I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 316 Smoke is everywhere (please vote for the big chapter)

For a time, the factory owners present became even more excited.

With a market, raw materials, the latest technology, and insurance companies to support investment, this business can definitely be done!
Of course, Joseph also knew very well that these people were so excited that when they really wanted to invest in rivers, most of them would still retreat until the crab eaters really made money, then they would follow them into the market.

So Joseph went on to throw out an incentive plan: "In order to encourage everyone to use new technologies, factories that invest in automatic looms within three months will be able to enjoy a 50% tax reduction policy for three years. Those who invest within five months Factories can enjoy a 35% tax reduction.

"In addition, for investors with insufficient funds, the Precision Machinery Factory can also provide leasing services. You only need to invest two thousand livres to rent an automatic loom for one year."

The French Precision Machinery Factory is a new factory separated from the Royal Ordnance Factory. After all, the Ordnance Factory has to focus on the production of weapons, so it is not a problem for them to always make looms.

It happened that this time in order to produce automatic looms, the ordnance factory recruited a new group of craftsmen, so Joseph simply invested some money to separate these people and establish a new company.

In the future, finishing products such as lathes and boring machines can also be produced here, which will play a very important role in promoting industrial productivity.

As for the leasing of automatic looms, Joseph directly asked the Minister of Industry to apply for financial subsidies. For every loom rented out, the French finance will subsidize the precision machinery factory 4000 livres - the price of an automatic loom is 5800 livres. In other words, there is no risk involved in leasing looms from a precision machinery factory.

Now there are many more textile owners who are really determined to try automatic looms.

If we still can't catch up with the British, it's simply unreasonable!
Four days later, Joseph looked at the more than thirty application forms for a new automatic loom factory on the table with satisfaction, and couldn't help but let out a long breath. It seemed that his trip to Lyon was over.

However, when Joseph was about to leave for Verdun that morning, he heard a faint noise outside the window.

For the French textile industry, he almost prepared everything for the factory owners, except that he didn't break it into pieces and chew it into their mouths.

Joseph thought for a moment and told Emang: "Please tell Major Kesoud that there is no need to disperse the crowd."

Joseph couldn't help but raise his forehead. The workers were worried about losing their jobs. They also blamed themselves for boasting too harshly...

There are already smart factory owners in groups, discussing joint investment in automatic looms - the larger the capital scale, the more effectively they can reduce costs. Although there is no complete set of business operation theories yet, these people have actual experience in opening factories and are all skilled capitalists.

Eman hesitated for a moment, then stroked his chest and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

Naturally, Mirabeau sent people to take over the specific implementation work later. He had already decided on the general framework, so basically there would be no problems.

Compared with their counterparts in the UK who rely on their own talents to work hard, textile owners in Lyon can simply fly happily.

However, it is difficult to explain this clearly to the workers.

Before he could ask, Emang hurriedly came over and lowered his head and said: "Your Highness, those are textile workers in Lyon. They seem to have heard that automatic looms can reduce the number of workers in the factory by 90%, so they came to petition you. ”

For the best-run companies among them, he not only provided loan support - well, the Bank of France issued loans very quickly after seeing the note approved by the Crown Prince - and even personally gave face-to-face training to the operators of several factories. Advanced concepts such as brand building, promotion, and sales network cultivation.

Coupled with the 50% tax reduction, there really is no need to wait and see. You know, there will be no tax cuts in five months.

The hundreds of Lyon workers who were separated by the police outside the fence suddenly fell silent.

Joseph looked around, climbed on the roof of a carriage parked in front of the gate, and shouted to the anxious textile workers in shabby clothes: "I understand everyone's worries. But I can guarantee that you will You will never lose your job because of automatic looms!”

To invest in three automatic looms, you only need to spend 3 livres, of which 6 livres are used to buy a steam engine. Steam engines are very valuable - many villages are looking for second-hand steam engines for irrigation, and they can be easily sold.

He suddenly felt a headache. Although the workers' worries are unnecessary, firstly, the effect of automatic looms in reducing labor usage is not that exaggerated. Secondly, automatic looms can increase Lyon's textile sales, which is equivalent to making the cake bigger. The factory will definitely expand on a large scale by then. The number of manpower needed will only be more than now, not less.

After the "policy briefing", Joseph immediately took the Lyon municipal commissioner and the president of the Chamber of Commerce to inspect Lyon's large-scale textile factories non-stop.

Not long after, Joseph came to the door of the villa. Someone shouted: "It's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

He opened the window in surprise and saw people crowding outside the walls of the villa where he was staying. His bodyguards and Lyon police were shouting loudly, trying to disperse those people.

In this day and age, workers are basically living on their own. If they lose their jobs, their families will immediately go hungry.

A bold worker crowded forward and said nervously: "Your Highness, your highness, but my boss said that when the automatic looms arrive, more than half of the workers will be fired..."

Joseph immediately said: "The government plans to build a textile processing base in Lyon and expand the Rhone River Terminal, which will require a large number of manpower. Unemployed textile workers will be given priority in getting job opportunities. The wages will not be lower than your original level.

“In addition, the laying of wooden tracks in large cities near Lyon will soon begin, again with priority given to recruiting unemployed workers.

"After these projects, large companies such as the Lyon River Transport Company and the Lyon Gas Light Company will be established. The government will also launch many large projects to promote the construction of Lyon. In short, there will be more and more places that need manpower in the future, and we will not need it at all. Afraid of not having a job.”

The textile workers who came to petition immediately started whispering, but their eyes clearly showed worry and disbelief.

Joseph smiled again and said: "Every two months from now on, I will personally send people to count the unemployment rate in Lyon. If the unemployment rate is too high, I will let the government fund to help unemployed families go to Saint-Etienne or Nanzion. Everyone. You must have heard of the industrial development zone over there - there are factories everywhere, as well as employee dormitories and schools, so work is not a problem.

"Oh, what I just said will be issued as an official announcement from the city government soon. Please rest assured."

The hundreds of people around suddenly fell silent, not only because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had solved the unemployment problem they were extremely worried about, but what surprised them was that the Crown Prince was so considerate of them and so approachable.

This is completely different from the impression of the royal family in their minds!
Joseph knew how much riots Lyon workers had caused due to unemployment in history, so he would not take it lightly.

For a moment, someone shouted first: "Long live His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Others were reminded and bowed to Joseph, shouting together: "Long live the Crown Prince!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty the merciful Crown Prince!"

"You must be sent by God to save us..."

Joseph was a little sad when he saw this. He just gave these simple lower-class people a chance to work 14 hours a day so that they could buy black bread for their families, which made them so grateful.

Perhaps, as the crown prince, he should do more for such poor people. …

South Asia.

Southern peninsular India.

Outside Calicut Port, more than a dozen Arabian-style carriages were driving on the rugged and bumpy roads. From time to time, dark-skinned locals would quickly pass the carriages from both sides of the road with bare feet.

The Marquis de Lafayette did not urge the coachman to speed up because his butt could no longer withstand bigger bumps. In fact, he now regretted not listening to the guide's advice and taking the domed sedan carried by the locals.

But he quickly put this little unhappiness behind him, and even felt that the humid and hot weather and the bad roads were so lovely.

Because this will be the starting point for his rapid rise!
Unlike his unauthorized trip to the United States to participate in the War of Independence more than ten years ago, his visit to India this time was commissioned by His Majesty the King, so he would never win a lot of battles and be criticized when he finally returned to France.

The royal family promised him that as long as he helped Mysore defeat the British - just as he had done in North America - he would be able to ascend to the high position of Assistant to the Minister of War. That was the power he dreamed of!
The military nobles who had laughed at him and ostracized him before would have to treat him with respect and even rush to fawn over him.

Thinking of this, a strong sense of excitement surged in his heart, as if he was about to go on a date with his favorite lady.

He looked at the tropical jungle in the distance, quickly gathered his thoughts, and began to think about how to quickly open up the situation during this trip to Mysore.

In fact, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had compiled a series of strategies for him before leaving, but it was difficult for him to believe the effectiveness of the methods designed by a young man who had never been to India.

He recalled the crown prince's plans and whispered to himself: "After all, I have to act according to my own circumstances.

"Fortunately, this is a kingdom with a population of nearly 2000 million. Even if it is consumed slowly, it can still kill the East India Company guys."

Yes, Britain's political, military and trade management in India are now fully entrusted to the East India Company, which only needs to pay a share to the British government every year.

For cost-saving reasons, the East India Company has less than 3000 troops in India. In peacetime, it mainly relies on Indian soldiers recruited from Indian states. The latter usually has 4 to 8 people depending on needs.

In other words, there are only 3 enemy troops with strong combat effectiveness.

Lafayette couldn't help but smile when he thought of this. This was simply a gift from God to himself - the Kingdom of Mysore was not only strong, but starting from Tipu Sultan's fathers, it had trained nearly 6 powerful soldiers according to the European model. army.

Moreover, Mysore has a unified ethnic group and religion, relatively open politics, and its overall national strength is much better than that of the surrounding princely states.

If this trip to India goes well, maybe he can return to Paris before the end of the year and be promoted to Assistant to the Minister of War.

After more than ten days of torrential rain and intense sunshine in the tropical climate, Lafayette's motorcade finally arrived in Mysore, the capital of Mysore.

Tipu Sultan gave him a very grand welcome ceremony. In fact, France had sent envoys to Mysore before, but it did not provide much support. It even had certain interests in Travancore, which did not deal with Mysore.

This time the French are obviously going to really help Mysore.

The messenger who came to contact in advance said that the person coming to Mysore this time was the famous French general, the Marquis de Lafayette, who had defeated the British in the United States.

At the same time the latter will bring troops and a large number of weapons.

In the open Arabian-style palace, Lafayette glanced at the food in front of him that was enough to feed ten people for three days, but did not take action. Instead, he turned to look at Tipu Sultan and said straight to the point: "Your Majesty, please tell me about this trip. How are you going to deal with Fanko’s seizure of Mysore Fortress?”

The Indian man next to him immediately translated simultaneously.

Tipu Sultan had already learned that France had decided to give up its interests in Travancore, so he did not shy away from it: "Dear General, I have ordered an army to be assembled and in three months we will attack the Travancore people who have overestimated their capabilities!"

Lafayette smiled and immediately said what the Dauphin had repeatedly warned: "Your Majesty, if you want to win, you must always keep your eyes on the British.

"Although they are few in number, they are your real enemies!"

Tipu Sultan was startled, then nodded slightly. The reason why Mysore failed in the first two wars was that the British were commanding behind the enemy forces.

He looked at Lafayette: "So what is your suggestion?"

"Drive the British in Kannada and Malabar into the sea as quickly as possible, and then concentrate all our forces to deal with Manata!"

Lafayette said: "This time I have brought 1 elite soldiers and a large number of craftsmen, as well as 3 flintlock muskets and 30 cannons. I will help you defeat all enemies in one fell swoop!"

……

Prussia.

Potsdam, Sanssouci Palace.

Wilhelm II angrily waved the secret message in his hand and shouted at Prince Heinrich: "The despicable Austrians actually want to attack Silesia!"

The report in his hand was just sent from Saxony. It said that Austria had gathered nearly 100,000 troops and might launch an attack on Silesia at any time.

Prince Heinrich looked at the angry king walking around, and sighed in his heart, if only his brother was still alive.

No, as long as his brother is still here, the Austrians may not dare to take any chances with Silesia.

He was the younger brother of Frederick the Great, the uncle of today's King Wilhelm II of Prussia, and the most influential person in Prussian politics at present.

"Your Majesty, you don't need to worry." Prince Heinrich looked very calm. "Since we have received the information in advance, we can quickly mobilize our troops and take the opportunity to severely damage the Austrians. It is not impossible to even seize part of Moravia. "

(End of this chapter)