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Chapter 1422: Technical Breakthrough

Pitt continued:

"Once the Maratha Confederacy is gone, Mysore will border Hyderabad over a large area, and we can then find a way to make them fight.

"In just a few more years, once we've sorted out matters in Europe, Lord Barlow will receive his expeditionary force. Not nine thousand men, but tens of thousands of soldiers."

Lord Hawkesbury opened his mouth, but finding no flaws in the Prime Minister's plan, he bowed slightly and said, "I will coordinate this with the East India Company as soon as possible."

Pitt exhaled, "The corruption within the East India Company is growing more severe, and its ability to govern India is steadily declining. Perhaps Parliament should reclaim administrative control over India."

The Foreign Secretary dared not touch on the topic of the East India Company's authority, instead saying, "Prime Minister, there are a few other matters."

"Please, go on."

"Firstly, the Holy Roman Emperor hopes to restore a close alliance with our nation, in the form of a secret treaty, of course."

Pitt nodded. After Prussia had thrown its lot in with France, Britain's only connection on the Continent was Austria. If they could strengthen the ties between the two nations, it was naturally something Britain would welcome.

Lord Hawkesbury continued, "As you know, Vienna has recently undergone very radical reforms, so they wish for us to provide a loan, as well as technology in textile and mechanical processing."

A weariness showed in Pitt's eyes.

'Money, always money! Why is everyone asking for money?'

He waved his hand. "Tell them we can at most postpone the repayment deadlines for previous loans, but no new loans will be granted.

"As for technology, we can assist them with some. I will have the Duke of Portland draw up a plan."

He knew full well that Britain had to offer something tangible to bind Austria firmly to itself.

Furthermore, cultivating a nation on the Continent powerful enough to challenge France was Britain's consistent foreign policy.

On the other hand, due to the signing of the Stuttgart Trade Agreement, sales of British goods in the German states had significantly declined. It would be better to let Austria produce more goods and sell them locally to these areas, thereby seizing market share from French products.

Lord Hawkesbury nodded, making a note, then brought up another issue that gave the Prime Minister a headache: "Also, the situation in Russia hasn't been too good recently.

"Saint Petersburg has proposed that our nation provide..."

Pitt irritably interrupted him, "No loans! Not a single pound sterling!"

He felt as if Britain was surrounded by vampire bats, ready to swoop down and drain a mouthful of blood at any moment.

Lord Hawkesbury said cautiously, "As you know, Russia is a nation that could potentially deploy troops against France in the future."

Pitt took a deep breath. Of course, he knew all this, but he genuinely had little money left to aid Russia.

"Send them a few shiploads of uniforms and ammunition. Also, go to Constantinople and try to persuade the Ottoman Empire to withdraw its troops."

After dismissing all the "vampire bats," Pitt felt utterly exhausted and simply lay down to sleep in his office's adjoining room.

He had never married, so there was no woman to nag him about returning home all day.

The next day, before dawn, his valet was already knocking at the office door.

Pitt, still bleary-eyed, looked at the dark window. It took him a while to remember that he had to attend the inauguration ceremony for a new steam engine today.

For ease of management, the Boulton and Watt Steam Engine Company, now called the London Steam Engine Company, had moved all its workshops to the outskirts of London. The carriage ride there would take over three hours.

After a simple breakfast, Pitt and several other high-ranking cabinet members, including the Duke of Portland, set off for the northern suburbs in a carriage, escorted by guards.

This groundbreaking steam engine had been under development for nearly a decade, costing the British government hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling, and finally passed its technical tests at the end of last month.

This was undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the Britons, and thus the Prime Minister would personally preside over the inauguration ceremony. Even the Royal Family had sent Prince Adolphus to attend.

In the carriage, Pitt was discussing plans to increase personal income tax with Earl Temple when he heard shouts from the streets outside: "Lower tea prices!"

"Demand cheap tea from the East India Company!"

Pitt turned his head to look and saw thirty or forty people holding wooden signs, protesting at the street corner. Six or seven police officers were keeping a close eye on them.

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

Earl Temple drew the curtain for the Prime Minister.

Such protests were common; the police would naturally handle them.

'As for tea prices?'

After providing subsidies for sugarcane and grain, the British government simply had no money left to subsidize tea.

Articles recommending brewing tea from elderflower buds or hawthorn leaves appeared in London newspapers from time to time.

Pitt said casually, "The autumn auction will begin in a few days; prices should drop somewhat then."

The "autumn auction" he referred to was the annual tea auction held by the East India Company in London every September, where the majority of tea supplies would be sold.

Earl Temple nodded in agreement. "Sugarcane and cotton in India will soon be harvested, so the treasury should finally be a bit more abundant."

Pitt was already calculating in his mind how to increase the sugarcane cultivation area in the Maratha Confederacy's territory next year.

At nine thirty AM, the Prime Minister's motorcade finally arrived before a cluster of gray buildings.

As far as the eye could see, funnels dotted the landscape, giving it a distinct high-tech feel.

Music began to play all around as the company manager, beaming, led his staff forward to greet them, escorting the assembled high officials and the Prince into the largest workshop.

The manager pointed to the man with half-white hair and a worried expression standing next to the display steam engine, introducing him: "Your Royal Highness, Prime Minister, gentlemen, this is Mr. James Watt, the chief technician who developed the new steam engine."

Watt bowed to the dignitaries, then somewhat stiffly introduced the star of the day: "This is the Engine70 steam engine. It uses a 0.7-megapascal high-pressure cylinder and can deliver up to 70 horsepower. Moreover, it can run stably for extended periods."

In reality, this steam engine could only reach 69 horsepower, but at the company manager's insistence, it was consistently advertised as 70 horsepower.

The young Prince Adolphus seemed unfamiliar with steam engines and immediately asked, "Your machine must have already surpassed the French models, hasn't it?"

Silence instantly fell over the workshop.

After a good while, the company manager forced a smile and said, "You are absolutely right, it has indeed surpassed the French LJ52 Steam Engine."

Watt cast a furtive glance towards the eastern workshop, where a French LJ98 steam engine was on display. In truth, his Engine70 was a complete copy of the LJ98.

That particular machine could effortlessly produce 98 horsepower.

What he didn't know was that France's next-generation 120-horsepower steam engine had also largely completed its basic design.