Chapter 316: Amidst the Smoke of Battle
At once, the factory owners present grew even more excited.
With a market, raw materials, the latest technology, and an insurance company backing their investments, this business was absolutely viable!
Of course, Joseph knew full well that while these individuals were excited, most would still hold back when it came time to invest their livres, waiting until the first movers had genuinely profited before joining in.
Joseph then unveiled an incentive program: "To encourage the adoption of new technology, factories that invest in automatic looms within three months will receive a 50% tax reduction for three years. Those that invest within five months will enjoy a 35% tax reduction."
"Furthermore, for investors with insufficient capital, the Precision Machinery Factory can also provide rental services. For an investment of just two thousand livres, you can lease an automatic loom for one year."
The French Precision Machinery Factory was a new plant spun off from the Royal Armory. After all, the Armory needed to focus on weapons production; constantly having them manufacture weaving machines wasn't sustainable.
As it happened, the Armory had recently recruited a batch of skilled artisans for automatic loom production, so Joseph simply invested some capital to spin off this group and establish a new company.
In the future, this facility could also produce precision-machined products like lathes and boring machines, which would play a crucial role in boosting industrial productivity.
As for leasing automatic looms, Joseph directly instructed the Minister of Industry to apply for financial subsidies. For every loom rented out, the French treasury would subsidize the Precision Machinery Factory by 4,000 livres — an automatic loom retailed for 5,800 livres. In other words, the Precision Machinery Factory incurred no risk by leasing out the looms.
Investing in three automatic looms required only 36,000 livres, of which 30,000 livres were for purchasing steam engines. Steam engines held their value exceptionally well — many rural areas were searching for used steam engines for irrigation and they could be easily resold.
Coupled with the 50% tax reduction, there was truly no need to wait and see. After all, the tax benefits would be gone in five months.
Astute factory owners were already gathering in small groups, discussing partnerships to invest in automatic looms — the larger the capital scale, the more effectively costs could be reduced. Although there wasn't a complete theory of business operations yet, these individuals had practical experience running factories; they were seasoned capitalists.
After concluding the "policy briefing," Joseph, accompanied by Lyon's Municipal Commissioner and the Chamber of Commerce president, immediately set off to inspect the large-scale textile factories in Lyon without delay.
For the best-performing among them, he not only provided loan support — indeed, the French Reserve Bank was remarkably quick to disburse funds upon seeing a note approved by the Crown Prince — but also personally imparted advanced concepts such as brand building, promotion, and the cultivation of sales networks to the factory operators.
For the sake of France's textile industry, he had practically arranged everything for the factory owners, stopping just short of spoon-feeding it to them.
Compared to their British counterparts, who struggled relying solely on their own talents, Lyon's textile owners could practically soar with happiness.
If they still couldn't catch up to the British, it would truly be an injustice!
Four days later, Joseph gazed contentedly at the more than thirty application forms for new automatic loom factories on his desk, letting out a long sigh. It seemed his trip to Lyon could now conclude.
Mirabeau would naturally assign people to handle the specific implementation work; since Joseph had already established the broad framework, there would likely be no major issues.
However, on the morning Joseph was set to depart for Verdun, he faintly heard a commotion outside his window.
He pushed open the window in surprise, seeing a crowd pressing against the wall outside the villa where he was staying. His guard and the Lyon police were shouting loudly, trying to disperse them.
Before he could inquire, Eman hurried over, bowing his head. "Your Highness," he said, "those are textile workers from Lyon. They seem to have heard that automatic looms can reduce factory manpower by 90%, and they've come to petition you."
Joseph couldn't help but rub his forehead. 'The workers are worried about losing their jobs, and it's partly my fault for hyping it too much...' he thought.
In this era, workers typically lived paycheck to paycheck; if they lost their jobs, their families would immediately face starvation.
He instantly felt a headache brewing. While the workers' concerns were superfluous — first, automatic looms wouldn't reduce manpower by such an exaggerated amount, and second, they would boost sales of Lyon's textile products, essentially enlarging the entire market. Factories would then certainly expand on a massive scale, requiring more hands than before, not fewer.
However, explaining this clearly to the workers would be difficult.
Joseph pondered for a moment, then instructed Eman, "Please go tell Major Clauzel not to disperse the crowd."
Eman hesitated for a moment, then placed a hand over his chest and replied, "Yes, Your Highness."
Before long, Joseph arrived at the villa's main entrance. Someone shouted, "It's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
The hundreds of Lyon workers, separated by the police outside the wall, instantly fell silent.
Joseph scanned the surroundings, then vaulted onto the roof of a carriage parked in front of the gate. He called out to the shabbily dressed, anxious textile workers, "I understand your concerns. But I can assure you, you will absolutely not lose your jobs because of automatic looms!"
A bolder worker pushed to the front, nervously asking, "Your—Your Highness, but my boss said that once the automatic looms arrive, he'll lay off more than half his staff..."
Joseph immediately replied, "The government plans to establish textile processing centers in Lyon and expand the Rhône River docks, which will require a large workforce. Unemployed textile workers will be given priority for these job opportunities. Your wages will not be lower than your previous levels."
"Furthermore, wooden tracks will soon begin to be laid in the major cities near Lyon, also prioritizing the recruitment of unemployed workers."
"Following these projects, large companies like the Lyon River Transport Company and the Lyon Gas Lamp Company will be established. The government will also initiate many major engineering projects to advance Lyon's development. In short, there will be an increasing number of jobs available here in the future, so there's absolutely no need to fear unemployment."
The textile workers who had come to petition immediately began to whisper among themselves, though their eyes still clearly held worry and disbelief.
Joseph then smiled faintly and said, "Every two months, I will personally send representatives to track the unemployment rate in Lyon. If the unemployment rate becomes too high, I will have the government provide funds to help unemployed families relocate to Saint-Étienne or Nancy. You've surely heard of the industrial development zones there — factories are everywhere, with employee dormitories and schools, so finding work won't be an issue."
"Oh, everything I've just mentioned will soon be issued as official municipal announcements, so please rest assured."
The hundreds of people surrounding them suddenly fell silent, not only because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had resolved their most pressing concern of unemployment, but also because they were astonished that he cared so deeply for them and was so approachable.
'This is nothing like the impression we have of royalty!' they thought.
Joseph, aware of the significant riots caused by unemployment among Lyon's workers throughout history, naturally would not take this lightly.
A moment later, someone shouted, "Long live His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
Reminded by this, the others bowed respectfully towards Joseph, joining in the chorus: "Long live His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Thank you, benevolent Crown Prince!"
"You must be sent by God to save us..."
Joseph couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion at the sight. He had merely offered these simple, downtrodden people a chance to work 14 hours a day, enabling them to buy black bread for their families to fill their stomachs, and they were already shedding tears of gratitude.
'Perhaps, as Crown Prince, I should do even more for such impoverished people,' he mused.
...
South Asia.
Southern Indian Peninsula.
Outside the port of Calicut, more than a dozen Arab-style carriages rumbled along a rugged and bumpy track. From time to time, dark-skinned locals, their bare feet moving swiftly, would overtake the carriages from both sides of the road.
Marquis Lafayette, however, did not urge the coachman to speed up, as his backside could no longer endure any more jolting. In truth, he now regretted not taking his guide's advice and riding in one of the domed palanquins carried by locals.
But he quickly cast this minor discomfort aside, even finding the humid, muggy weather and the terrible roads strangely endearing.
For this place would be the starting point of his illustrious career!
Unlike his unauthorized departure for America to fight in the War of Independence over a decade ago, his journey to India this time was at His Majesty the King's behest. Therefore, there would be no risk of him winning numerous battles only to return to France and face reprimand.
The Crown had promised him that if he helped Mysore defeat the British — just as he had done in North America before — he would ascend to the high position of Assistant Minister of War. That was the power he had long dreamed of!
Those military nobles who had previously mocked and ostracized him would henceforth have to treat him with utmost respect, even scrambling to curry favor with him.
A strong sense of excitement surged within him at the thought, as if he were on his way to a rendezvous with a beloved lady.
He gazed at the distant tropical jungle, then quickly gathered his thoughts, beginning to consider how he could swiftly establish himself on this mission to Mysore.
In fact, before his departure, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had already compiled a series of strategies for him, but Lafayette found it hard to trust the efficacy of methods designed by a youth who had never set foot in India.
Recalling the Crown Prince's plans, he muttered to himself, 'Ultimately, I'll still have to improvise and adapt as I go.'
'Fortunately, this is a kingdom with nearly 20 million people; even if we wear them down slowly, we can still exhaust the East India Company fellows.'
Indeed, Britain's political, military, and trade administration in India was fully entrusted to the East India Company, which merely had to pay a share of its profits to the British government annually.
For cost-saving reasons, the East India Company's army in India consisted of fewer than 3,000 men. During wartime, they primarily relied on Indian soldiers recruited from local Indian states. The latter typically numbered between 40,000 and 80,000, depending on requirements.
In other words, the enemy's effective fighting force numbered a mere three thousand.
Lafayette couldn't help but smile at this thought; it was practically a divine blessing. Not only was the Kingdom of Mysore powerful, but Tipu Sultan's father had also begun training a formidable army of nearly 60,000 men according to European models.
Moreover, Mysore boasted national and religious unity, relatively enlightened politics, and overall national strength far surpassing the surrounding native states.
If this mission to India went smoothly, he might even return to Paris before the year's end, promoted to Assistant Minister of War.
After tropical downpours and scorching sun had alternately ravaged the land for about ten days, Lafayette's convoy finally reached Mysore City, the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore.
Tipu Sultan afforded him an exceptionally grand welcoming ceremony. In truth, France had previously sent special envoys to Mysore, but they hadn't provided much support, and even had certain interests in Travancore, which was at odds with Mysore.
This time, however, the French were clearly serious about assisting Mysore.
The messenger who had arrived beforehand to make contact stated that the person coming to Mysore was the famous French general, Marquis Lafayette, who had previously defeated the British in America.
Furthermore, the Marquis would bring troops and a substantial quantity of weapons.
In the spacious Arab-style palace, Lafayette glanced at the food spread before him, enough to feed ten men for three days, yet he didn't touch it. Instead, he turned to Tipu Sultan and said forthrightly, "Your Majesty, how do you intend to address Travancore's recent seizure of the Mysore fortress?"
The Indian man beside him immediately provided a simultaneous translation.
Tipu Sultan, having already learned of France's decision to abandon its interests in Travancore, spoke without reservation. "Respected General," he declared, "I have already ordered the army to assemble. In three months, we will attack the presumptuous Travancoreans!"
Lafayette smiled, immediately relaying the point the Crown Prince had repeatedly emphasized: "Your Majesty, if you wish to achieve victory, you must always keep your sights set on the British."
"Though their numbers are few, they are your true enemies!"
Tipu Sultan paused, then nodded slightly. Mysore's defeats in the previous two wars had indeed been due to the British commanding the enemy forces from behind the scenes.
He looked at Lafayette. "Then what is your advice?"
"With the utmost speed, drive the British out of Carnatic and Malabar into the sea, then concentrate our forces to deal with the Marathas!"
Lafayette declared, "I have brought three hundred elite soldiers, a large number of artisans, thirteen thousand flintlock muskets, and thirty cannons. We will assist you in crushing all your enemies in one swift blow!"
...
Prussia.
Potsdam, Sanssouci Palace.
William II angrily waved the confidential report in his hand, roaring at Prince Heinrich, "The despicable Austrians actually dare to attempt a sneak attack on Silesia!"
The report in his hand had just arrived from Saxony, stating that Austria had amassed nearly a hundred thousand troops and could launch an attack on Silesia at any moment.
Prince Heinrich watched the King pace back and forth in a rage, sighing inwardly, 'If only my brother were still alive.'
'No, if my brother were still here, the Austrians probably wouldn't even dare to consider attacking Silesia,' he mused.
He was Frederick the Great's younger brother, the uncle of the current Prussian King William II, and currently the most influential figure in Prussian politics.
"Your Majesty, you need not worry." Prince Heinrich appeared very calm. "Since we received the intelligence in advance, we can quickly mobilize our forces, seize the opportunity to severely cripple the Austrians, and perhaps even capture parts of Moravia."
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