Chapter 59 Technological Prospects

Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m



"So, what kind of invention have you come up with?" Antoine asked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation, as Napoleon and Ciela settled into their seats around the sun-drenched courtyard table.

"There's actually quite a lot, Monsieur Lavoisier, but let's begin with a development on the military front," Napoleon responded, crossing his legs and leaning forward, his voice filled with excitement. "During my campaign in Toulon, there was a pivotal event where we had to engage the British in hand-to-hand combat. The inclement weather rendered our muskets useless, forcing our soldiers to fix bayonets and charge the enemy."

Antoine nodded in understanding. "Ah, I see. I believe it was when you assaulted Mont Caire and took the two forts vital for your victory. What do you have in mind?"

Napoleon's gaze sharpened with determination. "I've been contemplating a new firing mechanism, one that can withstand adverse weather conditions and ensure our soldiers maintain a deadly advantage even when muskets fail us. Imagine a mechanism that employs a self-contained ignition system, independent of external conditions. This would allow our soldiers to reliably fire their rifles, regardless of rain, humidity, or other factors that currently hinder their performance."

Napoleon pulled out his notebook from his leather briefcase and opened it. He flipped through the pages until he got to the part of a technical drawing.

"Take a look," Napoleon handed the book to Antoine to which the latter perused the page.

"What am I looking at here?" Antoine asked.

"My partner here, Ciela, called it a cartridge," Napoleon explained, a touch of pride in his voice. "It contains both the projectile and the necessary propellant, all in a single, compact unit. By incorporating the ignition system directly into the cartridge, we eliminate the need for external ignition sources, such as flintlocks or matchlocks."

Antoine's eyes widened as he grasped the significance of Napoleon's invention. "So, with this cartridge, the soldier no longer needs to manually measure and load gunpowder, or place a separate projectile and priming powder into the musket's barrel?"

Napoleon nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "Exactly, Monsieur Lavoisier. The cartridge simplifies the loading process, making it quicker and more efficient. The soldier can simply insert the cartridge into the musket's chamber, and when the trigger is pulled, the internal ignition system within the cartridge will ignite the propellant, propelling the projectile out of the barrel with great force."

After explaining its principle to Antoine, Napoleon's gaze shifted to Ciela who smiled proudly. During his campaign, Napoleon would write letters to Ciela, asking her to come up with a list of technologies that she thinks will revolutionize the world. She gave him the list, with actual drawings of how it looked but due to her ineptitude in engineering and science, it wasn't technical. However, for Napoleon, he was able to decipher it thanks to his blessings.

By allowing Ciela to suggest modern technology, he is eliminating the possibility of Ciela getting suspicious of how he is coming up with a technology way beyond this era.

Though one might question why we skipped the percussion cap and headed straight to cartridge-based loading mechanisms, the reason is quite simple. Both the flintlock and percussion cap ignition systems operate on the same principle of loading gunpowder and a projectile into the musket's barrel. The main difference lies in the method of ignition.

"It's nitrocellulose, derived from a combination of cellulose and nitric acid," Napoleon explained and continued. "This substance possesses unique properties that make it ideal as a propellant. It burns rapidly and evenly, generating a high amount of energy without leaving behind excessive residue or smoke, theoretically of course. There in that paper is an instruction on how to synthesize nitrocellulose."

"How are you knowing this?" Antoine asked.

Napoleon smiled mysteriously. "I'm a man of science, monsieur Lavoisier. I have devoted considerable time and effort to studying various fields, including chemistry. Can you do it?"

"Well, your instructions are detailed," Antoine replied, studying the formula intently. "I can do it."

"Great!" Napoleon smiled. "Now I want you to hide it before Ciela returns. I don't want her to find that out. And once you synthesize one, I want you to claim the credit for making it."

"Why?"

"Because it's a secret that even Ciela doesn't even know about. Can I trust you?"

Antoine's eyebrows furrowed as he pondered Napoleon's request. While it went against his principles to claim credit for someone else's work, he recognized that this was not an ordinary circumstance."

After a moment of contemplation, Antoine nodded resolutely. "You can trust me."

"Thank you..."

Upon saying that, Ciela finally returned to the courtyard, carrying a silver tray adorned with delicate china plates. She placed one plate in front of Napoleon and another in front of Antoine, both filled with slices of the delectable strawberry cake. The scent of fresh strawberries and the sweetness of the cake filled the air.

Ciela's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she observed the serious expressions on Napoleon and Antoine's faces.

"Is everything alright, gentlemen?" she inquired, her voice filled with concern.

Napoleon gave Ciela a reassuring smile. "Everything is fine, my dear Ciela. We were just discussing some important matters regarding our invention. You have impeccable timing with the cake."

Ciela chuckled softly. "I'm glad I could provide a sweet distraction, then."

"Now, let's continue," Napoleon began.