I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 496 High-tech Industry
Fouché hesitated and said, "Your Highness, among the pro-government factions in Corsica, nearly half have liberal tendencies. I'm afraid they are unlikely to listen to Count Butafuoco's orders."

Butafuoco belonged to the old nobility. Compared with the Restorationists, he hated the liberals who always shouted that the nobility and the common people should be equal. Similarly, he was also one of the biggest enemies of the liberals.

Hearing this, Joseph blinked his eyes and said decisively: "Then let Butafuoco listen to the liberals. Tell him that if he, the liberals, and the 'anti-Paoli' faction can win two-thirds of the seats in the Corsica Parliament, I can make him the Governor of Corsica."

In Corsica, two-thirds of the parliament's members are required to pass legislation.

In fact, it doesn't matter if they can't win so many seats. Most of the liberals have nationalist sentiments, and they are naturally incompatible with divisive Zionism. Let them fight each other, and the people supported by Joseph will have a chance to take office.

In addition, allowing Butafuoco to join the liberal faction can also restrain them from causing trouble at critical moments.

Although Corsica is only an island with a population of about 20, it is also full of various political forces and the situation is extremely complicated. Therefore, until the beginning of the 19th century, it was always a "country within a country" under the rule of France.

Joseph then instructed Fouché, "By the way, you also need to use Mr. Chalmers' influence among the Restorationists to find out the details of the Corsican National Guard as soon as possible. It would be best if you could place some of your own people in it."

He was not naive enough to think that the division of Corsica could be completely resolved through political games alone.

Even if they control the parliament, the restoration organization with armed forces will most likely turn the table, such as dissolving the parliament and directly declaring independence.

However, in that case, the Restoration Organization would lose its legal basis in Corsica, and the people would begin to oppose them.

At that time, if the army is sent out to wipe them out, we will not be stuck in the quagmire of the "people's war" in Corsica like Emperor Napoleon did in the past.

To be honest, the Corsica National Guard, with more than 2,000 people, is not vulnerable in a direct fight. Letting the Intelligence Bureau prepare in advance will make the clearing process easier.

Only after the baptism of real swords and guns can France have absolute control over Corsica.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Fouché straightened his chest and accepted the order, then he heard Emand knocking on the door outside the house and reminding him, "Your Highness, according to the schedule, you have to inspect the gas distillery this afternoon."

"Okay, let's go now."

Joseph stood up, motioned Fouché to go out with him, got into the carriage, and asked him about the situation in Tunisia and Tripoli.

It was not until they arrived near the gas distillery in the northern suburbs of Paris that Fouché said goodbye and got off the car.

Joseph's motorcade went forward a little further and saw the factory manager Delas, the patented inventor of the distillation method for producing gas Murdoch, DuPont who had invested in the distillery, and the director of the Industrial Development Fund waiting to greet them on the roadside.

After a while, music sounded around the carriage, and some people holding ribbons or bouquets gathered near the welcoming team. However, against the rough wooden fence of the factory and the black smoke in the distance, it looked quite simple.

Joseph originally didn't want them to come to greet him, as producing more gas would be more practical. However, when Delas said that this was also a ceremony for the official start of production of the distillery, he didn't insist. When everyone saw the crown prince get off the carriage, they all bowed and saluted.

Joseph also greeted everyone with a smile, and then gave a brief speech congratulating the official start of production, and then entered the factory surrounded by a group of people.

Manager De Las followed him and introduced diligently: "Your Highness, now we can dry distill 16 tons of coal here every day, and the gas produced can be used for more than 5 gas lamps, illuminating three-quarters of the streets in Paris and the entire Palace of Versailles!"

Joseph nodded with satisfaction. He remembered that during the World Expo, the gas distillery that could be put into trial operation could only supply more than 800 gas lamps. Half a year later, this number increased fivefold.

This is also due to his large investment and his personal supervision of the construction progress, which has led to such high efficiency. You know, this is the world's first gas distillation plant, and there was no previous experience. Such a speed is definitely a miracle.

However, the government investment in the Paris gas lamp project alone was as high as 200 million francs, and investors such as DuPont who had invested in the gas lamp company invested another 160 million, with a total expenditure of 360 million francs!
There is no way around it. After all, gas lamps are the most advanced technological product of the era, with technical content no less than that of Boeing, Airbus and other later products, so the cost is naturally not low.

But such a large investment is definitely worth it. Not to mention that the gas street lamps have improved the image of Paris and the whole of France, thus greatly increasing its attractiveness to talents and investment, the real estate income brought by the street lamp project alone is enough to recover the investment and make a fortune.

De Las looked towards the east again, smiling, and said, "Your Highness, the second phase of the distillery project is expected to be completed early next year. By then, not only will the entire Paris be able to use gas lamps, but even nearby Antoine Town and other places will have sufficient gas supply.

"Oh, and in Lyon, the distillery there should be officially put into production around October..."

Under his leadership, Joseph and others bypassed a pile of coal that was three stories high, and saw a factory building built with large stones and wooden boards in front of them. The metal distillation retort inside could be vaguely seen emitting a dark red glow under the raging flames.

Thick black smoke was spewing out of the chimney on top of the building, turning the nearby sky dark gray.

Dozens of workers loaded carts with coal in front of the huge coal pile and then pushed them into the factory. Someone inside used a shovel to add coal to the furnace under the retort. There were also technicians who kept checking the furnace temperature and various instruments.

All the workers here were blackened from head to toe by coal smoke, and the constant dripping sweat washed out thin white lines on their bodies, as if they were wearing a Juventus jersey.

Emman was fanning Joseph vigorously to resist the rolling heat waves brought by the retort, when he suddenly heard a mosquito-like voice behind him: "Viscount Emman, can I... step aside for a moment?"

When Joseph heard this, he turned around and saw the maid, blushing and lowering her head, looking embarrassed.

He suddenly realized that the workers here seemed to be shirtless - it was so hot, and wearing clothes was totally unacceptable to him - and he quickly gestured to her, "Okay, go wait for us outside the factory first."

"Yes, thank you Your Highness."

Camelia turned around hurriedly, holding her skirt stained with black dust, and trotted out.

Following closely behind Joseph, Perna, who was dressed in men's clothes, turned her head to look at her and raised her head slightly as if she had won.

(End of this chapter)