The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 270

Chapter 270: Royal Power in the New Era

William Murdoch naturally chose to invest without hesitation, using the distilled gas and the patent for gas lamps, which still existed solely in his mind, to acquire a 5% stake in the Gas Lamp Company.

Five percent might not seem like much, but based on an investment valuation of three million livres, it amounted to a hefty 150,000!
This didn’t even include future dividends and the rising share value as the company grew.

Joseph further elaborated on his vision for gas streetlights to Murdoch, who promptly suggested, “Your Highness, if you wish to ensure absolute safety for the gas pipelines, I recommend using gun barrels as gas conduits.”

Joseph recalled vaguely that a documentary he’d watched in his previous life mentioned Murdoch’s use of gun barrels as gas pipelines when designing gas streetlights for London.

Perhaps this was simply the inevitable course of history.

He nodded. “A large batch of old firearms will soon be retired. Let’s repurpose these gun barrels for the task.”

With the introduction of new fire cap guns, the flintlocks being retired would be an excellent source of reusable materials.

After finishing the discussion on gas lamps with Murdoch, it was already three o’clock in the afternoon.

Joseph took his seat in the rail cart once again, continuing his tour of the industrial park until dusk, when he finally returned to his residence.

Standing by the window and watching Murdoch’s departing figure, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: If only there were more talents like him...

The thought sparked an idea in his mind. Yes, talents can be recruited. Murdoch himself had been brought over from Britain, hadn’t he?

Why not initiate a state-led “Talent Recruitment Program”? Advertise in various countries, inviting skilled individuals to develop in France. The government could fund their entrepreneurial ventures, offer bonuses, provide housing, and even solve marriage issues—an easier feat in this era, where officials could help arrange marriages far more effectively than in later generations.

What’s more, they’d marry elegant and fashionable French women! This would undoubtedly be an irresistible allure for talents from countries like Germany and Russia.

The more Joseph thought about it, the more viable the plan seemed. Skipping dinner, he immediately picked up pen and paper to draft the outline: “We could even confer noble titles upon exceptional talents.

“And while we’re at it, why not establish something akin to the Nobel Prize? This would serve as an even greater incentive for attracting talents... Hmm, the name would need to be changed. Let’s call it the ‘Louis Prize.’

“The Louis Physics Prize, the Louis Chemistry Prize... And this time, we mustn’t forget mathematics! A Louis Mathematics Prize is a must!

“With this, France is bound to gradually replace Britain as the new academic hub of Europe!

“We could even make the Louis Prize awards ceremony grander, turning it into a tourism event—yet another revenue stream. Perhaps the prize money could be recouped through these efforts…”

...

Early the next morning, the factory owners of various ironworks in the industrial zone, accompanied by their technicians, arrived at Joseph’s residence as scheduled.

After a brief exchange of courtesies, Joseph invited them to sit and got straight to the point: “I have a technology here that might interest you.”

He glanced toward the distant steelmaking blast furnaces. “I can increase the temperature of blast furnaces by 200 to 300 degrees, and this can be achieved by modifying existing furnaces—no need to build new ones.”

The experienced factory owners immediately widened their eyes in astonishment, while those less informed hurriedly whispered to their technicians, “What does this mean?”

“Master, raising the temperature by even 100 degrees would be extraordinary!”

“?!”

“You see, blast furnace temperatures rarely exceed 1,200 degrees. At that temperature, the iron in iron ore doesn’t completely melt but turns into a somewhat viscous fluid that flows out from the bottom of the furnace.”

The melting point of pure iron is over 1,500 degrees, but the presence of small amounts of other metals in iron ore lowers its melting point to around 1,200 degrees.

“However, this viscous molten iron contains many impurities, making the resulting solid very brittle or prone to cracking. That’s why pig iron must be refined further in a reverberatory furnace.

“A reverberatory furnace can reach temperatures exceeding 1,500 degrees, allowing the impurities in the molten iron to be burned off. Additionally, carbon can be added to adjust the hardness, or additives can be introduced to further remove impurities. Only after this refining process does the resulting steel become durable and reliable.”

This explained the difference between iron and steel.

Although both primarily consist of the element Fe, iron contains impurities like silicon and sulfur, making it neither tough nor durable. These impurities must be removed, and an appropriate amount of carbon added, to produce steel. Steel is essential for manufacturing high-quality tools, weapons, and springs.

Last year, France’s annual pig iron output was 120,000 tons, but its steel production was a mere five to six thousand tons.

The factory owners, being shrewd businessmen, quickly grasped the implications. If the temperature of blast furnaces could be raised by over 200 degrees, reaching 1,400 degrees, many processes previously reserved for steel refining could be completed in the ironmaking stage.

For applications with lower quality requirements, the high-quality iron produced in such furnaces might even suffice.

This breakthrough could undoubtedly boost the profitability of their factories.

Seeing the eager expressions of the factory owners, Joseph continued, “I trust you all understand the significance of a 200-degree increase.

“Higher temperatures would accelerate the extraction of iron from ore, significantly boosting daily output. Moreover, the higher heat would oxidize much of the silicon present in the iron directly within the blast furnace…”

Uncertain whether his audience fully comprehended the technical details of silicon oxidation, Joseph simplified his explanation: “In short, it would improve the quality of iron ingots while drastically reducing the time needed for subsequent steelmaking.”

Viscount Olivier finally succumbed to temptation and cautiously inquired, “Your Highness, could you tell us how we might obtain this technology?”

Joseph smiled faintly. “In fact, I plan to establish a ‘French Steel Technology Association.’ Members of the association will gain access to all its proprietary technologies, including the furnace temperature enhancement technology. The association will also coordinate efforts to develop new technologies, further improving everyone’s production methods.”

The factory owners remained silent, well aware that such an enticing opportunity would undoubtedly come with conditions.

Joseph surveyed the room and continued, “The association will also enforce certain regulations among its members, such as restrictions on the sale of steel products and quality assessments. Of course, if you choose not to use the association’s technologies, you won’t be subject to these rules.”

He proceeded to explain the nature of the restrictions and assessments.

In essence, if a factory used the technologies provided by the Steel Technology Association, the sale of its steel would need the association’s approval, and forbidden orders would be strictly off-limits.

Meanwhile, quality assessments involved the association inspecting products and publicly assigning them grades.

The steel industry was the backbone of the industrial revolution. By controlling steel, one could essentially constrain the production of most enterprises.

As the manager of the association, Joseph would effectively wield the power to regulate the industry and hold the reins of economic distribution.

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