Joseph did not make Lucien too tired this time. He just asked Lucien to sort out some of the family's current investments. And this work really gave Lucien a more comprehensive understanding of Joseph's strategic vision.

　　 "Joseph, what is this'Zeus' plan? How did it squeeze so much capital? And it seems that the investment in it will be further increased in the future?"

"This plan." Joseph said, "This plan is a revolutionary plan. Well, a revolutionary plan that will keep us ahead of others for decades. Its impact can be compared to Watt's steam engine, and even more. further."

　　 In this era, Watt has completed his improvement of the steam engine. In 1776, Watt's improved steam engine has been put into the work of the mine to drive the pump. There were several Watt steam engines imported from Britain in the mine of the Duke of Orleans. Today, Watt's steam engine has been widely used in the textile industry. It has provided considerable help to the advantage of British textiles in the entire world market.

　　 However, the true potential of the steam engine has not yet been developed, and neither trains nor ships have appeared yet. So when Joseph used Watt's steam engine as an analogy, Lucien licked his lips when he heard it, and said disapprovingly: "Compared with a steam engine, there is nothing too remarkable."

"You are not a real scientist, nor a real industrialist. You can't see the direction of the development of things." Joseph shook his head, "You know, this thing is extremely important. Once it succeeds, it can almost Just put all the existing production methods in their tombs-the history museum for people to remember."

　　Lucien knew that Joseph was quite reliable academically, and he seldom brags about such things. So his curiosity was also aroused: "What the **** is this Zeus plan? Tell me..."

　　 "Your level of secrecy is enough," Joseph said, "but, after you listen, remember that you are not allowed to mention a single letter to anyone else, especially your nonchalant women!"

"Understand," Lucien said, "I want to brag with those women. Some are things that can be bragged. Who talks about academic issues with women? Ah... By the way, there is still such a strange flower in this world... "

　　 "What do you know? When you talk to her about academics, she is willing to listen carefully. This proves your charm." Joseph retorted.

　　 "Okay, don't talk about it, just for your self-esteem." Lucien said, "Back to the topic, what exactly is this ‘Zeus’?"

"Okay!" Joseph said, "just after Mr. Lavoisier made out the electric detonator, we conducted an underwater explosion test. At that time someone put a compass next to the wire. I found out that the wire was energized. At that moment, the needle of the compass suddenly turned. Of course, this may be caused by wind and waves on the boat. So I repeated the experiment in the laboratory, and I found that when there is current flowing through the wire , It really brings a change in the magnetic needle."

　　 "So what?" Lucien asked.

　　 "So what?" Joseph smiled, "Not so, I will take you to the laboratory in the afternoon, you can see it yourself. Now let's deal with this problem first..."

　　 "Damn, this question is just cumbersome and not difficult. Although it involves a little secret, Fanny should have access to this level of secrets. Why do you let me do this? Joseph, you are inhumane!"

　　 After lunch, Joseph took Lucien to the new laboratory. The laboratory is a little far away from Paris, so they arrived at the laboratory at sunset.

　　 Joseph took Lucien into a laboratory. On the table in the middle of this laboratory, there are two machines that are full of wires. One of them has a crank, the other is connected to a pump, and the two machines are connected by three wires. With.

　　 "Go over and shake that handle." Joseph said.

　　 So Lucien stepped forward and shook the handle.

　　 "Shake faster, didn't you eat?"

　　 "I really didn't eat, I'm so hungry!" Lucien complained while speeding up.

　　 As Lucien shook, the machine over there with wires also turned up, and it also started running with the water pump, and water began to pour out of the pump.

　　 "How? This thing is amazing, isn't it?" Joseph said proudly.

　　 "Well, it's fun." Lucian replied while turning the handle vigorously.

　　 "Do you understand its meaning?" Joseph asked again.

　　 Lucian listened, thought about it, nodded and said, "This thing is better than a steam engine!"

　　 After following Joseph for so long, Lucien certainly knew the value of these two machines. When a steam engine is used as an industrial power to drive a machine, it requires a complicated transmission system, clutch system and variable speed system. In order to facilitate the arrangement, people have to place multiple steam engines in places that are not suitable for installation in fact. For example, in a textile workshop, for fire protection reasons, there should not be a steam engine, but because the drive shaft cannot be too long, as a result, the separation between the textile machine and the steam engine will not be more than one meter.

　　 Moreover, different machines require different power and operating speeds. As a result, either one machine is equipped with a steam engine, or each working machine is equipped with a clutch and transmission system.

　　 In this way, the entire machine system will be very complicated. The more complex the mechanical system, the more expensive and inefficient it is. But the system shown in the laboratory that transmits power from one machine to another is obviously much simpler and more efficient. Just this advantage makes it more suitable to be used in more places.

"If we use this kind of machine extensively to drive our various machines, our various productions can be greatly improved, and the cost will also drop to an unimaginable point, and no one of our opponents will be able to compete with us. Competition... well, Joseph, what the **** is going on with this thing?"

"I discovered the law of the mutual conversion of electricity and magnetism," Joseph said without blushing, taking the glory that should have belonged to Faraday as his own. "This discovery, in a sense, can almost match Sir Newton's discovery of universal gravitation. On the same level. But I haven’t disclosed this knowledge yet. The reason is just like Mr. Monge’s drawing geometry has not been disclosed. The machine you shake can turn external power into electric current. I call it power generation. The machine, and the machine on the water pump side, can turn electrical energy into power output. I call it an electric motor."

　　 "These two things look very similar," Lucien said.

　　 "Physically speaking, these two things are actually the same thing. They are mirror images of each other, and each is the reverse process of the other." Joseph said.

　　 "So, are there any problems with the current plan?" Lucien asked.

"Problems? There are problems everywhere." Joseph said, "The first is the power source. I can't use you as a power source, right? A steam engine is good, but it requires a lot of fuel. French coal mines are not currently under our control. And currently there are no particularly good coal mines in France. I have sent many people to look for minerals in our newly acquired territory. If God bless France and let us find such a place, we need a lot of money to buy it. Down these places."

　　 "Well, if there is any, this expenditure is indeed worth it. We do have to make some financial preparations for this." Lucien thought for a while and nodded.

"Of course, I have a backup plan. You know, in the era when there was no steam engine, in order to drive the textile machines, textile factories could only arrange them along the river and use water to drive the machinery." Joseph continued, "So, suffer For this inspiration, I proposed to build a barrage dam on a river with a large drop to raise the water level, and then use the water flow to hit a water wheel to provide power, drive the generator, and then use wires to guide the electricity to the needs. On the motor."

　　 "This is not bad too!"

"It's not bad, but the current also has losses in the wires, which means that the machine should not be too far away from the power plant. In addition, many of the things in it are only in the laboratory stage and need to be practical. I really don't know how many more will be produced. Question, how much money is needed. So... Well, Lucien, do you understand why we need a lot of cash now?"

Lucien nodded: "This does require a lot of money, but if it succeeds, it will be worth it. I understand, damn, there are so many places to spend money... Napoleon that bastard, he actually did Austria got so little money!"

　　 Austria’s compensation was handed over to the government~lightnovelpub.net~ Napoleon did not get much from this. While Napoleon also attacked the local tyrants when he swept across the Austrian countryside, the Austrian local tyrants had been prepared for a while. Food and other things could not be shipped into the city, but gold, silver and jewelry would not be left in the manor. Therefore, the income of the local tyrants is actually very limited.

"Austria and Italy are still incomparable." Joseph also sighed, "especially under the crown of the Pope, what a good person that is... So now, we can only rely on ourselves to earn as fast as possible. Damn The peace! Well, what is the result of the recent contact with the Irish?"

　　 "They have a desire to buy weapons. But... the Irish have no money." Lucien spread his hands.

　　It is indeed impossible for Irish people to have a lot of money. Since Henry VIII had a breakup with the Holy See and established the Anglican Church in order to change his wife, the English have been squeezing the Irish who insist on Catholicism in Ireland. After more than a century of squeezing, the Irish have been quite poor. .

"The Irish have the same enemies as we have." Joseph said, "The war between France and Britain is still going on. Shouldn't our government support the Irish people's struggle for free? I think the Irish people’s money for weapons should be The government undertakes!"

"That's right!" Lucien said, "Let the government directly allocate money to us, and we will give the Irish weapons. Then we can tell the government that our ship hit a rock near Ireland and encountered a storm, so the government needs to order again. More weapons can effectively support the just struggle of the Irish people."