Chapter 403: Chapter 397: Progress of Various Research
After a long moment, one of the many researchers raised his head and replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, we cannot provide you with a satisfactory answer at this moment, but from my many years of experience with artillery, this breechblock may very well change the entire development of artillery."
At this point, he paused and continued, "However, we still need to conduct a lot of experiments!"
Hearing the researcher’s words, Jerome Bonaparte nodded in satisfaction and responded, "I know that a mature artillery piece requires multiple improvements and adjustments before it can be used on the battlefield. So, I am willing to give you enough time to complete it!
However, you must assure me that the next product unveiled must shoot farther than this one!
I once heard a saying: caliber is justice, range is truth.
The First Empire, back in the day, conquered the whole of Europe with powerful artillery. I hope you can also carry on your father’s aspirations, delivering shells to the enemy’s positions before they even discover us! Do you understand?"
"Understood!" everyone present responded to Jerome Bonaparte in unison. From their facial expressions, it could be seen that they were eager to start the next round of artillery research.
For these weapon enthusiasts and patriots, nothing is more captivating than creating weapons and defending their country.
Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte solemnly handed over the design drawings of the wedge-type breechblock to the group leader of the research team, admonishing him not to let the drawings circulate.
The group leader of the research team, holding the manuscript of the wedge-type breechblock with both hands, also promised Jerome Bonaparte with a solemn expression that he would do his utmost to develop the latest model of artillery for France.
The research team left the room with Jerome Bonaparte’s encouragement.
Only Jerome Bonaparte and Bashirio remained in the room.
"Try your best to satisfy their needs; they are the future of France! They should not rely solely on passion; the treatment they deserve should not be lacking!" Recalling some operations in a research institute in his previous life that pushed back half of the researchers, Jerome Bonaparte once again instructed Bashirio to immediately improve the treatment of the researchers.
"I will do my utmost!" Bashirio, who naturally understood Jerome Bonaparte’s emphasis on artillery research, quickly responded to Jerome Bonaparte.
After temporarily resolving the artillery issue, Jerome Bonaparte turned to inquire about the situation of the rifle research group: "How is the rifle research group doing?"
"Not very well!" Bashirio shook his head and replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Is it the inability to solve the sealing issue of the rifle, or the inability to design a rifle with a longer range?" Jerome Bonaparte asked again.
"Both!" Bashirio replied to Jerome Bonaparte, and then expressed his doubts, "I have heard members of the research group say that if the sealing issue of the rifle cannot be solved, the power of the bullets fired will be significantly reduced... Although the firing speed of the rifle is indeed faster than before, after a few shots, the unfired gunpowder inside the rifle must be cleaned. From this perspective, the overall capabilities of the rifle are actually similar to those of a front-loading rifle..."
Bashirio rambled on about the drawbacks of the rifle, leaving Jerome Bonaparte with an inexplicable irritation.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Jerome Bonaparte asked with a tinge of annoyance.
"Your Majesty, should we consider improving the front-loading rifle rather than venturing into fields we are unfamiliar with?" Bashirio cautiously asked, "We have many excellent employees in the field of front-loading rifles who are fully capable of improving the front-loading rifle!"
"I can clearly tell you that the existing Minie Gun is already the pinnacle of front-loading rifles, while the starting point for rifles is just beginning. I can bet with you that the future will definitely belong to rifles! Rather than clinging to the outdated front-loading rifle path, why not take this opportunity to develop a better-performing rifle!" Jerome Bonaparte criticized Bashirio and others’ conservative ideas regarding rifles with a severe tone. He understood that in this era, it was not just Bashirio, but tens of thousands of people like Bashirio.
Frankly, in the whole of Europe, except for Prussia, all countries are advocates of front-loading rifles. This immense force is even more intense than the debate between front-loading and rear-loading artillery.
Jerome Bonaparte must fight resolutely against the proponents of front-loading rifles.
To express his support for rifles, Jerome Bonaparte straightforwardly told Bashirio, "Tell the members of the rifle research group! If anyone is unwilling to research rifles, they can leave the group immediately! Don’t disrupt my engineering schedule! Without them, I don’t believe no one will want to research rifles!"
Confronted with the uncompromising Jerome Bonaparte, Bashirio naturally dared not speak up for them again, and he immediately assured Jerome Bonaparte that he would convey his requirements to them.
With the rifle issue tentatively settled, Jerome Bonaparte turned to inquire about Pasteur’s research progress.
"How is Professor Pasteur’s research on cholera and typhoid progressing?" Jerome Bonaparte turned to ask Bashirio about the situation regarding the epidemics and cholera.
With the pace of war approaching closer, once the army enters the Varna Region, it is likely to experience acclimatization problems, leading to outbreaks of cholera and other diseases.
Historically, the non-combat attrition rates of the Anglo-French Alliance Army were higher than combat attrition. Jerome Bonaparte did not wish for his troops to die not on the battlefield but in the camps.
Since the military reforms of last December, Jerome Bonaparte has issued regulations to the field hospitals within the army camps, such as regularly sterilizing medical instruments with boiling water, using lime water for isolation during cholera outbreaks, managing patients separately, and periodically disinfecting doctors during their service periods—measures that later generations might find commonplace.
Although these regulations may not necessarily be fully executed, at least they enable medical staff to know how to handle issues at critical moments.
Minimizing non-combat casualties is Jerome Bonaparte’s ultimate goal.
Pasteur’s research is Jerome Bonaparte’s last safeguard for the army.
"Professor Pasteur’s research is already in its final stages! I believe it won’t be long before we can completely overcome typhoid and cholera!"
Mentioning Pasteur, Bashirio spoke with deep respect.
Cholera and typhoid, two diseases that have plagued Europe for countless years and caused the deaths of millions, are on the verge of being conquered within a small laboratory, by a "non-mainstream" university professor and dozens of obscure researchers, in less than two years.
Although some sacrifices are inevitable during the research on bacterial principles and the production of qualified vaccines, for all of France, this is an unprecedented "miracle."
And Bashirio is precisely the one who witnessed this "miracle." Thinking of this, Bashirio couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.
At the same time, he was filled with awe for Jerome Bonaparte, as His Majesty the Emperor always proved that his decisions were correct through actions time and again.
Such a person... such a person... damn it, why did I ever doubt His Majesty’s decisions...
Jerome Bonaparte suddenly realized that Bashirio’s gaze towards him was not only one of admiration but also had a hint of fervor.
"Your Majesty, do you need me to invite Mr. Pasteur to have a face-to-face conversation with you?" Bashirio said to Jerome Bonaparte with an even more humble attitude.
"There’s no need for that!" Jerome Bonaparte declined Bashirio’s suggestion and then added, "You all must continue to meet all of Pasteur’s needs. If there’s anything you can’t fulfill, you can report directly to me!"
"Yes!" Bashirio replied decisively.
After addressing all the issues, Jerome Bonaparte, once again holding Vilnius’s hand, was escorted by Bashirio to the carriage they came in and left.
On the way back to the Tuileries Palace, Jerome Bonaparte pondered who would be the suitable candidate to manufacture the rifle.
After thinking it over thoroughly, Jerome Bonaparte, just as he stepped out of the carriage, thought of a "firearm genius!"
Even though he was still young, it didn’t prevent Jerome Bonaparte from recruiting him!
"I figured it out!" Jerome Bonaparte exclaimed excitedly, and then suddenly lost his footing. If it weren’t for Vilnius’s quick reflexes in grabbing his arm, Jerome Boparte might have fallen off the carriage.
With Vilnius’s support, Jerome Bonaparte barely managed to stand, and before he could thank Vilnius, he eagerly pulled Vilnius along into the Tuileries Palace.
"Where is the Empress?" Jerome Bonaparte impatiently inquired to Mokar about the location of Empress Augusta upon entering the Tuileries Palace.
"Your Majesty, the Empress is having tea with the ladies!" Mokar informed Jerome Bonaparte.
"Never mind, take me there now!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Mokar.
Looking at the overly excited Emperor before him, Mokar had no choice but to obey the Emperor’s order and lead him to the entrance of the room where the Empress was.
"Your Majesty, the Empress is inside!" Mokar pointed to the door of the room and said to Jerome Bonaparte.
Jerome Bonaparte immediately pushed the door open, and the scene inside made Jerome Bonaparte’s passionate heart instantly turn cold.
Because the room was not only occupied by Augusta and the ladies of the ministers, but also some whom Jerome Bonaparte did not wish to see.
"Your Majesty?"