Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-39133133-20200408124334/@comment-35614398-20200414140058

UK Jan-Apr 1912

- A reinforcement of soldiers arrives at Hong Kong. Several riots are put down by force, whilst other protests are dissolved when police arrive. Critics of the riots point out the absence of a cause for the riots, and that the city could not survive on its own. Hong Kong governor Sir Frederick Lugard accuses the Japanese of an imperialist plot to take the city for itself.

- Debate amongst British high-ups over supporting the Swedish rebels. One faction believes gaining a pro-British ally in Sweden would be beneficial, whilst the other does not want to set a precedent for Britain's own royal family by supporting anti-monarchists. For now, the goverrnment is paralysed by indecision.

- A further twelve ships arrive in the Pacific from British Raj, reinforcing the Pacific Fleet stationed at Singapore. Amongst them are three dreadnoughts. A smaller force travels north from Australia to Hong Kong.

- A bill is passed outlawing the unregulated export of wheat from British Raj, putting an end to a major cause for famine in the colony. Meanwhile, a fundraising effort in the UK raises £500 for Indian aid (equivalent to £400,000 today, US$500,000).

- Prime Minister Lloyd-George meets with several major Korean-independence representatives. The British government together with these representatives condemns the annexation treaty as null and void: "The Japanese empire pressured Korea into signing this illegitimate treaty. The full text of the treaty was false and cannot be considered valid."

- National mourning for the loss of the Titanic.