The Fox of France - Chapter 267: Guest Academician

In addition to the impressive cannon, “Monsieur Bonaparte’s Arsenal” showcased various other types of weapons, many of which were improved versions of familiar old designs. The most significant advancement was the shift from iron to steel in their construction.

Beyond this, Monsieur Bonaparte’s Arsenal also featured a cutting-edge technology—smokeless gunpowder. According to the brochure, this type of gunpowder, when combined with steel barrels, allowed bullets to achieve higher initial velocity, resulting in increased range. It also reduced battlefield smoke, making the shooters less conspicuous and harder to detect.

Seeing this, even Watt, who wasn’t particularly radical on Irish matters, felt a deep sense of malice.

Apart from firearms, “Monsieur Bonaparte’s Arsenal” produced a variety of edged weapons, such as daggers, bayonets, spring knives, and butterfly knives. Watt furrowed his brow at the sight because these items were already common in England, and some British companies had started imitating them.

The popularity of these weapons in England was more concerning to Watt and his companions than the prevalence of land mines and rifles in Ireland. After all, the victims of land mines and rifles in Ireland were mostly English civilians, and these threats were relatively distant from Watt and his group, as long as they didn’t venture into Ireland themselves.

However, spring knives and butterfly knives were different; their popularity implied a deterioration in public safety. Despite the generally poor law and order in London or any English city, these knives exacerbated the problem further.

These two types of knives were exceptionally discreet. Victims would often have no time to react before thieves brandished them. Recently, many police officers had been stabbed or killed by these weapons. In response, the police had become more sensitive and prone to using violence. London’s police had begun widely equipping themselves with revolvers, and there were already several incidents of innocent bystanders getting injured due to indiscriminate firing.

Compared to the dangers in Ireland, these small knives posed a more immediate threat. To Watt, these items were even more detestable than rifled guns and land mines.

But Bolton’s attention was captivated by a certain French knife.

“Mr. Watt, come and have a look at this knife.”

Watt walked over to see an unusual folding knife in a glass display case. Unlike typical folding knives, this one didn’t have just one blade; it had multiple other tools inside, such as small scissors, a tiny screwdriver, a miniature compass, and various other ingenious little devices.

“Well, Mr. Watt, you see, this thing is quite interesting,” Bolton said, pointing at the knife.

“It looks nice, but as a tool, these things are too small. They’re not as practical as regular ones,” Watt replied, shaking his head.

“That’s true, but it could be a nice gift for the children,” Bolton suggested.

Watt agreed with that perspective. He thought these little items could be bought and given to children for play, helping them develop their manual skills. He was genuinely impressed by the French’s ability to incorporate so many tools into such a small knife.

They continued to walk around and explore other exhibits.

“Ah, this saber… Mr. Watt, look at this. Is this the legendary Damascus steel blade? My word, the French have actually mastered this technology. I thought these blades were lost to history!” Bolton exclaimed.

In reality, the true technique of crafting Damascus steel blades had been lost, and these beautiful patterns were achieved through folding and forging various types of steel, then etching the surface. But Bolton was unaware of this, so he checked the price and, although he found it somewhat expensive, decided to buy a couple of them as decorative pieces.

In addition to the unique knife, there was a special shovel with over a dozen practical functions, and its price was reasonable. Watt thought about importing some to sell, believing they would do quite well.

After some more exploring, they headed back to their allocated villa to rest. These small villas were specifically reserved for the merchants who had qualified to present in the “Palace of Peace.” Those merchants who were only showcasing their products in the square had to stay in regular hotels.

On the second evening of their stay, a few people came to visit Watt.

“I am Joseph Bonaparte. I just rushed back from the South and heard that Mr. Watt is here, so I came to pay him a visit,” this person said to Watt’s assistant, William Murdoch.

“Ah, it’s Professor Bonaparte,” William Murdoch said, instantly showing his respect. In British propaganda, Napoleon, and Joseph for that matter, had been portrayed negatively. Later on, Fouché had been vilified even further. However, despite these negative portrayals, British scholars couldn’t help but utilize Fouché’s First Law, Fouché’s Second Law, and so on. So, regardless of the criticisms, during the war, there was still a degree of admiration for Joseph.

The world of science was even less affected by this political bias, and scientists, for political correctness and personal interest, were hesitant to admit the shift of scientific prominence from Britain to France. But when it came to Joseph Bonaparte, the most prominent symbol of this transition, they couldn’t help but admire him. Now that Watt was here, and Joseph had come to visit in person, it was an opportunity that Watt could boast about back in England. As Watt’s assistant, William Murdoch felt honored to be a part of this.

“Professor Bonaparte, please come in. I’ll go and inform Mr. Watt; he’s upstairs discussing matters with Mr. Bolton,” William Murdoch invited Joseph in and instructed a servant to prepare tea. Holding a candlestick, he prepared to go upstairs to notify Watt.

Although it was already dark outside, it was only seven o’clock, and neither Watt nor Bolton had gone to sleep yet. Both men were upstairs in the small living room, enjoying tea and discussing their experiences from the day.

When William Murdoch informed them that Professor Bonaparte had come to visit, both men quickly got up and descended the stairs.

“Ah, Professor Bonaparte,” Watt said as he approached, “Ever since I arrived in Paris, I’ve been eager to visit you. Unfortunately, when you traveled to the South, we were quite disappointed, thinking we had missed the opportunity. To meet you now, I consider this trip a complete success.”

They exchanged pleasantries and took seats on the living room’s sofa.

“Professor Bonaparte, is there something specific that brings you here?” Watt inquired.

Joseph replied, “Yes, there are a few matters. Mr. Watt, as you may know, I am currently the President of the French Academy of Sciences. Initially, we thought this position should have been filled by Mr. Lavassier, but he has been reluctant to be distracted by such administrative duties. Thus, I, perhaps somewhat unprepared, ended up taking on the role.”

“However, now that I am in this position, I believe it is essential to do something for the Academy and for science itself. I have always believed that science has no boundaries; it is a shared wealth of all humankind. To advance science, it requires collaboration among the finest scientists from various nations. Mr. Watt, you are a member of the Royal Society of London, which has made immense contributions to the history of science. Additionally, you, yourself, are a great scientist who has made groundbreaking contributions to human progress. Therefore, I have come here today with the hope of inviting you to be an Associate Academician of the French Academy of Sciences.”

Being invited to become an Associate Academician of the French Academy of Sciences was a significant honor. Watt was undoubtedly delighted, but he felt the need for some politeness. Moreover, Joseph’s earlier praise, describing him as a “great scientist who had made groundbreaking contributions to human progress,” had set the bar quite high. Considering Joseph’s prominent position in the scientific community, this praise would provide Watt with bragging rights for months when he returned to England.

“President Bonaparte, I am deeply honored to receive such an invitation. Your statement about science knowing no boundaries and the need for worldwide collaboration is something I wholeheartedly agree with. However, your kind words of praise have made me blush. I feel a bit overrated,” Watt replied.

“Ah, Mr. Watt, while studying the history of human science, I once divided the history of human civilization based on how humans obtain and utilize energy. I separated it into several stages. First is the primitive stage when humans were essentially wild creatures, obtaining energy by seeking natural sources of energy. This is the same way all wild animals obtain their energy, whether by eating plants or other animals. During this stage, humans could hardly be considered civilized and were closer to wild beasts.

Watt nodded in agreement, listening carefully to Joseph’s words, as they might be quite useful for boasting later.

Joseph continued, “Later, humans developed two methods to acquire energy: agriculture and animal husbandry. According to the studies of Monsieur Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier, the source of energy for plant growth is sunlight. Whether through agriculture, animal husbandry, or even earlier forms of existence more reminiscent of wild animals, in terms of energy utilization, humans were all harnessing the energy of solar radiation. However, agriculture and animal husbandry were more efficient methods of utilizing energy. Acquiring this knowledge marked the threshold of human civilization.

“For thousands of years afterward, despite many changes, this method of obtaining energy remained relatively unchanged, with occasional use of wind and water power, but on a limited scale. It wasn’t until you improved the steam engine that humanity’s available energy sources expanded significantly. Mineral energy became widely used. This marked a substantial step forward for human civilization. Regardless of how it’s praised, it’s not an overstatement.”

Joseph’s theory was both innovative and incredibly beneficial for Watt. Watt believed that this theory could provide him with a year’s worth of bragging rights, if not a lifetime. With a wide smile on his face, Watt said, “President Bonaparte, your praise is truly overwhelming. You just described quite an impressive historical perspective. I am deeply honored by your invitation. What can I assist you with, beyond this honor?”