After the sunrise (January-March, 1881
After the Sankt-Peterburgskaya Universal'naya Vystavka]
Russian exports after 1880 increased exponentially (more than even before), products 'made in Russia' (произведена в России, proizvedena v Rossii) began to appear in European markets (mainly Scandinavia and areas of continental Europe).
Products of colonial origin (dragon beans, flip flops, Alyaska products, etc.), tea, porcelain, light bulbs, jewelry, wood, agricultural products, chemical products (mainly fertilizers and dyes), sugar, tractors, silk, cotton, hemp and textile products, minerals and metals, dairy products, petroleum and industrial parts, etc.
That is, on the one hand the primary sector (basic resources) grew and on the other hand the sector of more elaborate products (more refined resources).
Russia simply had all kinds of resources (except for some less suitable for climate and development) and its industrial growth in the agricultural and industrial sectors in Eurasia allowed it to start exporting quite a few materials.
Demonstration and technological advancements also enabled this, Lodygin light bulbs were the first commercially viable bulbs and became the most reliable production in Europe (whereas bulbs produced by Edison's company did in North America).
Russia also gained prominence in the transportation industry, where some years later the Germans would have their own electric tram in Berlin based on the Russian model.
Russian engines and their tractors would also have an increase in their exports and profits abroad.
The growth of railways such as the Trans-Siberian would also allow the mobilization of resources from Siberia to Europe, making Russia's growing timber and metallurgical industry attractive.
Russia also began to produce or transport huge quantities of Russian-Korean silk to Europe (Russian silk being mainly artificial and quite mechanized, and Korean natural but little mechanized), raw or in ready-made fabrics (umbrellas, looms, clothing, etc. etc). Considerably increasing the Russian textile industry and its profits.
The journey of Asian silks to Europe simply became easier through Russia, in part costing Japan and other Asian states possible profits.
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Speaking of foreign investment, there were two main investors in the Russian Empire after 1880. Germany and the United Kingdom, the main economic powers (or growing power) of Europe.
The Germans benefited from the proximity to Russia for the possibility of obtaining resources, also appeasing the eastern bear would avoid a possible second front that would endanger Germany.
The English under Gladstone on the other hand did not align themselves much with the Ottoman Empire, and not with Russia either, but they wanted to prevent Russia from supporting Germany in future times (and further profit from growing Russia).
At first the English believed that their possession of rubber plantations would appeal more to the Russians, who needed rubber for their growing automobile industry.
Unfortunately Russia had its own plans to avoid relying on British rubber.
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[Novo Alexandria / Novaya Aleksandriya]
The Russian government of Alexander III discussed with the government of Pedro II a Russian investment in the production of natural rubber in Brazil. Emperor Peter II visited St. Petersburg, Kiev, and Livadia (Russian imperial property) in 1867 shortly after the death of Alexander II and the rise of Alexander III, a notable but informal visit.
Brazil was also the first independent Latin American country recognized by Russia, and Brazil exported coffee and spices to Russia.
Emperor Alexander III proposed the creation of a city, mainly inhabited by Brazilians, for the production of rubber exported to Russia.
The land would continue to be Brazilian property of course, but economically speaking closely linked to Russian companies and interests. Emperor Pedro II decided to accept, thus founding the city of Novo Alexandria (or Novaya Aleksandriya for the Russians), in the north of Brazil.
The workers were Brazilian and Brazilian labor laws were applied, but Russia exported the necessary equipment and materials to Brazil.
Russia always treated Novo Alexandria as something temporary but necessary while developing synthetic rubber (research and later industrial production).
The city grew steadily during the Russian legal rule over the area for the export of rubber to Europe, in addition to the middle Russian Empire between the Brazilian Empire and the Second Mexican Empire so that commercial and economic cooperation between the three Empires grew.
Although it did not do much between Mexico and Brazil, the trade between Russia-Mexico and Russia-Brazil did, in Mexico through the Pacific Ocean and the growing Vladivostok, and with Brazil through the aforementioned rubber trade.
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[Vladivostok, the lord of the east]
Vladivostok was becoming a notable trade center, Korean, Japanese and other Asian products were traveling to Europe, while products from Russia (or Europe) could travel to the United States, Mexico and other parts of the Pacific.
Immigration to the city also continued to aid its growth, after the 1880 exposition notable advances would come, and local industries would continue to grow in the 1880s and onwards.
* Perspective of Nikola Tesla.
The Serbian traveled with his friends, Petar, already a university graduate, and Mihajlo after leaving his construction job in Saint Petersburg. The trio of Serbs were traveling on the Trans-Siberian Railway, crowded no doubt.
"How much longer are we going to take?" Asks the impatient Mihajlo in a childish way.
"It should only be a couple more hours." Nikola and Petar resonate.
The young Mihajlo began to play with a napkin while his companions were calmer, admiring the landscape and thinking about some things.
"I'm really glad that Petar and Mihajlo had gone with me, adjusting to Vladivostok would have been difficult without friends. But fortunately I think because of our youth, we thought we had the formula for success: a mission and a lot of determination.
The road was much more difficult than we expected, but in the end we had achieved it. "
-Memoirs of Nikola Tesla.
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In Vladivostok, the engineer Nikola Tesla and associates (Mihajlo Ugljanin and Petar Vladimirović), as well as a first series of Russian workers, founded: Serbskaya Elektricheskaya i Proizvodstvennaya Kompaniya (Сербская электрическая Electric, Serbian Manufacturing Company.
The company first produced electricity services and manufacturing of some Russian products (light bulbs, transformers, cables).
To later also dedicate himself to the production of new technological advances after 1882.
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A French migrant and sculptor, he presented to the Russian authorities an idea (which had come from the mind of another Frenchman, Édouard René de Laboulaye, jurist, poet and author) for a 'remodel' of Vladivostok, or rather an iconic decoration .
This Frenchman was Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a military man of the Second French Empire who was disappointed after the republican defeats and the French imperial system under Napoleon IV.
The idea was originally a gift statue for Americans, but needing money, work and a home, Bartholdi and Laboulaye decided better to sell the idea to Russia, moving there to become part of the growing French community (with economic stability). In addition, the great Philadelphia exhibition has passed, but also, the liberation of the serfs, the Russian economic growth and the St. Petersburg exhibition impressed the French, making them believe that a symbol could inspire a change from the Russian autocracy to more liberal models. like the United States, the United Kingdom, or France (more or less).
The original idea was 'Freedom Enlightening the World' (La Liberté éclairant le monde). Tsar Alexander III decided to accept the idea, but discussing certain modifications with the French, who accepted these changes (since the Russian spirit is different from the American spirit).
Instead it was transformed into 'Brotherhood Enlightening the World' (La Fraternité éclairant le monde), a statue of three women representing the Russian triune nation (great Russians, little Russians and White Russians), whose union and brotherhood brings (in theory) stability, peace and prosperity for Russia, and for all those under Russia.
The statue (or statues rather) were planned to be built in Vladivostok, the city of the growing 'lord of the east' and a Russian symbol (for being the main migration point) for American migrants in the Russian Empire.
Changes of ministers]
With a possible 'new era' on the way, the Russian Empire underwent some changes in the Ministry of War, Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 1.
On the one hand Dmitry Milyutin was removed as minister (remaining in the ministry as a valid adviser, but not as minister), placing Iosif Vladimirovich Romeyko-Gurko as minister of war and Mikhail Dmitriyevich Skobelev as deputy minister.
Pyotr Semyonovich Vannovsky was also promoted to valid adviser for administrative tasks.
In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on his side, Nikolai de Girs became Minister of Foreign Affairs, replacing Alexander Mikhailovich Gorchakov. Honorably retired.
The Gorchakov family however still had members in the diplomatic service, though none as notable as Alexander Mikhailovich Gorchakov.
Mikhail Loris-Melikov became Minister of the Interior, although power over the Okhrana was primarily concentrated by Tsar Alexander III due to Loris-Melikov's repeated refusals to actively use the Okhrana.
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[(Some) Next projects]
Nikolai von Bunge was still the Finance Minister, Tsar Alexander III seemed to keep waiting for a candidate to be the next minister. Although that is less important.
The Russian Empire began planning its next notable infrastructure project, the Transcaspian would be important but it was not comparable to the Trans-Siberian (it was much faster to build, although obviously it would not be completed in 1881).
This was the Volga-Don Canal and the Baltic Sea-White Sea Canal, first building the Volga-Don to gain experience and and trained workers (it was also the easier and shorter of the two canals).
In addition to the canal in European Russia and the Far East, various constructions for the navigability of rivers, buildings related to hydroelectric production and dams began.
The KEO (Kompaniya Elektricheskogo Osveshcheniya) would be in charge of the construction of power plants, transformers and high-voltage equipment that would help trigger the electrification of the Russian Empire (supplying energy demand, increasing the presence of electricity throughout the empire's territory, etc.) .
In addition, for commercial purposes it would increase the navigability of the Volga and tributary rivers, other rivers of Russia (the eastern rivers would help especially with hydroelectric resources), it would increase infrastructure and trade, etc.
Fyodor Apollonovich Pirotsky on the other hand, while not yet receiving permits for his ideas about underground power plants, he received permits to expand the St. Petersburg electric tram (although sadly it would never be as pretty as the Moscow Metro).
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[Assassinations, rockets and bombs]
On March 13, Tsar Alexander III left the Gatchina palace to visit Saint Petersburg in a carriage protected and specially prepared against bombs and projectiles, with a dark look on his face, he read some papers without much importance. The carriage is guarded by 6 Cossacks, members of the gendarmerie and others such as the Polish nobleman Frank (Franciszek) Joseph Jackowski or the police colonel Dvorzhitsky.
The carriage passed through the Canal of Catherine when at 2:15 pm a bomb was dropped from under the carriage. The back door was broken, but the emperor was unharmed, the guards guarded the rear. A second bomb was dropped, the tsar remained alive.
A third bomb was dropped, but the assassin missed, and the tsar remained alive.
There were Cossacks and injured people (a total of 20 injured people, between Cossacks and civilians) out there while the authorities detained the surviving perpetrators of such actions, only when the perimeter was completely safe did the Tsar come out to look at his men with concern .
Alexander Maleichev, Cossack of the Terek host died 10 minutes later, a teenager Grigory Zakharov, a 14-year-old student also died in the explosion.
The revolutionary and one of those responsible, Ignatiy Grinevitsky also died of injuries caused by the explosions.
That day the faces of the deceased appeared in the newspaper, another blow to the Narodnaya Volya when public opinion was turning against him considerably.
The (attempted) assassination of the emperor was already seen negatively, the murder of a Cossack and a teenager were no exception. The army and the lower-middle class had no sympathy for this action.
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* Alexandrian perspective.
"People have died for me before, and it is a grim prospect that will continue to happen in the future. But one thing is the soldiers at the front who die for me, and another is the death of people due to terrorists targeting me.
... This is the end of the Narodnaya Volya."
- Writings of Tsar Alexander III, thrown away in some jail in Saint Petersburg.
Tsar Alexander III visited those involved in his assassination attempt, some like Nikolai Rysakov had their mouths covered and their hands were tied. There was no interest from the emperor or the guards to hear them, Hesya Helfman was a special case for her pregnancy (and to think that a pregnant woman would risk her unborn child in this way was also disgusting).
"Kibalchich." It is the only name that Emperor Alexander III calls, Nikolai Ivanovich Kibalchich, yet Kibalchich was inattentive, seemed distant. "Kibalchich". The emperor calls again.
"Ah, czar. A pleasure." Kibalchich exclaims after noticing the All-Russian Tsar, a rather ornate figure in his uniform with medals.
"What is this?". Tsar Alexander III asked presenting a paper, signed by General Komarov "Pursuant to the request from Nikolai Kibalchich, the son of the priest, who is accused of high treason, I have the honor to present hereby his design of an aeronautical device."
"Well, he says it in the firm... An aeronautical device, a rocket, or well, a rocket motor would be more accurate ...". Kibalchich mentions.
The tsar sighs. "You know, Kibalchich? I think your brain is finally working well, trying to save your own life you did something ... You will be put into forced labor by the state for a period of two years, and you will work under the supervision of Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky and other members of the army in a project in exchange for not being executed. " Tsar Alexander III explains. "Do you understand?"
"Loud and clear. My tsar!" Kibalchich replies as he is released from prison, which obviously raises problems among his comrades. Kibalchich would also reveal information about the Narodnaya Volya, but that is another matter.
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Andrei Zhelyabov, Sophia Perovskaya, Nikolai Rysakov, Ignacy Hryniewiecki, Ivan Yemelyanov, Timofey Mikhailov, Hesya Helfman, Nikolai Sablin, and Vera Figner were the survivors involved in the assassination attempt on Alexander III.
Sentenced to hang by the Russian authorities. Sablin attempted suicide but was unsuccessful, and Helfman's sentence had to be temporarily reduced due to her pregnancy.
The 1880 IK was hunted with the Kibalchich information, capturing members of the 1879 IK and Martyn Rudolfovich Langans, Anna Pavlovna Pribyleva-Korba, Yuri Nikolaevich Bogdanovich, Nikolai Evgenievich Sukhanov, Pyotr Abramovich Tellalov and Mikhaigoni Nikolaevich.
Tellatov was the last leader of Narodnaya Volya proper, the arrest of his fellow terrorists and public opinion had forced the Narodnaya Volya to move to Moscow, where Tellatov was the leader.
After the assassination attempt the Narodnaya Volya was simply very weak (arrests, counter propaganda, lack of troops and resources, etc), but the last members of Moscow were interested in a broad conspiracy to infiltrate the state and overthrow the government to establish a provisional government.
For these intentions the group in its final moments concentrated on not making more attacks and gathering new forces, but as said before, they were the final moments of the Narodnaya Volya.
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[International]
January 1, the Emir of Afghanistan crushes the attempts at revolt within the Emirate of Afghanistan and seriously begins its centralization and military despotism after the independence of Afghanistan.
January 24, the Kurds defeat the Ottoman general sent to defeat them. The advantage of fighting at home is knowing the terrain and its advantages, the Kurdish cavalry simply exhausts the Ottoman armies inland before killing them.
William Edward Forster (chief secretary for Ireland, English and member of the Liberal Party) introduces the Coercion Bill, which would temporarily suspend habeas corpus.
So that those people suspected of committing an offense (in Forster's words, "reasonably suspicious" of crimes and conspiracy) can be detained, without trial. A widely discussed situation but one that the Gladstone administration and parliament accept on February 2.
This obviously angers the Irish even more, as it was planned by the growth of the National Land League of Ireland. The decision continues to lead to the politicization of English rule over Ireland ...
February 13, women of Marxist and feminist beliefs are arrested in Paris for their active opposition to the government of Napoleon IV.
Due to the crime of publishing revolutionary texts that call for the overthrow of the monarchy and the Bonapartist state.
Georges Ernest Jean-Marie Boulanger becomes director of infantry at the war office, becoming increasingly popular with the army and the conservative masses.
February 18, Carlos Finlay introduces his theory (at the time) that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes.
February 19, in the United States, Kansas is the first state to ban alcoholic beverages.
On March 4, Winfield Scott Hancock is sworn in as the 20th President of the United States of America.
March 23, the first Anglo-Boer war ends, the Boers win.
March 14 (OS) or March 26 (NS), the United Principalities of Romania are proclaimed the Kingdom of Romania.