Economy]
Russian railways and companies dedicated to this continue to grow, there is a particular development in the city of Rovno and nearby cities (Kovel, Zdolbunovo, etc) in the north-west of Malorossiya.
Over the next few years the Kovel line will expand to other cities such as Radziwills and Krasne.
Still more rail lines are being considered to connect European cities with the eastern regions of the Russian Empire as the Trans-Siberian rail project progresses.
Military-industrial development also continues to advance as military engineer V. A. Pashkevich develops Russia's first wind tunnel.
The Pashkevich wind tunnel aims to test ballistics (projectiles) that are soon put to use for the scientific development of Makarov shells for the navy.
Speaking of the agrochemical sector of Russia begins to grow exponentially as the first Russian chemical fertilizers begin to be sold abroad, patented by the father of the Russian periodic table Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev.
At first, sales were low but an increase in its popularity (due to its use) caused an increase in sales, a demand that with the original functions could not be carried out (since the fertilizer was available mainly for Russian agriculture and some surplus).
The increase in sales allowed and focused a considerable re-investment in the sector for greater production and export abroad.
Its use also continued to grow in Russia of course, as a class of peasant farmers grew up much better prepared for intensive agriculture.
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[Sports culture: Round of 16]
In the absence of a previous occurrence, the first Russian Soccer League was held in the city of Saint Petersburg (at the end of the day the city was the capital and the entire event was promoted by the government of Tsar Alexander III, based in the city of Peter the Great at that time). The streets were packed, there were people crowding to see or at least hear the results, cheap merchandise from the teams being sold, food stalls, etc.
The first matches of the round of 16 were decided by a random draw, witnessed by the emperor himself.
Speaking of the emperor, he and his immediate family (Empress Maria Feodorovna, Tsesarevich Nicholas, and Grand Duke Alexander) were placed on a private balcony to watch the first matches.
Tsar Alexander III held his youngest son, while for Nicholas Alexandrovich he was seated between his parents, leaning closer to see on that balcony.
"This is going to be an important match." The emperor announces.
"Why? It's just football ..." Tsesarevich Nicholas is the first to answer.
"There is a lot of pride at stake son." The emperor exclaims stroking the head of his first-born son, the flags of the Warsaw team and the flags of the St. Petersburg team were flying in large crowds that day.
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The most anticipated match of the round of 16 was the Saint Petersburg-Warsaw match, notably due to the support of the Poles for their only team to make it to the League. The Russians on the other hand had to defend the team of their capital against such a rival.
St. Petersburg won with four goals, Warsaw scored three.
Among other parties were.
Smolensk-Yuriev.
Omsk-Riga.
Arkhangelsk-Moscow.
Helsinki-Kharkov.
Chita-Kiev.
Vladivostok-Novosibirsk.
Perm-Murmansk.
Smolensk-Yuriev was probably the most embarrassing match, not because of cheating or the like but Yuriev lost 2-8 against Smolensk.
Kharkov defeated the Helsinki team 9-4.
Omsk beat the city of Riga 6-2.
Arkhangelsk beat the Moscow team 2-1, the second most anticipated match of the round of 16.
Kiev beat the city of Chita 1-0.
Vladivostok defeated the rival Siberian team from Novosibirsk 2 to 1.
Murmansk defeated the Perm team 2-0.
So those who went to the quarterfinals went.
* Murmansk.
* Saint Petersburg.
* Vladivostok.
* Smolensk.
* Kharkov.
* Omsk.
* Arkhangelsk.
* Kiev.
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[Central Asia: Skobelev expedition to Geok Tepe]
General Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev's plan was to inflict a decisive blow on the Turkmen, more specifically on the Tekints and one of the largest Turkmen tribal groups in the Turkmenistan region that inhabited the Akhal-Teke or Ahal oasis.
The Tekintsy, for their part, defended the Dengil-Tepe (or Geok-Tepe) fortress.
The fortress was defended by a total of 20-25 thousand men.
The wells, roads and the characteristics of the geographical region were watched and checked by Skobelev himself before the assault on the Geok-Tepe fortress.
On January 12 at noon, General Skobelev and his troops launched the attack on the Turkmen fortress, destroying the eastern wall that allowed easy access to the Russian troops. The column led by Colonel Alexei Nicolaevich Kuropatkin attacked while Lieutenant Colonel Naum Kasyanovich Gaidarov took the western wall.
The Tekintsy offered resistance but could not escape through the northern passage, some tried but General Skobelev pursued them for 15 miles before finally finishing them, causing the death of 20 to 25 thousand Turkmen in the expedition.
5000 women and children from the fortress were taken prisoner, 500 Persian-slaves were freed, and booty worth 6 million rubles was taken.
Kuropatkin was sent to take Konjikala-Askhabad, succeeding about six days later, on January 18. The Russian army then traveled north, disarming and returning the Turkmen population to the oases.
This population was completely disarmed, making a call to pacify the population, which was effective in the pacification of the transcaspian possessions of the Russian Empire.
The Russian state sent offers to the Merv oases and the Pendinsky oasis in the Kushka River Valley, demanding their surrender. The oasis of Merv and Pedisnky accepted.
General Alexander Vissarionovich Komarov, a major general, was put in charge of the new Russian regions to establish order and lower crime rates (abnormally high in Merv for that time).
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"Some Anglo-Saxon foreigners suggest that we should ... 'license' General Mikhail Skobelev ... remove him from command rather." War Minister Dmitry Milyutin exclaims to Emperor Alexander III.
"Why?" The Tsar asks.
"Due to the massacre of just over 20,000 Turkmen, some have also declared certain ... ambition and delusions of grandeur. However, none of our own men have declared that, so I would not take them seriously." Minister Milyutin mentions.
"If we had to fire generals for committing massacres, I would have to fire you first, Milyutin, we will not listen to such statements." Emperor Alexander III said simply, a somewhat dark little joke.
"Yes, the British are only jealous of our success in Central Asia. Speaking of which, the General Staff has been discussing proposals for fortifications and development in the new territory." Minister Milyutin exclaims bringing some papers.
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Commander Skobelev was promoted to infantry general, he was sent to White Russia (Minsk) for the training and preparation of infantry and cavalry troops.
In the new Russian Turkmenistan plans were prepared for the Trans-Caspian Railway, where in addition the construction of fortresses began (such as Askhabad at the old Konjikala post and the Kushka fortress, named after the river).
Turkmenistan's economic development would take place in the following decades.
Thomas George Baring, Viceroy of India, despite the concerns of his British peers, would rather have a more diplomatic approach to bringing Sher Ali Khan, Amir of Afghanistan into the British "sphere" (preferably actually have him as a buffer state between the British Raj and Russian Central Asia).
Prime Minister Gladstone MAY hear it, or not ...
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[International]
Japan under the Meiji Emperor adopts the Gregorian calendar, they also initiate military reforms based on the French model but due to the Japanese debt they are somewhat behind the original plans of the Meiji Emperor and the members of the Japanese armed forces.
In the United States, President Ulysses S. Grant is sworn in for the second time in March.
In February when Grant was not yet sworn in, a new coinage law was enacted (to be applied on April 1) that will convert the United States to the gold standard (abandoning bimetallism).
On February 11, the Spanish courts on the other hand, faced with the obvious ineptitude of their ruler, King Leopold I of Spain and motivated by Emilio Castelar (Minister of Foreign Affairs), began a vote to decide whether to depose King Leopold and form a Spanish Republic or not.
For his part, the German has obviously tried to send an ultimatum to the Spanish courts against this vote, but it is obvious that Spain is too much for the Spanish king and his Portuguese wife to control. With this ultimatum comes the last request for help to the king's homeland, the German Empire.
The idea of a "liberal" republic (described in the words of Leopold I) has seriously alerted German conservatives in politics and the military, who are finally demanding a German intervention on the side of Leopold I. To which German diplomacy still stands. denies.
On February 12, the Cortes voted to depose the monarchy (with all the political problems that it entails), King Leopold tries to use the army to restore order in Madrid but various regiments oppose this order, remaining faithful to the Spanish Republic. .
King Leopold and his wife escape to Portugal when Juan Prim joins the decision of the Cortes for the proclamation of the Spanish Republic, without the prior abdication of Leopold I. The formation of a government of all political parties was proposed but some republicans, monarchists and a large part of the Carlists refused.
The formation of the constitution would not occur until June 1873, where the federals, despite their majority in the Constituent Courts, were already divided into three different groups:
The "intransigentes" formed the left and supported the Cortes to declare themselves in a Convention, assuming all the powers of the State to build the Federal Republic as cantons (the cantonal movement) or states and from these to federal power, and they also defended the introduction of social reforms that would improve the living conditions of the fourth state. This sector of the federal republicans did not have a clear leader, although they recognized José María Orense as their 'patriarch' (other key figures were Nicolás Estévanez, Francisco Díaz Quintero, generals Juan Contreras and Blas Pierrad, or the writers Roque Barcia and Manuel Fernández Herrero).
The "centrists" led by Francisco Pi y Margall agreed with the intransigents that the objective was to build a federal republic but from top to bottom, that is, first they had to draw up the federal constitution and then proceed to the formation of cantons or federated states. .
The "moderates" constituted the right of the Chamber and were led by Emilio Castelar and Nicolás Salmerón (Eleuterio Maisonnave and Buenaventura Abárzuza Ferrer stood out). They defended the formation of a democratic Republic that would accommodate all the liberal options, so they rejected the conversion of the Cortes into a revolutionary power and agreed with the Pimargalians that the priority of the Cortes was to approve the new constitution. They constituted the largest group although there were certain differences between the followers of Castelar, who were in favor of conciliation with the radicals and the constitutionalists to include them in the new regime, and the followers of Salmerón who advocated that the Republic should only be based on the alliance of the "old" republicans.
The moderate model was the French Republic, while the hardliners and centrists-Pimargalians wanted a Swiss or American model in the federal structure.
In Germany, given the slow action of the government (to be honest, the Courts voted in just 1 day, so even if they wanted to, Bismarck and Wilhelm I did not have much time for an action plan) a voluntary German legion was formed to go support to King Leopold I in an attempt to retake the Spanish throne.
On the 26th of March the Dutch, even in certain political problems, move to the conquest of one of the western regions to the Dutch East Indies.
This region is the Sultanate of Aceh, although its name is actually Kingdom of Aceh Darussalam led by the 34th Sultan of Aceh, Sultan Alauddin Mahmud Syah II.
With the military expedition surviving until the end of March, Sultan Alauddin Mahmud Syah II has asked Russia for help in defending the Aceh Sultanate. The Sultan's first exact request has not survived intact to modern times.
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[Aceh-Russia relationship]
"Geographically, it is theoretically possible, but it doesn't give us any advantage in the region, the Dutch East Indies are much better established." Foreign Minister Gorchakov mentioned at the request of the Sultan of Aceh.
"Do you think he is going to ask other countries for help?" Tsar Alexander III asks curiously.
"Yes, but I doubt they will answer in the affirmative, the British have no reason to fight with the Dutch over Aceh, and the Germans do not have a fleet for such a mission ... yet." Minister Gorchakov adds.
"We are going to send him some money and old weapons, there is nothing formal yet." Emperor Alexander III responds.
"I understand, but. From where?" Minister Gorchakov insists.
"Can we convince some Siamese to help?" The emperor proposes.
Ivan Alekseevich Shestakov of the Pacific Fleet delivered the supplies to some natives of the Kingdom of Siam (the Rattanakosin Kingdom) for their transfer to Aceh.
The move was successful, with some exchange gifts from the Sultan of Aceh to the Russians.
This exchange was little heard in Europe, in reality the talks between Aceh and Russia were little heard around the world and for several years, the reason for the loss of several diplomatic records between both states belonging to the decades following 1873.