The Herald of Pyrus 01.01.1785

The one thousandth seven hundredth and thirty-third edition of The Herald of Pyrus published on the 1st January 1785.
== News ==
=== Victory in Ature & Ilberic ===
Report By; Hasree Ciron
 The Endro-Pyrusian Trade War of the last year was brought to a successful conclusion by the military forces of the League of Armed Neutrality. It was the bravery of the mixed forces of the League which allowed the capture of provinces in Ature and Ilberic. 
Peace was signed in the Endro-Pyrusian Trade War Peace Accords at the Purethorm Conference. The Accords accepted that Endra had not been defeated but that Pyrus had been victorious. Many believe that the victory was well worth the fight even if free trade has now been resumed.
The neutral Duchy of Betrass, part of the United Independent Nations was vassalised by the Imperial Kingdom of Endra. It is a shame to see such a new nation being so easily over-run despite valiant attempts by the military forces of Pyrus trying to intervene.
Successes against the Imperial Kingdom of Endra gained the provinces of Bellmore and Borlismore (The Southern Isles). These provinces were used as leverage at the peace negotiations as well as territorial gains made by armies operating in Cellandine.
The army, commanded by King Tewdric Derfel, met with great success in their advances into Ature, securing three of the five provinces before peace was signed.
Many forces were not in fact deployed during the war, showing the great superiority of Pyrus over its perennial enemy Endra.
The Republic of Ature and the new provinces in Ilberic have been brought into the mechanisms and organisations of the Pyrusian Empire. The new provinces in Ilberic have been fully assimilated into the Confederation of Cellandine. New provinces now have representation at local, provincial, regional, national, imperial and international levels.
Many new medals were awarded to the valiant officers and men who fought so bravely to bring an end to this conflict namely, the Doria Star awarded to those who fought in Ature, The Battle for Ilberic Medal, the Southern Isles Medal, awarded to the ninth army, The Purethorm Victory Cross which is a new medal to be awarded to those who fight on the Endran-Pyrusian border and was first awarded to those who captured the city on the 16th January 1784.
The Kingdom is now secure.
=== Reform Act Tackles Fears ===
Report By; Milrok Larhlew
 The Feudal Land Reform Act: 1784 provides a much needed rationalisation of the feudal system within the Kingdom of Pyrus by abolishing the Great Land Reform Act: 1772. 
The new act maintains many of the systems originally deployed in the Great Land Reform Act: 1772, however, significant reforms are included.
These reforms include the provincialisation of the feudal system and changes to the noble responsibility.
The new offices of government as created under the radical overhaul made this year by King Celasin have produced the new position of Lord Attorney whose office now has responsibility for noble families, estates, wills, census and demographic data.
Settlement Tax, which under the old act was in the hands of the nobility is once again in the hands of the state and this years shall be set at 10scs per person who lives within a city or town within the Kingdom of Pyrus.
Other reforms this year included the Local & Regional Government Act: 1784, which altered the methods of regional elections.
=== Regional Elections Held ===
Report By; Rumel Heirth
' The Local & Regional Government Act: 1784 caused change in the timing and method of elections for regional government. Elections to the Anzion Assembly, Credish Council and Lihexian Chamber were all held at the start of the year.
The Anzion Assembly result showed the Conservative Party up 4% to nine seats, the Nationalist Party up 1% losing one seat down to five seats. The Democratic Alliance and Socialist Parties both maintaining three seats, despite slight falls in their percentage of the vote. Therefore the government coalition of the Anzion Assembly which was Conservative and Democratic Alliance has shifted to a Conservative Government with Nationalist support.
The Credish Council result showed a general loss to the Nationalist Party losing over half its vote, down to two seats. The Democratic Alliance and Socialist Parties maintained their coalition government each increasing their share of the vote and up one seat each . The Democratic Alliance with eight seats and the Socialist Party with seven seats. The Conservative Party retained its eight seats with an increase of 2% of the vote.
In the Lihexian Chamber a new government coalition formed between the Conservative Party, up two seats, and the Nationalist Party down one seat to give the coalition twenty-one seats. The Democratic Alliance Party holds nine seats and the Socialist Party hold six seats down one.
=== Betrass Vessel of Endra ===
Report By; Hasree Ciron
 The Duchy of Betrass, located northwest of the Mark of Nandor, south of the Mark of Gantharl and on the northern most border of the Imperial Kingdom of Endra, has become a vassal of the Endran Crown following the Endro-Betrass War of 1784. 
The Lord Chamberlain of the Duchy is reported to have said; "The Duchy of Betrays hopes that the Endran Government will understand that while we do not object to occasional diplomacy we prefer to mind our own affairs". The Imperial Kingdom of Endra though is very likely to interfere within the sovereignty of the duchy's government as so often they have done before.
The Pyrusian government have go on the record as being 'dismayed' by the event it is doubtlessly their hope that [this] shall not pose a threat to other members of the LoAN.
=== Elyan Reforms Itself ===
Report by; Korilm Welharl
 The Dominion of Elyan has reformed its constitution in the last year. The island nation located in the Southern Sea, south of the Kingdom of Maldarse has been under constitutional strain for some time. 
The first, second, third and fourth assemblies of the Dominion of Elyan all accepted the Constitutional Reform Act 1784 and in so doing abolished themselves in favour of the new system.
Constitutional expert, Prof. Grenda Horox, from the University of Excellentia in Endra, was instrumental in the development of the new document.
Concern that the Dominion of Elyan might destabilise was of considerable concern in the international community especially with the prospect that a new civil war could have erupted.
== Education ==
=== O Level Targets Passed ===
Report by; Citoir Noitar
 Continuing improvements in educational attainment have led to the best set of O Level results since there introduction. 
This year's target rate of 1340 points was up 35 points from the targets of 1781 and was spectacularly broken with a result of 1677 points. Significant gains were made in Modern Pyrusian, Theoretical Science, Practical Science and Algebra where at least 8% of pupils gained one of the top three grades; A-C.
However, there was noticeable decline in the performance of students taking O Level Craft and Women's Studies.
One of the greatest surprises was the significance of 93% of students achieving level 2 or above in their fitness test.
The Minister for Education said "These results are the best results for many years and are attributable to this government and our hardworking students." in a statement to the Council of Ministers.
== Obituaries ==
=== King's Mother Dead ===
Report By; Rumel Heirth
 The King's Mother, Queen Alle, wife of the late King Cunglas, died on 25th March 1784 of natural causes at the age of 59 years at the Royal Palace attended by IHS doctors. 
Her Highness the Queen was the sister-in-law of King Tewdric of Greater Thanor, and Aunt of Cranson Sane. It is unfortunate that also this year her own great nephew also died at the age of thirteen.
The Queen not only had the honour to be wife of a Pyrusian King but also held high government offices including; Lord Chancellor, Highest and Holiest Priest of the Temple of Pyrus and member of the Board of Education.
Queen Alle was also active in business spheres including the Pyrusian Colonial Company in which she served as a director.
A spokesman for the Royal Palace said that she was 'very charming and had absolute loyalty to her son the King and the nation as a whole'.
The High Priest of Bachstadt commented at her funeral that 'there has never been a greater person filling the role of Highest and Holiest Priest than her... who had great love for the people of Pyrus and the Empire'.
She will be sorely missed by all readers and staff of this newspaper.
In related news Laliath Wantaxal committed suicide on 9th November and will be severely punished for her crime. Also Masony Mordale was killed in an accident on 1st June. All will be missed.
== Editorial - Est. 1750 - The Herald ==
Editor; Dagor Anathor
 Despite the numerous Pyrusian successes over the course of the previous year in fields such as education and warfare there was a low point with the Battle of Ashlants. 
This battle saw the destruction completely and utterly of 100,000 Pyrusian troops against an Endran force comprising of a significant number of their zeppelins.
As some of you may remember I commented at length on the possibilities of this new weapon at the start of last year. At that time I did not believe that this new weapon would pose a significant threat to our own armed forces or provide a great tactical advantage to Endra. However, the Battle of Ashlants has demonstrated its potential.
Despite this I am confident that the Council of War is developing counter measures and strategies. It must be remembered that although there was this tactical blunder some of the fault lies with the commander rather than the superiority of the weapon.
Overall one has to remark that the war has been a great success with the Republic of Ature and the successful campaign waged against the United Cellandine States. This proves that we are after all one of the top three empires of the world.
I do hope that the numbers of these weapons do not increase and that our science develops an effective counter measure.
== Comment ==
The Herald of Pyrus, 5 Balin Square, Bachstadt, Pyrus
=== Letters to the Editor ===
==== Aturian Campaign Success ====
Dear Sir,
13th December 1784
I am overjoyed to hear that the Kingdom of Pyrus and its allies have successfully quelled the arrogant aggression of the Imperial Kingdom of Endra, but especially the success against the Republic of Ature.
I, myself, have fought in Ature and have received confirmation that I am to receive that Doria Star.
The campaign was a resounding success, led by the valiant and courageous commanding officers; King Tewdric and Nirin Noldo. The campaign was a daring fight to take the capital of Ature by defeating the border garrisons and storming their fortifications. I hope this sort of success will occur again in the future.
Sgt. Gortes Sirfegg - 12th Foot Musketeers
==== LoAN Solidarity Praised ====
Dear Sir
27th December 1784
I have served for many years in the government of this great Kingdom of ours. I would like to take this opportunity to inform your readership that it is incredibly likely that with the new constitution of the League of Armed Neutrality that Pyrus will draw into itself other smaller nations.
The constitution states that the main aim of the LoAN is to "maintain peace and order by pooling sovereignty... [and bring about] an ever closer union... [through] the unification of the league into a single sovereign state... by 1800."
I hope to steer this process forwards to its inevitable conclusion.
Engolth Hunthor - Imperial Ambassador
=== Political Comment ===
Report by; Rumel Heirth
 The bold decision by King Celasin I to abandon two and a half centuries of divinitist religious dogma in place of Catholicism is to be applauded. 
For many this change is an uncertain step into the future, however, we should all be reassured that the fellowship of Christian Nations can only draw the world together in peace, love and faith.
At present many of you will still be using the same Temples as Churches, and the same Priests for Clergy.
Nevertheless, the newly appointed Cardinal Woburn, who is attending the Conference of Cardinals, has a radical plan to rapidly educate His Majesty's subjects in the ways of the Catholic Church.
It will know doubt take many years for the citizens of Pyrus to be fully immersed and completely versed in the faith.
== Crown Jewels ==
The Silver Sceptres
 Continuing the look this column has taken at the Crown Jewels we now move on to the Silver Sceptres of Endra. 
The Silver Sceptres are a set of sixteen silver sceptres which have been gifted to the King by the Kingdom of Endra. One Sceptre has been presented every year since 1769 as tribute for operation of the Endran Embassy in Bachstadt.
They are approximately one yard in length and are topped with a crown of eight points. They are made from stifling quality Endran silver mined on the Endro-Pyrusian border.
They languish in the Royal Vault in the Royal Palace of Bachstadt. The marvel of Endran craftsmen in the production of such ornate objects does not compare to the high standards of our own Pyrusian silversmiths and artisans.
Next time; The Jet Sceptre.
== Advertisements ==
=== Pyrusian Colonial Company ===
Bonds Available
Long term investments with good return.
== Official Notices - The Kingdom of Pyrus ==
=== Office of the High Lord Provost ===
All clergy must report for militia duty as defined under the Militia Act: 1772
Category:Newspapers