The Fox of France

Chapter 242: The Bolton-Watt Company

The new year of 1800 had just begun, and the streets of London were still covered in thick, dirty, grayish-white snow. Around nine in the morning, a public carriage stopped not far from the entrance of the Bolton-Watt Company. A burly young man stepped down from the carriage, his neck pulled down into his coat to shield himself from the cold. With one hand clutching his slightly undersized coat tightly, and the other hand carrying a large box, he braved the freezing weather. His bare hands turned red from the cold.

The man looked around, spotting the sign of the Bolton-Watt Company. His face, now red from the cold, broke into a tiger-like smile when he recognized the place. He hoisted the suitcase and briskly made his way to the entrance of the Bolton-Watt Company.

The name "Bolton-Watt Company" gave a hint about its significance. This was the company founded by James Watt, the innovator of the steam engine and a key figure in the onset of the first industrial revolution. James Watt, however, was only the second shareholder in the company. The primary owner was Mr. Bolton, who owned two-thirds of the company, including the patent rights.

The young man reached the entrance of the Bolton-Watt Company and spoke to the waiter standing there, also shivering in the thin, cold air, with a heavy accent in his not-so-fluent English, "I've come to speak with Mr. Bolton and Mr. Watt about a substantial deal we previously arranged. My name is Gérant."

The waiter regarded Gérant with suspicion, eyeing him up and down. A wealthy Frenchman named Gérant was expected to visit this morning, and the waiter knew about it. However, preoccupied with watching the luxurious carriages with heaters that passed by, he hadn't noticed this man who had walked over, carrying his own luggage. Was this shabbily dressed fellow really the "wealthy Frenchman" mentioned by Mr. Bolton?

But Gérant claimed his name was Gérant, and the other information he provided seemed accurate. So, the waiter couldn't reject him simply because he looked like a penniless Scot wandering in London. He responded with a touch of hesitation, "Mr. Gérant, Mr. Bolton and Mr. Watt are expecting you. Please follow me."

The waiter, while speaking, opened the door and was about to help Gérant with the luggage out of habit.

Gérant declined the offer, saying, "Oh, this suitcase contains very important items, and it's quite heavy. I'll carry it myself." He followed the waiter into the company.

Guided by the waiter, they ascended to the second floor. Gérant's heavy steps on the staircase made the waiter frown slightly, and he silently labeled this Frenchman as "uncultured" while proceeding upstairs.

Finally, they reached a door, and the waiter knocked gently. "Mr. Bolton, Mr. Watt, Mr. Gérant is here."

"Please come in," came the reply from inside.

The waiter opened the door, and a rush of warm air greeted them. Gérant entered the room to find two elderly gentlemen standing up to welcome him.

"Are you Mr. Gérant? Please have a seat over here; it's closer to the fireplace and warmer," said the elder of the two.

Gérant placed his suitcase on the floor and took a seat on the sofa, near the fireplace. The waiter brought him a cup of tea and set it on the small table beside him.

"Thank you," Gérant said, lifting the teacup and downing it in one go.

"Now that I'm feeling warmer, I must say, London is a frigid place. I left my hotel, and in the blink of an eye, I could hardly breathe from the cold. The winters here are truly freezing!"

"London isn't so bad, actually, and James's hometown is even colder. But you Southern folks are lucky; your hometowns are always warm," the older gentleman remarked.

They exchanged pleasantries and introductions. "I am Mr. Bolton, the owner of the company, and this is my partner and friend, Mr. Watt."

Gérant, in turn, introduced himself, saying, "I am Gérant, a shareholder of the French Lorraine Ironworks. I've been sent by our board to explore potential business collaborations with your esteemed company. If our collaboration is fruitful and we all profit handsomely, we hope our friendship will endure."

They continued the conversation, and Mr. Bolton asked, "Mr. Gérant, as far as I know, your company is part of the military-industrial complex, and the military-industrial complex has its own steam engine manufacturer. May I inquire about the reasons behind your company's decision to collaborate with us rather than with Bonaparte Steam Power, which is also part of the military-industrial complex?"

Gérant replied, "There are two primary reasons. The Bonaparte steam engine was initially designed for naval use. From what I understand, they spared no expense to achieve extreme performance. However, their machines, although excellent, come at an exorbitant price. Furthermore, many of their technologies are highly classified."

Gérant paused briefly and continued, "I believe, gentlemen, especially distinguished scientists like Mr. Watt, may be very interested in Bonaparte's steam engine, but I doubt either of you has seen one in person. Frankly, I haven't either. However, I know that the military-industrial complex has employed various means to boost the boiler pressure of those steam engines to about one and a half times that of the products you offer. Ships using them have an unrivaled speed advantage. Additionally, their machines, under the same horsepower, are more compact and fuel-efficient. You see, space is limited on ships, and saving coal means more cargo capacity. Sailing at higher speeds allows for more round trips, which in itself brings substantial profits."

"But any improvement comes at a cost. To my knowledge, the manufacturing cost, maintenance cost, and maintenance time for this type of steam engine are much higher than that of a conventional steam engine. Only users with high profits or extremely demanding performance requirements, like smugglers and the navy, are willing to accept such expensive equipment. As for Bonaparte Steam Power, they are still tightly holding on to the demand from the navy, and they currently lack the capacity to provide us with the usual, cost-effective steam engines."

Bolton and Watt exchanged a glance. If this Frenchman's seemingly casual information was reliable, then it seemed that Bonaparte Steam Power wasn't pursuing general-purpose power. This reduced the threat to their business considerably. However, they couldn't be sure if everything this man said was true.

"So, what type of steam engine does your company intend to order from us?" Bolton inquired.

"We currently require a custom-built, extremely large steam engine," Gérant replied. "Much larger than anything your company has constructed before."

"How large precisely?" Watt asked.

"As large as it can be. Ideally, one engine should have ten thousand horsepower," Gérant stated.

Gérant's request startled Watt. "Mr. Gérant, why would you need a steam engine of such immense power? I must admit I can't fathom what kind of work would require such tremendous force."

"We need it for power generation," Gérant revealed. The French had already developed electric motors and had begun widespread use in rural water management projects, which had led to soaring copper prices throughout Europe. Moreover, most of Europe, including France, had recently transitioned from using copper cannons to iron cannons. This was knowledge that the British were aware of, but they hadn't yet utilized these electric technologies themselves due to French export restrictions, designating them as "military technologies."

"With electric motors, tasks that used to require many small steam engines can now be accomplished with electric motors. So, now we only need a single or a set of super-sized steam engines in places where power generation is required. Currently, the power generation units and electric motors are under technical control, limited by raw materials, and confined to specific areas in France. However, I believe they will eventually expand to more sectors and regions. Therefore, Mr. Watt, in the not-so-distant future, all small and medium-sized steam engines, apart from those used on ships, will lose their market. So, I suggest that your company prepare in advance and invest all its efforts in the development of super-sized steam engines as the power source for electricity generation. Only super-sized steam engines capable of prolonged and continuous operation will have a future."

With that, Gérant took a document from his briefcase and handed it to them. "These are the technical requirements we have for this type of steam engine."

Watt received the document and examined it closely. After a considerable time, he looked up with a perplexed and regretful expression. "Your requirements for performance are too high, and your demands for reliability are even higher, and these two requirements conflict with each other. As for the price you're offering...though I hate to say it, I have to admit that, both technically and cost-wise, we're not capable of taking on this order. I'm certain there's no other manufacturer in the world that can handle such an order. So, I suggest that your company reconsider these requirements."

"What if we could provide you with a substantial amount of low-cost steel?" Gérant suggested.

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