A Greater Union, Part 1

Make Austria-Hungary Strong

This is Part 1 of my Austria-Hungary Alternate History story. If you’re interested in the background to this, check out the intro post below.

This is not meant to be a totally serious story, so don’t get worked up about some of the details. This is based off a videogame playthrough where Austria-Hungary takes over a big chunk of the world, so manage your expectations accordingly.

Now on to the story!

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Near Stuttgart, Germany, 1886

Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria stared, mouth hanging open in a most undignified manner, as the little boat sped through the water at astonishing speed. Sunlight shimmered from the boat’s wake as a little pennant whipped from the boat’s fantail. The Neckar River was calm today, but even with little current the boat was moving upstream with no apparent difficulty.

"Herr Maybach, how is this possible? That craft is far too small to carry a steam engine of a useful size. How have you done this?"

"Your Highness," the well-dressed engineer began, twisting the ends of his moustache, "You have a keen eye indeed. It does not make use of a steam engine. Instead, it uses what Herr Daimler calls an 'internal combustion engine' burning gasoline." He pointed towards the boat which had slowed to make a sweeping turn across the width of the river. "You see the upright section there, just behind Herr Daimler? That is the engine. It burns the gasoline inside a cylinder, which moves a reciprocating piston up and down. When done continuously, this rotates a shaft which in turn drives an underwater propellor."

"It creates fire inside? How is it different than a steam engine, then?" Franz Ferdinand tugged at the stiff neck of his dress uniform. He was sweltering even in the mild spring weather.

A young Archduke Franz Ferdinand

"It operates on the same principle of combustion, Your Highness, but the difference is that we have no need of a boiler with this engine. Instead of making steam which drives the machinery, we simply burn the fuel and use that to create the motion we need. Far simpler and more efficient."

Franz watched Daimler speed along at what must have been six or seven knots. Daimler was in his fifties and bald, yet he grinned like a schoolboy who'd escaped his lessons early as the craft blazed back upriver in bold defiance of the current.

"Herr Maybach, this is quite remarkable. I believe I should like a ride."

***

"Marvelous! Simply marvelous!" Franz shouted over his shoulder at Daimler, who was still grinning. He had been reticent to take the Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary on an excursion in so small a boat, especially over the aghast objections of the courtiers and hangers-on. In response Franz had applied his typical solution for such problems: money. He'd simply paid a trifle sum of two thousand gold marks for Daimler's time.

Barely a pittance, really.

"Can it go faster?" He shouted again.

Although the events I’m writing about here didn’t happen, the little boat (christened as the Neckar) with an internal combustion engine designed by Daimler and Maybach is real and is considered the first ever motor launch in the world.

"With the right engine, yes, Your Highness!" Daimler said into the rushing wind. "This version is limited, although I have plans for larger ones that could drive this craft at ten or eleven knots."

"Incredible! And all without steam, no less!"

"Indeed, Your Highness!" The old man's grin never wavered and Franz returned it in full force. He turned back to his position near the bow of the boat. The wind whipped over his face, cool and refreshing. Spray beaded on his forehead, dripping into his eyes where he scrubbed it away with another grin. Invigorated by the experience, he examined the boat. The engine sat behind him, monitored by Herr Daimler. He could feel the vibration of the thing through the boat's frame. As a craft, it was quite small, perhaps six meters from stem to stern. At least, he thought those were the correct terms. He'd rarely been on a boat.

It seemed a perfect time for that to change. 

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Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time!