The British Parliament has successfully passed the "Statute of Westminister 1879", (Act), also successfully being adopted by the self-governing Dominion of Canada, establishes the formation of the "Imperial Army" (however, officially Her Majesty's Land Service.)

The Imperial Army will be the principal land warfare force of the British Empire. The Statute also establishes the formation of the Canadian Militia and the Indian Army, being branches of the Imperial Army (the British Army will also officially become a branch.)

The main precedent behind it's formation is that the British Empire's size makes it extremely difficult for the British Army to be centralised, being spread too thin across the globe.

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1354323684

Tokyo, 1879

It has been three years since the Japan-Korea Treaty of Amity, which liberated the Korean Kingdom of Joseon from its tributary status from Qing China. Much like when Japan was first opened up by Matthew Perry, gunboat diplomacy was utilized to enforce the treaty. Three years later, the Japanese are growing more desirous for dominion over the Korean peninsula.

A delegation of Japanese representatives on behalf of the Great Council and his Imperial Majesty have been sent to the Joseon to negotiate the Second Japan-Korea Treaty which would formally involve the annexation of the Korean peninsula into the Japanese empire, while allowing a degree of autonomy in the province. Gojong, the king of Joseon will be allowed to keep his title, and a Governor-General to the newly adopted imperial splendour will be appointed.

//roll needed for the reponse to the ultimatum

In the event that Joseon refuses, the Maizuru fleet and the First army of the empire should prove more convincing. It would be the 'debut' of the newly modernized Japanese armed forces, should it come to that. Considering the anachronism of the Korean military, this would not be the wisest option.

A great councilor remarked, "This new event of foreign policy in contrast to western colonization shall be the Japanese people taking the role of being the leader of the Asian in the east, as opposed to the white man raising the whip hand over the negro. Qing China, Joseon, etcetera, are quite frankly decrepit hermit states that embarass the Easterner. It can be safe to say that Japanese investment into our expansionist endeavours will prove fruitful, instead of having starving citizens, internal strife, and power struggles as the Joseon kingdom does. They are ripe for plucking, but as opposed to European racial dominion, it shall be greater east co-operation. We are simply saving the nation before it falls into darkness."

The Bessarabia Question

Representives from the United Prinicipalities and the Russian Empire met to discuss terms on the area of Bessarabia, In the aftermath of the Russo-Turkish War (1806–1812), and the ensuing Peace of Bucharest, the eastern parts of the Principality of Moldavia, an Ottoman vassal, along with some areas formerly under direct Ottoman rule, were ceded to Imperial Russia. The acquisition was among the Empire's last territorial acquisitions in Europe. The newly acquired territories were organised as the Governorate of Bessarabia, adopting a name previously used for the southern plains, between the Dniester and the Danube rivers. Following the Crimean War, in 1856, the southern areas of Bessarabia were returned to Moldavian rule; Russian rule was restored over the whole of the region in 1878, when Romania, the result of Moldavia's union with Wallachia, was pressured into exchanging those territories for the Dobruja. The United Principalities wanted Bessarabia back for obvious reasons. The Russian Diplomats to our suprise and grace offered us a deal we'd be willing to take

The Province of Bessarabia will hold a referendum to determin if the area of Bessarabia will:

#1: Join Romania.
#2: Stay with Russia.
#3: Become a Independent State.

Only the time, and voters will tell.

Defensive Alliance With Russia

Also talked about was the possibility of a Alliance, but the Russian Empire would only agree to a Defensive alliance, to which our great nation agree'd to.

http://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1352744607

// someone roll on the referendum (I think Alec has got it)

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1351852615
https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1352417859

Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America | Since Washington took the oath of office, therefore being sworn in as the first President of the United States, these states have affirmed again and again a policy of non-involvement in European affairs. This, however, did not keep us out very long when the United Kingdom and the First French Empire kidnapped and pressed American sailors into their own navies during the Napoleonic Wars. Since 1814, the United States has become a far more powerful nation, however. And we may now enforce our neutral state and sovereign right to exist. Yet, we face a very different world than we did in 1812. Today, even the smallest of sparks may set off the largest of fires, and our experiences in the American Civil War, the largest in our hemisphere, taught us a good lesson: with the progression of technology comes the deaths and casualties of modern warfare.

Therefore, the United States Congress has approved of a foreign affairs measure to ensure American neutrality and sovereignty: We would propose a non-aggression pact to certain European powers we deem this be necessary, and state that we will not, unless our citizens be injured or assaulted in large numbers, become involved in wars between European powers, despite what they fight for, or how many times they attempt to recruit our assistance. President Hayes summed up the new policy implementation with one sentence: ”We’ll leave you alone if you leave us alone.”

Yes, the United States now embarks on certain measures for the establishment of a colonial empire in the Pacific and other places, but we do not do so in the quest for wealth or conquest, but for intercontinental and national security. The islands we intend on colonizing being those which represent strategic defense interests and that is all. The United States hereby claims the islands of: the Cook Islands, Polynesia, Palau, Rota, and Guam. We would ask that all nations respect these claims, and therefore comply with American sovereignty, as we would do with your claims. Out of many, we are one! God bless the United States!

Signed,
Rutherford B. Hayes, President of the United States of America

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRkkoD5tjHg

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1355588360
https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1355588593

UPDATED POINTS?

United Kingdom 20,000,000
United States of America 10,880,000
German Empire 16,000,000
The Russian Empire 14,000,000
Austria-Hungary 12,000,000
French Republic 15,500,000
Kingdom of Italy 9,700,000
The Ottoman Empire 9,000,000
Qing China 5,600,000