Reactive (October-December, 1889)
Medicine]
With the institution of university courses in progress, Tsar Alexander III also issued an order regarding medical procedures and protocols to be followed within hospitals and other medical institutions in Russia.
Among them was a relatively simple law, which involved the disinfection of all surgical material, and the cleaning of hands and other equipment, especially for doctors and medical students, after touching a corpse and before touching a newborn baby, among other procedures.
In the traditional European scientific community, this was seen as a rarity or even somewhat useless, the germ theory of diseases and its contributors (Pasteur, Koch, etc.) were increasingly being taken into account from the 1860s-1870s-1880s in forward (although some developments were still missing, such as Koch's refined postulates in 1890).
Currently the czar's decision was based on the theories of the Austro-Hungarian Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis, but Semmelweis was not taken seriously and died in the 1860s forgotten and without being taken into account.
This decision drastically lowered the number of mortality of newborn babies received by students and doctors from 18% to 2% (more similar to that of babies received by midwives).
The Russian medical community attributed this more actually to advances in medical equipment, improvements in hospitals, the educational quality of Russian institutions, and the quality of medical work, than to the mass sterilization that became mandatory (and followed in almost the totality) of the medical institutions of Russia.
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[Ghost Dance]
In 1889, various developments occurred in the Native American communities of the United States of America and the Russian Empire, due to the fact that Native American religious practices suffered certain persecutions in the United States.
But it was in America that the Ghost Dance movement emerged, as in 1889, Wovoka (aka Jack Wilson) had a vision.
This spiritual leader of the Northern Paiute (a great basin tribe) and self-proclaimed prophet, Wovoka's prophecy spoke of the end of the white expansion while preaching the goals of clean living, honest living, and Native American cross-cultural cooperation. .
The movement finds its roots in the Circle Dance, in the traditional style of Native Americans.
The movement soon had mixed results, various tribes sent delegates to the northern Paiute to learn about this supposed prophet.
Some tribes accepted the message and the Ghost Dance would become popular (especially on the west coast), some tribes saw the message as worthless, and other tribes like the Lakota accepted it but interpreted it differently with their own views and traditions. .
In the United States this led to brutal repression and intolerance against Native Americans, which in the late 1890s would lead to the Wounded Knee massacre (with the killing of 300 unarmed Lakota Sioux, including women and children, by the US military).
The American government simply had the idea of converting Native Americans to the ways of the white man, either peacefully ... or by force.
That is why certain acolytes of the Ghost Dance movement went to Alyáska to verify what the terrain was like there to keep the movement alive and legally.
In the Russian Empire various religions were allowed as long as Russian laws were not violated or the sect was considered dangerous for some reason.
This meant that the Ghost Dance, although not as popular as in the United States, was still able to find a ground to develop texts and continue to carry out activities in Russian territory freely, while the members of the Ghost Dance in the United States were chased.
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[Five Arrows: Keniya]
"Wololo!" The Cossack Ivan proclaims by observing from one of the peaks of Mount Kenya the vast landscape of Keniya, in the Russian colonial empire.
"What the hell are you doing Ivan?" Father Lyudovik asks in confusion.
"I'm just letting out a little excitement, it's cold and I'm bored." Ivan mentions it simply.
"And the first thing you do for that is to yell something nonsensical? I remind you that we are here on a mission, we are mapping and gathering data for the Tsar." Lyudovik exclaims seriously.
"And we are also the first Russians in this part of the mountain, enjoy it a little." Ivan argues.
Russian colonial expansion programs in Kenya continued, after seizing Mombasa and its riches, Russia began buying and investing in the coastal regions to establish control over the region.
With this, it only remained to secure more and more of the interior through diplomacy and trade (preferably), although at some time there was conflict, the Russian model was still successful.
In nearby Buganda or simply Uganda the Germans also made their expansions in peace, but with a much stronger military and mercantilist element through the army and German businessmen with special benefits from the German government.
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[International]
November 14, inspired by Around the World in 80 Days, by the writer Jules Verne, the American Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane) tries to beat the trip around the globe in less than 80 days.
(Bly's record, 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes).
November 15, Field Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca of the Empire of Brazil launches his coup against Empress Isabel I and the cabinet led by Prime Minister Afonso Celso de Assis Figuereido, Viscount of Ouro Preto.
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[Novo Alexandria]
It was 11 o'clock at night on November 15 in Rio de Janeiro when the "smallest revolution in the world" occurs, Field Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, leading 600 men, marches on the city of Rio de Janeiro, and due to the pressure From various of his officers (although not all the soldiers present knew the intention of the coup), members of the Catholic Church and the coffee growers, he proclaimed a republic (the Republic of the United States of Brazil).
Obviously this causes panic and uncertainty in the capital, the Empress Isabel I and many other members of the Ouro Preto cabinet.
Due to this, the rebels take the capital supported by the economic elites of São Paulo and Minas Gerais (coffee and milk producers, among others, but that's the main thing).
The Empress and the other members of the Brazilian royal family escape to Petropolis (north of Rio de Janeiro) in the immediate moments of the coup together with the Ouro Preto cabinet, which calls for a mobilization against the rebels in Rio de Janeiro .
Soon many civil liberties were suspended in Rio de Janeiro, Mina Gerais and Sao Paulo and the military government was established by order of Marshal da Fonseca in these moments of chaos and logistical anarchy.
The military forces begin to obtain more numbers by order of the field marshal and proceed to try to arrest the members of the cabinet of Ouro Preto and the Brazilian imperial family.
For their part, some loyalist generals are mobilizing towards the capital to hit the republican rebels, but now the republican army has amassed more equipment and men, so the loyalists have lost their main advantages.
Amid the confusion, most provinces of the Brazilian Empire take too long to respond, partly as a result of the fact that for more than a decade, the late Emperor Pedro II had directly and indirectly undermined the successor government (the most republican emperor in the world).
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On November 17, Admirals Custódio José de Melo and Luís Filipe de Saldanha da Gama proclaim that the revolt of da Fonseca is illegal.
This is why Admiral da Gama heads to Rio de Janeiro to threaten the republican government of General da Fonseca, naval officers in the north of Brazil soon join the admiral's orders, reacting much faster than many other states in Brazil. .
The flags of the empire continue to be raised in most northern cities and isolated regions to which the news of the coup against the empress has not yet reached.
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* Perspective of Carlos Fermín Contamana.
"Long live the republic!" One of the army officers proclaims before being shot in Novo Alexandria by order of the navy.
An audience had observed this with mixed expressions, the naval officers had proclaimed a state of emergency, declaring the highest authority in favor of Empress Elizabeth I of Brazil, but she was obviously unwilling to give orders.
"Field Marshal Manoel Deodoro da Fonseca has violated his oath to the late Emperor Don Pedro II of Brazil, and has assaulted the city of Rio de Janerio. Until further notice the Empire of Brazil is at war against the rebels and traitors of the coup of Rio de Janeiro on the orders of Admiral da Gama and other generals in favor of the Empress. " Officer Carlos Contamana proclaims in Novo Alexandria.
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"Can we count on Russia's support?" Contamana and other delegates of Admiral da Gama meet with some of the rubber barons and Russian delegates from Novo Alexandria.
"Sirs, we only want positive relations with Brazil and a peaceful life. But even so we cannot unilaterally secure any support from our nation in the war, that resides in the decision of our emperor." One of the delegates exclaims.
"That is difficult if the coup is successful." Officer Contamana exclaims, but he can't get anything out of the Russians.
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On November 19, the civil war in Brazil begins with a bang, Empress Isabel I of Brazil escapes from Petropolis to the north of Brazil to meet with loyalist forces while Admiral da Gama bombs Rio de Janeiro.
However, da Fonseca and his allies do not back down, a civil war has started. Da Gama's attempt to land in Rio de Janeiro fails but he leaves with his forces intact to lead the loyalist forces for another day.
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[Diplomacy]
* German perspective.
On November 23, Emperor Wilhelm II of the German Empire begins to try to hold diplomatic discussions with the United Kingdom and the United States to solve the problems in Samoa, the problem is that the United States and the United Kingdom are allies to defend their interests.
The UK has an interest in owning the nearby Solomon Islands (and perhaps some concession in Samoa proper), the US also wants Samoa and protecting its interests.
But for the moment Wilhelm II has had time to defend his position with his navy, soldiers and his dealings with his favorite candidate for king of Samoa.
The problem is that Wilhelm II realizes that the force is also in the numbers, Italy cannot do anything to support Germany on this occasion but the US and UK do have the possibility to ally and intervene.
That only means that Germany needs a more powerful navy and more allies! (according to Wilhelm of course).
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On December 4, the Minister-President Porfirio Diaz and Emperor Wilhelm II enter into diplomatic discussions, Emperor Wilhelm II has an idea.
The creation of a Canal de Tehuantepec, in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
The United States and France already had ideas of channels that would cross the Americas so that products could move from the Pacific to the Atlantic, much faster, easier and cheaper.
But these ideas were mainly in Nicaragua and Panama-Colombia, while Wilhelm II looked at his potential partner, Mexico.
The Tehuantepec isthmus seemed like a pretty good location for the project (and Germany was already working on the Kiel canal project, so Wilhelm II thought it would also be a good idea to carry out both projects at the same time).
The Mexican government was dependent on foreign investment, Porfirio Diaz held certain pro-German views, and the Mexican army was increasingly dependent on German weaponry (ignoring its northern neighbors, the United States of America).
So the project of a canal with German capital was accepted (in addition to some nearby railway lines to increase the transport capacity of the isthmus), the issue was that Germany would have large economic concessions (and being able to pass military ships through the canal) but not the ownership of the land, that would remain exclusively Mexican.
Maximiliano I may not like it at all, but Porfirio Diaz is no fool, and states that foreigners cannot buy property on vital and strategic lands of the Second Mexican Empire.
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[The Bullmoose]
* Perspective of Theodore Roosevelt.
"The Travels of Theodore Roosevelt Jr".
"In the nature reserves of Russia one can enjoy clean air and a large number of stars, which are becoming less and less common in big cities (especially clean air).
In their zoos one can also see extinct species in their habitat and natural regions, but I will write about that in another moment of my travels.
After spending a few nights in Pleistocene Park, where I observed Siberian wolves and bears, wild foxes and various animals of the steppe, I continued my travels. Supposedly the project aimed to change boreal forests and taiga to a tundra steppe, much more productive and useful for herbivores than the previously mentioned ecosystems.
Mentions of this drew my attention to the vision of Tsar Alexander III. What motivated the man to do this? Were they simple financial reasons or was there something more personal?
The mentions about the examples of this steppe drew my attention to territories further south, so I decided that my next destination would be the Altai mountains but beforehand I decided to make a stop at Lake Baikal. "
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"Ha! I win". Roosevelt exclaims, pulling out of Lake Baikal a grayling (Thymallus baikalensis) with a fishing pole, having been competing with one of the nearby inhabitants of the region. One of the endemic species of Lake Baikal (a lake with fewer than 65 native species, but of which half are endemic), it was legal to fish them at certain times of the year after certain government examinations regarding their numbers and size.
"Well done." The old man exclaims calmly, happy for the American man but not willing to smile or laugh like Roosevelt (a product of the cultural differences between the two).
"Thanks!" After the encounter Roosevelt decided to try some local recipes with fish, and maybe go find some license to mine Baikal lapis lazuli, there were many things to do.
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[Russian Soccer League]
*Saint Petersburg vs Minsk: The Minsk team wins by 2 to 0.
Thus ends the sixth edition of the Russian Soccer League, which moves to White Russia for the first time.