Strike while the iron is hot.
Few sayings resonate more strongly with politicians or those engaged in public affairs.
For politicians, "the tide coming in" means the attention and support of the public are gathering around them.
At times like this, almost anything they do is viewed favorably. People cheer them on, and even vague policies are interpreted generously.
But once public attention fades, even the most dramatic actions can fail to attract notice.
Perception is a frightening thing.
For the time being, no matter what Parliament did, the public would view it with suspicion.
Meanwhile, whatever the royal family did would be met with applause and encouragement.
And moments like this were precisely when the plans I had been preparing should finally be unveiled.
Since I had clearly declared—and even written into law—that I would not interfere in domestic politics, any involvement from now on would be done indirectly through Prime Minister Charles Wellesley.
Sanitation? Food? Inconvenient toilets?
There were countless areas in need of improvement.
But among them, the most maddening of all was the inability to use the internet.
Not merely for searching or watching videos—
Even the lack of communication that the internet provided.
Even though I had fallen into the nineteenth century, when science was advancing, the inconvenience was still unbearable.
If I had been born in an even earlier era, the thought alone was terrifying.
For my own comfort, if nothing else, this problem had to be improved.
But large-scale projects required a pioneer willing to push them forward at the beginning.
Scientists rarely found such patrons.
Unless someone possessed extraordinary vision, it was difficult to foresee just how transformative such technologies could be.
People rarely invest in things they have never experienced before.
But I had not merely predicted the future.
I had already experienced it.
So I had no hesitation in pouring money into these efforts.
The event being demonstrated today was no different.
"So this is the Morse telegraph device Your Highness invested so heavily in."
"Yes. The business began operating partially in the United States and Canada just last year. Through an entrepreneur I know, I invested heavily in building the infrastructure, which allowed us to bring it to Britain much sooner."
"I recall that several telegraph systems already exist. Is this truly so much more advanced?"
"Yes. The Cooke–Wheatstone telegraph was certainly a great invention worthy of history. But in terms of practicality, it cannot compete with the Morse system that came later."
The demonstration hall prepared inside Buckingham Palace was lavish.
Prime Minister Wellesley was present, along with members of the royal family, government officials, MPs, scientists, and journalists.
The entire room buzzed with curiosity.
At the center of attention stood the Morse telegraph apparatus.
When people spoke of telegraphs, they immediately thought of Morse.
But Britain had actually introduced the Cooke–Wheatstone system years earlier.
The problem was efficiency.
Compared to Morse's system, it required multiple wires rather than one and was unreliable over long distances.
The Morse system's use of dots and dashes to represent letters and numbers gave it remarkable simplicity.
That simplicity allowed it to spread explosively.
I intended to deploy this telegraph network across the British Empire at least ten years earlier than in the original timeline.
For one simple reason.
Those who controlled information faster than others always possessed overwhelming advantage.
Eventually other nations would build their own networks.
But while they wasted time catching up—
Britain would already be far ahead.
"Then I'll begin the demonstration. Please enjoy the show from your seats."
As I approached the machine, the audience erupted in applause.
I bowed lightly toward Queen Victoria, seated in the place of honor, then beckoned a young engineer forward.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting. Today you will witness how the progress of science can fundamentally transform human life. Through this device, we will be able to send messages farther and faster than ever before."
"Please give generous encouragement to the young engineer who will demonstrate this remarkable invention."
Applause thundered through the hall.
What must it feel like to demonstrate technology while being cheered by the most powerful figures in the British Empire?
The young technician, Richard, bowed nervously.
Then he approached the front row where the Prime Minister sat.
"Prime Minister, could you please write a short message for me to send to my colleague Frederick upstairs? Just a single sentence will do."
"A message… very well. Let's use this."
The Prime Minister wrote a famous line from the English philosopher Francis Bacon.
Knowledge is power.
Richard glanced at the note and returned to the telegraph.
Placing his hand on the key, he began tapping.
Click. Click.
Short and long rhythmic sounds echoed through the hall.
For nearly a minute the clicking continued.
Quiet murmurs spread among the audience.
"So that sound is being transmitted somewhere inside the palace?"
"That's what the explanation suggested."
"So someone hears the sound and writes it down as letters?"
"If it truly works… this could be revolutionary."
"Well… if the Prince Consort says it will work…"
Curiosity mixed with doubt filled the room.
Then—
The heavy doors opened.
Another young technician entered from upstairs.
"Thank you for waiting! The message sent by the Prime Minister has been decoded as 'Knowledge is power.' Is that correct?"
Silence fell.
Then the Prime Minister laughed softly and waved the paper containing his message.
"That's correct. 'Knowledge is power.' Quite fitting for this moment, wouldn't you say?"
"Good heavens…"
"So we could send letters in real time now?"
"Really? Even across great distances?"
Excitement surged through the hall.
Seeing the rising tide of astonishment, I returned to the podium.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please give these young engineers another round of applause for demonstrating this wonderful new technology."
"Bravo!"
"Incredible!"
"Your Highness! How far can this device transmit messages?"
"As long as wires are laid," I said firmly, "distance is almost irrelevant."
The Prime Minister, ministers, and MPs all stared in amazement.
"Then communication between London and Manchester would be possible?"
"Not merely that. Within two years, we will install a submarine cable across the Dover Strait connecting Britain to France. That will allow real-time communication with the continent."
"And within ten years we will lay a cable across the Atlantic Ocean, enabling direct communication between Britain and Canada."
"In other words, a decision made here in London could reach Canada—or even the United States—within minutes."
"Good heavens…"
"This is a revolution!"
Until now, telegraph communication had largely existed as theory.
But seeing it function perfectly in reality left everyone stunned.
Prime Minister Wellesley jumped to his feet, applauding enthusiastically.
"A truly remarkable invention! With this, distance will no longer be an obstacle for the British Empire! The government will fully support telegraph companies so this system can spread across the entire Empire! I commend the Prince Consort for his foresight and determination in launching this great beginning!"
Like many nations—but more than most—Britain possessed territory on nearly every continent.
Europe.
Africa.
Asia.
The Americas.
But such vast territory also meant slow communication.
Once the telegraph network was built, even short messages could travel instantly across the Empire.
The naval officers were especially excited.
They rushed toward me with urgent questions.
"Your Highness! Surely these devices will be supplied to the military as well?"
"Of course."
"This is an extraordinary invention. The Royal Navy must receive them first! If the fleets scattered across the world can communicate in real time, the British Navy could fight the entire world!"
Gentlemen… perhaps not the entire world.
Their enthusiasm was understandable.
But several problems still needed solving before military adoption.
"Although my position is honorary, as an admiral of the Royal Navy I will ensure that the navy can use this technology effectively. However, telegraph communication has one serious weakness that must be addressed."
"A weakness?"
"Messages can be intercepted by others. If military secrets are transmitted carelessly, enemy nations could read them."
"That would be disastrous…"
"There is a solution," I said. "We use cipher codes, changing them regularly. Even if one code is compromised, others remain secure. But strict security systems must be established."
As I explained both the vulnerability and its solution, the admirals' faces brightened again.
Anyone who had commanded troops understood how miraculous real-time communication would be.
Logistics.
Intelligence.
Command and control.
It would revolutionize warfare.
"When Your Highness invited us here, we wondered why soldiers were included," one admiral said. "Now we understand. This technology will reshape the future of war."
"Exactly," I replied. "The British Empire must remain the leading power of the world. It may give you headaches, but if you respond quickly, the Empire will shine even brighter."
"Understood! We will convene our officers immediately!"
From this moment onward, the naval commanders would see me not merely as an honorary admiral—
But as a true admiral of the British Empire.
And that was important.
Because sooner or later—
A war on the scale of the Crimean War, or even greater, was likely to erupt.
If I could not personally command armies—
Then I would strengthen Britain's military in other ways.
And communications were only the beginning.
What I had planned extended far beyond that.