WesWorld

[A slightly delayed thread on the visit of the Indian Rana to Germany after the completion of the Copenhavn summit.]

May 12, 1929 – Berlin and beyond

The arrival of the Indian Rana’s private train in Berlin has set off a flurry of activity. Met at the train by an honor guard of soldiers and the Foreign Minister, Gustav Stresseman, she and her entourage was conveyed in a convoy of motor-cars through the streets to the Reichstag, where she was greeted with all honors by Chancellor Cuno and President Braun. Additionally, she was presented with a Bill passed by the Reichstag earlier in the day thanking her for her efforts on behalf of Germany in the recent Copenhavn talks.

President Braun spoke for the nation, in saying “Germany gives our thanks to our Indian friends for all of their help in recent years, and we must particularly give the Rana,” he bowed to her before continuing, “for her most recent aid to our nation in the Copenhavn talks. Germany holds itself indebted to India for her aid and assistance in recent years. Our old friends have more than repaid any aid or assistance that we gave them in the years before the Great War.”

The President, Chancellor, and Foreign Minister all spent time over the next few days closeted in closed-door talks with the Rana. It is presumed by observers that at least a part of these talks discussed future relations with India, ways in which the two countries could benefit one another, and the business of statecraft. It is also expected that at least some discussions were directed towards the recent announcements in London.


A trip away from Berlin to the Ruhr was made to see the coal liquefaction plants that had been built with, in part, Indian funds to investigate the possibility of converting coal, which both Germany and India have in abundance, to oil-based fuels, which Germany has none of and India only a small amount within its territories. The team, led by Franz Fischer and colleagues both German and Indian, reported their findings

“The synthetic oil team worked with both the Fischer-Tropsh process to create gasoline or diesel fuel from coal and with the Bergius process to create heavy oil from coal. Our mission was to determine whether what worked in the laboratory actually worked outside the lab, and how well it worked.”

“The team oversaw the building of 4 different production lines, two for each process, to get an idea of how the processes scaled from the laboratory to a production plant. That data is covered in the briefing papers, which can be read at leisure. One interesting fact is that, for these processes, even poor quality coal such as lignite can be used. Certainly better quality coal gives higher results, but poor quality coal is common and might be better used for this and the better grade reserved for other uses.”

“At the present time, given the price of oil, it is not economically profitable to convert coal to oil, gasoline, or diesel. The processes exist, we’ve built prototype plants for both processes, and they both work quite well. But the price of oil is low enough that it is cheaper to import it than to convert the coal to these fuels.”

“That said, there may be other, non-economic reasons for investing in such plants. Those reasons, for those of us who have been blockaded in the past, are obvious, but non-blockade reasons for a rise in the price of oil are certainly visible in the world today.”

Very interesting piece of paper. Guess Indian scientists involved in that program will soon get a visit from their SAE collegues.... :o)

Heh. Just keep in mind that those processes ARE patented, so if the SAE would like to make use of them, patent rights will be expected to be honored.

Oh, we tend to kidnap the guys we need.... ;o)

{chuckle} OK, then.

A page right out of the kidnapping book of the Philippines.

12 May 1929

A state visit to Germany by the Rana has resulted in a shower of accolades from the leaders and politicians hosting her. In a speech to the Reichstag, she said, "Karma is a simple thing. Do good, and good will be done unto you. Do ill, and ill shall befall you.

"Germany came to India fifty years ago, not as a conqueror, but as a friend. Germany helped us modernize and industrialize, to defend ourselves at a time when our neighbours such as China and the Philippines were under the heels of anybody who could land troops there. In such a way, we retained our soveriegnty and our dignity.

"Later, Germany made a significant mistake, one which it has since recognized, I think, but one that still brough bad karma upon Germany. The Peace was difficult, and Germany found itself disarmed in a world that is armed to the teeth.

"But Germany had earned some good karma a half-century back, it seems, for India did not abandon its old friend. We recognized that the peace went too far, that it might lead to further war and bloodshed in the future. India resolved to aid its old friend, we were successful, and now Germany is able to defend itself once more", the Rana said to a tumultous round of applause.

Questions by the media about subsequent talks between the Rana, President Braun, and Herr Stresemann were met with a polite smile from the Rana and the comment, "Secrets shared are secrets lost."

A visit to the synthetic fuel plants co-sponsored by India appeared to greatly impress the empress, who asked a number of questions throughout the course of the tour. "There is no overstating just how clever German industrialists and scientists are", she remarked at one point. "The progress in such a short time is astonishing."

She confirmed that India is contemplating the construction of synthetic fuel plants in the near future as a strategic measure. "Market forces may be against commercial production, but market forces change drastically in times of crisis, which may offer little time in which to react. Having the capacity to produce enough oil to generate a strategic reserve and get us through a crisis is a strong incentive for us to generate that capacity, even if it is a money loser in the capitalistic sense."

The Rana reminded reporters of Herr Stresemann's planned visit to India. "I look forward to meeting Herr Stresemann soon, and look forward to showing him a few sights around my nation."

Quoted

Oh, we tend to kidnap the guys we need.... ;o)

Now, now. Remember what happened the last time somebody kidnapped an Indian citizen.

I seem to remember that a 'few' Japanese 14 inch shells were flying through the air... as well as the heroic Indian troops who liberated the Indian Citizen in question from the clutches of the forces of evil...

*Garcia jumps up and down, hand in air*

"And don't forget that now you will have to deal with us, too!"

*Earth collapses under Garcia*

Turkey is particularily interested in this area of developement. Having Greece surrounding us (thanks to an alliance with the UK) our sealanes are highly vulnerable should the Greeks feel the need to exact further consessions from Turkey.

Synthetic oil would remove the need to ship it uder the barrels of Greek ships.

Just ship the real stuff from Baku or Romania.

The real problem is Atlantis who controls the Dardanelles and so has access to the Black Sea. If you have Atlantis and Russia against you... well you're fu*ked then. ; )

Cheers,

Well, considering that in 1930 the US apparently produced two thirds of the world's oil, I wouldn't be too keen on a cheap alternative, so I hope they don't perfect it too terribly soon!

I often wonder about the exact oil control ratio in the wesworld. Atlantis is in posession of Venezuela which was another large producer.

At any rate in times of war the U.S. or any other nation with large oil reserves would need them, so cheaper alternatives for its customers would ease the oil shortage for the suppliers.

But Atlantis is the only known source of wesium that is 12 times harder that tungsten and has the convenience to occur naturally in cones of 5", 6", 8" and 15" diameters. A wesium tipped shell has a penetration factor many times that of a normal shell.

With such natural wonders, Atlantis must also have local oil supplies?

Cheers,

<chuckle> It isn't cheap, even now. Is it doable? Oh, yes, these are the processes Germany used to make synthetic fuels during WWII, and that South Africa used during apartheid days and continues to use. China's apparently looking at another process to get the same results now. In the US, there's renewed interest in coal gasification, which is one step along the road to synthetic fuels, as well.

Synthetic fuels bisnes in real life its my get rich quick scheme.
I only nead one million dollars to buy a factory near Poznan.

Today the technology is all moust forgoten.

May 21, 1929 - the Ruhr

In response to a reporter's question, Chancellor Cuno responded, "The possibility of investing in plants for converting coal to liquid fuels is currently being discussed amongst members of the Reichstag. Certainly, as has been noted before, these plants are not economical at the present time, oil from Rumania, the United States, or other sources is cheaper right now. But if tensions should rise again in the world, the cost might rise rapidly. Taking measures to protect Germany against such a rise, or even a lack of availability at any price, seems prudent. However, the budget must be respected and kept within bounds, we certainly do not have unlimited funds available."

The Philippines might have some interest in the technology...as our prime source of oil, the NEI, belongs to a rival alliance...

Quoted

But Atlantis is the only known source of wesium that is 12 times harder that tungsten and has the convenience to occur naturally in cones of 5", 6", 8" and 15" diameters. A wesium tipped shell has a penetration factor many times that of a normal shell.

With such natural wonders, Atlantis must also have local oil supplies?

Quoted

But Atlantis is the only known source of wesium that is 12 times harder that tungsten and has the convenience to occur naturally in cones of 5", 6", 8" and 15" diameters. A wesium tipped shell has a penetration factor many times that of a normal shell.

Not true. Wesium does occur in the southern slopes of the Himalayas, but for reasons known only to a few mineralogists, occurs here in metric diameters such as 15 cm, 21 cm, and 35 cm.

Quoted

Synthetic fuels bisnes in real life its my get rich quick scheme.
I only nead one million dollars to buy a factory near Poznan.

Don't look at me, I only invest in it in online sims. All my real money gets sunk into the barn.