WesWorld

The Manila Evening Times
1 July 1924

An accident yesterday at the Manila dockyards will lead to a delay in the completion of the battlecruiser Basilan. MdF officials announced that the new date for her launching ceremony is 13 September...

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The Manila Times
3 July 1924

An American freighter arrived in Manila yesterday, carring 24 Vought VE-7 seaplanes for the air arm of the Marina de Filipinas. These craft will serve as trainers, until higher-performance aircraft can be acquired...

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The Puerto Princesa Gazette
EXTRA! EXTRA!
5 July 1924

Yesterday afternoon the torpedo boat R-6 limped into our town's harbour, appearing to be yet another victim of the spate of piracy in the South China Sea that has continued off and on for the past five years.

The ship was heavily damaged, and 30 sailors were taked off the ship to our town's hospital. The crew reports that they were 'ambushed' by a 'much larger ship' that was hidden in a rainsquall. The ship's exeuctive officer said that 'I've seen 8" shell splashes in traning, and these were bigger - much bigger'...

(OOC: the R-6 is damaged beyond economical repair. She will be beached and scrapped.)

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The Manila Times
6 July 1924

Demetrio Larena, former presidente of the Republic of Negros, today adressed the Filipino Congress with an appeal for a restoration of his nation:

"In 1901, the United States abolished the Republic of Negros," said Señor Larena, "and when the Republic of the Philippines was formed, the people of Negros were not asked if we wished to be included in it. I am here today to ask that a vote be held, asking if the people of Negros desire to be part of the Philippines, or if they wish to regain their independence..."

(OOC: in OTL Señor Larena died sometime before 1922. In WW, I indend to keep him around a bit longer...)

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The Manila Times
9 July 1924

In a response to Señor Demetrio Larena, who called for independence of the island of Negros, Presidente Enrique Monastario stated that he "...cannot understand why any Filipino would not wish for his island to remain a part of our great, glorious nation..."

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The Manila Times
12 July 1924

High officials of the Marina de Filipinas declined to comment on any possible anti-piracy actions that might be undertaken in the wake of the attack on the R-6...

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The Manila Times
15 July 1924

There was another riot in northeastern Mindanao yesterday. A large group of Muslims, gathered to protest Filipino support of India in As Salif, threw bricks and bottles at government officials in the town of Pagadian...

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The Manila Times
17 July 1924

The most recent addition to Filipino air power arrived yesterday, as two examples of the Italian Saviola-Marchetti S.55 arrived in Manila harbour, ending a long overwater flight that saw them take off from Italian East Africa, head east past Sri Lanka to refuel in Siam before continuing towards the Philipines. The 2 aeroplanes are amongst the strangest looking in the world; a minister in Iberia has been quoted as describing it as a “flying boat / floatplane hermaphrodite.” The MdF has requested the examples for comparison between themselves and the Rohrbach Ro-II; one or the other will become the standard patrol type of the Marina de Filipina.

to be continued...

Interesting news.. I foresee an interesting conflict on the horizon.

Btw, what do you think the Aussies would do against piracy? The Commonwealth surely has some interest in free sea lanes.

Regards,

HoOmAn

Quoted

Btw, what do you think the Aussies would do against piracy? The Commonwealth surely has some interest in free sea lanes.

Well, they might think "It's their problem as well. Let them be the ones to loose ships. We'll just sit and wait and see what happens." :-)

Independence for the Negrosians -> I don't forsee any real conflict, per se. Independence might come, but it's about 25 years away. Or, I might just be setting up something else. Or it might just be a red herring...

Commonwealth vs. pirates -> as long as the Hong Kong shipping is left alone, I think they'd probably adopt a "Not Our Problem" attitude.