For a time, the factory owners present grew even more excited.
With the market in place, the raw materials secured, plus the latest technology and the backing of insurance companies for investments, this business was bound to succeed!
Of course, Joseph was well aware that, excited as these people were, when it came time to actually invest their livres, the vast majority would still hold back until someone who took the risk made money. Only then would they follow suit into the market.
Therefore, Joseph proceeded to throw out an incentive scheme, "To encourage everyone to use new technology, factories that invest in automatic looms within three months will enjoy a 50% tax reduction policy for three years. Those who invest within five months will enjoy a 35% tax discount."
"In addition, for investors short on funds, the Precision Machinery Factory can also provide rental services. With just two thousand livres, one can lease an automatic loom for a year."
The France Precision Machinery Factory was a new factory spun off from the Royal Armory since the armory needed to focus on the production of weaponry—it wasn't really appropriate to have them tangled up in loom production as well.
Conveniently, the armory had recently recruited a group of craftsmen for the production of the automatic looms. So Joseph simply invested some money to spin this group off into an independent company.
In the future, this place could also produce precision products like lathes and boring machines, which could play a very important role in promoting industrial productivity.
As for the lease of the automatic looms, Joseph directly had the Minister of Industry apply for financial subsidies; for every loom rented out, the France treasury would subsidize the Precision Machinery Factory 4000 livres—a full automatic loom sold for 5800 livres. That is to say, the Precision Machinery Factory bore no risk in leasing out the looms.
This move immediately increased the number of textile owners truly determined to try the automatic looms.
Investing in three automatic looms only required 36,000 livres, of which 30,000 were for purchasing steam engines. Steam engines held their value very well—many villages were looking everywhere for second-hand steam engines for irrigation, and they could be easily sold.
Given the 50% tax deduction, there was truly no need to hesitate any longer. Keep in mind, after five months, the tax benefits would be gone.
Some astute factory owners were already grouping together, discussing a partnership to invest in automatic looms—the larger the capital scale, the more effectively costs could be reduced. Although there wasn't a complete set of commercial operating theories at this time, these people had practical experience running factories, they were all seasoned capitalists.
After the "policy briefing" had concluded, Joseph immediately proceeded with the Lyon city commissioner and chairman of the chamber of commerce to inspect the established textile factories in Lyon without a moment's rest.
For several of the best-run factories, he not only provided loan support—well, the Bank of France Reserve was very quick to lend when seeing the notes approved by the Crown Prince—but even personally imparted advanced concepts such as brand building, promotion, and the cultivation of sales networks to the operators of those factories. Stay connected with freewebnovel.com
For the sake of France's textile industry, he virtually took care of everything for the factory owners, short of chewing and feeding the information directly into their mouths.
Compared to their British counterparts who relied on their own talents and struggled, Lyon's textile owners could practically fly with happiness.
If they still couldn't catch up with the British, it would be utterly unreasonable!
Four days later, Joseph looked at the more than thirty applications for new automatic loom factories on his desk with satisfaction and couldn't help but take a deep breath, feeling that his trip to Lyon could now come to an end.
The specific implementation work would naturally be taken over by people dispatched by Mirabeau; he had already set the broad framework and basically, nothing would go wrong.
However, on the morning Joseph was preparing to set out for Verdun, he heard a faint noise coming from outside his window.
He opened the window in surprise, to see the villa's surrounding walls crowded with people, his own personal guard and Lyon police loudly scolding, trying to disperse the crowd.
Before he could ask, Eman hurried over and bowed, "Your Highness, those are Lyon's textile workers. They seem to have heard that the automatic loom could reduce the need for labor by 90%, so they have come to petition you."
Joseph couldn't help but facepalm; the workers were worried about losing their jobs. He blamed himself for boasting a bit too much...
In this era, workers mostly lived paycheck to paycheck and would starve immediately if they lost their jobs.
He felt a headache coming on. Though the workers' concerns were unfounded, firstly, the effect of the automatic loom on reducing labor wasn't as exaggerated; secondly, automatic looms could increase the sales volume of Lyon's textiles, effectively enlarging the market share. By then, factories would definitely expand on a large scale, and the need for labor would only increase, not decrease.
However, it was difficult to make this clear to the workers.
After a moment of thought, Joseph instructed Eman, "Please tell Major Kesode there's no need to disperse the crowd."
Eman hesitated for a moment, but still pressed his chest and said, "Yes, Your Highness."
Soon, Joseph appeared in front of the villa's gates. Someone shouted, "It's the Crown Prince!"
The hundreds of Lyon workers, who had been kept outside the walls by the police, went silent.
Joseph looked around, climbed atop a carriage parked in front of the gate and proclaimed loudly to the ragged and anxious textile workers, "I understand your concerns. But I assure you, you will not lose your jobs because of the automatic looms!"
A bold worker pushed through the crowd, nervously saying, "Your Highness, but my boss said, once the automatic loom arrives, he will lay off more than half of the workers..."
Joseph immediately said, "The government plans to build a textile processing base in Lyon and expand the Rhone River docks, which will require a lot of manpower. Unemployed textile workers will be given priority for job opportunities. The wages will not be lower than what you previously earned."
"Moreover, the construction of the wooden tracks around the major cities near Lyon will also start soon, again prioritizing the recruitment of unemployed workers."
"After these projects, there will also be large companies established such as the Lyon River Transport Company and Lyon Gas Lamp Company. The government will also launch many major projects to advance the development of Lyon. In short, there will be an increasing need for manpower here, and everyone need not fear a lack of work."
The textile workers who came to petition immediately began whispering among themselves, but it was clear from their eyes that there was still worry and disbelief.
Joseph then smiled and said, "Every two months, I will personally send someone to tally the unemployment rate in Lyon. If the unemployment rate is too high, I will have the government provide funds to help unemployed families relocate to Saint-Etienne or Nancy. You must have heard of the industrial development zones there—with factories everywhere, and employee dormitories and schools, work is not an issue."
"Oh, and the things I just mentioned will soon be released in an official announcement by the city government, so please be assured."
The hundreds of people around suddenly fell silent, not only because the Crown Prince had addressed their deeply concerning unemployment issue, but also because they were surprised at how considerate and approachable the Crown Prince was for them.
This was nothing like the Royal Family they had in their minds!
Joseph was well aware of the large riots caused by unemployment among Lyon workers in history, naturally, he would not take it lightly.
After a moment, someone took the lead and shouted, "Long live the Crown Prince!"
Reminded by this, others bowed to Joseph, following in chorus, "Long live the Crown Prince!"
"Thank you, merciful Crown Prince!"
"You must be the savior sent by God to us..."
Seeing this, Joseph was somewhat moved; he had only provided these honest, lower-class people with the opportunity to work 14 hours a day, enabling them to buy dark bread to fill their stomachs, and they were so grateful.
Perhaps, as the Crown Prince, he should do even more for such poor people.
...
South Asia.
The southern part of the Indian subcontinent.
Outside Calicut Port, more than a dozen carriages in the Arab style were traveling on a rugged and bumpy path. Every now and then, dark-skinned locals, barefoot, quickly overtook the carriages from both sides of the road.
Marquis de Lafayette did not urge the coachman to speed up because his buttocks could no longer withstand greater jolts. In fact, he was now somewhat regretting not listening to the guide's advice to ride in the local round-roofed palanquins.𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
However, he soon cast aside these slight displeasures and even felt that the humid and hot weather, as well as the terrible roads, were rather endearing.
Because this place would be the starting point for his meteoric rise!
Unlike when he went to America to participate in the War of Independence without authorization more than a decade ago, this time, his voyage to India had the King's commission, so there would be no concern of coming back to France and being reproached despite winning numerous battles.
The Royal Family promised him that as long as he helped Mysore defeat the British—as he had done before in North America—he would ascend to the high position of Assistant Minister of War. That was the power he had long aspired to!
The military nobles who previously mocked and ostracized him would have to treat him with utmost respect and even compete to curry favor with him.
At this thought, a strong excitement surged in his heart, as if he was about to go on a date with a noblewoman he admired.
He looked toward the distant tropical jungle and soon reined in his thoughts, beginning to contemplate how to quickly turn the situation around on his trip to Mysore.
In fact, before leaving, the Crown Prince had already organized a series of strategies for him, but he found it hard to believe in the effectiveness of the methods designed by a youth who had never been to India.
He recalled the Crown Prince's plans, murmuring to himself, "In the end, it's still up to me to act according to the situation."
"Fortunately, this is a kingdom with nearly 20 million people. Even if it takes time, we could wear down the fellows from the East India Company."
Yes, now England has fully entrusted the political, military, and trade management in India to the East India Company, which only needs to pay a share to the British Government each year.
For cost-saving reasons, the East India Company's forces in India number less than 3,000 men, and during wars, they largely rely on Indian soldiers recruited from the local princely states. When necessary, they usually have between 40,000 to 80,000 men.
That is to say, the enemy with stronger combat capacity has only a meager 3,000 men.
Thinking of this, Lafayette couldn't help but smile; it was as if Divine Providence was gifting this to him—the Kingdom of Mysore not only had formidable strength but, starting from the generation of Sultan Tipu's father, had trained nearly 60,000 strong troops in the European model.
Moreover, the nation of Mysore was ethnically and religiously unified, and its politics were relatively progressive, making its overall national power far surpass that of the surrounding princely states.
If this trip to India went smoothly, perhaps he could return to Paris by the end of the year and be promoted to Assistant Minister of War.
After being ravaged alternately by tropical downpours and scorching sun for about ten days, Lafayette's caravan finally arrived at Mysore City, the capital of Mysore.
Sultan Tipu gave him a grand welcome. In fact, France had sent envoys to Mysore before but had been unable to provide much support and even had certain interests in Travancore, which was on bad terms with Mysore.
But this time, the French people were clearly determined to assist Mysore for real.
The messenger who had come in advance to make contact said that the visitor to Mysore was the famous French general, Marquis de Lafayette, who had defeated the British in the United States.
At the same time, he would bring troops and a large amount of weaponry.
In the spacious Arab-style palace, Lafayette glanced at the food enough for ten people for three days in front of him, but did not touch it. Instead, he turned his head towards Sultan Tipu and got straight to the point, "Your Majesty, may I ask how you plan to deal with Travancore's recent forceful occupation of the Mysore fortress?"
The Indian man beside him immediately performed the simultaneous translation.
Sultan Tipu, having learned that France had decided to give up its interests in Travancore, did not evade the topic, "Respected General, I have already ordered the assembly of our troops, and in three months we will attack the overconfident people of Travancore!" Continue your adventure at freewebnovel.com
Lafayette smiled and immediately voiced the one point the Crown Prince had repeatedly emphasized, "Your Majesty, if you wish to be victorious, you must always keep your eyes on the British.
"They may be few in number, but they are your real enemy!"
Sultan Tipu was taken aback, then nodded slightly. In the previous two wars, the enemy forces were commanded by the British in the background.
He looked at Lafayette, "Then what do you suggest?"
"Drive the British out of Karnataka and Malabar into the sea with the utmost speed, then focus all forces to deal with Manat with full force!"
Lafayette said, "This time I have brought three hundred elite soldiers and numerous craftsmen, as well as 13,000 flintlock guns, 30 cannons. We will assist you in crushing all enemies at once!"
...
Prussia.
Potsdam, Sanssouci Palace.
William II waved the secret report furiously, shouting at Prince Henry, "Despicable Austrians, they actually plan to launch a surprise attack on Silesia!"
The report in his hands was just sent by Saxony, stating that Austria had already rallied nearly a hundred thousand troops, ready to launch an offensive against Silesia at any moment.
Prince Henry looked at the King pacing back and forth in anger and sighed inwardly, wishing his brother were still alive.
No, if his brother were still here, the Austrians probably wouldn't dare to casually covet Silesia.
He was Frederick the Great's younger brother, the uncle of the current King of Prussia William II, and the most influential person in Prussian politics at the moment.
"Your Majesty, there is no need to worry," Prince Henry said with great calmness, "Since we have received intelligence in advance, we can quickly mobilize troops and take the opportunity to heavily damage the Austrians, or even seize parts of Moravia is not impossible."