I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 607 Thunder, Exploded
For the French Trade Minister, what he sees is that exports continue to surge at a rate of more than 10% per month.

French factories affected by the previous order scam have basically not suffered any losses after receiving subsidies and selling most of their inventory.

But the extra workers they hired and the machines they purchased in order to complete the orders are still a headache.

Recently, with the rise of smuggling trade with Britain and Portugal, most factories have put their idle production capacity into operation, and there is even a slight shortage of supply.

At the same time, as the amount of goods shipped to the Southern Netherlands continued to increase, the construction speed of the Wallonia region increased several times compared to before - wherever money flows, it will naturally be more prosperous.

In order to facilitate cargo transportation, smugglers even raised funds themselves and extended the wooden track originally planned by Joseph from Hennegau to Ostend to Luxembourg, and finally connected it with the wooden track in France at Verdun.

Ostend went from being a small, deserted seaport to becoming extremely prosperous in just a few months.

A large number of residents from northern France, the French-speaking population of the southern Netherlands, and even a large number of Italians gathered here to earn high salaries from their "special trade".

Because there were so many sailors looking for work, the salary was even reduced from 100 francs per month to 80 francs. But even so, it was still an extremely tempting high salary.

These people always need food, clothing, shelter and transportation, and their salaries must be spent somewhere. As a result, more bricklayers, carpenters, shoemakers, and even "fallen women" followed.

A large number of residences, shops and entertainment venues have sprung up around the port like mushrooms after rain.

The population in the Ostend area quickly increased from more than 4 to more than 5, and is still rising.

The Austrian government's control over the Southern Netherlands was originally not very strong, and the tens of thousands of French-speaking people ignored the decrees from Brussels. However, the influence of the Wallonia Chamber of Commerce gradually expanded to the northwest of the Southern Netherlands.

It can be said that if Joseph had not considered provoking Austria, he would have immediately incorporated all the areas south of Brussels into France. This was an unexpected gain that he had not expected before.

Some are happy while others are sad. Just as Ostend's maritime trade is booming, London is facing a terrible "earthquake".

In a cafe in Thames Harbor, Mesmer, dressed like a scholar, looked at the distant London city with some reluctance and sighed:

"I am sure that Sir Enfigip has taken a keen interest in the prospects I have described. In three days, at most, he will invest fifty thousand pounds in company bonds."

He looked at Kalona who was tasting coffee:
"And you didn't give me these three days."

Kalona ignored him. The Lightning Company's general manager, Styler, who had a mustache, whispered:
"That Baron Mordaunt has already been questioned in Parliament. There is really no way to delay it any longer."

Due to the successive delays in the construction of the London gas streetlight project, MP Mordaunt, who had been pushing for this matter, was taken advantage of by his political opponents and lost face.

So, Mordaunt went to the Mayor of London and ordered him to produce results "enough to shut up Parliament" by the end of the year.

The latter immediately agreed.

He was very confident because 80% of the construction of London's gas street lamps had been completed and only needed to be tested for gas before they could be put into use.

This ratio has almost covered the entire city. I believe that when London lights up in the night, the gentlemen in the parliament will definitely smile.

Yes, Lightning Company told Mayor Herbert that the London gas street lamp project was nearing completion, and the latter had no doubt at all - now the streets and alleys of London are lined with street lamps, and their elegant shapes and sturdy bolts are full of industrial beauty.

However, what Herbert didn't know was that these street lights were only aesthetically pleasing.

All street lights were manufactured and installed by subcontractors strictly in accordance with Lightning's drawings. Not only were the pipe joints unable to be sealed, there were no necessary valves, and even the materials of the air ducts were very "particular", ensuring that they would corrode within a year after being buried.

Even if the British invested a large sum of money and hired someone to continue this "unfinished project", they would have to dig out all the pipes by this time next year. The cost would be even higher than laying the pipes from scratch. After that, Herbert asked the Lightning Company to put the built street lights into use.

For the sake of MP Mordaunt's future, he also issued a direct announcement to hold a grand ceremony to light up London's gas street lamps at the end of the year.

Of course, the street lights couldn't be turned on at all. So after discussing it, Kalona and Styler decided to run away.

Besides, I have really made enough money.

Just a few hours after the ship carrying Kalona and others left Thames Harbor, the Mayor of London, Baron Mordaunt and a group of officials appeared at the ceremony.

However, when Herbert heard the assistant whispering in his ear, he was a little angry. None of the general manager and senior executives of Lightning Company were present, and they were nowhere to be found.

Herbert looked at the thousands of people and reporters at the scene, and a bad feeling welled up in his heart. But when he caught a glimpse of the technicians of the Lightning Company standing not far away, as well as the bosses of the companies involved in the gas street lamp project, he heaved a sigh of relief.

As long as the technicians are there and the street lights can be lit, that's enough. We can settle the rest with Styler later.

The sun began to set, and after the congressman, the mayor and others gave wonderful speeches, the sky just happened to darken.

Baron Mordaunt raised his hand excitedly:

"Let us dispel the darkness of London with light!"

Dozens of lamplighters immediately dispersed, each removing the glass lampshade and inserting the slender pole with a burning end into the street lamp.

Then they all looked surprised, began to check the valves individually, and then lit the lights again.

The night is still as dark as before.

The lamplighter quickly tried another street lamp, but it still wouldn't light up.

Full half an hour later, news came in from all parts of London that not a single lamp could be lit.

Herbert glared at the Lightning Company technician, who explained with a bitter face:
"Mayor, the gas may not be coming through. I've asked someone to check it out."

However, the examination yielded no results, and an hour later Herbert announced grimly:

"Due to a technical glitch, the lighting ceremony has been postponed."

The next morning, he brought a group of officials to the Lightning Company to demand accountability.

Styler and the others still did not show up. A technician reported to the mayor tremblingly:
"I checked the main output pipe and there was indeed no gas there."

"Then go check your distillery!" said Styler angrily.

The technician lowered his head helplessly and said:

"But, Mr. Mayor, only the chief technician can enter there..."

(End of this chapter)