Part 5: CHAPTER TWO: Doldrums continued

CHAPTER TWO: Doldrums continued



Tensions are running high, but little is happening. American and Mexican forces leer at each other across the tiny Oklahoma-New Mexico border. Mexican armies stand ready on Texas's southern border, and US forces in Louisiana are ready to support us when the need arises. But the peace treaty of 38 still stands, so the armies can do little but wait.



Research into Early Railroad is completed, though our capitalists have yet to even begin construction of experimental railroads. Why they waste their money rather than spend it on railroads or even a factory, we do not know. Our research focus then shifts to the study of Associationism. The rest of the world looks well upon countries that have more intellectual and cultural pursuits, and Associationism is a precursor to ideas that we are very interested in.



The US has not discovered Early Railroad yet, and we use this to broker a deal. We offer them Early Railroad for their trading post and fort in British Columbia and monetary support, and they accept. Railroad is valued very highly by the Americans it seems.



The United Kingdom is eager to solidify their holdings in British Columbia and also need the Early Railroad technology. We offer them the provinces they need in BC and technology for their claim in Idaho and one of their Oregon and the Bahamas, and we append a gift of £2500. They accept.



The newly Texan Bahamas. Whether we will keep them and use them as a base for Atlantic operations or use them as another brokering chip is yet to be seen.



Britain takes the opportunity to claim the state of British Columbia. Reports say that relations are not so well on the border of Russian-claimed Alaska and BC.



On the other side of the world, the British have taken control of Hong Kong, and are attempting a mainland invasion of China.



We receive reports that the railroads in Lubbock and Amarillo have been completed. Wait, did the capitalists actually decide to do something with all that money they have?



The capitalists in Austin may have gotten jealous of the Yankee capitalists, who have wasted no time in constructing a gigantic rail system. The Amarillo-Lubbock Rail is small but hopefully a sign of things to come for Texas's industry.



The alliance with the United States expires, and Congress in Austin rushes to draft and send a proposal for a renewed treaty to Washington. The US Ambassador in Austin informs us that the United States has declined a new alliance, but still offers Texas its protection, allaying Texan fears of America abandoning it. President Houston starts drinking a little early that day.



Associationism is complete, and research begins on the possibility of introducing a Stock Exchange to Texas.



The UK and US sign the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, establishing a firm border between Canada and the US in the Northeast and a new border between New Brunswick and Maine.



Finally, the capitalists are actually doing something useful for change. It won't be long before we have Early Railroad in each of our provinces.

Mexico has been periodically sending envoys to bring about better Texan-Mexican relations, but we're still wary of them. Tensions between the US and Mexico are still high, and to decide between them is no decision at all.



Reports come in that the US traded its claim in Seattle to the British, and they have annexed the area into British Columbia. This is unexpected, as the US would assuredly like to obtain access to the Pacific coast.



Our appraisers tell us that we could sell the claim on the northern half of Idaho for tidy sum. We're not sure why its so valuable.



Neither is the US. They humbly declined our offer.

Between this botched deal and the United States' refusal to enter a proper alliance, it seems they are not taking Texas so seriously. We hope we have not already worn out our welcome to the North American scene.



The capitalists have began construction on a factory, but we wish they had chosen to make something a little less arbitrary. Texas has two resources currently: Cattle and Sulphur. The capitalists must have been lured by the high price of clothes, but having to buy the fabric and dye off the world market is going to put a slight dent in the profits of the factory.





Poor Krakow. Surrounded by three Great Powers, the one province nation's annexation is inevitable. (Krakow is probably in the worst starting position and situation for any of the civilized countries)



The rail line from Houston to Amarillo is done! We're actually starting to appreciate our capitalists and they've more than made up their education costs already. Dallas, Austin and Houston still have experimental rail, but upgrades are in progress, and work on a railroad in Colorado is beginning.



The Stock Exchange has been researched and instituted, and now we return to more industrial pursuits with reseach in medicine. Medicine will be vital if we decide to visit more tropical locales in the future.



The peace treaty with Mexico is officially ended. We send a diplomat the American ambassador, inquiring on the possibility of a proper alliance. The effort was not only unfruitful, but diplomat returns with bad news.



There has been a shift in Washington. A decidedly anti-Texan shift. In addition to that,



a series of constructions along the American border with Texas and Mexico that were thought to be rail improvements have been completed and revealed to actually be a series of fortifications reaching from Wyoming to Arkansas. The Americans call it the Louisiana Line. American troops have been mobilized and are being positioned on the Line.

The Texan government is going crazy with anxiety. Congressmen argue with each other about whether we should take action, or wait and see what the US is doing. President Houston has rejoined what is left of the revolutionary army and is trying to recruit new volunteers with promises of much glory (and booze). The question on the mind of Austin: What the hell is going on?