Shipbucket

The improving relationship with the United States and the recovery of the American economy from the depression of 1893 was good news for the Lisenian economy. As exports to the United States increased, more funds were made available for national defense. From 1897 on, the naval brass could only react with a mixture of awe and apprehension as Japan commissioned no less than four top of the line battleships of the Fuji and Shikishima class - British built behemoths of the finest quality, packing 12-inch guns, superior Harvey armor and in every aspect superior to anything in the Lisenian navy. Desperate pleas from the navy department for money to purchase similar ships from Britain were repeatedly denied by Congress. Despite the growing economy, battleships were too expensive, and in any case, the navy had neither the facilities for such large ships, or enough men to man them.

Congress did however, enact a new appropriations bill for purchase of three new protected cruisers and an expansion of shore facilities. The naval technical school and naval academy were expanded with public land grants, while the naval arsenal and workshops were modernized to produce Whitehead torpedoes, mines and shells under license. In addition, the obsolete coastal battery ship Rio Negro was converted to a gunnery training ship to provide more realistic training.



The three new cruisers of the Victoria class were ordered from the Union Iron Works yard in California in 1898, and all were in delivered by 1903. The Lisenian navy was impressed with by efficiency and quality work of the American yards, and the three ships (Victoria, Meteoro, Fugaz) were highly regarded in service. They were cheaper to operate than the British-built Tigre class, required less crew, had more reliable machinery, matched them in firepower and suffered only from shorter range and slightly inferior armor protection. The main battery of six 6-inch guns was complemented by eight 4.7-inch QF guns for defense against enemy torpedo boats, and a good number of smaller Hotchkiss guns for close defense. Three internal torpedo tubes (one forward, two amidships) were also fitted, but soon after entering service the forward torpedo equipment was removed. The weight made for a wet bow and by this time, forward tubes were considered useless by the navy anyway.

In 1900, Meteoro attended the Japanese naval review and had the honor of receiving a visit from Emperor Mutsuhito and his entourage. In stark contrast, sister ship Fugaz was considered the unluckiest ship in the navy after suffering from two boiler room fires and a gunnery accident in quick succession shortly after commissioning. As a result, training standards were revised and improved, though by that time the ship's poor reputation had already been cemented.

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Republic of Lisenia AU - In progress
Republic of Lisenia in FD Scale - In progress

Excellent drawing and background!

I second eswube's laudation! A truly realistic and well-balanced ship, and it doesn't hurt that it also looks so very smart! Kudos!

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My Avatar:Петр Алексеевич Безобразов (Petr Alekseevich Bezobrazov), Вице-адмирал , царская ВМФ России(1845-1906) - I sign my drawings as Ari Saarinen

Indeed really nice additions... nice and balanced desings (as mentioned by other admirers) and top class drawings.

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Shipbucket mainsite, aka "The Archive"
New AU project "Aravala"

This Au is progressing to be one of the best AU nations here, and with top quality drawings to boot. Well done, and hoping to see more!

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

Part 7: Prosperity at home and trouble abroad (1900-1910)

As the crowds welcomed the new century in the capital's famed Plaza del Sol square, the country found itself in an enviable position. Decades of investment in infrastructure, education and land reform had radically improved the standard of living for Lisenians throughout the country. The pro-business policies of President Albertini's administration led to expansion in the private sector, as the country's exports increased, especially to the US and Japan. As the country's industrial base expanded and the navy developed into a respectable force, the demand for foreign coal increased greatly. The local mines produced rather mediocre quality coal, and not enough of it. As a result, the Lisenian government brokered several important economic agreements with the United States, which agreed to supply coal enough to meet 60% of the country's needs, in return for increasing exports to the islands, especially expensive naval contracts.

The healthy economic growth and history of political stability made Lisenia an appealing destination for thousands of immigrants, who came from areas as distant as the Americas and southern and eastern Europe. Many of them found work in the packing houses and in factories, where their knowledge of the language was less essential. As exports to other countries increased, the Chinese market had come to represent a significant share of those figures.

When Boxer fighters stormed Beijing in June of 1900, several dozen Lisenians from various walks of life were caught in the siege. Despite heated protests from the Lisenian government, no answer was forthcoming over their release. As a result, diplomats met with their European and American counterparts, Congress authorized Lisenian troops to participate in the Eight-Nation Alliance's efforts to push back the Boxers. In June, the army sent its best-equipped unit, the 2nd Infantry Regiment with a detachment of field guns, to join the Marine Battalion on its way to China aboard requisitioned steamers. This small expeditionary force was placed under army command and escorted by a small flotilla. The navy also dispatched the small monitor Martillo to provide artillery support for the ground forces.



Upon arriving in China, the Lisenian forces linked up with the Japanese, their comrades from five years earlier. Under the command Brigadier General A. Bielinski, they fought alongside Allied troops in the battles of Beicang and Beijing, most of their casualties coming from the extremely humid weather and disease rather than combat. Their most serious taste of combat was in the intense battle for Beijing, where they fought alongside Russians and Japanese. Despite difficulties in planning due to the myriad of languages spoken by the Allies, the Lisenians fought in a much more convincing manner than in 1895. Newspapers highlighted the role of the army gunners, which jokingly became known as the "Icarus battery" after the barrels of their 75-mm Krupp guns were deformed by their ferocious rate of fire while supporting their marine comrades.

The defeat of the Boxers and the occupation of Beijing by the Allies marked the end of the war for Lisenia, who recovered its besieged countrymen and sailed its forces back to a vibrant welcome in December. Despite its casualties, the country was proud of the prestige it believed it had earned during the fighting, and many parades were held for the rescued hostages and returning forces. The fighting also highlighted several important lessons: the emphasis on naval spending had left the army poorly equipped and training needed improvement, and also highlighted the importance of standardization, after marines and soldiers were embarrassingly unable to exchange ammunition due to their different caliber rifles.

Just as peace returned to the Pacific, war loomed again. The Russo-Japanese War came as no surprise to Lisenia, since diplomatic contacts with Japan had warned that conflict was imminent. Remaining officially neutral due to the great respect for the Tsar's naval might, the government took great interest in the conflict, and especially the performance of the Japanese navy. As Admiral Rozhestvensky's proud fleet rounded the Lisenian islands on its fateful journey to the Straits, a Russian victory was seen as inevitable. The devastating Japanese victory then, came as an enormous shock to everyone.

In 1905, the new five year plan budgeted funds to modernize both the navy and army, with efforts to locally produce as much weaponry as possible, and increasing standardization. To this end, the state armories purchased licenses for small arms and naval weapons. Despite the great shock of the war, the navy's request for battleships was again refused on grounds of cost. After much political wrangling, Congress did allow the navy to order two more armored cruisers from Italy and a class of scout cruisers from an American yard.

It was around this time that the first torpedo boat destroyers from the navy's 1900 order were delivered. The American-built Sevillana class of six boats was a revolutionary buy for the navy, which had never operated this new type of warship. Although only a few knots faster than torpedo boats of their day, these destroyers were more heavily armed, with much larger guns and with substantially better sea-keeping. Their entry into service was delayed by engine troubles, but they were eventually put to good use, and would serve as an important learning platform for future destroyer operations.



In the years after the war, political factions would have long debates over whether it was wiser to try and match Japan's military power or to follow a course of appeasement. The country now was neighbor to a true great power, and one who announced its arrival on the world stage with a smashing victory, and Lisenians wondered if eventually its appetite for territorial expansion might place the islands in danger of aggression. This debate would come to dominate foreign relations discourse for decades and have important implications later on.

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Republic of Lisenia AU - In progress
Republic of Lisenia in FD Scale - In progress

Wow! Very interesting ideas and great backstory.

Very good background and amazing ships.

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Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

Thanks for the comments mates! I have been thinking of doing some B-sides for the ships. Would they be interesting to see next to the ships or would they just clutter up the thread?

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Republic of Lisenia AU - In progress
Republic of Lisenia in FD Scale - In progress

For me they would be very interesting.