Life of Being a Crown Prince in France-Chapter 678 - 587: The Navy Minister’s Three-Year Agreement

Chapter 678 -587: The Navy Minister’s Three-Year Agreement

In the eastern province of Brittany, France.

On the northern shore of Brest Bay, the Brest Shipyard, almost as large as a small town, bustled like ants that had discovered syrup.

Thousands of workers moved materials on wooden tracks, split logs with huge tools, or built ship bodies on towering wooden scaffolds. Large chimneys were everywhere, continuously spewing thick smoke, staining half the sky a grimy black.

This largest shipyard in Brittany had finally returned to busy life after being idle for nearly three years.

Because Crown Prince Joseph had arrived.

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At that moment, on the dock of the shipyard, Joseph and dozens of others held telescopes, looking toward two ships on the nearby sea, occasionally discussing among themselves.

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Among these people were senior naval officers including the Navy Minister, the Marquis of Castries, and the Brest Fleet Commander Roger Fier, with the majority being battleship designers led by Navy Shipbuilding Director Borda and the top warship designer Jacques Sane.

Truly a gathering of all the elite in France’s shipbuilding realm.

Soon, as a melodious long trumpet sound echoed, Joseph saw the two ships slowly start to move.

The one on the left was a traditional paddle sail-type escort ship, now hoisting half its sails, its wooden paddles lifted high and then slicing into the water.

The ship on the right was smaller, appearing to be an ordinary 24-cannon light escort ship “The Indomitable”. However, the tall chimney in the mid-rear of the ship indicated it was no ordinary vessel.

Chief Designer Sane sincerely exclaimed, “His Highness Crown Prince was right. There’s no need for paddle wheels to achieve excellent propulsion.”

Shipbuilding Director Borda immediately nodded, “If we had gone with our initial design, the ship would have been at least 30 tons heavier than it is now. The speed would’ve drastically decreased.”

Two months earlier, when they heard Joseph wanted to use a steam engine for propulsion, they immediately suggested using paddle wheels, which involved installing two sets of giant wooden wheels, like waterwheels, on both sides of the ship body, and encasing the part of the paddle wheels above the waterline in oak shells to protect against cannon shots.

This was the most mature plan. Although paddle wheel-driven ships had not yet been put to use, the theory had already been proposed, and some had even created models.

But Joseph decisively rejected this design.

Paddle wheels were already exceedingly heavy, and adding bulletproof casings would negate much of the steam engine’s power advantage.

Moreover, paddle wheels were very large targets; even with wooden shell protection, they were easily destroyed by enemy cannons. As a critical component of the propulsion system, if the paddle wheels encountered issues, the captain might as well order the ship abandoned.

He then brought out the later commonly used marine propeller, leading to the creation of the “Indomitable” test ship seen today.

The Navy Minister, the Marquis of Castri, looked gratefully toward the Crown Prince.

After the latter promised to manufacture advanced steam ironclad warships, he had anxiously waited three years. Throughout these years, the navy had not launched any warships above the third-rate.

Joseph held his forehead and shook his head. He finally understood why early steamships used paddle wheels; it seemed they couldn’t manufacture a qualified propeller.

He exchanged glances with Borda and the others beside him. Could they really need to use paddle wheels after all?