The World in 1895

[Esichs]

Yes, thats specifically the parts I just got done reading over the other day.
While it is declining, it hasn't yet at the time disappeared...and it never truly does. Having lived in the western states most of my life, and now currently living in Alaska, I can speak form personal experience and say that "Cowboys" never died. The general life of a cowboy has vanished from most of the west, but in some parts of the US, in almost every state you're guaranteed to find the "cow boy" in general still alive.

[LabrnMystic]

I was curious when this thread was going to get some activity again.

I'm afraid my current set of classes isn't involved with the Victorian time, other than the mention of corsets in my 3D art class regarding textiles.

However, when I get into the history classes, I'll be sure to contribute. ^^;
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[Xebulon]

As always, your contributions are welcome Labrn.
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[duo2nd]

My Gawd. I've been gone for about 5 months and I see some new info ahead. Especially the Civil War.

[Xebulon]

Welcome back Duo, I was beginning to wonder. Are you referring to the American civil war? If so, that was over long before 1895.
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[JohnnyPsycho]

Sadly this thread hasn't seen much use lately. I was hoping Kommy would come back to give us a history lesson about Meiji-Era Japan, which is actually a pretty interesting period of transition from old customs to new ideas in Japan. I'd be tempted to add something, but sadly anything I'd add would come directly from what I learned from watching the Rurouni Kenshin anime and Wikipedia...
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[kommy]

Ah, I would. But I'm working two jobs, being a grad student, and trying to participate in a tabletop campaign. And I'm not sure I have time for the last one, working 7 days a week as I am.

I'll see what I can do Memorial Day, though.
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[JohnnyPsycho]

Heh, you sound like a friend of mine... he's in grad school, works in a university lab, has roughly two RPGs he participates in regularly every week, and he's got a girlfriend...

That's okay, kommy, take your time. In the meantime, I suggest anyone interested in learning more about Japan in the later half of the 1800s watch Rurouni Kenshin and its various OVAs and movies.[/plug]


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[Marauder]

Well I could post a little bit on the state of the U.S. Army at the time if anybody is interested.
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[JohnnyPsycho]

that sounds interesting... I know we have at least one Union soldier in our ranks now...
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[Aaron_Thom]

Even though this thread hasn't been in use for a while I'm still going to add my bit. I noticed Marauder talking about the U.S. Army during this time. I wouldn't mind hearing about that. I'm a military history freak. So if anyone has any history about the U.S. Army then I'll be glad to hear about it. Heck I'll be glad to hear about other nation's military as well. Sadly I'm not too familar with this time peroid so any little bit of history would be nice.

My area of study as always been the American Civil War. Might not be a good idea to get me on that subject...as much as I like the talking about the Civil War I might talk your ear off
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[duo2nd]

I'm all ears.

[Aaron_Thom]

Heh I would duo but sadly this thread is about 1895 not 1860 to 1865. Others wise I would talk about what little I know. I say little because no one can ever trully know everything about the past. Thats one reason I like history, because something new always pops up.
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[JohnnyPsycho]

Okay, it's been a long time since anyone has posted anything in here, and now might be the right time to bring it up again.

I've noticed a large number of fursonas in here who are involved in the military or are transplants from the much rougher American "Wild West" (myself included). It goes without saying that a popular "accessory" for soldiers, cowboys, and gamblers is a handgun of some sort. Still, while most folks are simply happy with a generic "six-shooter" or even a derringer, I feel it's probably prudent to take a look at the technology of firearms in the late 1800's. Perhaps it will help some folks get a clearer idea of what was available at the time and create more detailed descriptions of their characters.

I found a pretty extensive list of firearms availible in that period in history on a GURPS resource page.
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/High-Tech/victorian_guns.html
Beyond information useful only to game mechanics, it does include some useful information such as the number of shots in the gun (not all revolvers were six-shooters, and many rifles varied greatly in the number of rounds they could hold) and the year in which each one was first manufactured.

To make things easier, I'm going to focus on a few of the more recognizable names in historical firearms:

Colt Army Model 1860: A true Civil War era weapon, and one of the most widely used revolvers during the war, practically an antique by the standards of the 1890's. Was loaded with .44 calibur paper cartidges (the precursor to the modern metal-jacketed cartidges). They were also front-loading weapons (also called "muzzle-loading"), though that only meant the powder and bullets were loaded at the front end of the revolving chamber, not the full length of the barrel. A similar weapon developed a year later, the Colt Navy Model 1861, used paper-wrapped .36 calubur rounds and was sometimes prefered by officers for having less recoil than the "Army" revolver.
Colt M1860 "Army"
Colt M1861 "Navy"

Colt Single Action Army: Developed in 1873 to replace the Model 1860, this is the most famous of "Wild West" guns. Loaded with .45 calibur, rim-fire metal cartridges, it often went by the name "Peacemaker". It would gain notoriety as a gun of choice for such lawmen as Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. A special, long-barreled version, known as the Colt Buntline Special, is often attributed to Dime Novelist Ned Buntline, who is said to have presented special-made revolvers with 12-inch barrels to Earp and other lawmen. Whether or not the extra-long barrel had any effect on the accuracy of the weapon is up for debate.
Standard Colt Single Action Army.
Colt Buntline Special

Smith & Wesson No. 3 Revolver: Also known by it's more famous name Schofield No. 3 Revolver, in which it is named after Major George W. Schofield of the 10th Cavalry, who is said to have been instrumental to both its development and its introduction to the U.S. Army in 1873. It's most unique feature is it's "break-top" design, which is said to have allowed for faster and easier reloading. It was loaded with .45 calibur cartridges, similar to the more popular Colt but shorter in length, in part earning the Colt ammunition the nickname .45 "Long" Colt. The Schofield is also a popular weapon among lawmen and outlaws, most notably Jesse James, Billy the Kid, and Pat Garret. A similar "Frontier" model was introduced in 1880, using .44-.40 ammunition.
S&W No. 3 "Schofield"
S&W New Model No. 3 "Frontier"

Webley No. 1 Revolver: A British-made firearm developed by Webley & Scott in 1887, it was the standard issue service pistol for the British armed forces until 1963. Another "break-top" revovler, this weapon was unique in it's ability to automatically expel spent cartridges once the revolver was opened for reloading. For this, it is often referred to as both the Webley "Top-Break" and Webley "Self-Extracting" Revolver. Also notable is that the Webley is a "Double-Action", meaning you didn't have to cock back the hammer before pulling the trigger, making firing faster; the development of Double-Action revolvers had in fact started with British gunmaker Robert Adams, who patented his first double-action Adams Revolver in 1851.
Webley No. 1
Example of "break-top" design

Derringer: A generic name for a small, pocket-sized pistol, it is actually mispelled from Henry Deringer (note the one 'r'), who invented the first 'Deringer pistol'. Copied numerous times by many different firearms makers over the years, this compact weapon is the sidearm of choice for women, who can easily conceal them in purses or stockings, or by gentlemen who would otherwise be unable to carry large, cumbersome weapons into certain public places. While most only had a single shot to them, the Remington model derringer sported two shots thanks to two barrels, the second of which could be pivoted into place after firing the first shot. It was a Henry Deringer-made Philadelphia Deringer model that was used by John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln, thus cementing a dark reputation for the small guns.
Remington Derringer
Antique Pepperbox (not a derringer per se, but more of a precursor to repeating firearms like revolvers)

These are only a handful of the many weapons available at the time, and I only lack the patience and research time to get into detail on all of them. In particular I would have liked to have gotten into the evolution of the rifle (from Springfield musket to the Winchester model 1894 repeating rifle), but I'm pretty tired right now. If there's a specific firearm that you think suits your character more than the short list I provided, I would encourage to try to do as much research on the subject as you can.
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[Xebulon]

Very detailed and accurate information Johnny. I'm impressed.
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[JohnnyPsycho]

aw shucks, t'wern't nuthin'... *twiddles thumbs*

I really was hoping to put in information about rifles and shotguns of the era, but again it was late and I needed some sleep last night. The way I figure it, though, most folks will more likely be carrying smaller arms, like revolvers and derringers, rather than things like Winchesters and Sharps rifles...
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[Tursi]

Found it pretty interesting, though. I wouldn't object to a posting on rifles as well.
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[Tadelesh]

Yeah, that would help Tursi make sure the gun in his pub fits the era. It would help Feingo, too, if he does go with the "Liquors and Guns" idea that's been suggested. I would do a bit of research myself, but I don't have enough spare time on my hands nowadays.
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[Feingo Ferinton]

I've gotta agree that any additional info would be very helpful, especially since I have'nt settled on the specifics for "Ol' Vic" (Johnny should know what I'm talkin about.

BTW: I know this isn't the Occupations Forumn, but I've been thinkin about nameing the store "BonBon Spirits and Sidearms". Waddya think?
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Feingo's story:
http://forums.pleasurebonbon.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5873

[sexymanz]

Hmmm i think its creative...
i had an idea on what to call it... but it dosent make sense but here it is anyway...

Guns and Roses...
well i know that i sorta stole that but its an idea anyway...
im thinking of better ones dont worry...
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[Tadelesh]

I like it. I also think that, personally, if I was telling someone I was going there, I'd say I was going to BBSS. That has a nice ring to it.
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Wow, sarcasm! That's original.

[Aaron_Thom]

I wouldn't mind hearing about rifles of the late 1800s.
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[Tursi]

[JohnnyPsycho]

[JohnnyPsycho]

Just did a little perusing online a couple more antique pistols to add to the list, and in the interest of a more global view of firearms, here they are:

French Chamelot-Delvigne 11mm Modele 1873: A French side-arm made by the Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne, it was a double-action revolver loaded with 11mm cartridges. Like the Colt, its cylinder was fixed and was reloaded via a small reloading "gate" to one side of the gun, behind the cylinder. Its variation, the 1874 Revolver d'Officier (Officer's Revolver), was mostly a cosmetic change (a bluish finish instead of white, with a fluted cylinder). It's action was considered quite sticky, making it safer as it was difficult to accidentally fire the weapon without purpose. It was such a popular weapon, it would see continued use in the French military in nearly all of their colonies around the globe until WWII.
Chamelot-Delvigne Modele 1873
Chamelot-Delvigne Modele 1874 d'Officier

M1879 Reichs Ordonanzrevolver: Also sometimes referred to as the Reichsrevolver, this is the standard issue side-arm of the German Army. A single-acton revolver that used a 10.55mm German Ordinance cartridge, which was nearly identical to the .44 S&W Russian cartridge. It had the disadvantage of having no ejection system for spent cartridges, and required removing the cylinder to extract the cartridges by hand or the use of a seperate ejection rod. The similar 1883 model differed only in barrel length. This revolver would see continued use until it was replaced in 1908 by the Luger pistol.
Reichsrevolver M1879
Reichsrevolver M1883

Meiji Type 26 Revolver: A Japanese-made pistol made in 1893, the name "Type 26" actually refers to the Japanese calendar designation, or the 26th year of the Meiji era. Perhaps influenced by the Smith & Wesson No. 3 Russian model (which the Japanese military had adopted earlier), it was a break-top revolver. Unlike the Smith & Wesson, it used 9mm ammunition and was a double-action revolver, noted for having a spurless, "hammerless" design, meaning the hammer could not be cocked back (most double-action revolvers of the era allowed for the option of manually cocking the hammer back, like a single-action). Though it would be replaced with newer semi-automatics by the turn of the century, the Type 26 was often found still in use by officers well into WWII.
Type 26 Revolver

I also forgot to list that the S&W No. 3 "Schofield" had also been used by the Russian Military. The Russian model differed very little from the domestic model, except that it used a special .44 Russian ammunition developed by Smith & Wesson with internal lubrication of the bullet, an innovation at the time. The Schofield could also take standard S&W .44 caliber in addition to the S&W .45 cartridges. Some sites also state that, due to the shorter length, the Smith & Wesson .45 cartridges could be loaded in a Colt Single-Action .45, but that the reverse was not true, as the "Long Colt" cartridges were too long for the Schofield's cylinder.
.44 Russian S&W Special
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[Tadelesh]

Ah, yes. Sorry. Two lions, both with two-syllable, five-letter names beginning with a "T", I'm sure you can understand my confusion.
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[kommy]

Right. Seeing this new activity has gotten me off my tail to finally put something, *anything* up in here once more. So, here it is. Brief, incomplete, and yet still seemingly long... But there is always so much that could be written.

The Great Empire of Japan

Koketsu ni irazunba koji o ezu.

The Empire of Japan is currently something of a paradox in the world at large. An ancient monarch that claims to trace its roots back to the dawn of history to a god with a newly established parliament and bureaucracy. An Asian nation that was forcibly opened to the world by US gunboats, but does not bow to any foreign potentate. A country with an ancient warrior code of service and loyalty matched to conscript riflemen and steam powered battleships. The Empire of Japan has accomplished a miracle, it seems.

For over two centuries, Japan has isolated itself from the wider world, fearing outside and foreign influence. Firearms were been banned and the shogunate ruled the island with an armored fist. Only a couple tiny Dutch trading concessions existed that connected Japan to the West. But all that changed when the US Navy appeared…

In the year 1854, a small flotilla of warships under the command of Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Edo (now Tokyo) bay, demanding access to Japanese ports for American commerce. The armored, steam powered warships with their explosive cannon shots took the shogunate totally by surprise. They signed diplomatic and trade treaties with the Unites States, shortly followed by other European nations. The ensuing tumultuous years brought the end of Tokugawa shogunate, and after a brief civil war, Emperor Meiji took the power to rule himself. He decided that the only way for Japan not to follow the path of China, Southeast Asia, or distant Africa was to become a Western-style, industrial and military power itself.

In mere decades, this was accomplished. Japan sent students across the world, learning what they could from the foreigners and adopting what they saw was the best of each nation. To Prussia and Germany for a strong government. Germany and France for a powerful army. To Great Britain to lay for the foundations of the Imperial Japanese Navy and an industrial economy. To the United States for their recent combat experience and to learn of their own industry and commerce. In addition, thousands of foreign technical experts are brought in to assist and teach. New rights were granted (like the right to own firearms and the participation in deliberative bodies) while old privileges were stripped away (most famously the ancient rights of the samurai).

Now, in the year 1895 A.D., Emperor Meiji and his oligarchy of advisers still rule Japan. The Sino-Japanese War is being fought in Korea, and it looks like Japan will have it’s first foreign colony. The Japanese government and the new industrialist class, the Zaibatsu, work hand in hand to keep continuously building, learning, and making Japan the most powerful nation in East Asia.

With the great push into modern science, industry, commerce, and armaments preoccupy the Empire, old traditions still permeate the country. Due to their long isolation, practices such as martial arts, calligraphy, painting, woodcutting, cooking, and music are extremely unique and exotic anywhere else in the world.

Japan, like other new nations such as Germany and Italy, is strong, vibrant, and desperate to assert its place in the world. Its imperial ambitions and brand new armed forces are sure to stake out that place in the future.
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[JohnnyPsycho]

Yay, I seem to have coaxed Kommy out of her hibernation. Welcome back, and thanks for the information on Meiji-era Japan!

Just edited both entries on handguns to include clickable links to pictures of each model handgun. Figured some folks prefer nice pictures over a lot of words.
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[sexymanz]

*sorry guys i gotta say this*
welcome back Kommy, its been a while ^^
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[Tursi]

Nice posts to both of you, very interesting to learn more of this piece of history.
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