Chapter 316: Smoke of War
For a moment, 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 seemed like a sure thing!
Of course, Joseph knew that while these people might be excited now, most of them would still hesitate when it came time to actually invest their money. It would only be after the early adopters started making profits that others would follow suit.
So, Joseph introduced an incentive plan: "To encourage everyone to adopt new technology, factories that invest in automated looms within the next three months will enjoy a 50% tax reduction for three years. Those who invest within five months will receive a 35% tax reduction.
"Additionally, for those who lack sufficient funds, the Precision Machinery Factory can provide leasing services. With an investment of just 2,000 livres, you can lease an automated loom for one year."
The French Precision Machinery Factory was a newly established factory spun off from the Royal Arsenal. After all, the arsenal needed to focus on producing weapons, and having them manufacture looms wasn't sustainable. With the need to produce automated looms, the arsenal had recruited a new batch of craftsmen. Joseph decided to invest some money and establish a new company with these workers.
This new factory could also produce lathes, boring machines, and other precision tools, playing a crucial role in boosting industrial productivity.
As for the automated loom leasing program, Joseph arranged for the Treasury to provide subsidies. For each loom leased, the Treasury would compensate the Precision Machinery Factory 4,000 livres—the selling price of an automated loom was 5,800 livres. This meant that the factory faced no financial risk in leasing out the looms.
With this, many textile owners became determined to try out the automated looms. Investing in three looms required just 36,000 livres, with 30,000 of that going towards buying a steam engine. Steam engines were valuable assets—many rural areas were on the lookout for second-hand steam engines for irrigation, making them easy to sell.
With a 50% tax reduction, there was no longer any reason to wait. After all, in five months, the tax incentive would be gone.
Some savvy factory owners began gathering in groups of three or five, discussing partnerships to invest in automated looms—capitalizing on economies of scale to effectively reduce costs. Although there wasn't yet a formal commercial theory for this, these individuals were experienced factory owners and skilled capitalists.
After the "policy briefing" concluded, Joseph immediately took the Lyon municipal commissioner and the president of the Chamber of Commerce on a whirlwind tour of Lyon's large textile factories.
For the best-run factories, Joseph not only offered loan support—after all, the Treasury was quick to disburse funds with the Crown Prince's approval—but also personally advised the factory owners on advanced concepts like brand building, promotion, and developing a sales network.
Joseph had almost done everything short of spoon-feeding these factory owners to ensure the success of France's textile industry. Compared to their British counterparts, who had to struggle relying on their own ingenuity, the textile owners in Lyon were incredibly fortunate.
If they still couldn't catch up with the British, there would be no justice in the world!
Four days later, Joseph looked at the thirty or so applications for new automated loom factories on his desk with satisfaction. It seemed his trip to Lyon could come to an end.
The implementation work would naturally be taken over by Mirabeau's team. The overall framework had been set, so there shouldn't be any major issues.
However, on the morning of the day Joseph was scheduled to leave for Verdun, he heard the faint sound of commotion outside his window.
Puzzled, he opened the window and saw a crowd gathered outside the villa's walls, with his guards and Lyon police shouting orders, trying to disperse the people.
Before he could ask, Eman approached and bowed, "Your Highness, those are Lyon's textile workers. They seem to have heard that automated looms could reduce the workforce by 90%, so they've come to petition you."
Joseph put his hand to his forehead—these workers were worried about losing their jobs, and it was his fault for exaggerating...
In this era, workers lived paycheck to paycheck, and if they lost their jobs, their families would immediately go hungry.
He felt a headache coming on. While the workers' fears were unfounded—automated looms wouldn't reduce labor needs by that much, and they would actually increase Lyon's textile production, creating more jobs—this wasn't something that could easily be explained to the workers.
After a moment's thought, Joseph instructed Eman, "Please inform Major Croizet that there's no need to disperse the crowd."
Eman hesitated for a moment but then bowed, "Yes, Your Highness."
Soon after, Joseph came to the villa's entrance. Someone in the crowd shouted, "It's the Crown Prince!"
The hundreds of Lyon workers who had been held back by the police immediately quieted down.
Joseph looked around and then climbed onto a carriage parked in front of the gate. He addressed the anxious, poorly-dressed textile workers, "I understand your concerns. But I can assure you, none of you will lose your jobs because of the automated looms!"
A brave worker stepped forward, nervously stammering, "But, Your Highness, my boss said that once the automated looms arrive, he'll lay off more than half of us..."
Joseph immediately replied, "The government plans to establish a textile processing base in Lyon and expand the Rhône River docks, which will require a large workforce. Unemployed textile workers will be given priority for these jobs, with wages no lower than what you're earning now.
"Additionally, the nearby large cities will soon begin laying down wooden railways, and they'll also prioritize hiring unemployed workers.
"After these projects, there will be more companies like Lyon River Transport and Lyon Gas Lamp Company being established. The government will also launch many large projects to promote Lyon's development. In short, there will be more and more jobs here in the future, so you have nothing to worry about."
The textile workers began whispering to each other, though they still looked worried and uncertain.
Joseph smiled and continued, "I will personally send people to Lyon every two months to track the unemployment rate. If it becomes too high, the government will help unemployed families relocate to Saint-Étienne or Nancy. I'm sure you've heard of the industrial zones there—full of factories, with employee dormitories and schools, so finding work won't be a problem.
"Oh, and everything I've said will soon be formally announced by the city government, so rest assured."
The crowd of hundreds suddenly fell silent, not just because the Crown Prince had addressed their fears of unemployment, but because they were surprised by how much he cared for them and how approachable he was.
This was not the image of the royal family they had in their minds!
Joseph knew how serious the labor riots had been in Lyon historically due to unemployment, so he couldn't take this lightly.
After a moment, someone in the crowd shouted, "Long live the Crown Prince!"
The others followed suit, bowing to Joseph and shouting, "Long live the Crown Prince!"
"Thank you, merciful Crown Prince!"
"You must be sent by God to save us..."
Joseph felt a bit emotional at this. All he had done was offer these humble, lower-class people a chance to work fourteen-hour days, so they could buy black bread to feed their families, and they were so grateful.
Perhaps, as the Crown Prince, he should do even more for these impoverished people.
…
South Asia.
Southern Indian Peninsula.
Outside the port of Calicut, a dozen Arabian-style carriages traveled along a bumpy, uneven road, occasionally overtaken by dark-skinned locals, who quickly passed by barefoot on the roadside.
Marquis Lafayette didn't urge his driver to go faster; his backside couldn't take any more bouncing around. He was already regretting not heeding the guide's advice to ride in one of the local sedan chairs.
But he soon put this minor discomfort out of his mind, even finding the hot, humid weather and terrible roads somewhat endearing.
Because this was going to be the starting point of his rise to power!
Unlike over a decade ago, when he had gone to America on his own to join the Revolutionary War, this time, he was on a mission from the King, so there would be no backlash after he returned to France victorious.
The royal family had promised him that if he helped Mysore defeat the British—just as he had done in North America—he would be elevated to Assistant Minister of War, a position of power he had long desired!
Those military nobles who had mocked and ostracized him would soon be bowing and scraping, eager to curry favor.
Thinking of this filled him with excitement, like he was about to meet a beloved lady for a secret rendezvous.
He looked out at the tropical forests in the distance, quickly regaining his composure as he began to plan his next steps in Mysore.
In fact, the Crown Prince had already provided him with a series of strategies before his departure, but Lafayette found it hard to believe that a young man who had never been to India could devise effective tactics.
He reviewed the Crown Prince's plans in his mind, muttering to himself, "I'll just have to adapt as the situation unfolds.
"Fortunately, this is a kingdom of nearly 20 million people. Even if it comes to a prolonged conflict, we can outlast the East India Company's forces."
Indeed, Britain had entrusted the governance, military, and trade management of India entirely to the East India Company, which only had to pay a share of the profits to the British government each year.
To save costs, the East India Company maintained an army of fewer than 3,000 European soldiers in India, relying on 40,000 to 80,000 locally recruited Indian soldiers for most of its military needs.
This meant that the most formidable enemy force was only 3,000 strong.
Thinking about this made Lafayette smile. It seemed like divine providence was on his side—Mysore not only had a powerful army of nearly 60,000 troops trained in European methods since the days of Tipu Sultan's father, but it also had a unified population and religion, relatively open politics, and overall strength far surpassing the surrounding princely states.
If this Indian campaign went well, Lafayette thought he might be back in Paris and promoted to Assistant Minister of War by the end of the year.
After enduring about ten days of alternating tropical downpours and scorching heat, Lafayette's convoy finally arrived in Mysore's capital city, Mysore.
Tipu Sultan gave him an extremely grand welcome. In fact, France had previously sent envoys to Mysore, but they had provided little support and even had some conflicting interests in Travancore, Mysore's rival.
But this time, it was clear that the French were serious about assisting Mysore.
The messenger who had arrived earlier said that the person coming to Mysore was the famous French general who had defeated the British in America, the Marquis de Lafayette.
He was also bringing an army and a large quantity of weapons.
In the expansive Arabian-style palace, Lafayette glanced at the feast before him—enough food for ten people for three days—but didn't touch it. Instead, he turned to Tipu Sultan and got straight to the point, "Your Majesty, how do you plan to deal with Travancore's occupation of the Mysore fortress?"
The Indian translator quickly conveyed his words.
Tipu Sultan, having learned that France had decided to give up its interests in Travancore, did not hold back: "Esteemed General, I have already ordered my army to mobilize. In three months, we will attack the arrogant Travancoreans!"
Lafayette smiled and immediately shared the piece of advice that the Crown Prince had emphasized repeatedly: "Your Majesty, if you want to achieve victory, you must keep your focus on the British at all times.
"They may be few in number, but they are your true enemy!"
Tipu Sultan was taken aback for a moment but then nodded slightly. In the previous two wars, it was the British who had been directing the enemy forces from behind.
He looked at Lafayette and asked, "So, what is your suggestion?"
"Strike quickly to drive the British out of Canara and Malabar, then concentrate your forces to deal with Travancore!"
Lafayette said, "I've brought 300 elite soldiers, many craftsmen, 13,000 flintlock muskets, and 30 cannons. We will help you crush all your enemies!"
…
Prussia.
Potsdam, Sanssouci Palace.
Wilhelm II angrily waved the secret report in his hand and shouted at Prince Heinrich, "Those treacherous Austrians! They're planning to launch a sneak attack on Silesia!"
The report in his hand had just arrived from Saxony, stating that Austria had gathered nearly 100,000 troops and could launch an attack on Silesia at any moment.
Prince Heinrich, watching his nephew angrily pace back and forth, sighed inwardly, If only my brother were still alive.
No, if my brother were still alive, the Austrians wouldn't dare to covet Silesia in the first place.
He was the younger brother of Frederick the Great, the current King of Prussia's uncle, and the most influential figure in Prussian politics.
"Your Majesty, you need not worry," Prince Heinrich said calmly. "Since we've received this intelligence in advance, we can quickly gather our forces and seize the opportunity to deal a heavy blow to the Austrians. We might even be able to take part of Moravia."
(End of Chapter)
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