Life of Being a Crown Prince in France - Chapter 1516 - 1422: Technological Breakthrough

William Pitt Junior continued:

“Once the Maratha Confederacy disappears, Mysore will have extensive borders with Hyderabad, at which point we can find ways to incite conflicts between them.

“In just a few more years, once we have resolved matters in Europe, Lord Ballo will have his expeditionary force. Not just 9,000 men, but tens of thousands of troops.”

Lord Hawkesburg opened his mouth but found that the Prime Minister’s plan seemed flawless, so he bowed slightly and said, “I will coordinate this matter with the East India Company as soon as possible.”

William Pitt Junior exhaled: “Corruption within the East India Company is getting worse, and their ability to govern India is continuously declining. Perhaps the Congress should take back control of India.”

The Foreign Minister did not dare to touch on the topic of the East India Company’s authority and instead said, “Your Excellency, the Prime Minister, there are some other matters.”

“Please go ahead.”

“Firstly, the Emperor of Holy Rome wishes to restore close alliance relations with our country, of course, in the form of a secret treaty.”

William Pitt Junior nodded. After Prussia turned to embrace France, England’s only connection on the European Continent was Austria. Enhancing ties between the two countries would naturally be welcomed by England.

Lord Hawkesburg added, “You know, Vienna has recently undertaken very radical reforms, so they want us to provide a loan, as well as techniques in textiles and machinery processing.”

William Pitt Junior’s eyes showed signs of fatigue.

Money, it’s always about money. Why is everyone asking for money everywhere?

He waved his hand and said, “Tell them we can extend the repayment term of the previous loan, but no additional loans can be given.

“As for technology, we can indeed assist them with some. I will ask the Duke of Portland to draft a plan.”

He was well aware that England had to offer something substantial to firmly bind Austria to itself.

Moreover, nurturing a country on the European Continent with the strength to challenge France had always been England’s consistent policy.

On the other hand, since the signing of the Stuttgart Trade Agreement, sales of British goods in the Germanic Region were not as good as before. It would be better to let Austria produce more products and sell them locally, to occupy the market share of French goods.

Lord Hawkesburg nodded and noted it down, and then brought up another matter that troubled the Prime Minister: “Furthermore, the situation in Russia has not been very good recently.

“Saint Petersburg has proposed that our country should provide…”

William Pitt Junior impatiently interrupted him: “No loans, not a single British Pound!”

He felt surrounded by blood-sucking bats ready to descend for a big drink of blood at any moment.

Lord Hawkesburg cautiously said, “You know, Russia is a country that might send troops against France in the future.”

William Pitt Junior took a deep breath. He certainly knew this, but he really didn’t have much money to aid Russia.

“Send them a few ships of military uniforms and ammunition. Also, you should go to Constantinople and try to persuade the Ottomans to withdraw their troops.”

After dealing with all the “blood-sucking bats,” William Pitt Junior felt utterly exhausted and chose to sleep in the office lounge.

He had never married, so there wasn’t a woman constantly nagging him to go home.

Before dawn the next day, a valet was at the office door knocking.

William Pitt Junior drowsily looked out at the dark window, taking a long moment to remember that today he was to attend the inauguration of the new steam engine.

For easier management, the Bolton-Watt Steam Engine Company, now called the London Steam Engine Company, had moved all its workshops to the outskirts of London, requiring more than three hours by carriage.

After a simple breakfast, William Pitt Junior, the Duke of Portland, and several other high-ranking Cabinet members, with the escort of guards, rode to the northern suburbs.

This groundbreaking steam engine had been under development for nearly ten years, costing the British Government hundreds of thousands of British Pounds, finally passing technical tests at the end of the previous month.

This was undoubtedly a stimulant for the British, so the Prime Minister was to personally preside over the inauguration ceremony. Even the Royal Family sent Prince Adolfus to attend the ceremony.

On the carriage, William Pitt Junior was discussing plans to increase personal income tax with Earl Temple when he heard shouts from the street outside, “Lower tea prices!”

“Demand the East India Company sell cheap tea!”

William Pitt Junior turned his head and saw thirty or forty people holding wooden signs, protesting at the street corner. Next to them were six or seven policemen keeping a close watch.

Indeed, the current British law prohibits gatherings of more than 50 people.

Earl Temple helped the Prime Minister draw the curtains.

Such protests were frequently encountered and naturally handled by the police.

As for the tea prices?

After the British Government provided sugar and grain subsidies, there was no money left to subsidize tea.

In London newspapers, articles recommending elderberry buds or hawthorn leaves for brewing tea occasionally appeared.

William Pitt Junior casually remarked, “The autumn auction is about to start in a few days, and prices should come down then.”

By “autumn auction,” he referred to the annual tea auction held by the East India Company in London every September, when most tea supplies would be sold.

Earl Temple nodded in agreement: “India’s sugarcane and cotton are also about to be harvested, so finances should be a bit more comfortable.”

William Pitt Junior was already planning in his mind to increase the cultivation area of sugarcane on the lands of the Maratha Confederacy next year.

At nine-thirty in the morning, the Prime Minister’s convoy finally arrived before a set of gray buildings.

Looking around, there were chimneys everywhere, making the place seem full of technological appeal.

Music played all around, and the company’s manager, full of smiles, brought people to welcome them, ushering a group of high-ranking officials and the Prince into the largest workshop.

The manager pointed to a slightly graying, worried-looking man next to the showcased steam engine, and introduced him: “Your Highness, Your Excellency, gentlemen, this is Mr. James Watt, the chief engineer who built the new steam engine.”

Watt bowed to the dignitaries and somewhat nervously introduced the star of the day: “This is the Engine70 steam engine. It uses a high-pressure cylinder of 0.7MPa, capable of outputting up to 70 horsepower. And it can run stably for an extended period.”

In fact, this steam engine could only reach 69 horsepower, but per the company manager’s request, it was uniformly referred to externally as 70 horsepower.

The young Prince Adolfus seemed not very knowledgeable about steam engines and asked, “Surely your machine surpasses the French goods, doesn’t it?”

The workshop fell silent immediately.

After a long while, the company manager forced a smile and said, “Indeed, you are right, it has indeed surpassed the French LJ52 steam engine.”

Watt glanced guiltily toward the east workshop, where a French LJ98 steam engine was stationed. In reality, his Engine70 was a complete replica of the LJ98.

That was a beast casually outputting 98 horsepower.

In fact, unbeknownst to him, the next generation of France’s 120 horsepower steam engine had already nearly completed its basic design.