Chapter 400: Chapter 394: Grand Napoleon Cannon
After hearing Vilnius’s report, Jerome Bonaparte was filled with doubt. It had only been over half a year since he ordered the research of a new field artillery, and Bashirio had already developed a new cannon for him.
This message was both a delight and a worry for Jerome Bonaparte, who was preparing to participate in the Crimean War. He was delighted that France would have more powerful firepower, but also worried about the subsequent production of the artillery.
It’s important to know that France is currently in a state of industrial mobilization, and all human resources, materials, and assembly line allocations are being adjusted according to previously allocated plans.
The birth of a new artillery must have gone through countless experiments before it could be reported to Jerome Bonaparte. It can be said that when Jerome Bonaparte learned of the completion of the new artillery, the new field cannon must have already been a finished product, requiring Jerome Bonaparte to open up a new production line for it.
Nowadays, all military factories are already at full capacity, with some factories even running at overload, making it impossible to open up a new production line for the new artillery.
The only way to forcibly start production is to temporarily halt production of some less important items and reallocate personnel to establish a new production line for the artillery.
However, there will inevitably be a period of adjustment for workers facing the new artillery, and productivity will inevitably be lower than before.
As this process continues, the time required will increase significantly.
This is what’s known as a "happy problem."
"Did the Ministry of War know about this notice before you told me?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Vilnius.
"I don’t know that!" Vilnius shook his head and replied to Jerome Bonaparte, then added, "But I think Bashirio should have already notified them, right!"
"Sigh!" Jerome Bonaparte sighed and then gently tapped Vilnius’s forehead with his finger, chiding affectionately, "You little muddlehead! You can’t even do this little thing right!"
"Hehe..." Vilnius playfully stuck out his tongue without rebuttal.
"Since Bashirio has already developed it, I shall go take a look then!" Jerome Bonaparte decided to first inspect the quality of the new artillery. He embraced Vilnius’s slender waist, and Vilnius got up from Jerome Bonaparte’s body in turn, and Jerome Bonaparte also promptly stood up to leave.
The two walked hand in hand down the corridor of the Tuileries Palace, with Vilnius proudly carrying herself, her face also showing a proud expression.
When the two made their way from the study to the living room, Mokar appeared once again in front of Jerome Bonaparte.
"Find a carriage. I want to go to the Paris Northern Industrial Group!" Jerome Bonaparte succinctly ordered Mokar.
"Yes!" Mokar immediately nodded and departed.
Jerome Bonaparte waited a moment at the Tuileries Palace and once again saw Mokar, who was still displaying a deferential posture and said to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, the carriage you requested is ready!"
"Let’s go!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to Vilnius beside him.
Vilnius and Jerome Bonaparte boarded the carriage flanked by the Guard Dragon Cavalry. Some Guard Dragon Cavalry would escort Jerome Bonaparte to the Northern Industrial Group.
In the carriage compartment, Jerome Bonaparte closed his eyes, quietly sensing the subtle sounds of the carriage moving. Sitting next to Jerome Bonaparte, Vilnius laid her head on Jerome Bonaparte’s lap.
The carriage journeyed for over half an hour before finally arriving at the Paris Northern Industrial Group located outside the outskirts of Paris... no, to be precise, located outside the Paris 12th District.
[The distance to the Paris Northern Industrial Group is already beyond the 12th District, even when considering the expansion maps after 1860, the location of the Paris Northern Industrial Group is still considered to be in the outer suburbs]
The carriage gradually halted at the gates of the Northern Industrial Group, where several retired veterans, upon seeing the lined-up Guard Dragon Cavalry, hurriedly ran to the front of the cavalry to salute.
Inside the carriage, Jerome Bonaparte felt the vehicle come to a stop and immediately opened his eyes, glancing out at the desolate land, then gently shook the "lazybones" lying on his lap!
"Don’t mess around!" Vilnius protested with reluctance, waving her hand randomly around.
"Wake up! We’re here!" Jerome Bonaparte leaned over to Vilnius’s ear, gently nibbling her earlobe.
"Ah!" Feeling the tingling sensation and pain from her ear, Vilnius uttered a sound and quickly snapped out of her slumber from Jerome Bonaparte’s lap.
"You’re awake!" Jerome Bonaparte smirked mischievously.
Vilnius gave Jerome Bonaparte a sidelong glance, then slightly tidied her wrinkled clothes and joked with a hint of indignation, "Your Majesty! Let’s go!"
"Hmm!" Jerome Bonaparte linked arms with Vilnius, and they both exited the carriage together.
When Jerome Bonaparte and Vilnius stepped out of the carriage, the veterans present saluted Jerome Bonaparte,
These veterans, who had lived in the barracks for more than a decade, once believed that their entire lives would be spent with the army, or that they would die in some battle. Jerome Bonaparte rescued them from the "quagmire" and gave them employment.
Allowing this group of veterans, who only knew killing in the first half of their lives, to integrate into French society in the second half with a brand new outlook.
For them, leaving the French Army was like being reborn.
And for the French Army, the absence of these seasoned veterans, who were bad influences on recruits, brought a significant change to the spirit and morale of new recruits.
This result is a win for both the veterans and the army.
One could say it was a win-win situation.
Of course, the only losers were those belonging to state-owned enterprises in France, some private enterprises, and local governments, which had to take on the employment arrangements for veterans after they retire.
Facing these veterans who had once fought for France, Jerome Bonaparte also returned their salute.
Then, the general manager of the Northern Industrial Group, Bashirio, personally came out to welcome Jerome Bonaparte, and under Bashirio’s guidance, Jerome Bonaparte once again entered the interior of the industrial park.
At this point, the Northern Industrial Group park had almost doubled in size compared to before. In addition to steel and firearm production, the industrial park had added production lines for steam locomotives, steam hammers, artillery, and canned food, with no fewer than 5,000 workers employed.
Workers at the Paris Northern Industrial Group and its upstream and downstream industries not only enjoy the right to a ten-hour workday, but their housing is also free (with more than ten people per densely packed apartment), and they receive a small subsidy for meals.
These measures were implemented only under the mandatory requirements of Jerome Bonaparte. It can be said that the entire factory’s workers are filled with gratitude towards Jerome Bonaparte.
In their eyes, Jerome Bonaparte was the first light they had seen.
After briefly conversing with the workers, Jerome Bonaparte felt the vitality in their words and once again smiled.
Although he could not change the entire work landscape of France, he had the power to improve the system and appearance of state-owned enterprises, as well as those under his control.
After leaving the workers, Jerome Bonaparte listened to Bashirio’s report: "Your Majesty, the park plans to continue expanding next year! To accommodate more workers, our industry will further refine and complete..."
Before he could finish, Jerome Bonaparte forcefully interrupted what Bashirio was about to say: "This plan is not a report to me, but a report to yourself! What I need to see is the result. The industrial park does not have to make huge profits, but you must guarantee that these people do not become unemployed! Understood?"
"Understood!" Bashirio immediately grasped Jerome Bonaparte’s meaning, realizing that the primary task of the Paris Northern Industrial Group was to ensure there were no large-scale layoffs.
"Alright! Now take me to see your newly designed artillery!" Jerome Bonaparte stated his intention directly without any unnecessary words.
"Please follow me! It may take some time!"
Under Bashirio’s guidance, Jerome Bonaparte walked for nearly half an hour more, finally arriving at a testing range about three kilometers from the park.
At this time, there were two officers standing on the range, one of whom was holding a telescope.
In front of them was a bronze field cannon, which, based on its design, bore some resemblance to the M1841 cannon of the current French active forces.
Jerome Bonaparte quickened his pace and soon arrived at the cannon. The artilleryman preparing to load the cannonball into the barrel froze upon seeing Jerome Bonaparte.
The two officers, seeing this, also came forward to report loudly to Jerome Bonaparte: "Your Majesty!"
"Hmm!" Jerome Bonaparte glanced lightly at the two officers, one of whom was Nie’er the logistics director, and the other was the director of the Military Equipment Department.
Then, Jerome Bonaparte continued to examine the artillery in front of him, occasionally gently stroking the body of the cannon with his hand.
"This is a 12-pound field gun, right?" Jerome Bonaparte asked the artilleryman beside him.
The artilleryman paused, instinctively looking towards Bashirio. With a subtle hint from Bashirio’s eyes, he finally responded, "Yes, this is indeed a 12-pound field gun! We have improved the cannon based on the original 1841 model!"
Indeed, the cannon in front of him was the "future" Napoleon M1857 cannon introduced in 1857, known as the Grand Napoleon Cannon.