The dream of a connected universe (October-December, 1875).

Electricity and urban planning]

Sestroretsk is a municipal city, essentially as a district within Saint Petersburg itself (capital of the Russian Empire), although as a curious fact it was within the jurisdiction of the Grand Duchy of Finland for a time.

At the beginning of October, in this same city, Fyodor Apollonovich Pirotsky installed an electric tram line, as an experiment (the result of rehearsals that he had been doing since last year).

The experiment proved a success, and for 1.6 kilometers (or 1 mile) he successfully transported a carriage through his electric streetcar lines.

The public in St. Petersburg was excited, not only by Pirotsky's experiment, but also by the fact that Tsar Alexander III had appeared. The experiment had also caught his attention.

The engineer and inventor was quite surprised.

*******

"You know, your work seems to be progressing very well. Do you have money?" Emperor Alexander III asks Pirotsky in a more private meeting to discuss business.

"... Not as much as I would like." Pirotsky responds with a small laugh. "You know? This is not the first time that you and I have met, Your Highness, no offense. I was in the Kiev fortress when you went to recruit the engineers there, I know Yablochkov, although we have not spoken in a while. . "

"Fascinating Pirotsky, but I think you are straying a bit from the point. Are you interested in my support to continue your experiments?" Tsar Alexander III offers kindly, "I think your idea has a lot of potential."

"Of course! I have some ideas, Your Highness." Pirotsky did not take long to recognize. "You see, I have these blast furnace designs, and some ideas for better streetcars, and an underground power grid."

The gunner Fyodor Apollonovich Pirotsky rejoined the General Staff of the Russian Empire, of course his work actually involved less military work, and more mechanical work.

Pirotsky was given a budget to continue his experiments for the formation of a permanent electric tram in the city of St. Petersburg.

With the ELC technology at his disposal and the help of some engineers at the Russian Carriage Works, Pirotsky was also able to begin to improve the designs of a tram and its traction.

Pirotsky's plans also began to be discussed with the State Urban Planning Committee regarding the integration of some of his ideas in the growing cities of the Russian Empire.

*******

[Novaya Gvineya: Some changes]

The scientist and civil governor of Novaya Gvineya, Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay had successfully taught certain safety rules for the beginnings of mining activity (due to the discovery of copper and coal deposits) in the Russian colony of Novaya Gvineya.

The Russian sailors were mainly in charge of coal, necessary for their ships and certain facilities. This had led to an increase in Russian personnel at Cape Maclay.

On the other hand, it was the natives who minced copper, with the intention of exporting it to other regions to get more money for reinvestment.

Papuan boys and girls were forbidden from participating in such activity, but he guessed that Miklouho-Maclay had to train more and more adults in the Russian language and Cyrillic script (to function as foremen and administrators of the fledgling mining industry).

Some small works with copper began to be carried out between sailors and natives, but most of the copper was sold abroad. Even so, the new industry grew considerably in the colony.

This brought several effects, with the rise of the Russian language as a unifying factor among the mass of native Papuans in northeastern New Guinea. Because only at Cape Maclay, without Russian, the natives spoke a total of 14 different languages.

*******

"I don't want to say I told you, but I did." Sailor and military governor Ivan Shestakov announces to the depressed Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay.

"I did not expect my people to be put into habitats like the animals in a garden." Miklouho-Maclay responds between sadness and anger.

"Do you think that when the Germans got colonies they became as bad as the British?" The navy member asks sitting across from Miklouho-Maclay.

"I was rushed, I made a mistake." Miklouho-Maclay exclaims worried. "Maybe there is a way to remedy this ...".

"Maybe, but we shouldn't get into bigger trouble. We can't afford to start an international problem here." Governor Shestakov mentions.

"... You are right." Miklouho-Maclay sentence.

*******

After some Papuans from German colonies were taken to Europe for exhibition and due to the conditions of the German plantations, some of the Papuans from the area moved northeast into Russian territory.

There the tribes of the mountainous and jungle territories allowed the passage of the migrants to Cape Maclay, where they were allowed to take asylum by the action of Governor Miklouho-Maclay. As long as they were not escaped from plantations or businesses, the Germans did little to hunt or hunt them down.

These individuals' neighborhoods were formed, outlying neighborhoods of the original Cape Maclay area (which grew in scope as Novaya Gvineya grew).

On the other hand, with so many languages within a small space, it is obvious that one emerged as a kind of glue and language more or less suitable for communication between different people.

Russian, which was learned by tribal leaders and important workers in the canning factory, dragon bean plantations, and copper mining. So to speak a status symbol (in a materialistic sense).

In a growing market (crafts and exchanges of meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and fruits) of Cape Maclay, sellers and buyers began to speak Russian to communicate more easily (belonging to different groups or languages-dialects).

A more organic integration, compared to German New Guinea, where the learning of German would be more promoted by traders interested in the area and the Christianization missions of the region.

On the other hand, the only interest of the Russians in bringing some Christian element, was the creation of a church for their own rites of Eastern Orthodoxy. Although the first Russian Orthodox church in New Guinea would take some time longer to arrive.

*******

[Sports culture: Second Russian Soccer League]

The last four teams out of the 16 chosen for the second edition of the Russian Soccer League are victorious.

* Vyborg: A team promoted by industrialists close to Saint Petersburg and the Grand Duchy of Finland, obviously made up of Russians and Finns.

* Minsk: A middle class team supported by the local nobility of White Russia. Composed mainly of White Russians and Great Russians.

* Sevastopol: Team from the Crimean peninsula, made up of great Russians (and some Crimean Tatars) supported by the local nobility.

* Yekaterinodar: Team from the Kuban region, supported by local industrialists. Formed by Russian-Cossacks with a coach of Greek origin.

*******

[Sports culture: Tennis and Cricket]

Emperor Alexander III is a bit bored, but Xenia seems amused playing with a tennis ball, while on the other hand Empress Maria Feodorovna and ladies of the court watched other highborn women play tennis.

The sport was becoming quite popular among upper-class women (mainly those trying to imitate some Western European fashions).

"Dad, I'm bored." Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich mentions his father the Tsar.

"I know son, but if your mother and sister like it, you'll have to wait." Tsar Alexander III sighs.

"I think Xenia only likes balls of tennis, not tennis itself." The Tsesarevich Nicholas mentions looking at his sister.

"Look on the bright side, I think this is better than cricket." Alexander III responds.

*******

The Russians are not quite sure who did it first, but someone from the nobility introduced cricket to Russia.

The sport soon became more popular within Russia's upper class, who traditionally were fond of fencing and chess rather than ball games.

Because of this, Tsar Alexander III decides that in the future there could be a tennis championship (two actually, one for women and one for men) and perhaps some more official Croquet games.

Although Tsar Alexander III was not the biggest fan of either, it was good to see that a healthy sports culture was developing more and more rapidly in Russia without the need for state intervention.

*******

[Slavic March - March Slave]

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed (on commission of Tsar Alexander III and some other Russians, the song 'Сербско-русский марш' (Serbo-Russian march).

The song is obviously inspired mainly by the relationship between Serbs and Russians. Although it soon took on more pan-Slavic connotations, which is why it became the Slavic March (or Marche Slave in French).

The first section uses the Serbian folk songs "Sunce jarko, ne sijaš jednako" (Bright sun, you do not shine equally), by Isidor Ćirić and "Rado ide Srbin u vojnike" (Gladly does the Serb become a soldier), by Josip Runjanin.

It also had its Russian characteristics, mainly in certain parts of the tone and the intentionality of the message.

"God Save the Tsar" a solemn proclamation of the Russian anthem (of that time) that is quite prophetic in a sense about the Slavic victory over the Ottoman yoke.

In the Balkans the wars of Bosnia-Herzegovina continued harshly between the Ottomans and the Slavs of the region, the rest of the powers are watching the Ottoman Empire now that there are so many newspapers about the situation.

* Romanian perspective: [Russia-Romania Diplomacy]

King Carol I of Romania and various Romanian politicians observed the situation in the nearby Ottoman Empire, trying to remain "neutral" even though Ottoman vassals were recognized internationally (and by law).

However, for years the United Principalities of Romania had carried out a remarkable process of economic, political and social modernization, preparing for the moment of independence.

This led Prime Minister Lascar Catargiu and King Carol I to meet with Russian diplomats at the initiative of Russian Minister Gorchakov, Russian diplomats in Romania and Alexei Borisovich Lobanov-Rostov (ex-Russian diplomat in Constantinople, Berlin and other cities) .

"So it seems that the Russians are the most willing to recognize our independence early." Prime Minister Catargiu starts.

"A Russo-Turkish war is coming, of course they will. But to do that they have to cross our territory." King Carol I mentions. "If we allow them, we can finally separate from the Ottomans."

"Yes, but we will have to wait for the Russians to make the first move. They will also probably want to take back southern Bessarabia after the Crimean war, but in exchange we can ask for some more territories, like more parts of Dobruja." Romanian Prime Minister analyzes.

"It sounds like a good plan. But what if other great powers oppose it or the Russians refuse to give us more territory?" King Carol I asks.

"Well, we'll have to wait and see the majesty of him. Obviously that's what the Russians are doing."

Before the Russian action the Romanians accepted the possibility of allowing the Russian armies to move through the territory of Wallachia for their future war with the Ottomans.

*******

[Korea and Russia part 2]

"The Koreans have accepted our proposal for a diplomatic summit." Foreign Minister Alexander Gorchakov announces Emperor Alexander III.

"Okay, we're going to schedule it for January, put Nikolai de Girs up to date." Emperor Alexander III responds to Gorchakov's announcement.

"Understood sir, but we must further discuss our proposals and wishes to the Joseon dynasty." The minister of affairs exclaims.

"Of course".

*******

[International]

In October, in essence, the Ottoman state under Sultan Abdulaziz declares 'partially' bankrupt, while fighting its war against the Slavs in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Many of the Ottoman finances and economic assets pass to foreign financiers due to this solution.

In mid-November the armies of Ethiopia defeat another Egyptian army in battle.

At the beginning of December (5-6) of this year, the German companies seriously began their first projects for the naval reform of the German Empire, with the intention of updating the fleet to a much more advanced and powerful model.

The first German naval projects in the North Sea are successful with the transport of 100 "troops" (test subjects) from one German island to another.

On December 9, while the French hostilities continued, some popular workers' militias were re-formed against the French monarchical regimes.

On December 20 the ICRM is renamed the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).