The last bit of hydrological news involves the arrival of engineers hired to study the feasibility of swamp drainage in the Mbandaka region.
In other news:
Swamp reclamation : The last bit of hydrological news involves the arrival of engineers hired to study the feasibility of swamp drainage in the Mbandaka region.
Railroads : The Kinshasha to Luanda railroad completed its first stage today, connecting to Mbanza Congo, ancient seat of the Kingdom, in Angola. While the Luandan port and Congo river have long served as a trade routes, the railroad helps open the interior of Angola, much as the 1911 Lumbashi- Bengeula route did when it was finally completed.
Pharmaceuticals: the government has declared the first Cinchona plantations of the Kananga region now of age for harvest. Established in 1910-1915, these plantations were not planted as monocultures, but interplantings of Cinchona and para rubber trees in small half hectare clearings in the native forests from Kananga to Kolwesi. A factory in Kananga was completed two years ago to begin bark processing, and a second factor in Kolwesi is near completion. Between 1916 and 1920, further Para rubber and Cinchona plantings were conducted near Yahuma, but will not be sufficiently mature for another five years at the soonest.
While these supplies of Cinchona are expected to free the Kingdom from dependence on foreign supplies of quinine, they are not expected to be sufficient for preventative treatments.
Chemical synthesis, or improved extraction methods, are the goals that researchers from the Belgian company Meurice Laboratories will be pursuing. The company has recently received a contract from Princess Julianna to come to the Kongo to research alternatives to natural quinine and superior methods of processing.
Prior to this time, Zwanenburg Laboratories of the Netherlands has the primary medical researcher into ways of reining in the diseases of our Kingdom, the Queen having financed a facility in 1907. Saal van Zwanenburg has since founded Orangen pharmaceuticals which has also established laboratories and medical production facilities.
The Hauge Herald , November 20th
The Staats Generaal took up the treaties proposed by War Minister Loeder. The War ministers actions have caused rather a fuss domestically. In addition to the hostile reaction of Persia, Foreign Minister Grootveld was reportedly incensed at Herr Loeders interloping in foreign affairs and has reportedly demanded an apology and assurances of future conduct from the Prime Minister. Herr Grootveld has the capacity to withdraw his party, breaking the government, but has not chosen to do so, leading to speculation of a quiet deal between Prime Minister Krook and Minister Grootveld.
The Queen has reportedly indicated that Herr Loeder overstepped his bounds by proposing treaties rather than purely non-binding military arrangements, but that as the deals are fair to all parties, she would defer to Minister Grootvelds judgment.
As expected, the Staats Generaal passed the treaties by a significant margin. The unduly hostile reaction of SATSUMAs newest member was viewed as an affront and a sign that that there may be territorial aspirations on the part of Persia on the Arabian peninsula, aspirations which may become more difficult should the Arabian kingdoms actually have the capacity to defend their territories.
The Staats Generaal has officially postponed the vote on Malay Archipelago representation. The proposal barely passed the first session, but of course the constitution requires a reaffirmation subsequent to an election in order to amend it. The DMZSBD has argued strongly against the TIDE policy, but has curiously left the reforms and their funding intact. Recurrent rumor is that both former Prime Minister Land and Prime Minister Krook are pressing their respective cases for and against the island provinces gaining representatives in the Staats Generaal. The vote has been scheduled and canceled several times this fall as either side felt they had votes for victory. The Queen is known to be passionate on the issue, having been an advocate for provincial reform since her Ethical Policy speech of 1905, and is reportedly working behind the scenes to secure passage.
The Liege Legacy November 28th
The Queen attended the opening ceremonies for a large foundry. The first major manufacturer to open in Liege since the onset of the Depression, the foundry already has orders for high quality armor plate and it is understood that the large casting facility is being eyed by both Kingdoms for military orders. However, the first products off the line were simple plowshares to be fitted to Familleheureux Ca tractors.
This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "Kaiser Kirk" (May 25th 2008, 4:27am)