Russian cosmos (July-September, 1892
Ministerial work]
Tsar Alexander III and his cabinet:
* Ministry of Education, Culture and Technology (Министерство образования, культуры и технологий, Ministerstvo obrazovaniya, kul'tury i tekhnologiy). Minister: Ivan Davydovich Delyanov.
* Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Министерство иностранных дел, Ministerstvo inostrannykh del). Minister: Nikolai de Girs.
* Ministry of Transport and Railways (Министерство транспорта и железных дорог, Ministerstvo transporta i zheleznykh dorog). Minister: Sergei Yulyevich Witte.
* Ministry of War (Военное министерство, Voyennoye ministerstvo). Minister: Iosif Vladimirovich Romeyko-Gurko.
* Ministry of the Navy (Министерство военно-морского флота, Ministerstvo voyenno-morskogo fleet). Minister: Stepan Osipovich Makarov.
* Ministry of the Imperial Court (Министерство Императорского Двора, Ministerstvo Imperatorskogo Dvora). Minister: Illarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkov,
* Ministry of Finance, Trade and Industry (Министерство финансов, торговли и промышленности, Ministerstvo finansov, torgovli i promyshlennosti). Minister: Sergei Yulyevich Witte.
* Ministry of Internal Affairs (Министерство внутренних дел, Ministerstvo vnutrennikh del). Minister: Vacancy since the death of Loris-Melikov (1888).
* Ministry of Justice (Министерство юстиции, Ministerstvo yustitsii). Minister: Dmitry Nikolaevich Nabokov.
Tsar Alexander III had some interest in replacing Loris-Melikov, for a Kovno magistrate, Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin, but Stolypin was still very young and inexperienced for the task.
The situation was somewhat questionable for Tsar Alexander III, he considered that at least in 1895 he should change part of his cabinet of ministers, in particular Nikolai de Girs (due to age and health issues) and potentially the Ministry of Education, Culture and Technology, but for the moment Delyanov was still useful enough to carry out the will of his superior.
However something more important during this period are the meetings of Tsar Alexander III with Sergei Witte, a meeting ahead of the Third Grand Meeting of April (in 1896) to discuss economic affairs of the state.
The state was in adequate finances, with considerable management or monopolies in vital industries (oil resources, gold, silver, railways, etc.) and economically profitable (such as alcohol production), the railroad line was functioning optimally and education useful for the economy was still successful.
Russia had successfully completed many megaprojects vital to its economy, such as the Trans-Siberian and a series of useful channels for the transport and logistics of economic, civil, administrative and military resources.
However, there were certain reforms that the ministries were going to implement, and some that had to be discussed precisely for the next Grand Meeting after some time of consideration.
On the one hand Witte established the cup holders on trains as it is known today, and some reforms were made in the railway fares, the number of goods on the New Silk Road began to increase (and less goods were lost in transport) increasing Russian profits sales abroad.
These new fares and cup holders (in addition to the even greater efficiency of the overland New Silk Road), gave the idea of more luxury transportation and amenities within the railways of the Russian Empire.
But that is another issue.
In matters to be discussed, Witte proposed the need for more trade treaties with abroad and the possibility of abandoning bimetallism in exchange for a ruble backed solely by gold.
*******
[Class struggle]
In the Russian Empire, economic growth had occurred due to various political developments that brought about social and economic changes, for example there was the Peasant Bank Land of Nikolai von Bunge's economic reform.
This supposed that Russia began to divide in a certain sense, the burgeoning middle class of the cities (a working mass and capitalist bourgeoisie), new peasant owners of land oriented towards production and trade, new communal farms (inheritors of the Russian traditions of communities for the payment of taxes and the like), and the landlord capitalists.
The noble landowners generally adapted or died, the Peasant Bank Land only gave money to peasants, or nobles who actually managed their land and produced something of economic value.
And the competition was becoming extremely fierce, so capitalism was ending the feudalism that previously reigned in the Russian Empire.
Of course, these developments did not come without new social problems, on the one hand there was the classist noble class, who saw their tax exemptions eliminated and now lost their economic, social, political and cultural primacy without being able to do much.
Of course. Who is going to depend on the nobles when there are new educated, more productive, in greater numbers and more dynamic masses on the social scene?
Then there were the small and large capitalists of the city and rural spaces, entrepreneurs, businessmen, etc. Whether it is small business-oriented owners, artisans, owners of production facilities, or large landowners, company owners and investors.
A growing class that while not possessing a 'pedigree' continues to climb the social and economic ladder, many supported by Tsar Alexander III and government policies. Sometimes looked down upon by the new elites, but not much can be done, a Saint Petersburg nobleman could be greatly outmatched by a Siberian peasant in economic aspects.
Now there were new companies and innovators, economic developments, among others. For example, Fyodor Blinov was a peasant, son of peasants, who began his cooperation with the state in the automotive industry after manufacturing the world's first crawler tractor.
Then there was the 'traditional' model of the Russian peasantry, communes and support between the inhabitants of the same settlement that now with the mechanization of agriculture, better education, infrastructure and medicine could continue to exist and compete economically.
Similar to pseudo-democratic cooperatives or communal enterprises instead of a traditional capitalist enterprise.
Some Russian capitalists and even Nikolai von Bunge in his time regarded this model as obsolete, but it still worked (moreover the tradition hardly dies).
This is rather a generalization, it must be taken into account that depending on the ethnic group and geographical position the realities of these groups could be somewhat different (for example the Polish economy reorienting itself to the agricultural sectors, the Armenian bourgeoisie, Kurdish developments, etc. ).
Although there is economic competition between these groups, the new private antitrust laws in Russia, the forces of the state (rule of law) and the fact that Russia is such a huge country (in terms of land) makes the conflict I don't usually degenerate into violence, uprisings or the like.
*******
Due to economic developments, some socialist and Marxist theorists held that a revolution in Russia (for liberation and political reform) was going to occur. They did not know if a peaceful or violent revolution, but they believed in a revolution, although they still believed that the first real socialist revolution would occur in the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom or France.
On the other hand, Tsar Alexander III understood that sooner or later he should carry out some reform, regarding workers' rights and political freedom.
After all, now Russia was not a feudal country, it had a growing literate mass, more than 100 million people with a rising standard of quality of life, and an industrialized economy, among many other things.
The reform was simply inevitable, but its scope was unknown and there were many conflicting interests (there were conservatives who criticized the government but did not want a liberal reform, liberals in favor of a total reform of the political system towards a constitutional monarchy, Republicans, etc).
Arguably, at the moment, Russia simply did not have a class consciousness or a peasant-worker mass desperate enough to push for reform.
It didn't help that the examples the peasants looked at in favor of reform were terrorists or intellectuals who had never lived the life of the working class, as opposed to the government represented by the Little Father, Tsar Alexander III.
In the future some individuals would set themselves the goal of a revolution taking place in Russia.
*******
[Tea]
The Russian tea industry exploded during the 1890s, as a result of Russian tea exports abroad that received good reviews in Siam, France, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany.
Black tea, green tea and golden tea among others.
Russian economic diversification included many commercial aspects, including Russian tea production based on Chinese, Japanese and Korean teas (the New Silk Road could also transport these teas to Europe).
This also allowed the creation of agricultural areas for tea in the Caucasus, the Far East, some coastal areas of the Black Sea, etc.
Now Russia among its beverages exported large quantities of alcohol and tea, in addition to considerable quantities of carbonated beverages, among others.
*******
[Slavic ties]
Due to Russian investment and technological help from the Russian Empire on the Principality of Montenegro and the Tsardom of Bulgaria, both nations experience their first electrification processes with the installation of lamps in Bulgaria and Montenegro.
Russia's economic ties with the two nations continued to increase, although there was no project that will threaten the English positions so for the moment, although there was caution, it did not go too far.
Russia insisted that while the military development of Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece was important, so were other potentially useful developments for logistics, civil industry, etc. (In addition, Russia made a profit from its small partners due to being the largest seller of light bulbs in Europe).
Unfortunately this message was not fully understood among some, Alexander I of Serbia did not listen to Russia much directly. Fortunately Alexander I was not very popular, the King of Serbia wanted to approach Austria-Hungary which the Serbs did not want (also Franz Ferdinand or Franz II did not know how to capitalize on this due to his lack of initiative).
Then there was Bosnia-Herzegovina, the region was a strange republic, the "Belgium of the Balkans" but not in a good way. Bosnia was an artificial republic, with many Bosnian-Slavic Muslims and Serbo-Christian Croats, they were anti-Turkish and anti-Austro-Hungarian, but they did not have access to the sea.
Consequently Bosnia was a very isolated and economically poor country, not very close to Serbia and not wanting to get closer to Austria-Hungary. In addition, the democratic system had problems due to the demographics of the country, if there was an elected Bosnian leader the Serbo-Croats were afraid and formed an opposition, if there was an elected Serbo-Croat leader the Bosnian-Muslims were afraid and formed an opposition.
Most of Bosnian wealth came from its land reform, expropriating Ottoman properties and forcing the Ottoman Empire to pay for population transfer. Also this kept the peasants happy.
Only some trade (Russian-Bulgarian investment) came through other countries, but that was dangerous.
Some proposed the need for stronger leadership in Bosnia, perhaps bringing in a Slavic prince from another nation (the issue was religion ...), perhaps opening up more economically, etc.
*******
[Aircraft, space and science fiction]
Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky was still interested in the idea of human travel beyond Earth, but at the moment that technology remained decades beyond what humanity possessed in 1892.
So Tsiolkovsky continued to work with the government on airplane development issues, receiving funds for the theoretical development of rocketry and aeronautics.
Tsiolkovsky received a salary to work in a government building in Kaluga, while he and his family lived in a home a few streets away, receiving some associated benefits such as medical plans for their children.
At the moment Tsiolkovsky was dedicated to the development of wind tunnels and aircraft design for the Russian Empire. The scientist was held in high esteem by the state and the scientific community, but the common people and the nobility regarded him rather as an eccentric.
The scientific developments of the Russian Empire, and in particular Tsiolkovsky as one of the fathers of rocketry (in addition to other ideas of the scientist, such as Russian cosmism) gave inspiration to Russian science fiction.
In fact Tsiolkovsky even wrote science fiction, for example 'On the Moon', published in 1893. But other writers such as Thaddeus Bulgarin, Vladimir Fedorovich Odoevsky or Valery Yakovlevich Bryusov also emerged.
The Imperatorskaya Gazeta published some stories of the science fiction genre, but there was also the publication of stories and magazines (independent of the Imperatorskaya Gazeta or the state) dedicated to the subject or scientific magazines that sometimes published science fiction.
Such is the case of the magazine Elektrichestvo (Electricity), Vokrug Sveta (Around the World) and others.
The first magazine published and dedicated exclusively to the subject of science fiction was Ural'skiy Sledopyt (Ural Pathfinder).
*******
[International]
July 4, there is a tripartite partition of Samoa, Kaiser Wilhelm II feels cheated after having decided to accept the claims of the United Kingdom on the Solomon Islands, but still having to cede part of Samoa to the United States.
Fortunately the Kaiser can put a German navy base in German Samoa and continue to press for his interests, but German foreign diplomacy continues to negatively alienate itself with the Anglo-Saxons.
From the 4th of July to the 18th of the same month, the British general elections take place, and the truth is that they are quite problematic. Unionist conservatives and liberals, as well as economic-aristocratic elites feel very threatened.
Liberal reformists and Irish nationalists rally behind William Ewart Gladstone, leading him to victory in the commons and eventually another term as Prime Minister.
In August the Marquis of Salisbury resigned.
As the relationship between Edward VII and his new Prime Minister deteriorates, Gladstone has the idea of pushing for another draft of the Irish Home Rule bill, which many conservatives and unionists are obviously opposed to.
On July 6, the Spain of Don Carlos VII continues trying to maintain its control over the Philippines, in this case arresting the philosopher, political activist and writer Dr. José Rizal, because he founded the Philippine League.
On the same day, July 6, in Homestead, United States, 300 agents of the Pinkerton agency (supposedly detectives) fight against striking steel workers, resulting in the death of 10 men.
The crushing of the strike will lead to the delay of union action, the maintenance of monopolies and harmful capitalist practices in industry, etc.
On July 13, the United International Bureau for the Protection of Intellectual Property (UIBPIP or BIRPI) was founded in Switzerland.
At the beginning of August, the first light bulbs are lit in Bulgaria and Montenegro.
On August 4, unfortunately after months of negotiations, the federalists of Rio Grande do Sul (politically under Gaspar da Silveira Martins and militarily under Gumersindo Saravia) and the Empire of Brazil under Isabel I (Prime Minister, Afonso Celso de Assis Figueiredo, the Viscount of Ouro Preto) do not reach an agreement against the Republic of the United States of Brazil (led by General Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca).
In part because of the no-compromise policies of the empress and hers prime minister, who collide against the federalists in their desire for constitutional change even though said federalists believe in the monarchy.
The civil war is still complicated, neither the Empire nor the federalists can economically with this burden, the empire only has the navy that is in decline due to economic issues, while the military republicans and oligarchs have problems regarding population control in the middle of the civil war (and they have to balance their business and economy with the British because of projects), etc.
So instead of focusing its attention on the south, the army takes as much territory as it can from the interior of Brazil in competition with the empire to take resources to sell.
The war is in decline and is costly for the Brazilian states, stagnation, diseases on the front lines and weather conditions do not help. The war itself is slowing down and coming to a halt.
On August 8, Emperor Meiji appoints Yamagata Aritomo as Prime Minister, a Prime Minister of the armed forces, more specifically of the Imperial Japanese Army.
The prime minister will suffer in his following years many assassination attempts by the Imperial Japanese Navy, the emperor politicized the conflict even more, but Yamagata Aritomo does nothing against the navy because he focuses more on other interests directed to diplomacy in 1894 .
August 18, William Ewart Gladstone gets his next term as Prime Minister.
On September 8, for the first time in the United States, the Pledge of Allegiance is published (the one designed by Francis Bellamy, not George T. Balch, in the magazine The Youth's Companion).
As a Christian socialist, Bellamy in sympathy with workers, women, and African Americans, uses "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all."
Something criticized by educational institutions in favor of segregation, but by certain interests of American nationalism (such as those of James B. Upham, marketer of the popular magazine The Youth's Companion) does not undergo changes.
September 9, Edward Emerson Barnard discovers Jupiter's third moon, Amalthea.
September 15, modern railroad cup holders appear on the railways of the Russian Empire at the initiative of Minister Sergei Witte.
Sometime in late September, women were admitted to Yale University for the first time.
*******
[Children of a friend]
Princess Stéphanie, daughter of King Leopold II of Belgium, visited the Congress of Poland where in addition to having some romantic affairs with a Polish count of Russia (she had already had one with a Polish count of Austria-Hungary before), Tsar Alexander III offered the possibility for Archduchess Elisabeth Marie Henriette Stephanie Gisela (born in 1883), daughter of Stéphanie and Rudolf I of Austria, to study in Russia.
Partly because of the friendship between the Russian Tsar and the late Austro-Hungarian kaiser, as well as concerns about the state of present-day Austria-Hungary, etc.
Stéphanie took this offer to Franz II of Austria-Hungary, who finally decided to accept, in essence getting rid of Stéphanie and Elisabeth from the Vienna court.
"Erzsi" then in essence was abandoned in Russia by her mother, with occasional visits from the Belgian ambassador to Russia, actually the Archduchess was cared for as a member of the Romanov family during her stay in Saint Petersburg.
Also from Galicia the bastard son of Rudolf I ended up in Russia by Princess Stéphanie, convincing the parents of the lover of her late husband.
The boy (born in 1889) was put under some surveillance, although he was not a priority.
*******
[Russian Soccer League: Quarter-finals]
7th edition of the Russian Soccer League.
* Baku vs Tomsk: Baku's team eliminates Tomsk's team by 2 to 0.
* Novo Arkhangelsk vs Saint Petersburg: The Saint Petersburg team eliminates Novo Arkhangelsk's team in a 3 to 1.