Chapter 641: The Revolution in Inland Waterway Transport
Joseph, however, was still staring at the paddle steamer nearby: "Can that ship actually sail?"
Borda replied with uncertainty, "Perhaps. I remember Mr. Jouffroy saying it could work, but he had it towed from the upper reaches of the Loire River to the shipyard, and it's been left there ever since."
"Please have Mr. Jouffroy come to see me."
"Yes, Your Highness."
About half an hour later.
Jouffroy was visibly nervous before the Crown Prince, nodding, "Yes, Your Highness, it can sail. I once piloted it all the way from Berry to Nantes."
"Excellent." Joseph's eyes lit up. "Could you demonstrate it for me?"
"Well," Jouffroy's face showed difficulty, "Your Highness, its steam engine has a slight malfunction. Once it's repaired..."
"How long will the repairs take?"
Joseph nodded. "I will cover the repair costs for you. Now, is the design of this ship mature? Do you have the blueprints?"
Jouffroy looked somewhat embarrassed. "Your Highness, I actually designed a steam-powered frigate, but it's not yet complete. And the navy doesn't seem to need such a thing anymore; I mean, the Light of the Mediterranean is far superior to my design."
"No, no," Joseph immediately said. "I don't need a warship. I'm referring to the ship docked at the pier."
Jouffroy paused, then quickly nodded. "Yes, Your Highness, I've refined the Pyroscaphe repeatedly over several years; it's quite mature now."
France could now provide him with reliable steam engines, so he hadn't abandoned the project halfway, as in history, but had successfully built the steam paddleboat.
Joseph smiled. "Such a small ship is precisely what I need. Mr. Jouffroy, you've done something truly remarkable."
"But it can't compare to the Light of the Mediterranean at all..."
"Paddle steamers have a simple structure, are far cheaper to build than propeller-driven ships, and are easier to maintain," Joseph explained. "Therefore, they have their own unique place. Oh, could you let me see its design plans?"
Indeed, steam paddleboats were the undisputed kings of river transport in the 19th century. Even on the eve of World War I, many affordable and durable paddle steamers were still traversing rivers worldwide.
Joseph had originally intended to commission the design of a steam paddle-driven transport ship, but paddle propulsion and propeller propulsion were entirely different technological paths. Currently, the designers at Brest Shipyard were busy with steam warships, so the matter of a paddle transport ship had been temporarily put aside.
And now, Mr. Jouffroy had independently designed a paddle steamer — it was an unexpected delight.
Shortly after, the blueprints for the Pyroscaphe appeared before Joseph.
This was a vessel with a displacement of 70 tonnes, 32 meters long, and 7 meters wide. It was fitted with an LJ26H steam engine, designed for a speed of 8.5 kilometers per hour. With its two small sails, it could achieve a speed of 9.2 kilometers per hour.
Joseph, being an amateur, turned directly to Borda, the Inspector General of Naval Construction. "What do you think of this ship's design?"
"Ah, frankly, the overall design is a bit crude," Borda remarked, scrutinizing the blueprints. "However, the structure is fairly sound, and the power layout is quite ingenious."
Joseph asked, "So, using this as a foundation, would it be feasible to design a small transport ship?" "Yes, Your Highness, by simply optimizing the hull shape and adjusting the cabin layout, it would be perfectly suitable for cargo transport."
"Excellent." Joseph's expression was as if he'd been hit by a pie falling from the sky. "Please assign an experienced designer to help Mr. Jouffroy refine the design."
"I will do so, Your Highness."
Joseph knew that even with Jouffroy's talent as an independent designer, he couldn't match the engineering experience of top warship designers. Collaboration between the two would be the most efficient approach.
He then turned to Jouffroy. "I hope to see a production-ready design within three months. Can you accomplish that?"
The latter hadn't expected his "wasteful" design to catch the Crown Prince's eye, and he nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Your Highness, I will do my utmost!"
Joseph nodded. "If this ship satisfies me, I will invest 1.5 million francs to establish a shipyard for its production.
"And you will receive a 10% stake in the shipyard. Oh, and the patent for the new ship will still be yours."
Jouffroy's breathing quickened with excitement. The shares plus patent licensing fees would amount to at least 200,000 francs, instantly elevating him to the ranks of the wealthy.
He practically shouted, "I swear, Your Highness, I will not disappoint you!"
Everyone present was stunned by the Crown Prince's lavish investment of a million.
Borda quickly suggested, "Your Highness, an initial investment of 200,000 to 300,000 francs would be sufficient for these small ships. Perhaps you might consider..."
Joseph, however, shook his head decisively. "Thank you for your advice, but I need a very high production volume; perhaps even 1.5 million won't be enough."
He clearly understood the immense impact steam paddleboats would have once introduced to inland waterway transport.
It was crucial to remember that inland waterway transport differed from sea transport; inland rivers had almost no wind. Thus, most vessels were oar-powered, with some oar-and-sail boats. When encountering challenging river sections, they had to be pulled by trackers, which was not only very slow but also incurred significant labor costs.
Steam paddleboats effectively solved these problems. A speed of 8.5 kilometers per hour might seem modest, but it was far faster than manual rowing and could be maintained for long periods without the need for constant rests like rowers.
Furthermore, steamships could free themselves from the limitations of trackers. During peak transport seasons, other boat owners might have to wait an entire day for trackers, while a steamship would have already reached its destination.
This meant a steamship could make two or even more trips in the time it took a regular oar-powered boat to make one. Although it would burn a lot of coal, it saved on wages for rowers and trackers. All in all, the transportation cost for steamships would be halved compared to current methods!
Later, when larger river transport ships equipped with 52-horsepower steam engines and displacements of over 90 tonnes were designed, costs could be reduced even further.
This was nothing short of a Dimensional Strike.
It was foreseeable that once France's steam paddleboats entered production, all inland waterway operators would have to replace their old vessels, or they wouldn't stand a chance against the competition.
Joseph wasted no time, immediately instructing Borda to recruit specialists and begin planning the shipyard.
Historically, building warships was a losing proposition; only civilian vessels turned a profit. Joseph mused that if the steam paddleboat shipyard generated sufficient revenue, he could invest in and acquire a controlling stake in the Brest Shipyard, drastically reducing warship construction costs by expanding overall production.
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