Cinema night (July-September, 1902)
Balkans and Russia]
On July 4, Tsar Alexander III met with some of his most important associates in the Balkans, the young Tsar Alexander I (Sergeyevich Romanovsky) of Bulgaria, King Peter I (Кarađorđević) of Serbia and Nicholas I (Petrović- Njegoš) from Montenegro, in addition to some Macedonian, Albanian and Bosnian delegates.
The event was not only to celebrate the rise of the young monarch of Bulgaria, but also to celebrate the renewed (official) alliance between Bulgaria and Serbia, and to continue the discussion of bilateral projects between the groups involved.
Before the discussions, events such as the parade of 3000 Bulgarian troops were held, Russian citizens sang a song in honor of the new Bulgarian tsar and the Bulgarian state, greetings for King Peter I, etc.
* [Bulgarian-Russian alliance]
As mentioned, the signing of a treaty between Bulgaria and Russia was in the first place a treaty to establish that things would not change much from the government of Sergei I and the regency to the government of Alexander I.
Russia had invested in Bulgaria and had interests that Bulgaria had to respect in exchange for receiving Russian capital and equipment, various commercial rights, etc.
This implied in several senses that Bulgaria's subordination to Russia would continue through the military (trained by the Russian army and with a long history of being allies of Russia), the economy (bilateral relations, influence of Russian capital, the importance of Russian markets or trade routes in Bulgarian exports), politics (support for pro-Russian figures in elections and military influence in Bulgarian elections) and culture (Orthodoxy, Slavic culture, etc).
(The sanguine relationship in foreign policy now mattered little, but it was a good point of relations between the traditionally conservative countries of Russia and Bulgaria.)
The other objective of the renewal of this alliance was obviously to establish preventive measures against possible enemies and external influence in the region. Mainly: Romania, Greece, United Kingdom and Germany.
Why specifically against these states? Very simply, the Balkans after the fall of Austria-Hungary, were mainly the economic-political sphere of Russia, for a variety of reasons such as cultural reasons (Constantinople, Orthodoxy, Slavs, cultural influence), economic reasons (Russian capital and investment, the size of the Russian industry and economy compared to the rest of the Balkans) and political reasons (relations between governments, armies, etc).
But this mainly applied to the Slavic countries of Bulgaria, Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro. And Albania, despite not being Slavic, due to Greek ambitions in Northern Epirus, economic and military reasons, Albania got into the Russosphere for safety.
The countries of Romania and Greece were very independent for the taste of this coalition (Russia, Bulgaria, Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro).
Moreover, both countries could perfectly fall into the sphere of others (Romania with Germany and Greece with the United Kingdom), either due to dynastic relations, cultural differences between them and the coalition and territorial ambitions.
Greece could be a threat to the State of Ionia (member of the Russosphere), Tsargrad, North Macedonia, and territory of other members such as Bulgaria.
Romania could have an interest in joining Bessarabia to the Romanian kingdom, or also retaliate against Hungary (under the Russosphere) because of the Hungarian rebels in Transylvania (who were a distraction for the romanian goverment at the moment).
The reasons why going against Germany and the United Kingdom were simple, Germany already had Croatia and Slovenia as an area of influence. The Russosphere considered it possible that once the Germans stopped being distracted, they would occupy or attempt to occupy the role that Austria-Hungary played, to compete with Russia for the Balkans.
The British on the other hand still owned territory in the Eastern Mediterranean, and obviously would not let the Russians hold the region under their influence. It was to be expected that once the situation calmed down more, the British would try to continue their policy of imprisoning Russia.
Certainly the Greeks still remember the massacre of their comrades at the hands of the British, but geopolitical interests make strange allies.
* [Trans-Balkan Railway]
The Trans-Balkan Railway was a remarkable project started relatively shortly after the final Ottoman defeat, as part of the development and reconstruction projects of the straits, carried out by the Alexandrian government of Russia.
A railway from Tsargrad (Constantinople) to the Adriatic Sea (Montenegro) passing through large cities in Bulgaria and Serbia (and with the support of capitalists so that it has routes to other landlocked regions, giving access to more markets or products for these countries, more specifically Bosnia and Macedonia).
A project undoubtedly complicated by the length of said railway and the geography of the Balkans, but viable.
The post-Fashoda economic recession, however, was undoubtedly a problem at the time, the Russosphere regions were forced to quarantine measures and depend even more on Russia. Their economies were affected, not as much as for example the Latin American countries, but affected to some extent.
However Russia pushed for its model to respond to the crisis, the railway and the construction of other public-economic works would create jobs for the ordinary citizens of the Russosphere (the builders, administrators, security, etc).
This allowed Russia to continue moving its interests and projects, gain more influence through capital (Russian capital was in a better position than the rest of the Russosphere) and maintain a certain stability in its minor partners through the measures carried out.
Build railways, public roads and certain pharaonic projects, and occasionally some renovations such as the Great School of Belgrade, which would become the University of Belgrade in 1905.
However this was a solution rather for the lower and middle class, the opportunities for the more specialized and educated citizens of the Balkan countries did not increase so enormously, that is why they went to Russian universities and jobs (such as the hospitals in Moscow , laboratories, etc).
Russia simply continued to capitalize on the brain drain to its advantage, taking advantage of the international situation.
"Everything is very impressive, but now tell me, what are the perspectives of when the railroad will be finished." Tsar Alexander III questioned.
"Well, we speculate that we will finish it between 1904 and 1914." The tsar is briefed by one of the planners at the meeting.
"An acceptable time." Tsar Alexander III mentions.
"Isn't that a very big gap?" Alexander I exclaims.
"Many things can change in a short time, but you also have to know how to be patient. A project can take years or even decades, it all depends on long-term commitment." Tsar Alexander III instructs the youngest Tsar.
*[Yugoslavia]
Yugoslavism and the idea of Yugoslavia / Yugoslavdom, is a pan-Slavic concept exclusive to the South Slavs (Yugoslavs), the idea that this whole group should live in a single state.
Generally only applies to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia (and sometimes Kosovo), Macedonia, Slovenia, and Croatia. According to some (such as the Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović) it would also include Bulgaria.
Inspired by the ideas of nationalism and unification that occurred for example in Germany and Italy, but the idea was divided depending on the groups.
For example, Serbian nationalists identified that Serbia would be like the Piedmont and Sardinia of the South Slavs, unifying these under the Serbian monarchy.
The Croats, who were now essentially a German colony, first understood Yugoslavism as the unification of Croatian lands (Dalmatia and Croatia, achieved after the fall of Austria-Hungary and the Kingdom of Italy) and then perhaps a federal monarchy ( as proposed by Josip Juraj Strossmayer).
Some Slovenes also understood the creation of a Yugoslavia as a final liberation from foreign rule.
The Montenegrins rather supported a federation with Serbia, led by the Montenegrin monarch of course.
There was a divisive position in Bulgaria, because the Bulgarian nationalists were opposed to a Yugoslavia led by Serbia but there were still Yugoslavs in favor of a union between Bulgaria and the rest of the South Slavs (including also Albania and Greek territories).
Members of the South Slavic diaspora supported federal cooperation rather than the dominance of one state over another.
There were two other main and conflicting positions, on the one hand the centralists (such as the Serbs) who defended a Yugoslav nationality that would absorb the South Slavic cultural differences and a centralized state, and on the other hand the federalists, who defended a decentralized and multicultural federation (a promotion of unity but maintaining cultural differences), opposing the hegemony of one people-monarchy over another.
Centralists were especially popular in Serbia and to some extent in Montenegro (Montenegrins believing that their reigning dynasty would play the leading role), while Federalists were more popular in areas of the Slavic diaspora and Croatia-Slovenia.
With the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire in such a short time, the popularity of Yugoslavism skyrocketed in several places.
But obviously, although the South Slavs wanted it, there were contrary foreign influences (according to some Yugoslavs these were the real reason for the lack of Slavic union at that time). A united Yugoslavia could be remarkably independent, and therefore dangerous to foreign interests internationally.
That is why the Russian Empire of Alexander III defended (at most) that more than a state, Yugoslavia should be a series of highly decentralized supranational pacts (customs union, certain common laws, free travel and facilities for trade, etc).
It was a possible solution, Montenegro did not have the economic, military, political or diplomatic strength to unite Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina were not interested actors (Bosnia partly because of its high Muslim population compared to the rest, counterbalancing the Serbo-Croats Christians), Croatia and Slovenia were now German slaves. Serbia was the most potential and leading candidate actually, they gained territory without spending much, they were in the process of industrialization and other possible advantages, but all this was thanks to Russia and it was obvious that the Russian influence in the nation would be defining.
"I am planning the implementation of the new constitution in the next year." King Peter I of Serbia explains to Tsar Alexander III, discussing a plan for the future Serbian constitution. This constitution would imply a political reform that would give more freedoms to the population and would consolidate the parliamentary democracy of Serbia.
"Does Serbia plan to fully become a constitutional monarchy?" Alexander III asks curiously.
"Not entirely ... the role of the monarch, the party system and the relationship between the assembly and the government are in the process of being defined. And it does not seem that it will change that in the final sketch." Peter I responds to this question.
"... Sounds like a good idea, in the short term. It all depends on whether parliamentarism ends well or not." Tsar Alexander III mentions it simply.
Despite the upcoming political reform in Serbia, it was obvious that the Russian influence was not going to go away. Tsar Alexander III promoted through Russian influence pro-Russian candidates and supported certain cliques of the Serbian army (in a position similar to the Bulgarian army) to have Serbia under control in case of emergency.
Nikola Pašić was a difficult candidate for Tsar, when he was an exile he was pro-Russian and even met Tsar Alexander III on occasion. But he oscillated between a pro-Russian policy and a more independent foreign policy.
But at least the Tsar could put small pro-Russian elements in the People's Radical Party and other groups, at the local and administrative level.
Democracy was something complicated, it could give unexpected results and that could be harmful to the Russian interest, but that was what Russian influence and power was for. It especially helped that democracy was not so explicitly entrenched in other Slavic countries (due to years of repression, poorly defined policies, and constitutions that were generally not very liberal).
*******
[Russosphere: Federation of Rio Grande do Sul]
The Federation of Rio Grande do Sul (currently called by one of its parts, but not the only one) was a curious region within the Russosphere. To begin with, the country was in South America and was mainly Portuguese-speaking, far from the conventional centers of Russian power.
In such a way that the closest Russian region was the African colony of Namibia, crossing the South Atlantic. With which Rio Grande do Sul currently had trade through its commercial fleet and the Russian commercial fleet (the Russian flag was undoubtedly much more powerful than the flag of the Federalists).
From the new relationship between Rio Grande do Sul and Russia, this country had gained the following things:
* Protection during and after the Brazilian hostilities of the Fashoda war (main objective of this relationship, because Rio Grande do Sul lacked the numbers to face any participant).
*Weapons. The relationship between Russia and the Federation of Rio Grande do Sul allowed the federalist army to obtain more equipment such as military boots, bullets, weapons, military uniforms, etc.
* Commercial exchange: Russia could offer everything, luxury goods, technology and food products (from agriculture, meat, beverages, etc.), generally more expensive goods than what Rio Grande do Sul could offer.
The main economic sector of the federalists was the agricultural-livestock sector (cows, pigs, sheep, poultry, milk, soybeans, corn, wheat, rice, tobacco, grape, apple, cassava, yerba mate, oats, barley, orange , peach, fig, tangerine, persimmon and strawberry). Industries and mining were seriously affected by civil wars, lack of capital during independence (before joining the Russosphere) and international isolation (contraction and crisis).
But Russia was happy to buy several of the mining (and other) rights in the region (obtaining rights to large reserves of amethyst, agate, coal and water) and invest some capital, especially in the metallurgy, textiles and construction sectors. A Romanov car plant was even built in the country.
* Lower rates in ports and trade routes dominated by Russia.
* Some resources from Namibia and Alyáska as part of the trade, although most of the exchange brought products from other parts of Russia.
Although the country lost sovereignty over resources, it gained very important things, first protection and second capital, which cemented the democratic and constitutional reforms in the country, which maintained its status as a federation and continued to have a 'neutral' economy.
Not everything was good of course. Despite the fact that the right to vote was more widespread than in the Republic of the United States of Brazil, political parties, means of production, media and wealth were still concentrated in an elite of European-descent citizens (Portuguese, Spaniard, Slav, German and Italian).
Due to racism (inside and outside the state system) it was still difficult for Native Americans and Afro-Brazilians to obtain good positions or achieve economic success.
Although the army had modern equipment, the truth is that the Federalists lacked formal and modern training and structure. This is due to the nature of the Brazilian civil war (where the majority of the army supported the republic and the federalist army was almost-formed from 0) and the influence of the Blancos/Whites guerrilla elements, coming from Uruguay.
Los Blancos were one of the political parties of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, in Rio Grande do Sul, in essence the army was led by Gumercindo Saraiva / Gumersindo Saravia, brother of Aparicio Saravia da Rosa, who led part of the dual government in Uruguay at that time (Los Colorados / Reds in the capital, Montevideo, and the rural environment governed by Aparicio, of the Blancos).
For this it was proposed to send officers to train in Russia, but it was a project in progress.
With the exception of coastal cities, in general there was still a great lack of infrastructure and development, therefore there were still high levels of poverty and illiteracy, but precisely because of this the Russians were looking to invest (and dominate) the construction sector.
*Guatemala.
After learning of the serious events in Guatemala (seismic activity, tsunamis, etc.) Tsar Alexander III offered to the Guatemalan government of José Manuel Estrada Cabrera. President Manuel Estrata Cabrera had limited many of the civil liberties in Guatemala, attacked the autonomy of the main universities and created a lot of favorable propaganda for him, but to Tsar Alexander III it seemed more important to help the population.
Cabrera accepted and allowed the Russian Red Cross to help in the country, medical aid, rescue aid and the construction of some hospitals. Rio Grande do Sul also donated some sums of money to help Guatemala.
This helped the population of Guatemala (who went from bad to worse at times), but President Cabrera wanted some closer ties with Russia and the United States against the British Empire.
While Russia could examine that the offer was ... interesting, more influence in exchange for continuing to "seek a fight" with the British. It was mostly just discussions rather than reality, at least at the time.
*******
[Diplomacy: Japan]
At the time of historically analyzing Russian-Japanese relations in the period 1901-1905, we understand two things, one, Russia was still one of Japan's most vital trading partners (in terms of iron and steel, soybeans, etc.) and two, the Japanese people are not a monolith that thinks everything in terms of economy and brotherhood.
This is why we see during the government of Prime Minister Katsura Tarō (桂 太郎) the cooling of relations between the Russian Empire and Japan.
This administrative term is potentially one of the most disastrous in Japanese history, for a multitude of reasons. The Japanese army was very dependent economically but at the same time the IJA (generally more conservative) took the primacy of the position of Prime Minister more than the navy.
They fought in the Philippines for resources (and following the currents of imperialism-colonialism of the time), leading to further radicalization of the officer corps and their superiors.
During this time, an anti-Russian society such as the Black Dragon Society, composed of members of the intelligence services, officials, administrators and criminals, were created and prospered.
These groups would precisely cause the increase of radicalization and irredentism in other parts of the Japanese state apparatus, against the Russian state (which ruled Korea and Manchuria, targets of Japanese nationalism-irredentism).
And internal power struggles also prospered, Katsura Tarō
he was a strictly conservative politician who tried to distance himself from the Diet of Japan and party politics, hence from the democratic reforms of the Meiji Restoration.
Prime Minister Katsura Tarō had certain parallels with Yamagata Aritomo, another of the army's prime ministers. Since they both believed that they were only responsible to the emperor (who did not intervene in Katsura Tarō's policies in time).
In addition to this, Katsura Tarō was competing for control
Political views mirrored those of Yamagata Aritomo in the sense that he considered his sole responsibility to be to the Emperor. He clashed for control of the government with the Rikken Seiyūkai, the majority party in Japan's lower house at the time, headed by his archrival the Marquis Saionji Kinmochi (a liberal).
In short, the IJA situation was not good and there were internal conflicts. The economy also suffered from various problems, due to the economic crisis and global epidemics, Japan would lose many markets, leading to serious economic problems in the nation.
During this time only a few good things came, such as the growth of a labor movement leading to greater unionization in various Japanese labor markets (at the time).
*******
[Russian cinema]
On September 1, while for example the United States had the Hippo War and France a civil war, the first science fiction film in history (and that we have recorded ), Puteshestviye na Lunu / Le Voyage dans La Lune (Путешествие на Луну, translated in English as A Trip to the Moon).
This developed by the French community (composed of immigrants, refugees and expatriates) and other Russian citizens, including Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, main director of the film inspired by From the Earth to the Moon (1865) and Around the Moon ( 1870) by the French writer Jules Verne, among other sources of course.
After interruptions in the development of American cinema (Thomas Edison's brief but costly monopoly) and rising costs in regions like Germany or the UK, and a civil war in France (again) many innovators went to Russia and did not They were.
As a result giving a strong air of cinematographic innovation in cities like Saint Petersburg or Vladivostok.
The Russian film industry continued to grow exponentially and in fact the release of Puteshestviye na Lunu / Le Voyage dans La Lune was an almost instant success.
Not only because of the aforementioned and growing Russian film culture, but also because of the large science fiction community in Russia and the accessibility that there was for people to the cinema in Russia (with some safety measures due to hygiene-health of course).
Of course the cinema is still not the massive market that exists in modern times but it was already taking notable steps at the beginning of the 20th century.
Especially in Russia due to its stability compared to other great powers of the time. Saint Petersburg brought together artists of all kinds, Vladivostok brought people interested in money and early oriental films, Saratov attracted inventors of new cinematographic equipment, etc.
* Annotations: Among so much science fiction, the Russians were still looking for the first suborbital flight (under the leadership of the Alexandrian government and scientists as brilliant as Konstantín Tsiolkovsky), but they were still MANY years (decades) behind such a dream.
*Cinema night.
Nicholas and Elena entered somewhat tired after taking care of their children (something strange for the nobility of the time, saying that many times the children of the royal family were actually cared for by servants, such was the case of Prince Edward of the United Kingdom, the grandson of Edward VII of the United Kingdom through Prince George Frederick Ernest Albert). But then when they entered one of the rooms of the imperial family residence, they found that a movie theater had been set up.
"What did you do?" Tsesarevich Nicholas asked in confusion.
"It was a father's idea." Grand Duke Mikhail calmly exclaims as he set up some chairs.
The Empress and Grand Duchess Xenia were bringing servants with food, while on the other hand Emperor Alexander III was coming with Grand Duke Alexander, Princess Maria of Romania and all the emperor's grandchildren (except the children of Nicholas and Elena, the the only ones already asleep).
"... You know what? This is actually a good expense." Nicholas exclaims as he goes to sit next to Elena to watch a movie.
*Fun fact: A.K. Yagelsky filmed at least 30 documentaries about the life of Alexander III and his family during 1902.
*******
[International]
July 1, in London various military parades are made with thousands of soldiers belonging to the British Empire (generally colonies).
Part of the nationalist and revanchist rhetoric of the United Kingdom of the time.
Certain problems occur in the United States, on the one hand Congress under President Elihu Root approves the Biologics Control Act (which means authorizing the US Public Health Service to inspect producers and test their medicines and requires the first expiration dates to be placed on a health product).
This due to the cases of serum contaminated with diphtheria.
Yet at the same time in the midst of pandemics, this meant the emergence / re-emergence of anti-scientific movements and the proliferation of 'miracle cures' that posed serious danger and damage to rural communities, quarantine measures and some urban neighborhoods.
In the Kingdom of Romania begins the publication of the literary magazine Luceafărul ("Evening Star").
The Coal and Iron Police (a private police force established in 1865 and employed by several coal companies) shoot immigrant and striker Anthony Giuseppe, involved in the coal miners' strikes throughout the state of Pennsylvania.
This undoubtedly further impacts the labor movement and Italian communities throughout Pennsylvania.
July 2, generals of the Imperial Japanese Army give general orders for further colonization of the southern Philippines by citizens of Japanese origin.
July 3, US President Elihu Root signs an "Amity, Commerce and Navigation" treaty with Puerto Rico (technically a de-facto British protectorate, but not strictly de-jure).
July 5, King Albert Victor and Queen Alix run a charity drive that feeds more than 500,000 Londoners and various other families in southern England (except Cornwall, which is largely forgotten / ignored).
To be sure, in these times of need, it was quite successful propaganda, but for modern observers it might raise some questions. Where the money came from, where the food came from, why it wasn't made before, and more.
The British goverment and its royal family has always had many resources and actions that the British public generally does not see, art collections, discrimination against non-white workers, discrimination against single mothers, etc.
On July 6, in the rurality of the center of the Italian peninsula, Alessandro Serenelli (18 years old) murders Maria Teresa Goretti (11 years old) after she rejects his romantic advances and also he tried to rape her.
Before dying, Maria forgave her killer, but it is obvious that before the law this matters little, Serenelli is sent to one of the prisons of the Federative Socialist Republic of Italy.
This sparked a debate in the FSR of Italy. After the elimination of the kingdom on the peninsula, a new legal code was established, but some "good" things (somewhat subjective, there are arguments against and for) remained in place, such as the elimination of the death penalty.
Now some advocated for the return of capital punishment to the Italian peninsula, but in the end they came to nothing. Serenelli would come out 27 years later (because Serenelli was under 21, he was not sentenced to life).
July 7, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Joseph Chamberlain, begins proposing to Prime Minister Louis Alexander Mountbatten the creation of the Imperial Preference in these times of need.
After the loss of Suez, prices in the British Isles have been on the rise and "free trade" between the Home Islands, the white Dominions and the colonies is needed more than ever.
July 8, the United States Reclamation Service (later known as the United States Bureau of Reclamation), the first federal agency with rights to the United States water supply, is created.
July 9, Mexican-American and Venezuelan-American relations continue to deteriorate after the rapprochement of the two countries to Germany.
*******
*[France]
July 9, training between 30,000 government troops against 23,000 troops of Charles Maurras in the Provence region.
There Maurras had his main territory (coastal cities like Nice), but obviously to ensure his rule, Maurras had to expand further north (preferably until taking Paris).
The battle is not decisive but the rebel forces have gained a few kilometers to the north, and that is already a victory against the government forces, which are retreating further north.
July 25, Germany moves troops to the Alsace-Lorraine region in the midst of the French civil conflict (again) to protect its territory and interests of course.
Various groups in western France obviously oppose this mobilization, many times independent of ideological belief (due to years of anti-German propaganda, Catholic Christians oppose "German Protestants", socialists and anarchists to "German imperialists "and the Nationalists to the Germans).
Meanwhile the difficult situation is obvious, the central government cannot restore order on so many fronts at the same time.
Meanwhile, during this time, various parties (the central government, the Algerian government, socialists and others) begin to create propaganda in favor of their side to convince those who have not yet joined the fight.
August 4, in the midst of an economic crisis, the hatred of certain British capitalists for the French does not stop, and they begin to finance various groups with the intention that the struggle continue and intensify.
On August 24, several of the women's regiments of the central government defeat more than 1492 anarchist and republican-liberal rebels in the Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier region, in some of the central regions of France.
This means more security for central government supply lines against Charles Maurras in southern France.
August 27, while around this time most of the generals of the French Colonial Empire join Maurras (Egypt, Morocco, etc) or are neutral (Eritrea for example), the admirals of the northern French ports join Pierre Curie , starting an official mobilization against the rebels.
It goes without saying that the fact that the Suez Canal and African resources are in the hands of rebels or paralyzed, causes further contractions in international trade, which for some, only worsens the economic crisis.
Talking about the civil war in France at this time is complicated, during September 1902 various records were lost.
One day combatant communities or groups were formed (nationalist-separatists, anarchists, socialists, etc.), which the next day were wiped off the face of the earth by other combatants.
The French economy fell several notches because of this, while foreign actors played their cards on interest.
The only good thing that is remembered from September 1902 in France is how Pierre Curie, Jules Guesde and certain groups of moderates unite in an alliance-truce-coalition against Charles Maurras, nationalist-separatist, anarchist and liberal-republican groups.
This time were difficult and confuse times for everyone.
********
July 10, after an explosion more than 112 miners in Pennsylvania die from methane gas poisoning.
One more cause for increased security measures that unions want, but big business is still not very open to negotiations.
July 11, King Albert Victor confers the Order of the Garter on some of the exiled monarchs under his wing, such as Kaiser Franz II and King Carlos VII of Spain (Puerto Rico).
July 12, the first of the four Neuquén-Cipolletti bridges opens, located for the passage of trains from the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway in Argentina.
The first train to cross this bridge is the 205, driven by Antonio Mazzarolo.
British Prime Minister Louis Alexander Mountbatten suffers a assassination attempt by a carriage driver, a liberal extremist.
The assassination attempt fails.
July 13, a new Chinese minister is appointed to the United States (which in Qing dynasty terms, is like saying a new ambassador is appointed), Liang Cheng.
He arrives in the United States a few days later, on July 19. This is part of the new foreign affairs service in China and the restoration of China's formal relations with the rest of the world.
Victor Emmanuel III attends Saint Petersburg, on his first official visit to Russia since he is king.
There is not much to say about this meeting, relations between the Kingdom of Italy (before the Milan revolution) and Russia were good, but now the Kingdom of Italy in exile (Tunisia-Libya) does not offer much to Russia.
However, relations between Russia and the Federative Socialist Republic of Italy remain a secret.
July 14, the St Mark's Campanile (a 400 year old bell tower belonging to the St Mark's Basilica) in Venice, completely collapses (for natural reasons).
Destroying the Sansovino's Logetta and killing the caretaker's cat.
Some in the West twist this event by saying that it was destroyed by Godless socialists, but it is quite far from the truth.
Rose Isabel Spencer becomes the first woman to pilot a motorized aircraft, driving Spencer's balloon airship around London.
With "Spencer's" we talk about the balloon airship of her husband, Mr. Stanley Spencer, an English aeronaut.
July 16, the Pilgrims Society is founded, a society dedicated to promoting "good-will, good-fellowship, and everlasting peace" between the United Kingdom and the United States.
Founded by English aviation pioneers Harry Brittain and Charles Rolls, as well as U.S. Army and Confederate Army officer Joseph Wheeler and British Army officer Bryan Mahon in a London hotel.
The group would only arrive in the United States a few months later.
July 17, engineer Willis Carrier (from the United States) installs the first modern air conditioning system, with means for humidity control and functions of cooling, circulating and cleansing the air.
The first of these systems made by Carrier is installed in New York.
The Hippo Wars lead to some new developments in military equipment for the American military.
Still, they are losing the war.
July 19, the rebellion on Easter Island, led by Moisés Tuʻu Hereveri against the Chilean authorities, is crushed by the Chilean navy.
July 21, the German ship Primus collides with the American ship Hansa while both were passing through the Elbe River (in the German Empire), drowning 101 of the 206 involved. This explodes a new series of diplomatic problems between Germany and the United States.
General Arthur MacArthur Jr. is appointed Commander of the Department of the East.
July 22, the Italian-Russian Felix Pedro finds gold in Alyáska.
The British Library Newspapers Division is created in the British Museum after the actual assent to the British Museum Act 1902, which allows the removal of "newspapers and other printed matter which are rarely required for public use" to a remote storage location.
July 23, 200 people die after the capsize of a Chinese steamboat on the Xi River (in Guangdong province).
July 26, Haitian General Anténor Firmin, who tried to create a union of Caribbean states from armed force, is declared outlaw by Haitian President Pierre Théoma Boisrond-Canal.
July 27, the Philadelphia North American newspaper defames Native American chief White Buffalo, in what is known as one of the first and largest defamation cases in the United States.
The newspaper, falsely reported that Chief White Buffalo had been arrested and was awaiting trial for the murder of three white women as part of a hate crime, written by W. R. Draper.
Of course this was missing, but it was reprinted in various places throughout the United States.
July 28, during this time certain governments of Central America sought to imitate the minister-president Porfirio Diaz, seeking military, political and economic supremacy (leading a united Central America that their countries would lead).
Therefore, following quite authoritarian, militaristic and drastic measures in the eyes of foreigners, sometimes angering the United States, in this case the president of Nicaragua, José Santos Zelaya executes the American doctor Russell Wilson.
Of course, what the Americans don't like to say is that Wilson supported rebels seeking to overthrow Zelaya, and therefore it was a "justified" death within the Nicaraguan courts, which have experienced US influence before (William Walker).
July 30, the police force is used to restore order in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, killing the strikers there, causing the death of 10 of them (or even more), angering the rest of the striking coal miners in the state of Pennsylvania.
July 31, more than 9600 deaths in New South Wales, Australia, caused by epidemic post-Fashoda diseases.
Royal Assent to the Midwives Act 1902, the first act in the United Kingdom to regulate the profession of midwife.
August 2, the first Japanese theater shows are introduced in Manila, Firipin (Philippines).
August 4, Anglo-Portuguese troops liquidate a small group of natives, led by Mutu and Kavela, a former advisor to "king" Kalandula (a kind of local king actually controlled by the British).
Wireless telegraphs are becoming more and more common in the German, British and American navies.
August 5, General Anténor Firmin creates a rebel government in Gonaïves, in northern Haiti.
In the central government of the Socialst Union of Hispania, the official expulsion from the government of several of those arrested (anarchists and syndicalists opposed to certain measures of the other socialists) in Barcelona, Catalan Socialist Republic, is announced.
August 7, the commander (part of the army of the Republic of Acre) José Plácido de Castro defeats Bolivian forces in Xapuri, the southeast of the territory of Acre.
This is an important victory in the Republic of Acre, which begins to be more successful against the Bolivian army after the decisive victory at Xapuri.
August 8, Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV reaches the age of 21, taking the mantle of Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore in the British Raj, collaborating with the British while he was one of the richest men in the Raj and the world.
King Albert Victor grants knighthood to various of his allies Social Aristocrats in Australia, defenders of the White Australia Policy, crimes against humanity (Australian aboriginal people), ultra-capitalists, supporters of the Imperial Federation, etc.
August 10, the Rikken Seiyūkai wins 191 of the 376 seats in the Imperial Diet, led by Marquis Saionji Kinmochi (Liberal), arch nemesis of Prime Minister Katsura Tarō (General of the Japanese Army and Conservative).
August 11, anti-Jewish progroms occur throughout various areas of Europe, such as Romania, out-of-control areas in France and Bohemia-Austria in Germany.
Causing the death of more than 1,400 Jews.
The conference of delegates from the colonies and dominions of the British Empire ends. Simple things were accepted such as starting to use the metric system (weights and measures), Joseph Chamberlain and some Canadians in particular press for the creation of the Imperial Preference, before the creation of any Imperial Federation (if it ever occurs).
Argentina and Chile sign an agreement to limit the weapons of both nations.
August 12, rebels try to take the city of Barcelona, Venezuela. However, they are crushed by forces loyal to Cipriano Castro.
The American ambassador to Venezuela, Herbert W. Bowen, tries to call the U.S. Navy warship to come to Caracas to protect American "citizens" (the interests of the United States), but this proposal is rejected by Venezuela, Colombia and Germany.
Tensions between Europeans and their spheres of influence increasingly collide directly with American interests.
August 18, on the island of Tori-shima in the Izu archipelago, belonging to Japan, a volcanic eruption occurs that kills 150 people.
This causes the people to leave the island, and it will never be re-populated again.
The Moro / Bangsamoro people of the Philippines start a new rebellion against the Japanese authorities.
August 21, in the Gulf of Moro (Philippines) an earthquake occurs that kills at least 100 people.
August 22, 2000 people die in central China in an earthquake.
President Elihu Root installs reforms for an improvement in the public electric transportation system in various parts of the northeast of the country, creating some public work for people in the industrial states and undoubtedly improving the quality of life, for the time being.
Although of course this does not solve the economic crisis.
August 23, monarchists in Brazil take by storm the city of Taquaritinga in the state of Sao Paulo, proposing that Luís do Orléans-Braganza (grandson of Emperor Pedro II and son of Isabel I) be appointed as emperor.
The next day the local police crushed the monarchists because the truth was, nothing else happened (lack of coordination between monarchical elements and other discontents of the Republic of the United States of Brazil).
August 25, Harry De Windt leaves Paris (in the middle of the civil war) but not as a refugee, but as an adventurer.
He intends to go from Paris to New York by land, passing only briefly in the Bering Strait (Russia).
This takes 248 days.
The "Blue Squadron" and the "White Squadron" fight, this is a war game made by the US Army, which simulates the invasion of Salem Harbor and Massachusetts by the White Squadron.
The Blue Squadron wins.
August 28, King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy attends with his wife Margaret of Prussia and Foreign Minister Giulio Prinetti, to Berlin, Germany.
With the intention of requesting financial-arms support, and perhaps helping in an intervention in the Italian peninsula.
August 29, reforms of the iron industry begin in the Tuscan Socialist Republic, increasing the iron production of the region and improving the working conditions of the workers.
August 30, Mount Pelée in Martinique explodes again, killing at least 1000 people and destroying Morne-Rouge and Ajoupa-Bouillon.
Mindanao in the Philippines, the Sultan of Binidayan is assassinated by Japanese troops in an attempt to revolt against them.
The death of various national leaders only unites Filipinos to less monarchical or tribal groups, such as the republican movement of General-President Antonio Luna or the labor-guerrilla movement of Isabelo de los Reyes.
September 1, the first silent science fiction film, released in Russia, an instant success.
September 2, Haitian Admiral Hammerton Killick captures the German Empire ship Markomannia, providing arms and ammunition to support the rebel General Antéror Fermin.
These weapons were aimed at the rival of the two Haitian rebels, Pierre Nord Alexis. Of course Kaiser Wilhelm II is angry, and insists on the need for response measures against Haitians.
September 8, the Highway Plan begins, where the government of Constantino Lazzari proposes the construction of more than 400 new public roads in southern Italy, to help modernize this part of the country (which is already modernizing its agricultural industry ).
September 13, Harry Jackson is the first British criminal to be convicted on the basis of fingerprint evidence (crime: robbery).
September 19, the Shiloh Baptist Church stampede occurs, where 115 African-Americans are crushed or suffocated to death.
What happened was that Booker T. Washington (educator, author, speaker, and presidential adviser in previous years) gave a talk there, and after that many of those gathered believed that the building was on fire, causing the stampede.
September 24, Anglo-Portuguese forces continue to bring down native revolts in Angola.
September 26, more than 900 deaths in Sicily, product of a flood after a cyclone (300 deaths only in the town of Modica) and the collapse of the cathedral of Belpasso (600 deaths).