Expedition investigates tunnel legend

Emperor Jonathan I and Countess Eritoshi yesterday investigated legends of a huge network of tunnels underneath the British town of Beddington leading into the surrounding area. Emperor Esmond III had led an informal expedition in search of the entrances to these tunnels on 29 May 2010, but this had little success other than finding a shaft covered by a large rock which went into a mound in a park in Wallington. The expedition, recorded on camera for the Imperial Geographical Society, first went to Copan, where they investigated some pipes directly over one of the possible routes taken by the tunnels if they branched off towards various old buildings as rumoured. However, these pipes were found to have been for drainage in the days when a watermill stood in the north of Copan. The Emperor and Countess next headed into Wallington, to the same park explored by Esmond III’s expedition in 2010. It was judged that the mound with a shaft leading down into it was probably once an old air raid shelter – it could not be proven otherwise, as an attempt to move the rock which blocks the entrance failed. The expedition afterwards walked to Beddington Park to visit Carew Manor. It is known that a tunnel exists under the medieval Carew Manor, but both it and the church next to it were closed and so there was nobody there to ask about the tunnels. Walking in the direction of the Plough Inn, the Emperor and Countess explored a small wooded area between the two locations. A circle of tarmac was discovered in the woods, which the Emperor suggested may possibly be a blocked entrance to the tunnel running between the two. Arriving at the Plough Inn, the expedition spoke to the assistant manager, who confirmed that the tunnel entrance in the cellar had been bricked up. She told them that a nearby hill on which some houses were built had been made with the soil excavated when the tunnels were dug. After walking over the hill and noting the large amount of soil that would have been needed to construct it, the Emperor and Countess walked down a road known to have a manhole cover leading down to the tunnels. A relatively large, unmarked one was found, which is likely to have been the one connected to the tunnels. The expedition then departed via bus to Thanasia. This was the fourth IGS Expedition to have taken place so far in 2013. A video of the expedition can be seen here.

North American territory annexed

The Empire of Austenasia has expanded into North America for the first time with the annexation of New Richmond. New Richmond, which has been annexed as a Crown Dependency, makes North America the fourth continent alongside Europe, Australasia and South America to be home to Austenasian land. The land was annexed by the Empire yesterday evening by an Imperial Decree. Joseph Kennedy MAO has been appointed the Governing Commissioner of the new Crown Dependency, and exercises absolute authority over it in the name of the Throne. Although the land is uninhabited, it adds over 28,000 square feet to Austenasia. The annexation of New Richmond is the seventh territorial acquisition of the Empire so far this year.

Palasia annexed as ties cut with New Wessex

The Sixth Imperial Decree of HIM Emperor Jonathan I, passed earlier today, has annexed Palasia as a fourth Town of the Empire while cutting most remaining ties with the United Kingdom of New Wessex. The first part of the decree annexes as the Town of Palasia a house near the Norfolk town of Thetford, appointing Lord John Gordon – an inhabitant who has previously run many of his own micronations – as its Baron and Acting Representative. Palasia has a population of four, and spans nearly 1400 square feet. The annexation of Palasia is the sixth expansion of Austenasia since Jonathan I became Emperor in January – since the start of his reign, the Empire has expanded on an average of once a month. Palasia is the fourth Town of Austenasia, joining Wrythe, Zephyria and Thanasia. The second part of today’s Imperial Decree has cut many of the ties between Austenasia and New Wessex. In the decree, the Emperor states that the measures taken are “due to an irreparable breakdown in relations and communication between Our Imperial Majesty and His Majesty the King of New Wessex”. King Declan I of New Wessex, former Emperor himself, was deposed from Orly last month in a rebellion, which has subsequently been hailed a “liberation” from foreign rule by Orlian citizens. The Emperor has confirmed that he has not spoken with Declan I since. The decree has given notice that Austenasia will withdraw from its military alliance with New Wessex on 7 August 2013, which was formed with its predecessor state Moylurg on 7 August 2010. The status of Declan I as an Austenasian subject has been revoked, and Jonathan I has relinquished his Wessaxon title Duke of Atlantos (held since November 2010), relinquished an honorary Wessaxon citizenship, and resigned from his position as Ambassador to New Wessex.

Former Doshevikan land annexed as Austenasian Territory

Land formerly under the sovereignty of Doshevika and the Kingdom of Domanglia was yesterday annexed by the Empire as the Territory of Emperorsland. Karanys Dómynus, formerly known as Urokah Doshevik, presented his garden to the Empire after the Doshevikan state dissolved earlier this year. The garden has been annexed as the Territory of Emperorsland upon the passing of the Emperorsland Act 2013 yesterday morning. Dómynus has been appointed its governor and Duke of Grantabridge, a duchy set up to incorporate Emperorsland within the Austenasian hierarchy of administrative divisions. Emperorsland measures roughly 1715 square feet and is an enclave of the British village of Over in Cambridgeshire. This marks the fifth expansion of Austenasia since the start of the year.

Summer 2013 starts in Austenasia

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has announced today to be the first day of the summer of 2013 in the Austenasian calendar. Greater Wrythe has seen sunny weather recently, in contrast to a cold and rainy spring. Temperatures are predicted by the UK Met Office to reach 22°C later this afternoon, which could make today the hottest day of the year so far (the same temperature also having been recorded in late April) after the coldest spring in 50 years. The Emperor has also confirmed that the spring of 2013 in the Austenasian calendar started on 13 March, an announcement which was not widely publicised outside of the immediate Imperial Family.

The Empire continues to expand

The recent exponential territorial expansion of Austenasia under Emperor Jonathan I has continued with part of the house of Countess Eritoshi of Memphis being annexed as the Town of Thanasia. The new Town was annexed by an Imperial Decree earlier this afternoon after discussions about Countess Eritoshi’s home joining Austenasia began on Friday 10th. The Countess, who is a close friend of the Emperor, has been appointed Acting Representative of Thanasia until a Local Election is held, and her sister has been made Baroness of the new Town. Only part of the Countess’ house has been annexed – specifically, the territory directly underneath her room, which means that her sister’s room and part of the kitchen are also now part of the Empire, while the rest of the house has remained part of the United Kingdom. Due to the relatively lax border controls between Austenasia and the UK, this should not result in too many problems. This annexation, while not of a large territory, has continued the explosion of new territories seen so far under the reign of Jonathan I, being the fourth new acquisition of Austenasia – after New South Scotland, Axvalley, and Corinium Terentium – since he ascended the Throne less than four months ago. Thanasia is the third Austenasian Town alongside Wrythe and Zephyria (Glencrannog having been transitioned to a Territory earlier this month), and adds two new subjects to the Empire.

IGS Expedition to Headley Heath

The Imperial Geographical Society has completed an expedition around Headley Heath in the British county of Surrey. The expedition, which set out and returned yesterday, consisted of eleven people including the Emperor and the Emperor Mother. Since 2009, it has been traditional for the IGS to accompany a countryside ramble organised by Carshalton Methodist Church on the first Monday of May, which is a bank holiday in the United Kingdom. The expedition traversed heathland, fields, farms and woods, climbing some very steep hills along the way. Several photographs were taken, and a short film of the expedition can be seen here.

New territory annexed as administrative changes take place

A field in the British country of Gloucestershire has been annexed to the Empire as the Territory of Corinium Terentium. The Empire of Austenasia Act 2013, passed at 17:00 this afternoon, annexed the new land to Austenasia as well as making a three-fold division between different types of administrative divisions in the Empire. From now on, all land in Austenasia shall be either a Town, a Territory, or a Crown Dependency. Wrythe and Zephyria remain Towns, but Glencrannog has become a Territory along with Corinium Terentium. Towns and Territories are both fully incorporated into the Empire under the hierarchy of provinces, duchies and regions, but the former are inhabited and represented in Parliament whereas the latter are not. Crown Dependencies are autonomous territories under the direct rule of a representative of the Emperor. The annexation of Corinium Terentium – the first non-contiguous British territory to be added to the Empire since April 2009 – adds a further 428,000 square feet to the Empire. The Territory is governed by Lord Centurion William Wade, a British citizen who lives nearby and who has agreed to enforce Austenasian law in Corinium Terentium as its Governor. A new military unit, Centuria I Gloucestria, has been founded to defend the Territory, and at present has two enlisted soldiers who live within a mile of it. The annexation of Corinium Terentium has necessitated an expansion of the administrative hierarchy – the Province of Greater Corinium and the Duchy of Davidopia have been founded to contain it, within the already existing Region of Inner Austenasia. The title Duke of Davidopia has been granted by Parliament to HIH Emperor Father Terry.

Monovish military joins the Austenasian Army

The army of the Principality of Monovia has joined the Austenasian Armed Forces after a new Monovian constitution was adopted earlier today. Said constitution has entrenched in law the position of Monovia – founded in May 2011 and based near Sheffield – as a protected state of the Empire, a status it has held since October 2012 which means that Austenasia is obliged to defend Monovia if requested. Monovia’s army of six has been given the name of Centuria III Monoviae, and joined Legio I Britannica. This new century of the Austenasian Army has been given standing orders by an Imperial Edict to protect Monovia and its government. Monovia has been a close friend of the Empire since a few months after its founding, and is a fellow member of the GUM.

Second IGS Expedition to Wimbledon Common

The Imperial Family yesterday returned to Wrythe after setting out on an expedition to Wimbledon Common on behalf of the Imperial Geographical Society. This is the first time that the IGS has sent an expedition to the same place twice – a first expedition to Wimbledon Common took place on New Year’s Day. While that expedition had twelve members, this one only had four, namely the immediate Imperial Family. The Emperor led the Imperial Family on a circular route around the common, closely following part of the route of the previous expedition and comparing how things had changed in three months with the onset of spring. Photographs were taken, and a short video can be seen here. The next IGS Expedition is planned to take place on 6 May, to British countryside near the Surrey village of Headley.