Chapter 641: The Future of the French Navy
Joseph immediately said:
"Your outstanding work has propelled the strength of the navy to new heights! Starting this month, your ratings with the Talent Committee will be raised by one level, and you will receive special allowances from the Brest Shipyard."
Murdock and the other two men were overjoyed and bowed in unison:
"Thank you, Your Highness Prince!"
It's worth noting that a promotion by the Talent Committee meant upgrading to a larger villa, a more luxurious carriage, more maids, higher income, and immense social prestige. According to regulations, His Majesty the King personally hosted annual banquets for talents rated C-level and above—an honor even the wealthiest nobles could only dream of.
After dispensing rewards, Joseph turned serious:
"Next, the development of the high-pressure steam engine will depend on you! I promise that when the 200-horsepower steam engine is completed, I will personally recommend you for knighthood."
Murdock and the others bowed again:
"Rest assured, Your Highness! We will not disappoint you!"
Soon, Joseph boarded the frigate Azurite and sailed to the open waters beyond the port.
In the distance, the Mediterranean Light sounded its steam whistle. Black smoke billowed from its smokestack, signaling that it was ready to depart.
The first demonstration was a race between the Mediterranean Light and a paddle-sail ship.
Previously, even a test ship equipped with only one steam engine could easily leave a paddle-sail ship far behind. Now, the new warship equipped with two steam engines completely outclassed its competitor.
In less than 15 minutes, the Mediterranean Light had left its opponent trailing over 600 meters behind—far beyond the maximum firing range of a 24-pound cannon.
This meant that if the Mediterranean Light passed an enemy ship, it could be out of range of enemy fire in just 15 minutes. Against a paddle-sail ship, it would only take 10 minutes to escape the firing range of a slower, pure wind-powered warship.
It's important to note that during this era, smoothbore cannons were highly inaccurate, and naval battles often dragged on for hours before a ship could be sunk. A 10-minute escape was nearly instantaneous by comparison.
Joseph applauded the steam warship with satisfaction. Unexpectedly, the next competitor against the Mediterranean Light was a massive third-rate ship-of-the-line, the Valiant.
Compared to the towering third-rate ship, which was more than twice its size, the steam frigate looked like a mere toy.
Joseph turned to Marquis Castelli:
"What are you demonstrating here?"
"Combat tactics, Your Highness," the Naval Minister replied. "As you suggested, with the right tactical support, our new frigates can hold their own against ships of the line in the Mediterranean."
"You've done excellently," Joseph praised. Although the concept was his idea, the navy had taken less than six months to develop specific tactical designs and train sailors capable of executing them—an incredible feat of efficiency.
The long steam whistle of the Mediterranean Light pierced the air as it accelerated, quickly leaving the massive ship-of-the-line behind.
The Valiant took a long time to align its bow toward the "enemy," with all its sails unfurled. However, the weak wind left the sails limply hanging.
The Mediterranean Light, maintaining a safe distance, exploited its superior maneuverability to position itself in front of the Valiant's bow. It then turned broadside to face its opponent's bow directly.
This was the classic "T-crossing" tactic. Ships of this era carried most of their firepower on the broadsides, with only a few cannons at the bow and stern. Positioning one's broadside at the bow or stern of an enemy ship created a one-sided firepower advantage.
The Mediterranean Light's cannons roared, while the Valiant scrambled to maneuver. But just as the ship-of-the-line began to align its broadside, the steam frigate quickly powered away at full speed.
Then, the steam frigate circled back and used its absolute speed advantage to cross the Valiant's bow again, firing another broadside.
The exercise lasted over half an hour. The Mediterranean Light maintained the upper hand throughout, successfully executing the "T-crossing" tactic four times, while the Valiant never managed to fire a single broadside volley.
At the end of the demonstration, the Mediterranean Light expelled a final puff of black smoke from its chimney and steamed away. The third-rate ship-of-the-line tried desperately to give chase but couldn't even catch a glimpse of its wake.
Joseph rose to his feet once more, leading the applause. The other naval officers and shipyard personnel cheered and clapped enthusiastically.
Everyone was keenly aware that third-rate ships-of-the-line were the backbone of any fleet. First- and second-rate ships were too expensive and impractical for sustained firepower, often serving as fleet symbols or battering rams. In contrast, France could easily mass-produce steam frigates, which were cheaper and simpler to build, to counter the British fleet in the Mediterranean.
At the current pace of the Brest Shipyard, 20 Mediterranean Light-class frigates could be built within a year.
Admittedly, frigates lacked the firepower to sink ships of the line outright, but they could inflict significant damage. Moreover, the British fleet in the Mediterranean faced severe supply challenges. With the entire North African coast under French control except for western Algiers, the British had to return to Gibraltar for resupply. In contrast, the French navy could refuel and resupply almost anywhere.
By engaging in attritional warfare with the British fleet, France could force them to retreat from the Mediterranean due to repairs and supply shortages.
After the maiden voyage ceremony, the naval officers excitedly discussed the future of the navy while accompanying the Crown Prince out of the port.
Joseph was listening to the navy's chief ship designer, Borda, explain plans for building steam frigates when he suddenly noticed a peculiar small boat docked in a narrow channel on the northern side of the port.
The vessel had only a few scattered sails but was equipped with paddle wheels on either side of its hull and a tall smokestack in the center.
"A paddlewheel steamer?" Joseph asked curiously, gesturing toward the small boat. "Is that one of the shipyard's experimental models?"
The ship designer paused, then smiled:
"Your Highness, that vessel was built by a man named Geoffroy. Two months ago, he came to the shipyard with this boat and a set of design blueprints, claiming to have invented a new type of warship.
"When we reviewed his design, we found it was merely a paddlewheel steamer, so we didn't adopt it.
"However, Mr. Geoffroy has a knack for design and unique insights into steamships, so I hired him as a designer for the shipyard.
"Interestingly, after seeing the steam warships you invented, he stopped mentioning his own boat."
Geoffroy?
Joseph vaguely recalled a Frenchman named Geoffroy mentioned in a documentary about the inventor of paddlewheel steamers, Robert Fulton. Geoffroy had reportedly built a steam-powered boat over a decade earlier but abandoned the project due to France's poor-quality steam engines.
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