The Clockwinder’s office received this via aetheric courier this morning from one of our sources in Caledon City:
DATELINE STEAMLANDER FORUMS, Nov 24. CALEDON GUVNAH THREATENS WAR ON MAINLAND AT OFFICIAL GATHERING STOP RIEL OF NEW TOULOUSE EXPRESSES SUPPORT PLEDGES NEUTRALITY STOP NONINTERVENTION OF BABBAGE FORCES TAKEN FOR GRANTED STOP DETAILS SKETCHY CASUS BELLI UNKNOWN END MESSAGE
Our assets in Caledon are investigating. When details are better known the Clockwinder will make a statement.
– Cleanslate, Maceholder’s Office
War with the “mainland” o.O thats a bit on the non descript side…which mainland?
Sounds like it may be time to make a few calls. Nonintervention?
*puts on coat and walks to City Hall*
Have they finally had enough of the bling bimbos invading?
are we allies, will we assist? am i old enough to go to war?
War, yes? That worked out well for my people, maybe it will be as productive now.
* begins preparing her sub with enough canned goods and water to last a while *
Oh my! does Babbage even have a standing army? Ah know of the militia and the automaton guard but both of those are civil defence aren’t they?
Ah like the sound of this, will Caledon plan a “Babbage Volanteers” for people who wanna sign up even though Babbage ain’t joining in….
Ah’d ave to ask the Baron and he’d proberbly say no though
Don’t think we got a standing army, Clara, they all went over to the CocoJava an sat down fer a drink!
Ain’t keen on wars meself, an i been in a few, means ya gotta shoot blokes you ain’t even met, an they have ter shoot at you, tain’t right…..
I don’t know what Caledon is planning yet, but I say that no son or daughter of New Babbage should go into harm’s way following a foriegn officer. Should New Babbage go to war, they should be led by one of their own.
My concern is if Caledon has turned it’s eye to the mainland for conquest, who is to say that they won’t look to our shores for the same?
I agree with the commodore!
If the big fleet of caledon is on the run, who tells us, they don’t change their direction?
And would Babbage be prepared to defend our homeland?
Are there plans for city defense?
In my eyes we should have our eyes open and increase the patrols of our navy and air chorp.
Manoeuvre of the diffrent groups of militia would also be a good idea, just to be prepared.
And what about our allies like new toulouse? What would we do, if they ask us for protection?
Does babbage have secret agents in caledon, that will post us the newest facts?
Which mainland? Victor is right, this is no description.
Caledon and NewBabbage have dissimilar interests, and while the mainland may have a certain reputation among the citizens of our properous metropolis, it certainly has given us no pretext of war.
On the contrary, we should look at this as an opportunity for improvement. Caledonian refugees would make a fine source of labour for cleaning the canals.
I would like to clarify that I expressed to the New Taloosters that I have no idea what New Babbage’s position will be on this. I mentioned that it is possible that New Babbage could become involved, as there are some residents who enjoy land, air and sea skirmishes. However, I did express that this was a total guess on my part. I do not know for sure what will happen, when nor how.
There is only one person who can give you the ultimate answer, and he is likely off winding clocks atm. ;-) I do know that Mr. Tenk does not make light decisions, and that he carefully weighs all options when forming them.
Also, I did not say that Babbage and Caledon would become allies. I believe I used the word “involved”, and that could possibly manifest in many ways.
New Babbage is top rate in everything it does, and that will remain the case no matter what happens, war or no war. Babbage involvement or no involvement. Look at where Babbage came out in RFL totals… Just sayin’ ;-)
Thank you, Madam Riel, for the clarification. Clearly, the preliminary news we received was propaganda, of a sort, suggesting that Caledon, for all its might, is wary of Babbage’s disproportionate potential to thwart its plans. About which it is correct, of course. Land area is unimportant when it comes to the ability to focus and project political will, an area in which we sootily excel.
I, however, am less concerned about the threat from Caledon per se than about the idea that our sibling nation might shoulder us aside and claim dominion over the Mainland for itself. Clearly, that larger nation practices an altogether different variety of Civilization – one far too rose-scented, title-laden, and … well … CLEAN for our taste. If we choose to remain inactive in the coming contest, I can foresee an unhappy day when the heathen peoples of the Dismal Continents view Caledon as the epitome of steampunkiness – perhaps the only Steamland of which they have heard. Frankly, the thought turns my blood cold.
In my past visits to the Mainland, I have seen things that would make any civilized Person shudder. Chaotic, primitive noOb kingdoms … cities built around depraved venues for suggestive dancing and shameless carnality … seemingly infinite varieties of lascivious native costumes … and WAY too many Bad Builds. Hardly any areas of this forsaken land even know the blessings of the Steamy Sciences, there being virtually no Pivoting Newcomen Engines or Reciprocating Cavorite Turbines to be seen.
We need not do this through military might, but through the strength of our Ideas. Surely, with such vast tracts of virgin land out there, the opportunities for conflict with the other Steamlands will be minimal. While we would not shrink from it should it be forced upon us, we need not view this as a military challenge.
I have heard it expressed – and have become sympathetic to the position – that a burden has been placed upon our shoulders. It is a duty to which we come not lightly, but out of an obligation to ourselves and our sooty, industrious, inventive way of life. It is becoming clear to me that our City has a sacred duty towards the Denizens of the Dismal Continents – to BRING THEM TO STEAM.
I shall advise Tenk accordingly, and I urge you, my fellow citizens, to do the same.
– Cleanslate
If interatction with the savage lands is something that would be advantageous for our folk, even if only to prevent a Caledonian hedgemony, might I suggest an alternate approache.
Our military, such as it is, consists only of forces sufficient to protect us. It would take time to field a sufficient force, even if we had the means to do so. But we do have a different strength, one that could be far more easily fielded, and perhaps offer hope and uplift to those in the Mainlands. To wit: The Church. We could indeed, with the church’s blessing, field a church and a team of missionaries to each of the mainland continents. It is easier to win over minds by making those minds better, than to hold onto a beachhead by force.
Babbage has been neutral when past war-like things have happened, if I remember correctly. Of course, its up to Tenk if it stays that way or not, but neutral is just fine with me. Why jump into a war we aren’t involved in, and side with the aggressors no less?
Make inventions, not war!
I think this is a very serious situation. How do you behave in such cases? There’s an assembly of New Babbage’s representatives, to make decisions that can speak for everyone?
I believe that the Progress of the Steam is something that needs to testify on his behalf. What is virtuous, talks and convinces by himself, without the need for guns. This, I think should be the ultimate reason for the existence of New Babbage.
So, my dear fellow-citizen, I hope that we will decide to declare, not our “Neutrality“, neither our “Non-Intervention” purpose, but our absolutely Faith in the Peace.
Because the attitude of the Steam is to go up to Heaven.
New Babbage has always prided itself on breaking new ground. The Dismal Lands contain vast regions ripe for the breaking, as it were.
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Steamweaver apparently prepared this based on third-hand accounts mentioned in DeHoutman’s Atlas of 183#. No clue as to its accuracy. Our first order of business, it would seem, might be to fill in the gaps in our knowledge of the areas in question. Until then, how can we know if it is worthwhile becoming involved at all?