Shipbucket

In the real world, the Kingdom of Imerina was a state which grew from the central highlands of Madagascar to encompass the entire island. It was occupied by France following the Franco-Hova Wars and annexed outright in 1897. This alternate universe is a world where independence was retained into the modern era. The point of difference occurs in 1863. The alleged regicide of Radama II is avoided and the French diplomat Joseph-François Lambert is murdered in his palace. My intention has been to draw ships from this period and slowly progress to the present, with some jumps back and forth as my interest wanders. I originally intended to visit other scales from time to time. However, I have since focused my efforts in other scales on an Australasian alternate universe. However, I hope to continue drawing Merina ships for the time being. This alternate universe is not meant to be entirely realistic, but I do hope to avoid exceptionally outlandish scenarios.

Ships
Hery class torpedo boat (1871)
Antananarivo class monitor (1876)
Ant class gunboat (1870/1883)
Andevo, tug (1867/1879)
Alasora class cruiser (1896)

Timeline
1861
Queen Ranavalona of Imerina dies in her sleep. Her 33-year reign was one of triumph and failure. Following in the footsteps of her predecessor, she had sought to industrial key sectors of the economy. Royal foundries produced artillery, muskets, and gunpowder for a time. However, a mill explosion in 1853 severely restricted the availability of domestic gunpowder. The expulsion of the Jean Laborde, a French industrialist, in 1857 brought artillery production to a halt. Other industrial enterprises were severely hampered by the lack of domestic market. This problem was exacerbated by the fact that widespread use of forced labour reduced the amount of capital flowing from new industries to the general population. Ranavalona succeeded in expanding the European-influenced army into a force of nearly 100,000 men at its peak. However, the cost of this force and constant war imposed extreme financial strain on the nation. Her administrative council and a network of regional governors facilitated centralisation and domination, but Ranavalona’s suppression of Christianity undermined the schools which made such bureaucracy possible. Upon her death, Imerina controlled two-thirds of Madagascar. Only remote areas of the northwest and south were independent. Administration was not, however, uniform. Large rural areas were administered indirectly, with local leaders retaining much power. Other regions were nominally independent, retaining autonomy in law only. The island of Nosy Be, off the northwestern coast, had been under French control since 1840.

1862
Prince Rakoto, the son of Queen Ranavalona, is crowned king on the 23rd of September. He adopts the name Radama II. He is fascinated by European innovation and chooses to reverse many of the protectionist policies enacted by his mother. Treaties of friendship are established with Great Britain and France. Other agreements soon eliminated the trade barriers which once prevented the completed collapse of domestic demand. These actions place Radama at odds with the Adriana, Imerina’s noble class. Many do not appreciate the growing influence of European diplomats and businessmen, while others feel that the monarchy is hoarding revenue. The Lambert Charter is of particular concern. During his mother’s reign, Radama granted French entrepenuer Joseph-François Lambert extensive resource rights. Lambert later claimed that he was entitled to all mineral, forest, and unoccupied land resources in Imerina. Radama’s decision to replace older members of the administrative council with his friends did not help matters.

1863
Tensions between Radama II and the adriana reach their breaking point in May. Acting on the orders of prime minister Rainivoninahitriniony, a group of armed insurrectionists storm the royal palace at Antananarivo. Three members of the administrative council are killed and Radama is imprisoned. Elsewhere in the kingdom, Joseph-François Lambert is murdered at his residence by a disgruntled mob. After the chaos settles, an agreement is reached between Radama and his captors. The monarch is allowed to retain his crown, but the administrative council no longer serves at the behest of the monarch. It now possesses power in its own right and can enact laws with the king’s approval. Furthermore, the controversial Lambert Charter is also declared null and void. Several surviving members of the administrative council loyal to Radama are poisoned in trials by ordeal. Rainivoninahitriniony and his conspirators are declared heroes for stopping a European plot to overthrow the Merina monarchy.

Word of Lambert’s death soon spreads to French authorities at Nosy Be and eventually reached Paris. Édouard Drouyn de Lhuys, the French foreign minister, calls for a limited show of force. He believes the occupation of one or two ports can bring Imerina to the negotiating table, at which point he will demand the concessions previously granted to Lambert. Napoleon III, however, desires a new monarch loyal to France. Drouyn de Lhuys is overruled, and the formation of a punitive expedition is ordered. A force of 600 men depart France in November. They are joined by an additional 300 men from various colonial garrisons. Imerina possesses few artillery pieces and its infantry forces are poorly equipped, so the small force is deemed sufficient.

1864
The French punitive expedition lands at Mahajanga on the 4th of March and captures the town with little resistance. Radama II is informed of the landing two days later, but the Merina army is slow to mobilise. The king, believing this to be some kind of misunderstanding, stalls the more aggressive elements of the administrative council until the 14th. By this time, French forces have completed 200 kilometres of the journey from Mahajanga to Antananarivo. Rainilaiarivony, the prime minister’s brother, takes command of the Merina army and establishes a defensive position 18 kilometres west of Antananarivo. The two forces met on the 2nd of April. Through careful use of counter-battery and enfilading fire, Rainilaiarivony is able to defeat the over-aggressive French commander who is recklessly emboldened by a partial retreat of Merina troops early in the battle. The battered French force retreats to Mahajanga but loses many of the wounded its wounded along the way. 500 soldiers under the command of Rainilaiarivony surround Mahajanga on the 15th of May, but French warships prevent the towns recapture. Under a white flag, Radama meets with the French commander who reveals that he is not authorised to conduct negotiations. A peace agreement is reached at the end of June. Imerina recognises the validity of the Lambert Charter, but stresses that it applied to Lambert alone and not the French nation. The Merina kingdom also agrees to cover the cost of the punitive expedition and pay reparations for the death of Lambert. These terms are codified in the Treaty of Mahajanga, signed on the 1st of July.

1867
Following the French punitive expedition, two schools of thought develop among members of the Merina nobility. Anticipating the return of France or another European power, they believe Imerina should modernise on its own terms. They advocate industrialisation and political reform. Others feel Merina traditions, including the caste system, should be protected and see European influence as a cancer. Radama II and Rainilaiarivony lead the former group and are known as modernists. Rainivoninahitriniony and his supporters form the latter group, the conservatives. Despite their differences, both groups favour a policy of expansion. Independent kingdoms represent a potential avenue for European division and conquest. Furthermore, some lands outside the Merina sphere contain valuable resources such as iron and copper. The lands around Ranohira are the first to fall. Some independent leaders resist, but Imerina is the most powerful state on the island of Madagascar. They are soon swept aside. Others submit to Merina rule and retain some degree of self-governance.

1871
The modernist faction orders four torpedo boats from Great Britain. In time, these boats will form the foundation of the Royal Merina Navy. The kingdom also embarks on a programme of modernisation for its army. Imerina’s diverse collection of muskets is replaced with a standard pattern of muzzle-loading rifle. Radama proposes the formation of a true standing army, but he faces strong opposition from the conservative faction. The expansionist policy of Imerina is not inexpensive and the additional cost of a standing army is too much. Some conservatives also believe that a standing army is a threat to the nobility. The existing system of raising semi-trained personnel for the duration of a conflict is retained.

1874
Radama II calls for the abolition of slavery. A small but respectable domestic market would significantly reduce the risks associated with industrialisation, but such a market cannot exist while a substantial segment of the population receives no income. It is a deeply unpopular move, even among members of the modernist faction. Rainivoninahitriniony is uncompromising. He orders the monarch to protect the existing caste system in a public meeting. This backfires, however. Radama remains steadfast dismisses Rainivoninahitriniony for overstepping his authority. Rainilaiarivony becomes prime minister. While Rainilaiarivony is a close ally in the modernist faction, his selection is largely political. Rainilaiarivony commands respect from both factions for his victory over the French punitive expedition. Despite now having an ally as prime minister, Radama lacks the support necessary for the abolition of slavery and is forced to back down.

1876
The modernist faction achieves several important objectives. Imerina’s small torpedo boat force is supplemented by two breastwork monitors built in Great Britain. These ships are the anvil to the torpedo boat hammer. In June, the first brick of a new boatyard is laid at Toamasina. This facility will allow the Merina kingdom to build its own torpedo boats with certain parts imported from Great Britain. Construction is funded by the government, but the boatyard will be transferred to a local member of the nobility before its opening. In December, a 20 kilometre stretch of railway is opened between Antananarivo and the town of Farariana. The line's narrow 2-foot 6-inch gauge is chosen as a defensive measure. When the tracks are removed, the rights of way should be too narrow for most horse-drawn carts.

1879
Using the boatyard in Toamasina as a model, Rainilaiarivony and Radama embarked on an ambitious industrialisation programme. Construction of five factories begin, including two powder mills and a sugar refinery. More are planned in the near future. As with the Toamasina boatyard, these factories will be transferred to a member of the nobility upon completion. This is functionally a bribe for members of the conservative faction who would otherwise be opposed to such excessive spending on European technologies. Members of the modernist faction stall plans to offer schooling to Merina children in retaliation. The industrialisation programme is expensive and the kingdom is forced to secure several loans from Great Britain and France.

1884
Almost the entire island of Madagascar is now under Merina control. After three years of work, the first census is also completed. It is an integral component of tax reform proposed by Rainilaiarivony and Radama II to fund their ongoing industrialisation programme. John Robert Grey, a British advisor responsible for the census, asked respondents to provide a family name alongside a given name. This is the first time a separate family name is required in Merina society and the origin of later European-style names. The results of the census are flawed. Few census officials were willing to accommodate the illiterate, and riots broke out in southern villages which had been recently conquered by Imerina.

1887
The ambitious industrialisation and modernisation programmes grind to a halt as national debt exceeds £50,000,000. Imerina is no longer able to pay its creditors and French authorities smell blood in the water. A fleet of cruisers and gunboats commanded by Paul-Émile Miot appears off Toamasina in January. He issues an ultimatum to the Merina government. The kingdom would become a French colony in all but name, with a permanent French resident controlling foreign affairs and ‘guiding’ domestic policy. In return, France would cancel all Merina debt. Radama II and the administrative council remain defiant and make an appeal to the British government for assistance, though Lord Salisbury and the Foreign Office are apathetic. French marines land on the 10th of January and secure Toamasina by the end of the day. Rainilaiarivony, taking command of Merina forces once again, prepares for a long defensive campaign in the hills to the west. Torpedo boats attack the French fleet but inflict little damage relative to their losses. French forces slowly advance along the Ivondro river, building a road along the route of a railway dismantled by retreating Merina forces. A fierce battle is fought near the village of Didy. The French are force to retreat under heavy 6-inch gunfire, but Rainilaiarivony’s own forces are too disorganised to pursue.

Miot is dismissed following the defeat at Didy. However, his replacement, Jacques Duchesne, does not arrive until September. In the intervening period, Rainilaiarivony reinforces his position at Didy by reducing garrisons elsewhere in Imerina. When the French attack again, he plans to encircle the enemy with his reinforcements and prevent a second retreat. Duchesne brings reinforcements of his own and lands simultaneously at Mahajanga and Ambanja. With reduced garrisons, both are in French hands by the end of the month. In conjunction with these attacks, a battalion-sized force attempts to march around Didy and cut its rail link to Antananarivo. They are met by Rainilaiarivony’s reinforcements and fought off. All of these attacks are distractions. Duchesne intends to inflict a coup de main with a force of 3,000 marching southwest from Toamasina. This flying column is to find an alternate route across the hills and attack the capital. Rainilaiarivony, meanwhile, is forced to withdraw his newly arrived reinforcements from Didy. They are needed to stall a French advance from the west. Ambanja and the far north are abandoned by Merina forces. Rainilaiarivony does not have the manpower to confront the French in these regions.

Following the withdrawal of Merina forces from the far north, the Antankarana revolt in October. They come into conflict with the French at Ambanja, forcing troops to be diverted from Mahajanga. This coincides with another attack at Didy. Merina troops are able to hold the line, but suffer heavy casualties and are forced to retreat after the battle. With the French in the west paralysed by the Antankarana revolt, Rainilaiarivony diverts men east again. These reinforcements meet Duchesne’s flying column at the start of November. The lightly equipped column is scattered by Merina artillery and defeated in detail by infantry. The main French force in the east plans advance from Didy, but the arrival of the wet season delays this indefinitely. The road connecting Didy to Toamasina is washed away by heavy rain and a severe outbreak of typhoid cripples the army. A stalemate ensues between the French and Merina armies.

1888
The growing influence of Georges Ernest Boulanger in French politics leads to the withdrawal of French marines in February. They are needed as a counterweight to any army-led coup d’état. While a boon for Imerina, Rainilaiarivony fears the end of the wet season. His armies have suffered severe materiel losses since the start of the war and many of his most experienced men were lost at Didy. He fears that French forces will capture Antananarivo within a matter of months. In March, Radama II calls upon Great Britain to act as a mediator. A peace agreement is signed in April. Known as the Treaty of Tolagnaro, this document cedes part of Mahajanga to Britain and the coast around Nosy Be to France. In return for British protection, Imerina also agrees to emancipate the Andevo people and to offer British citizens an opportunity to purchase resource extraction rights before all other foreigners. A final clause, unknown to the French, is included. If any British colony in southern Africa is attacked by another European power, Imerina agrees to provide military support.

1890
The emancipation of the Andevo is not well received among conservative members of the nobility. A small force attempts to seize Radama II in August. Hoping to repeat the success achieved in 1863, they are instead routed by an elite guard dispatched by Rainilaiarivony. The prime minister’s efforts are not, however, enough to avert civil war. Drawing support from disaffected conservatives and those elements which rebelled in the war against France, the rebel faction raises an army of 10,000 men in the north and west. The forces of the government suffer greatly from desertion and are hard-pressed to contain the rebellion. Fortunately, the rebels lack the logistical expertise and manpower to support large-scale inland operations. This provides the capital, Antananarivo, with a degree of protection.

1891
The tide turns against the conservative faction in February during their assault on Mahajanga, one of the few large towns on the western coast still under government control. An artillery battery accidentally shells HMS Icarus while it is taking on coal in the British concession. The ship and a detachment of Royal Marines join loyalist forces in defence of the town. Rainilaiarivony had not requested military aid from Britain, fearing that it would weaken his own country’s position. Britain now had a reason to intervene without any formal request from Radama II. Rainilaiarivony directs his men to move westward and northward from the interior, severing lines of communication and isolating rebel forces at key points. Once isolated, they can be defeated in detail. This campaign is supported by British landings along the coast. The Royal Merina Navy, still weakened from the war with France, provides what little firepower it can. The last of the rebels surrender in November, leaving the modernists in control of the nation.

1896
Rainilaiarivony dies of fever at the age of 68. His death has a profound impact on Radama II, who subsequently retreats from public life. Rakatoarilova, a student of Rainilaiarivony, is appointed prime minister. With the conservative faction still recovering, the new government introduces a wave of reform. Most of this effort is directed at flaws in earlier reforms introduced by Rainilaiarivony. Removing loopholes in existing tax legislation is of particular importance. However, some of the more controversial measures which were not implemented in Rainilaiarivony's tenure, such as public education, are now pursued. Unfortunately, the rebuilding of the armed forces limits the extent of more costly development programmes which do not offer long-term financial benefit.

1909
At the age of 80, Radama II dies peacefully in his sleep. He is succeeded by his son, Andrianampoinimerina II, who has a keen interest in military affairs but is otherwise uninterested in court matters. He agrees to cede much of his power to the administrative council, preserving the political supremacy it attained after his father withdrew from public life. Laws no longer require the monarch’s approval, though the monarch can still exert influence as the symbolic head of the nation, and the role of the prime minister as head of government is formalised. Concessions are made, however. Andrianampoinimerina remains the commander of the Merina military and will receive a substantial share of gathered taxes. The administrative council also agrees to purchase a royal yacht.

1914
In accordance with the Treaty of Tolagnaro, the Merina government declares war on the German Empire and dispatches sea and land forces to the African continent. Merina cruisers play a role in the Battle of the Rufiji Delta, trapping SMS Königsberg there until she was scuttled. A contingent of 3,000 soldiers is sent to Kenya, where they participate in the East African Campaign. This force will be expanded to an entire corps over the course of the war. The battlecruiser Radama I, nearing completion in Great Britain, is seized by the British government for the duration of hostilities. It is to be returned after the war with a complete overhaul. This leaves the Royal Merina Navy with two third class and two scout cruisers.

Hery Class Torpedo Boat
Following the death of Joseph-François Lambert, it soon became clear that France presented an existential threat to the Kingdom of Imerina. A punitive expedition was repulsed in 1865 and the kingdom soon faced various economic measures which aimed to ensure its isolation. Under the direction of Rainilaiarivony, a prominent noble and military leader, the armed forces gradually transitioned from internal security to national defence. In 1870, four spar torpedo boats were ordered from Great Britain. These four boats formed what would eventually become known as the Royal Merina Navy. They were named Hery (‘strength’), Voninahitra ('glory'), Fandresena ('victory'), and Fahefàna ('authority'). Against a fleet of ironclad battleships, they were useless. They were, however, somewhat useful against the smaller colonial vessels of the French navy. As a training platform, they were vital. Experience with steam propulsion was limited and many future engineers would serve on the Hery class. They formed a foundation upon which a larger, more capable force could be constructed.

The four torpedo boats entered service in 1871. A violent boiler explosion sank Voninahitra in 1875. The three remaining boats each received a pair self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes in 1883. Fittings for spar torpedoes were removed during the conversion process. After the introduction of later torpedo boat designs, the training role of the Hery class eventually superseded its combat role. Nevertheless, they were employed in a port defence role during Franco-Merina War (1887-1888). Hery was scuttled in port to avoid capture, Fahefàna was sunk in action, and Fandresena was abandoned by its crew on a remote beach. Other torpedo boat classes, not tied to the defence of a specific port, fared better. The rusting hull of Fandresena was recovered in 1998 and can now be seen at the Toamasina Naval Museum.

Antananarivo Class Monitor
Five years after the introduction of the Hery class torpedo boat, the Kingdom of Imerina ordered a pair of breastwork monitors from Great Britain. The ships were named Antananarivo and Ambohimanga after the political and spiritual capitals of the kingdom. They were based on HMS Abyssinia and carried four muzzle-loading 10-inch (254 mm) guns in an arrangement identical to that ship. Interestingly, they were also armed with a pair of rifle-calibre Gatling guns for defence in port. While France had emerged as an external threat, the potential for internal rebellion still existed. Antananarivo entered service in 1876. Ambohimanga ran aground on its way to Imerina and did not enter service until 1878. Antananarivo was sunk during the Franco-Merina War (1887-1888). Ambohimanga survived the conflict. However, it soon found itself at war once again. Imerina sought protection from Britain following the war with France. Among other things, Britain demanded the emancipation of the Andevo caste in return. This led to the rebellion of traditionally-minded nobles in 1890. Ambohimanga bombarded several rebel-controlled towns during the conflict. The monitor became a training ship in 1899 but was scrapped less than a year later. Its old muzzle-loading guns were not well-suited to modern gunnery training.

These two very lovely looking vessels and a great way to start an AU. I am looking forward to more.

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Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

An interesting concept to be sure, a small navy against a world wide empire. But two wars in one year "Franco-Merina War of 1887 and 1887..."?
especially later "Franco-Merina War of 1887 and 1888."
Very nice ships drawing, this thread is one to look out for 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"

Nice work, and indeed it looks to be "thread to look out for more".

Fantastic work - great to see a new AU thread that actually has some drawings

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USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)

I am pleased to see that the response to this AU has been so positive. Thanks everyone.

Ant Class Gunboat
The introduction of new taxes and tariffs in 1879 drastically increased the number smugglers peddling their wares across Imerina. The initial response of the Royal Merina Navy was to dispatch its torpedo boats on anti-smuggling operations. While effective, this was a costly approach which limited the amount of training crews received for wartime duties. The navy then investigated the possibility of purchasing new or second-hand gunvessels from Great Britain. Unfortunately, adequate funding was unavailable. In 1883, the navy settled on the six oldest Ant class gunboats then in service with Britain. The 10-inch (254 mm) gun carried by these vessels was somewhat overpowered for the envisioned role, but they were available for a modest price and superior to the old Crimean War vessels being decommissioned at the time. The gunboats were named after rivers after arriving in Imerina. Blazer, Comet, Bustard, Kite, Scourge, and Snake were renamed Sambirano, Faraony, Ihosy, Lokoho, Mananara and Mahajamba respectively.

At the outbreak of war with France in 1887, these gunboats were moved up-river and placed in reserve. The Royal Merina Navy had little faith in their combat capability. Sambirano did not complete the journey as she was captured during the first French landings. The gunboats were mobilised for a night attack against the French squadron at Mahajanga in July. They used their guns to direct French attention away from a second force consisting of torpedo boats. The attack was a success and several French warships sank. However, most damage was inflicted with torpedoes. Only Faraony was hit during the action, and her damage was slight. The attack was repeated four days later with monitors additional providing support. With the element of surprise lost, second attack ended in disaster. Lokoho was sunk and Mananara was heavily damaged. Mahajamba ran aground several hours after the battle while attempting to evade a French warship in shallow waters. She was holed by gunfire before she could be re-floated. The three surviving vessels, including Mananara, were moved up-river once again. They remained there until the end of the war in 1888. The only action during this period was against a small party of rebel troops which ran into the skeleton crew guarding Faraony.

After the Franco-Merina War, Faraony and Ihosy returned to anti-smuggling operations. Mananara was deemed unfit for further service and scrapped at Toamasina. Sambirano was retained by France and sold to a private concern in the Comoros. She served as a lighter until 1923. Both Faraony and Ihosy had their heavy 10-inch guns replaced with a pair of 3-pounder (1.9-inch, 47 mm) Hotchkiss guns in 1898. They continued to serve as patrol vessels until 1907, though their slow speed limited their effectiveness in later years. Both were scrapped.

Well done. Keep it up!