Two weeks had passed since Mathew left Ardenzia, the capital of Aragon. During this ti, Pendralis had begun to mitigate the challenges posed by its dependence on the White Sea by expanding trade with other nations. Among these new trade partners was the Franki Kingdom, a country with access to the ocean. The shift toward ocean-based trade offered new opportunities, but it was clear that it could not fully compensate for the economic losses caused by restricted access to the White Sea.
One morning, Arthur woke early, as was his routine. After completing his rigorous exercise session, he returned to his room, drenched in sweat. He quickly took a refreshing shower and changed into clean clothes before enjoying a modest breakfast. Once finished, he sat at his desk to review reports sent to him by various branches of the governnt.
The first report he reviewed ca from the Ministry of Trade. It detailed the severe decline in trade activity in the White Sea due to the high taxes imposed on Pendralis ships in the Maraz Strait and the alarming rise in pirate attacks. As a result, exports had suffered significantly. However, the report also noted a recent increase in trade with ocean-access countries like the Franki Kingdom. While this new trade alleviated so of the economic damage, it was insufficient to fully offset the losses. Arthur finished reading the report with a clearer understanding of the financial toll caused by restricted access to the White Sea. He concluded that this issue had to be resolved urgently. If diplomacy failed, he realized, the possibility of war would need to be seriously considered.
Next, Arthur turned his attention to a report from the Ministry of Transportation. The report highlighted that, apart from a few small settlents, the entire nation was now connected by an expansive railway network. Additionally, a national highway system had also been completed. Arthur was pleased to read this, as he understood that, despite Pendralis's advantage of not having internal customs tariffs, slow and inefficient transportation had previously hindered the full potential of the country's unified market. With the transportation issues now resolved, goods could move more freely across the nation, maximizing the benefits of an integrated dostic economy.
Arthur then moved on to the report from the Ministry of Education. According to the statistics provided, the national literacy rate had reached an impressive 96%. Furthermore, with the exception of a few remote rural areas, nearly all children in the country were now receiving primary education in state schools. The report also noted that, in addition to Arthur's nasake university, other institutions of higher education were being established. Both the governnt and the private sector had begun investing heavily in scientific and technological research. While Arthur was satisfied with the progress in education, he understood that education was a long-term investnt. He knew it would take years for these efforts to yield significant results in terms of increased economic productivity and scientific breakthroughs.
Arthur's final report ca from the Ministry of Defense. It detailed how governnt-issued bonds had raised significant funds, allowing the modernization of the military to progress rapidly. Soldiers were now being trained in the use of firearms, and officers were being educated in the tactics and strategies necessary for effective combat with modern weaponry. The navy, too, had begun integrating new steam-powered steel ships into its fleet, with sailors receiving specialized training to operate these advanced vessels. However, due to the ti-intensive nature of shipbuilding, progress in the navy lagged slightly behind the army. Arthur finished the report with a sense of optimism, thinking, "By next spring, I might be able to send exploration fleets to uncover the unknown."
The idea of discovering new lands and trade routes had grown beyond Arthur's personal dream. The economic crisis caused by Pendralis's overdependence on the White Sea made it clear that finding alternative trade routes was not just desirable but essential. Determined, Arthur decided that it was ti to present his idea for an exploration fleet to his father.
As he thought about the practicalities of oceanic exploration, Arthur realized that navigation was the most critical challenge to solve. Drawing on his historical knowledge, he identified two key tools needed for accurate navigation on the open sea: a sextant for asuring latitude and a marine chronoter for determining longitude.
Arthur took out paper and began designing a sextant, a device used to asure the angle between celestial bodies and the horizon, enabling precise latitude calculations. Once he completed the sextant's design, he moved on to the more complex task of designing a marine chronoter. Inspired by John Harrison's H4 clock, Arthur sketched a tipiece that would function effectively aboard a ship. He noted that while chanical clocks existed in Pendralis, they were often large and relied on pendulum chanisms, which were unsuitable for use on the constantly moving deck of a ship. Arthur's design focused on creating a smaller, pendulum-free clock capable of maintaining accurate ti despite the rough conditions at sea.
Arthur also wrote down an explanation of how longitude could be calculated using ti. He noted that longitude was the angular distance of a location east or west of a pri ridian. To determine longitude, it was necessary to know the exact ti at two locations: the pri ridian and the ship's current position. With the H4 chronoter, sailors could accurately asure ti on a moving ship, enabling precise longitude calculations.
Having completed his designs, Arthur gathered the papers and headed to his father's chambers to discuss his plans. When Arthur entered the room, he noticed King Cedric setting down a report on the economy—the sa report Arthur had read earlier. Arthur gestured toward the report and began, "Father, as the report clearly shows, we are far too dependent on access to the White Sea for trade. If our access to it continues to be restricted, as the report demonstrates, we will suffer severe economic losses. To address this issue, we need to discover alternative trade routes that do not rely on the White Sea."
King Cedric raised an eyebrow and interrupted, "Let guess—you're proposing to send an exploration fleet?"
Arthur smiled and replied, "Exactly. However, this is not a new idea. In the past, both we and other nations have attempted to send exploration fleets to discover new lands and trade routes. But none of those attempts succeeded, and none of the fleets ever returned. Unlike the White Sea, which has navigable coastlines, the open ocean stretches for thousands of kiloters without landmarks. Ships that ventured into it lost their bearings and were dood to failure."
Arthur paused before adding, "But what if there was a device that allowed ships to navigate accurately, even in the middle of the open ocean?"
King Cedric's curiosity was piqued. "Do you have such a device?" he asked.
In response, Arthur placed the designs for the sextant and the H4 chronoter on his father's desk. He carefully explained how the devices worked and how they could be used to determine a ship's exact position at sea. As Arthur spoke, King Cedric's excitent grew.
When Arthur finished, the king said, "Let's test these devices to see if they work as you've described. If they prove effective, I will approve the deploynt of exploration fleets."
After discussing the latest developnts for a while longer, Arthur left the palace with the designs in hand. He planned to et with William to begin the production of the navigation instrunts.
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