WesWorld

Elections at last

Prime minister visit’s Yugoslavia

Navy lacking direction

Corinthian cannel project is alive and well


Elections at last

18 of November was announced by Colonel Chrysostomous as being the date chosen for the general elections. Chrysostomous spokesman for the provisional government also revealed that the election’s delay was due to the organization required to avoid vote rigging and to insure fairness. The provisional government is determined to avoid a repeat of the criticism it received during the constitutional plebiscite and municipal elections held late last year.

To insure fairness, several member states belonging to the League of Nations were asked to provide electoral supervises. The countries that have agreed to Greece’s requests are the following, Atlantis, Australia, Great Britain and Iberia. Chrysostmous added that two more nations will be sought, one of whom must be a non-regional state. He also said that electoral supervises belonging to politicly opposed nations will be teemed to insure that they will not use the opportunity to interfere in our nations internal politics



Prime minister visit’s Yugoslavia.

In a surprise announcement today Colonel Yannis Touristas, spokesman for the foreign affairs department revealed the up to now secret visit of the Acting prime minister to Yugoslavia. Colonel Yannis Touristas said that the acting Prime Minister General Leonidas Laconia has been in Yugoslavia for two weeks where he has been involved in talks with his Yugoslavian counterpart. The talks are the finalisation of negotiations originally started six months a go and are said to involve basing rights for the Greek navy on the Dalmatian coast.

When asked by reporters if this had any thing to do with Italy’s recent belligerents towards our nation he replied no not at all, In fact since the recent change of regime in Italy we have noticed a slight toning down of un-diplomatic language and an improvement in our relationship with Italy. A third party has helped to recommence talks with Italy, which hopefully will resolve outstanding territorial disputes. The reason for the navy’s request for basing rights on the Yugoslavian coast according to the foreign affairs department is purely to provide all year round training facilities for our small combat vessels, such as Torpedo Boats.


Navy lacking direction

Our navy program is a shambles, completely lacking any cense of direction. These harsh words where muttered by a high-ranking member of the provisional government who asked to remain anonymous. The acting minister of defence Admiral Talknotalotlopoles refused to comment on the above claim, he only said that he would not reveal defence secrets that nations hostile to Greece may find beneficial. When asked if the rumours are true that the 1919 white paper has been abandoned he replied yes.

The Admiral explained that rumours about the Greek navy lacking direction are mostly due to the abandonment of the five-year building program envisioned in the 1919 white paper. We had to abandon the program due to the Cleito Treaty, admittedly the Admiral said it has caused us some inconvenience, such as having to develop a new white paper and with it the discovery that the shipyard facilities required in it’s implementation were not available. These deficiencies are quickly being attended too, the Admiral confidently added.

When I asked Admiral Talknotalotlopoles on how this will affect the capital ship program he replied no comment, I then proceeded to ask him about the Cruisers, he replied once again with no comment, when I asked the admiral if the new 1921 White paper had anything to do with the cancellation of the Cyclade Island class destroyers he stood up and left the room. There definitely is something a foot and this reporter will try to reveal what the answer might be.

The on again and off again capital ship program seems to be on again. The Department of Naval Construction earlier this year declared that work had recommenced on the improved salamis vessel It was said that this work was to allow the ship to be lunched and thus free up the Number Two Type 3 Attica dry-dock. This was a lie, the ship had been lunched with out Fanfare mid last year and remained moored in a quiet corner of the Attica Naval Yard before re entering its original dry-dock at the beginning of this year. What is puzzling at first glance is the removal of Beta and Gamma barbets that belong to the ships main armament. It is the belief of this reporter that eventually all four barbets will be removed to allow its eventual conversion into an Aircraft Carrier.

Work has also recommenced on the other two Salamis Class. The Salamis has recently entered the Number One Type 3 Attica dry-dock for its preparation to receive it main armament and to have some general maintenance performed on its hull. Part of the work is said to involve the partial replacement of its original armament with a new type of gun and the corresponding modernisation of its fire control. The Salamis sister ship, Thermopylae has been brought alongside Number Three Pier at Attica’s fitting out yards where similar work has commenced in preparing that ship for the imminent arrival of its armament.

Exactly what is going to happen with the cruisers is harder to answer. Earlier this year the Defence Ministry made it be known that it was intending to replace the power plants of the two unmodified Pericles class cruisers, refurbish their existing armament and modernise their fire control. Due to the lack of facilities this program was to be performed by a foreign yard. At this point of time the Pericles upgrade seem to have been abandoned. The possible reason for this is probably one or more of the following.

1) The Technical department of naval Surveyors may have concluded that due to the ships age and structural conditions that their modernisation was no longer a viable project,

2) Due to the recommencement of work on the battle ships the upgrade for the Cruisers has been postponed.

3) The Planed future modernisation of the Elle class cruisers has been brought forward and gained priority.

4) Or a new class of cruiser is soon to be built in their place.

Finally it must be added that the ambitious program to expand the small ship flotilla has had the brakes applied. All units planned to be built will be completed but this is to be achieved other a longer period of time. It has also been revealed that the navy is about to place an order for a fourth batch of type Y1 experimental subs. Yes readers it truly seems that the navy has dramatically changed direction but this doesn’t mean that it’s rudderless.


Corinthian cannel project is alive and well.

The Ministry Of Public Works has announced that the widening of the Corinthian canal will proceed to a slightly modified design. The project will be partially financed by the state and public shares. An official request for tenders will be made at the end of this month and it is believed the winning contractor will be given the right to collect tolls for a limited period of time on all shipping transiting the cannel. Greek military vessels will be excluded from this arrangement.

The modified design will increase the width of the canal from its current dimensions to the following, Canal depth 13 metres, width at bottom 46 metres and 51 metres at sea level. This will allow ships with a maximum width of 42 metres and a draft of 12.2 metres safe passage. It will also allow two ships with a maximum beam of 19 metres to simultaneously transverse the canal in opposite directions.

Ships currently able to use the canal save 185 nautical miles from their journey between the Aegean and Ionic seas.

Considering that the real Greece had problems with its electoral system right up to the 1967 military coup, it will be safe bet that my alternate Greece will be as corrupt as its Balkan neighbours and probably give your average 1920’s Banana republic a run for its pesos. Hope this answer your question Wes


And yes Rooijen you are right Greece doesn’t need another lord Elgin kind of incident.

But on the other hand it could be fun :-)