Chapter 75: A Revolutionary Weapon
Joseph briefly introduced, "This gun will feature a completely new firing mechanism, significantly improving its loading speed and power compared to current Flintlock Muskets. Moreover, its resistance to rain and misfire rate will be noticeably better."
Louis XVI's eyes lit up further. Even someone completely ignorant of military affairs could tell that this new gun would have a revolutionary impact on warfare!
In reality, he was well aware that everyone in France was secretly discussing him as "incompetent" and "neglecting his duties."
He also wanted to be a king admired and worshipped by his subjects, like the Sun King, but governing a nation was something that truly depended on talent.
And he just happened to lack that particular talent.
But gunsmithing was his area of expertise. His familiarity with precision machinery meant that many gunsmiths of that era came from a watchmaking background.
He was a master craftsman, certified by both the Locksmiths' Guild and the Watchmakers' Guild.
In the past, even if he crafted the finest lock, no one would genuinely praise him for it.
But guns were different! They were the military backbone of a nation!
Joseph had a guard from outside fetch a Flintlock Musket. He pointed to the firing mechanism at the rear of the gun:
"Current Flintlock Muskets use a flint on the hammer to strike a steel plate, generating a spark. This ignites the powder in the flash pan, which in turn ignites the main charge in the barrel, firing the bullet."
Louis XVI nodded. He often hunted and was very familiar with the process.
Joseph removed the flint from the hammer and continued:
"A few years ago, the British synthesized something called Mercury Fulminate. It explodes upon impact. If Mercury Fulminate is fixed at the rear-side of the breech and struck by the hammer, it can directly ignite the propellant."
Louis XVI frowned.
"But how would Mercury Fulminate be secured? And since it explodes on impact, it wouldn't be safe for soldiers to carry. For example, an accidental fall could cost them their lives."
Joseph smiled faintly.
"That's also why the British haven't been able to use Mercury Fulminate to create weapons to this day."
Louis XVI looked at him expectantly. He knew his son must have found a solution.
"I call it a Percussion Cap." Joseph picked up a piece of the paper he had used earlier, tore off a small scrap, and folded it into a pea-sized bowl shape. "This represents a copper casing."
He pinched off a bit of wax. "This is the Mercury Fulminate."
He pressed the wax firmly into the paper cup:
"A Percussion Cap is now complete. The copper casing can withstand external impacts, preventing the Mercury Fulminate from easily exploding.
"If the Percussion Cap is then placed inside a cartridge pouch lined with cotton, it becomes even safer."
Louis XVI asked, surprised:
"So how would the gun fire it?"
"Because copper is malleable." Joseph picked up a small hammer and tapped the bottom of the paper cup. "If the hammer is shaped like a mallet and the spring is strong enough, the hammer will flatten the bottom of the Percussion Cap, detonating the Mercury Fulminate inside."
Louis XVI picked up the Flintlock Musket and mused aloud:
"So, the flash pan could be eliminated. A hole could be drilled into the breech, the Percussion Cap inserted, the hammer cocked, and then fired."
Joseph was taken aback. 'He truly is a master; he's already jumping ahead with answers!'
He nodded. "Drilling a hole wouldn't make it easy to remove the Percussion Cap after firing. It would be better to install a hollow cylinder on the rear-side of the breech. The Percussion Cap would be pressed onto the cylinder. When fired, the flame would enter the barrel through the hollow space. And after firing, the Percussion Cap could be easily pried off."
Louis XVI's expression grew increasingly excited.
When firing a Flintlock Musket, the latter half of the operation was to take out the powder charge, pour the powder into the flash pan, tamp it down, cock the hammer, and fire.
If a Percussion Cap was used instead, one would only need to cock the hammer, insert the Percussion Cap, and it would be ready to fire.
At least two or three seconds faster than a Flintlock Musket!
Don't underestimate these two or three seconds. On the battlefield, half a second could mean the difference between life and death. An experienced soldier, trained for several years, might only load three seconds faster than a raw recruit.
Furthermore, Percussion Cap Muskets wouldn't have the gas escape hole of the flash pan. The powder's propulsion would act entirely on the projectile. Its power would undoubtedly be significantly greater than that of a Flintlock Musket.
He looked at Joseph, his eyes filled with pride and affection:
"My dear son, how did you come up with such a brilliant idea? Oh, I suspect God himself must have kissed your mind."
Joseph thought to himself, 'Of course, I saw it on a military forum.' He then smiled faintly.
"Thank God."
He took out paper and a pen, sketched the Percussion Cap Musket structure from his memory, and handed it to Louis XVI:
"This is roughly what it looks like. But the specific dimensions and proportions, as well as matters of component craftsmanship, will have to be solved by His Majesty, our great King."
Louis XVI puffed out his chest with soaring ambition:
"Rest assured! Together, father and son, we will certainly create a gun that will astonish all of Europe!"
Exiting the Royal Workshop, Joseph couldn't help but let out a silent sigh. 'Why hadn't he thought of having the King help develop weapons earlier?'
In terms of equipment, this place had the most comprehensive and highest-quality tools and instruments in all of France.
In terms of technical skill, Louis XVI and his assistants were truly top-tier.
More importantly, with the King leading the research and development, there was no need to worry about technological leaks. If an arsenal were developing it, at least a hundred people would have to be assigned to prevent any information from getting out.
He then realized that matters concerning technological secrecy would only increase in the future, and the introduction of Patent Law needed to be put on the agenda as soon as possible.
Furthermore, once the Percussion Cap Musket was developed, the related Mercury Fulminate processing and firearm manufacturing would also need to keep pace, rapidly achieving mass production.
This new gun would be more than just a weapon. It would also be a powerful tool for him to exert influence over the army, so it would be best for it to be produced by an arsenal under his control...
While Joseph pondered, he returned to his chambers. He wearily unbuttoned his coat, but his hand brushed against the envelope Madame Éric had given him that evening.
He casually pulled out the theater ticket inside and saw that the play was scheduled for four days later at the Comédie-Française.
When he turned the ticket over, he froze. The play's name was none other than Battle Through the Heavens, a novel that had only been serialized for a few days!
Only then did he recall Denico reporting yesterday that a theater wanted to purchase the novel from the newspaper for adaptation and performance. Joseph hadn't paid much attention at the time and had given Denico full authority to handle it. Who would have thought it would open in just four days!?
The novel had only been serialized for three days in total. How impatient must these theater troupes have been?
And with only about a week combined for scriptwriting and rehearsals, how had they managed it?
In the following days, Joseph first visited Lamarck's pharmaceutical workshop and discussed the processing of ferrous sulfate with him.
Afterward, he arranged the promotion and sales for the Paris Angel Company's new product, Noble Lady's Joy Oral Liquid, occasionally checking on His Majesty the King's progress at the Royal Workshop.
Four days passed quickly. At noon that day, Joseph's carriage stopped at the corner of Rue de Richelieu. The Comédie-Française was already swarming with people, packed shoulder-to-shoulder.
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