Gaduridos

[conlib]

Company Forces To Observe Vorona

Fotheringhay City, Williamsbourne. Hours after the totalitarian leader known as Thule came to power in Vorona, the Executive Cabinet of the Imperial East Terra Company met for a special meeting in Raleigh, New Wessex. The discussions are believed to have centred around how The Company should react to the threat posed by the new regime to the IETC's plans to establish trading posts along the East Coast of Terraincognita. Chief Factor, Thomas Barnes, has announced that a small carrier group will be deployed to 'observe the intentions of the new Anglo-Deltarian regime and, if necessary, establish a defensive screen around the small island nation.'


Chief Factor Thomas Barnes in the uniform of Commander Imperial Company Naval Forces, wants to deter any aggression from the new Angle-Deltarian regime.

The carrier group is thought to be led by Commodore Sutermeister who will be based on the small carrier IETCS Royal Sovereign. The group will comprise of Royal Sovereign, 6 Type 45 Destroyers, 10 Fotheringhay Class Frigates, 4 Pauk Class Corvettes, 6 Sonya Class Minesweepers, 6 Astute Class submarines and 12 Vintalli Class Fast missile boats. Barnes has said that this deployment, 'represents the single largest deployment of Company forces since our establishment over 20 years ago - I do not want the new Anglo-Deltarian regime to be under any illusion that The Company is under any obligation to be submissive towards their totalitarian state.' While The Company does not seek conflict with Anglo-Deltaria, the deployment of naval forces in addition to an expansion of naval construction orders seeks to prevent any escalation of aggression from the former Archduchy.

Gaduridos and Anglo-Deltaria compared

Gaduridos and Fotheringhay

GDP: 49.7 trillion GAD
Debt/Surplus every year: +200 billion GAD
% GDP total Debt: 0%
Population: 456.7 million
Defence Expenditure: 3.9 trillion GAD
% GDP Debt: 0%

Anglo-Deltaria

GDP: 30.9 trillion GAD
Debt/Surplus every year: -30.9 trillion
% GDP total Debt: Greater than 3000%
Population: 10.6 million
Defence Expenditure: 1.8 trillion GAD*


* According to Imperial Company economic analysts, Anglo-Deltaria possesses a crippling debt which requires it to borrow its entire GDP every year in order to fund its public spending programmes. The problem for the tiny island nation is that the country has been borrowing excessively for decades which has led our analysts to suggest that it is only capable of paying the interest on its loans leaving it no capital to invest into defence either to maintain even a tiny standing armed force or to buy new equipment. The amount of debt in Anglo-Deltaria has thus been calculated to at the very least exceed 30 times the country's GDP. The Financial Director of the IETC, Valentino DiMarcio, has said that 'Anglo Deltaria do not pose any economic or military threat to our forces or our country - they have riddled themselves in massive and outrageous levels of debt in order to artificially improve their GDP so that they now have no real chance of recovery. Mr Thule can certainly not follow through with the kinds of threats that he has been making towards The Company lately - he can thank his predecessor, the Duchess of Verona, for his impossible financial position.'

[conlib]

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[Captain-Socialist]

OOC: Errrm, have you looked at the map of colonial holdings? There is no such thing as Terraincognita, it was all colonised ages ago. I mean, you've just occupied Luthorian territory!

[Alexei]

OOC: And Talmori land, and Hanzen land. And you've plopped a trading post smack in the middle of Sekowo.

[JuliaAJA]

Gaduri Purple Catholic Church Newsletter/Gaduri Catholic Church Newsletter

Purple Dinosaur Society Forms Coalition With Other Monarchist and Religious Organizations

The Purple Dinosaur Society is forming a coalition with the Order of San Nicolas, and many smaller groups. The coalition will be called the Native Monarchist Society and will be lead by Paulo Vintalliev of the Yuerta Tribe.

Gaduri Purple Catholic Church and Gaduri Catholic Church Discuss Merger

The Terran Catholic Church member, the Gaduri Catholic Church, and the independent Gaduri Purple Catholic Church have been in talks about a merger and have come to an agreement to merge, now they await approval by the Terran Catholic Church. If the merger goes through, the post-merger Gaduri Catholic Church would take control of all Terran Catholic Churches in Gaduridos as opposed to the current situation in which they only control those which have chosen to join. The Church will also be contacting the Terran Orthodox Church and Terran Lutheran Church to discuss mergers with their Gaduri counterparts, they have expressed that their decisions will follow the decision of the TCC.

Distributed Internationally by the Royal Kafuri Company, Cranberry News Channel, and the Terran Catholic Church.

[conlib]

Loyal Kingdom Mourns Death of Emperor
The death of a Sovereign who ruled our Company Protectorate since its establishment

Lerna, Pontesi. A message was this morning recieved by Winston Howe, IET Company Director of External Affairs, from the Imperial Palace in Lerna, capital of the Pontesian Dynastic Empire, announcing the sudden death of Emperor William II. Immediately after this communique was recieved, the death of the Emperor of the Pontesian Empire and King of Gaduridos and Fotheringhay, was broadcast to a shocked nation. William II has acted as sovereign to Gaduridos since the inception of the Imperial East Terra Company Protectorate over these lands - almost 30 years.

Chief Factor of The Company, Thomas M Barnes, stated that, 'Emperor William II will be, for the young generations, the only Head of State they will have ever known and so this day will mark the end of a significant era in their lives. For those who have resided in this nation for over thirty years and who still remember the poverty, repression and destitution of the banana republic before William II, this day marks the end of the beginning of a prosperous and free chapter in Gaduridosi history. The King is dead. Long live the Queen.'

Flags across the nation have been flown at half mast and many city, town and village squares have been filled with grateful citizens - joining together to mourn the death of a benevolent King who dearly loved Gaduridos. Princess Sopie, the eldest of William's two daughters, shall be declared Empress of Pontesi and Queen of Gaduridos within the next few months.

[conlib]

Barnes Knighted in Pontesi

Lerna, Pontesi. The Chief Factor of the Imperial East Terra Company, Thomas Matthew Barnes, today recieved a Knighthood from the Pontesian Empress, Sophie I. THe Pontesian honour was in recognition of the Chief Factor's, 'contribution to the growth of the Loyal Kingdom of Gaduridos and Fotheringhay and in recognition of his service to Emperor William II and the Imperial East Terra Company' . Barnes, who has been Chief Factor in Gaduridos and Fotheringhay for the entirity of The Company's 30 year presence in Gaduridos, said that he felt 'greatly privilidged to recieve recognition of what has become a passionate life work for me and for my colleagues.' Sir Thomas also responded to questions over his own future with the Company, stating that he 'has no intention to leave Gaduridos and Fotheringhay or The Company until I am certain that we have achieved our ambition of creating a country firmly settled into a routine of prosperity, stability and civilisation.'


Chief Factor Sir Thomas Barnes (right) talks to a Pontesian Government Official (left) before the honour ceremony in the Royal Palace, Lerna.

[conlib]

Company Ships Seize Mordusian Naval Slave Vessel

Crowmarsh Gifford, Fotheringhay Island. Company warships have reportedly seized a Mordusian Naval vessel carrying thousands of slaves after it mistakenly sailed into Gaduridosi waters. Imperial East Terra Company Ships Audacious, Duke of Fotheringhay and Collossus were on routine anti-piracy patrols just off the coast of Fotheringhay Island when the Lynx helicopter from IETCS Audacious discovered and challenged an unknown RADAR contact. The observer of the helicopter reported back to the patrol group that the contact was in fact a Mordusian-flagged troop ship, HMS Grace. Commodore Delamere, Commander of Company Naval Forces in the Fotheringhay Channel, ordered the three Company vessels to 'intercept, surround, board and if resisted, fire upon HMS Grace.' Despite the Mordusian ship's attempt to leave Gaduridosi sovereign waters, the superior speed of the frigate and destroyer patrol force prevented escape.


Mordusian Navy troop ship (far) being escorted to Crowmarsh Gifford Naval Base by IETCS Audacious (foreground)

A boarding party comprising 46 armed Company Officers and ratings, supported by the force's three helicopters, were deployed in fast RIBs to interrogate the Captain and ship's company of HMS Grace. Some of the boarding force are said to have been physically sickened by what they discovered onboard the Mordusian vessel. 'Thousands of people sat stifling in the sweaty heat and putrefying mass of their own excrement' said Company Lieutenant Hardwicke. Others reported slaves being 'hanged by their arms and legs in some form of barbaric and obscene punishment ritual.' The Chief Factor, Sir Thomas Barnes, was interrupted during his bath and told of the slaving ship's presence in Gaduridosi waters. The order was immediately given to arrest the crew, seize the ship and accompany the Grace to Crowmarsh Gifford naval base. A senior source within the Company Executive commented that, 'the Chief Factor was made fully aware of the possible political impact the seizure of HMS Grace may have on relations with Mordusia but he was adamant that it is our moral and legal duty to put an end to slavery in all of its forms - in that view he is resoundly supported by his Cabinet.'


Map of the area – red dot denotes the position where HMS Grace intruded into Gaduridosi waters. The proximity of the Gaduridos and Mordusia concerns some who believe the situation may destabilise the region.
Chief Factor, Sir Thomas Barnes, made a short statement this evening to ‘legitimate our response to the intrusion of a foreign slave ship into our waters. The abhorrence of slavery, the inhumanity of the Mordusian Government towards her own people and the gross violation of individual freedoms is reason enough to seize the crew. Our obligations to the Emancipation Treaty though, demand and oblige us take action against slavery wherever it occurs. We are thus looking to the Mordusians to grant freedom to those slaves imprisoned on HMS Grace and for that Government to review its policy regarding slavery.’ Naval, Air and Army forces of the Imperial East Terra Company are tonight being mobilised against any threats posed by the Mordusian armed forces.’

[conlib]

Barnes Defiant after Mordusia Issues Ultamatum

Raleigh, New Wessex. The Mordusian Prime Minister, William Tvarivich, has presented an ultimatum to the Executive Cabinet of The Imperial East Terra Company. The Mordusian Government has given The Company just 12 hours to return the crew of HMS Grace which was seized earlier today just off the coast of Fotheringhay. Tvarivich has deemed the actions of the Company Naval forces an ‘act of war’ and has threatened ‘further action on this matter’ if the ultimatum is not adhered to. Chief Factor of The Company, Sir Thomas Barnes, stated this evening that he would be informing the Pontesian Dynastic Empire and fellow members of NATO that their assistance maybe required in the event of a further deterioration in relations with Mordusia. Barnes dismissed the ultimatum as the ‘act of a desperate thug who neither has the strength nor the law on his side.’


Chief Factor Sir Thomas Barnes (centre) with Commander Naval Intelligence (left) at an anti-slavery demonstration organised to welcome Mordusian slaves to Gaduridos. The slaves were driven through the city of Crowmarsh Gifford on their way to a temporary holding camp. Banners read: 'Welcome, freedmen of Mordusia'.

The Chief Legal Officer of the Imperial East Terra Company has refuted claims by the Mordusian Prime Minister that ‘Mordusia does not nor will it ever participate in the slave trade.’ Speaking at the Chief Factor’s Country Residence in New Wessex, Humphrey Tavistock launched a tirade against Mordusia’s ‘utter contempt for humanity’ and scorned their attempts to ‘legitimise their slave pits full of men, women and children under some flimsy and utterly misguided technicality.’ Tavistock, who has advised the Chief Factor and Executive Cabinet for 15 years on legal issues, stated that the definition of the ‘slave trade’ is , ‘the practice or pursuit of forcefully removing all independent rights of an individual without compensation or salary and demanding through the use of force or intimidation, labour or work that is outside of normal employment laws.’ The implication of using such a definition is that The Company does not differentiate between vessels exporting and importing slaves for profit with those that are transporting or holding slaves for other purposes. Internal Affairs Director, Pedro Fernandez, commented that ‘the very fact that this ship was transporting slaves for the commercial advantage of Mordusia clearly leads any right thinking person to the conclusion that the government of that country is engaging in some form of slave trade regardless of any false technicality they may use.’


Safe and well: Mordusian officers and ratings from HMS Grace. Sir Thomas has guaranteed their safety.

To complicate matters further, the Mordusian-Gaduri Peace Agreement of 2447 binds both nations into a non-aggression pact and demands that both nations ‘respect each other’s right to sovereignty’. Chief Factor Sir Thomas Barnes believes that the 2447 agreement vindicates his government’s response to the intrusion of a Mordusian warship into Gaduridosi sovereign waters. Barnes stated that, ‘The Imperial East Terra Company is fully within its rights to seize any vessel and arrest any crew that strays or intrudes upon her sovereign waters as laid down in the Law of the Sea. The Mordusian-Gaduri agreement establishes the obligation of both countries to respect the sovereignty of the other. The Mordusian ship undermined that promise and so we have a right to interrogate her crew.’

[Mr.Yankees]

Vice President Lincoln urges diplomatic solution to the conflict between Mordusia and Gaduridos

Port Andalay, Andalay (LCN)- In a statement released this morning, Vice President and Chairman of the Council of NATO, Kathryne Lincoln III, urged Mordusia and Gaduridos to "pursue a diplomatic solution to their disagreements." The statement went on to say that she "will soon meet with NATO officials to discuss the situation."

Analysts believe that the main topic to discuss is not the conflict itself but the legal ramifications of supporting Gaduridos. Gaduridos is currently a part of the Pontesian Empire, a member of NATO. However, Gaduridos's legislature has not ratified NATO's Charter. That, according to many, will create a great debate between NATO officials. The Office of the Vice President did not return our calls asking for comments on the issue.

The Office of the President also released a statement saying: "President Kynes echoes the statement by Vice President Lincoln. This is a very tense situation between Mordusia and Gaduridos but diplomacy must prevail at all times. Lodamun encourages both parties to sit down to talk and not let anger and irrationality take over. War is not a solution here; diplomacy is. The President will meet this afternoon with his Security Council to discuss the ongoing situation between the two countries. He will also get in contact with NATO officials to get their take on the matter." No further comments were released.

The President's Security Council, which by law advises the President and authorizes any declaration of war, consists of the Vice-President, Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister, Internal Affairs Minister, and Justice Minister.