Chapter 1138: Chapter 1044: Rubber, Explosives, and Batteries
Coulomb walked out by himself from the Palais des Tuileries South Hall, his loneliness stark under the dazzling light of the gas street lamps.
Celebrations were still ongoing in the hall behind him, with music and praises for the laureates echoing, but to Coulomb, they all sounded like rciless mockery.
“Mr. Monge should not have deceived …”
He muttered, pulling up his collar and signaling to the servant waiting outside the door, “Martin, bring the carriage over.”
Half a month ago, the French mathematician Monge, a mber of the judging panel, had privately inford him that this year’s physics award was essentially decided to be given to him.
Yet when Mr. Le Roy announced the “physics award” just now, he had already stood up, only to hear the na of that British individual!
The sound of hooves approached.
As Coulomb was about to get into the carriage, he heard soone call him from behind, “Mr. Coulomb, is that you?
“Oh, no wonder I couldn’t find you. Why did you leave early?”
Coulomb was very familiar with this voice; it was indeed the Academy of Sciences president, Le Roy.
He hurriedly turned and bowed, “Ah, I drank a bit too much; you know, the wine prepared by the Academy was too tempting, so I wanted to go back and rest first.”
“That’s not ideal,” Le Roy said, “Tomorrow morning, the Crown Prince wishes to see you, so I hope you’re not hungover then.”
…
The next day.
Inside the Crown Prince’s reception room at the Palace of Versailles.
Coulomb stared wide-eyed at the Crown Prince, “Are you saying you revoked my award qualification?”
“For so political reasons,” Joseph nodded, gesturing towards the cup of tea Eman had just brought over, “Please give it a try, it’s produced in the East.
“Of course, your contributions to electrical research are undeniable; next year’s physics award will certainly belong to you.”
Coulomb was overjoyed imdiately, although he would receive the award a year later, getting a personal explanation from the Crown Prince made him feel greatly honored, and he harbored no more grievances.
However, the Crown Prince continued, “Regarding this incident, I wish to give you so compensation.”
Just as Coulomb was about to say “No need,” he heard a term he couldn’t refuse.
“An electrical laboratory,” Joseph said, “Specifically, the position of head for the Royal Third Laboratory. The governnt will allocate at least 100,000 francs annually to the laboratory and provide you with maximum convenience.”
Coulomb blinked, “Royal Third Laboratory?”
“Yes. It is engaged in experints of the highest confidentiality level. All experintal results cannot be published externally for at least ten years.
With the increase of France’s high-tech research projects, the difficulty in managent also rises. Joseph established three highly confidential laboratories under the French Academy of Sciences in proximity to the Palace of Versailles, just about 3 kiloters away in the New Paris District.
The First Laboratory, overseen by Lamark, is a biodical laboratory, with its core project being the developnt of antibiotics.
The Second Laboratory, under Lavoisier’s leadership, focuses on the chemistry laboratory, primarily featuring picric acid—a high-energy explosive. Currently, French organic chemical technology has transitioned from its budding phase thanks to the burgeoning coal tar industry, moving towards artificial synthesis from re isolation and purification.
Military application remains the top priority in this era.
However, the laboratory director Lavoisier is currently overwheld, so the laboratory is not yet fully operational.
The Third Laboratory is this still-preparing electromagnetism laboratory, which will focus on basic explorations of electrical research.
In this era, electrical research scarcely constitutes a field. After all, all scholars could only rely on the weak static electricity provided by Leiden bottles for studies, which hardly yielded any substantial results.
Joseph actually knew, before the invention of vulcanized rubber, the problem of electrical wire insulation was difficult to resolve, which led to the field of electrical research rarely producing practical applications.
However, electrical research is an extrely important and complex domain, requiring prolonged technical exploration to lay the groundwork, so Joseph decided to comnce research proactively in this area.
Ideally, it would be best to preliminarily explore practical technologies such as batteries, relays, telegraphs, and even electric lamps, so once vulcanized rubber was perfected, they could be rapidly deployed.
Coulomb was evidently attracted by the annual 100,000 francs allocated for research funds, though he hesitated due to the restriction of not being able to publish research findings for over a decade.
Joseph glanced at his expression and smiled, “The secrecy demands are so high because I have so new theories in the field of electrical research that will be provided as references to the laboratory. For instance, what exactly is the nature of electric current.”
Coulomb suddenly blurted out, “Mr. Franklin has already discussed it; electric current is just ‘weightless fluid’…”
He abruptly paused, looking at Joseph, “Is that incorrect?”
“To be precise, it’s still sowhat superficial,” Joseph said, “Accurately speaking, electric current is the directional movent under the influence of an electric field of nurous charges that can freely move through a conductor.”
Coulomb suddenly widened his eyes, “Charge… directional movent? Wait, what is an electric field?”
Joseph made a difficult expression, “Sorry, I can only tell you this much, or I would be revealing internal information of the Third Laboratory.”
Coulomb stood up from the sofa imdiately, exclaiming, “Your Highness, I am willing to accept the work at the laboratory. I an, please be sure to let into the laboratory!”
“Do you need to consider it further? Intelligence Bureau personnel may constantly be protecting you in the future.”
“No need, I am quite certain!”
“I’m glad you decided so,” Joseph nodded with a smile, “In a few days, a scholar nad Alessandro Giuseppe Volta from Italy will co to Paris and beco your assistant.”
Indeed, for electrical research, Volta, this master-level figure, must be brought on board.
Thanks to the enormous influence of France in the Italian region at this ti, Joseph rely sent him a letter, and he brought his whole family to Paris.
Coulomb exclaid excitedly, “I know him; he’s an outstanding scholar. His invention of the electroter is remarkable.”
Joseph continued, “You first need to set up the laboratory, including designing or purchasing necessary equipnt, as well as recruiting scholars.
“Then, your initial task will be undertaking the design and manufacture of Volta…”
Joseph paused halfway through and quickly corrected, “To work on the design of ‘stacked batteries.’
He almost inadvertently disclosed the term “Voltaic batteries.”
Yes, in history, it was indeed Mr. Volta, invited to assist Coulomb, who invented the first battery capable of continuous supply power five years later, opening a new era for electrical research.
Coulomb, having been shocked countless tis today, still asked, “Stacked… batteries? What are they?”
Reviews
All reviews (0)