Golden Age, Dark Age (January-March, 1890).

Change of ministries]

At the beginning of 1890, Tsar Alexander III changed his council of ministers, Sergei Yulyevich Witte became Minister of the Ministries of Transport and Railways, and of Finance, Commerce and Industry.

By standards of the time and of the Russian Empire an adjustment of this size was not particularly strange or viewed negatively, a person could hold the position of minister of two or more ministries as long as the law or the head of state allowed it.

Witte had years of experience in the transport ministry and had been a deputy minister training for years for the position, the finance ministry was a surprise but a welcome one, since Witte in his ministerial work had a background in economics and administration.

In the Admiralty, Stepan Makarov was promoted to minister due to his labors and years of experience in vain development, he also strongly urged Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov (also called by the imperial family as Sandro, son of Grand Duke Michael Nicolaevich, grandson of Nicholas I) to work and slowly rise within the ministry.

Makarov had years of experience and worthy service to the empire, on the other hand Alexander trusted Alexander Mikhailovich to be of use in the future.

*******

[Ministry of war]

Tsar Alexander III accompanied Minister Iosif Vladimirovich Romeyko-Gurko and Deputy Minister Mikhail Dmitriyevich Skobelev to make reviews about the most recent advances, the development of armored armor and other defenses in the vehicles of the Russian Empire had been positive.

The developments for a proper war vehicle were not ready, but the Tsar and his associates raised the possibility of using part of the discoveries and developments in this regard in defense for the soldiers (mainly helmets).

Then there were the communication aspects, regarding the use of radios. For military purposes the army managed to develop radio equipment, and successfully conducted tests between two points separated by the Gulf of Finland and other considerable distances (including for example the Bering Sea between Alyáska and the Far East).

With these successful tests the Russian high command was excited, installing encryption methods of messages between the Russian troops (quite simple and rudimentary in its beginnings). They also continued to test how the radio will adapt.

It would not yet be normalized on a large scale within the Russian army, but production and strategic positioning would begin until production could not be massified to the level necessary for the army.

Another important issue for the war ministry, especially now that they were investigating mechanized units and other aspects, was that the Russian army was beginning to be less dependent on natural rubber (not totally but taking certain steps), it began a greater production of artificial rubber. according to studies previously carried out by the government.

This allowed the industrial bulk of the Russian Empire in Eurasia to produce vital rubber elements for the Russian army (not totally replacing the arrival of natural rubber to the Russian army, but making it less possible to completely cut off the empire's supply).

*******

[Companies: SEiPK, the Tsar Alexander III and the goverment.]

*Alexander III and Nikola Tesla perspective.

Tsar Alexander III visited Vladivostok, Outer Manchuria in the Russian Far East, conducting some charitable activities before finally heading to SEiPK headquarters.

The Serbo-Russian company had notable state ties, due to SEiPK's involvement in the development of the Bering telegraph, so it was not exactly the first meeting between state and business agents.

*******

"I bought an induction motor and made a small private request to some associates to modify it and make a product, perhaps you are interested." Tsar Alexander III mentions putting on the table a small train and a kind of car on top of a track.

"... I must admit, I am intrigued." Tesla responds with immediate curiosity.

Tsar Alexander III activates the toys and they start running across the table until the tsar stops them. "They are some simple toys that I commissioned for my son Michael and my daughter Olga, Xenia is already a bit old but she may be interested. The point is that perhaps we can cooperate in turning this into a business." The emperor explains.

"I'm not sure, this is not exactly what the company does." Nikola Tesla holds for a few moments.

"I'm not asking SEiPK to do everything, you can make the internals while other associates make the outer parts. Do you know how many children there are in the Russian Empire?" The tsar questions.

"... Not exactly, but it must be millions." Tesla responds.

"Yes, as long as there are children interested it would be a profitable business." Tsar Alexander III explains.

*******

After the toy business meetings ended, Tesla and associates like Petar, Mikhailo, and others toured Tsar Alexander III to present some other advancements that SEiPK was making, potentially continuing to develop positive economic relationships.

"I've been working on this with the company's IIR, it's an electromagnetic wave receiver. Have you heard of Heinrich Herts studies?" Tesla asks presenting a device he is working on.

"Heinrich Hertz works for me." Tsar Alexander III mentions looking at Tesla's radio receiver, still in progress but quite advanced in the making, "Good job, when this becomes cheaper and more accessible to the civilian population, it will be a success."

Business was a side benefit, Tesla was intrigued by the mention of Tsar Alexander III, the potential of telecommunications to unite the population was immense, and so was scientific study.

So while SEiPK expanded its civilian production business (through pieces of technology and pieces for toys in as successful business), Tesla continued to study and develop potential new technologies, which included the first SEiPK radio.

*******

*Alexander III, Iosif Romeyko-Gurko and Mikhail Skobelev.

"Civil production is still extremely important, if we can transform civil production into war production in times of need it would be extremely advantageous for the armed forces." Tsar Alexander III mentions.

"Similar to how does the Russian Carriage Works work?" Skobelev asks.

"Indeed. Our war production will not depend entirely on civil industry, but it is good to have a backup." Minister Iosif Romeyko-Gurko assures.

"So we will wait a bit until we see the Tesla radio to see if the SEiPK is reliable in that regard, but for now we can look at other industries to cover our military production." Tsar Alexander III explains.

The Russian war ministry was preparing for a modern industrial war (and they had expectations of one, unlike the other great European powers) this involved massive industrial production.

Therefore civil industry and military heavy industry began to work together under the government of Tsar Alexander III, military advancements and studies could help civil industry, while civil industry would help military production.

An example of this is that the production of new equipment for the protection of workers, miners and some other workers began. Helmets that were actually prototypes and designs developed with army technology, with factories that could produce military helmets in the event of war.

(OOC: For the moment I'll say they look like brodie helmets, maybe we'll steal the Stahlhelm later.)

They also began to improve the food canning materials, which had been developed and investigated for colonial exports but now also with the possibility of food for the military.

*******

[Tsesarevich]

Before leaving Manchuria (after meetings with the SEiPK), Tsar Alexander III returned to visit his heir, Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov.

"You have made good progress regarding the administration, Nicholas." Tsar Alexander III argues, the population of the big cities was happy, the countryside was being pacified and delimited (for farms and plantations), the railway was being successfully built, etc.

"Thanks." The Tsesarevich exclaims.

"But I have some questions, you are focusing a lot on the administrative aspect, it is not a bad thing, it is one of the most important pieces of a tsar's job, but you need some diplomatic experience." Tsar Alexander III calmly exclaims.

"I have been negotiating with natives and the local elites of Manchuria." The Tsesarevich argues.

"Yes, that is diplomacy up to a point, but you are in an incomparable situation, you have me as the guarantor of military forces, money and administration, you are in a position of incomparable power." Tsar Alexander III counters. "But in international negotiations you will have to give a lot more in comparison, unless you are in the right position, such as a military victory over enemy forces."

"I understand. What do you have planned?" The Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich asks.

"Well, it's just a trip for you to get to interact a little abroad, nothing too serious in the beginning, but for something it starts." Tsar Alexander III explains. "Siam, India, Egypt, Greece, Austria-Hungary and Germany, with some stops in the colonies to promote your image there."

Tsesarevich Nicholas spent the mid-late 1880s and 1891 in Inner Manchuria, but on many occasions different events and plans had to force him to leave the territory.

Of course Tsar Alexander III and Tsesarevich Nicholas had it all figured out, there were capable military administrators and the Tsesarevich succeeded in establishing their Little Court for civil administration (also gaining experience and success in advancing the railroad).

The longest time that Tsesarevich Nicholas would spend outside Inner Manchuria was a total of 9 months for his diplomatic trips.

********

[Ministry of Education]

It is at the beginning of 1890 (end of March) when, after years of preparation and months of information gathering, and after years of educational reform, the Minister of Education of the Russian Empire, Ivan Delyanov, presents the results of the census regarding the literacy.

Of course this does not exactly determine the level of studies or academic preparation of citizens, they are simply referred to as "basic literates". I mean, they know how to read and write.

It should be noted that Russia did not divide between "reading and writing" in particular alphabets or in Cyrillic, and that it counted migrants that knew Russian and cyrillic, didn't count colonies, and also counted the most literate regions of the Russian Empire (which included Finland, the Baltic, Poland and some other areas) .

Out of a population of 165 million people, 68-69% knew at least how to read and write.

A considerable improvement over the first years of the government of Tsar Alexander III, product of the massive effort of the government to promote education, the increase of infrastructure and the various methods used to make the population learn to read and write (from courses, to newspapers, advertising, schools and courses for adults, etc).

*******

"If the current trend continues as it is now ... in two more decades literacy should be between 80 and 90%. From then on, we could reduce illiteracy to a minimum." Tsar Alexander III dares to predict.

"Sounds like a wonderful future, Your Highness." Minister Delyanov exclaims. "I sorry. Excuse me but ... do you really think that's possible?"

"If we continue with our current work, yes, illiteracy would be reduced mainly to very isolated tribes. And the current trend indicates that, if nothing changes, literacy will continue to be positive, factory workers and peasants are learning, we have educational institutions on the right track, we have recruited educated immigrants, their offspring learn Russian, etc. " Tsar Alexander III responds.

(OOC: I must say that it usually thinked in ranges between 50% and 70% regarding this, already explain what populations and territories counts, and under what conditions, explaining the massive number of basic literates in Russia. I also base myself on the exponential growth of basic literates in Soviet Russia.)

*******

[International]

On January 11, before the Portuguese ambitions of a series of continuous colonies from west to east, the British send an ultimatum against Porgual, forcing them to give up their "Pink Map".

This is because the British, although they have lost in Sudan, still intend to take the region and fulfill their colonies from Cape to Cairo, and the Pink Map was opposed to this view (there is also the fact that the Portuguese did not they had true dominion over this region, etc).

January 15, The Sleeping Beauty is presented by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

On January 25, in the United States the United Mine Workers of America is formed, the labor union for miners (mainly coal).

February 11, the battles on the coasts (main urban centers) of Brazil continue, the navy is loyalist in favor of Empress Elizabeth I, who owns the great northern territories of the country.

However, the army is pro-republican, and now possesses the enormous financial resources of the economic and religious elite of the country, in addition to the financial resources of the south of the country (such as Rio de Janeiro).

Many cities and territories in the jungle and far from the coast remain mostly neutral, nominally over the jurisdiction of either faction. Some civilians mobilize but it is difficult and costly, and both sides are pretty bad (in the empire of 10 million people, less than 1 million can vote, and the Republicans want to lower that number even more).

This is an unequal war but the geography and logistics in Brazil are very complicated, some foreign actors join in, for example Argentina recognizes the Republicans (although not much more), some foreigners sell arms to both sides for profit.

On March 20, after the federal elections, there are two large parties, the nationalist-conservatives and pan-Germanicists, and the opposition of liberals, central-Catholics, social democrats and others.

After the loss of the majority, Bismarck tries to ally himself with the Catholics that he persecuted so much politically, obviously not very well, and this is the last nail in Bismarck's coffin.

Kaiser Wilhlem II decides to dispatch Otto von Bismarck, removing him from power permanently in Germany, ending an era and beginning a new ...

*******

[Heart of the Desert]

* Perspective of Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, "Joseph Conrad".

On January 1, the Polish-English of Russian origin was crossing the desert accompanied by other workers, mostly French officials in charge.

Jósef had asked some questions, he only understood that the government of Napoleon IV and Georges Boulanger wanted to establish their own mega-project, a Transahara railway, crossing from the coasts of West Africa to the Mediterranean (passing through Algeria and other French colonies).

A massive but interesting job, after all for something Jósef had accepted. But then the Polish-English realized what it meant, transfers and massive and generalized violence against the population.

Native lands were withdrawn, the natives were displaced and forced to work for misery (in essence, slave labor), the most fertile and lucrative lands then re-occupied by settlers.

The worst was what happened if the natives did not comply or fail in their jobs in the plantations and fields formed by the French, generally piles of amputated hands formed after weeks and weeks of work.

*******

"The barbarism that I observed in the Sahara was a crime against humanity, against civilization and human sensitivity, my main inspiration for what I would write in later years and my periodical work about the French colonial empire under Boulanger.

What is the real difference between a civilized man and an uncivilized man? "

-Heart of the Desert, Joseph Conrad.