Chapter 503: Introducing High-Speed Machinery to Britain—Remember the Principles I Gave You
Once the British parliamentarians had left, the Lightning Coal Mining Company's "R&D department" instantly shifted gears. The "technicians" started chatting or sipping tea.
In truth, these 30 or so individuals were agents sent by the French intelligence service. They had memorized a large number of technical terms in advance to maintain appearances.
The remaining workers were local hires, temporarily recruited to clean the machines and move documents around. Their main task was simply to look busy.
A few days later, Councillor Mordaunt exited the workshop of London's Andrew Chemical Company, shaking his head and muttering under his breath:
"They don't even wear shoe covers. Their machines can't possibly be precise enough…"
The company manager, wearing an ingratiating smile, escorted him to the door and cautiously asked:
"My lord, our distillation equipment will be operational by the end of the year. I hope you'll consider letting us handle the gas production portion of the project."
Mordaunt suddenly recalled his visit to Lightning Coal Mining Company and, in a dismissive tone, replied:
"To be frank, your company hasn't even mastered particle alignment, nor does it require workers to connect foundational logic or form closed loops. I don't think you're suitable for such a high-precision project."
"What… what are you talking about? Particle alignment? Connecting… what?" The manager was utterly baffled.
Mordaunt tilted his head back with a smug smile.
"These are essential for any successful company. I suggest you take some time to learn."
As he climbed into his carriage, he glanced at the peeling, weathered gates of Andrew Chemical Company and shook his head in disdain.
Over the past few weeks, Mordaunt had inspected all the companies vying for the gas streetlamp project. In the end, he concluded that Lightning Coal Mining Company was far superior to its competitors. His mind was made up: they would win the contract.
In fact, he believed that even if Lightning Coal Mining Company hadn't offered him a £10,000 bribe, he still would have chosen them for the project.
The British Parliament held two debates regarding the gas streetlamp project. Throughout the discussions, Mordaunt and his faction consistently supported awarding the project to Lightning Coal Mining Company.
When some parliamentarians proposed alternative plans, Mordaunt confidently tossed Lightning Coal Mining Company's promotional materials onto their desks.
After that, dissenting voices vanished—the exquisitely crafted brochures made it clear that Lightning Coal was at least a decade ahead of its competitors in technology.
August 3rd.
London City Hall signed a contract with the relatively unknown Lightning Coal Mining Company, appointing them as the primary contractor for London's gas streetlamp project. The project was to be completed within a year for a total cost of £260,000.
Joseph had specifically instructed Steller to undercut all competitors by pricing the bid at £260,000. He didn't intend to complete the project anyway, so even lowering the price to £200,000 wouldn't have bothered him. However, for the other companies, such a low price left no room for profit.
Three days after the contract was signed, more than a dozen factory owners and company managers gathered in the spacious music hall of a club in South London. They whispered among themselves:
"I thought we were the only ones invited. Turns out he brought us all here?"
"What does he want? To humiliate us?"
"Maybe he wants to apologize for stealing the project and hopes to make amends."
"Shh—he's here."
The doors to the music hall opened, and Steller walked in with a broad smile. He greeted everyone individually before stepping onto the stage and speaking loudly:
"Gentlemen, I'm sure you've all heard the news. Our Lightning Coal Mining Company has just been awarded the contract for London's gas streetlamp project."
Someone snorted, "You didn't invite us here just to boast, did you?"
"Oh, you've misunderstood," Steller replied, waving his hand with an earnest expression. "Our company plans to continue growing in London, and in the future, we'll need to work closely with all of you."
The group remained silent, their faces frosty. They were all representatives of companies that had competed for the gas streetlamp project, and losing out had left them in no mood to be friendly.
Steller continued, "That's why I want to share the benefits with you and ensure everyone profits."
The attendees were taken aback.
"What do you mean?" someone asked.
"Subcontracting," Steller said with a smile. "This is a massive project, and there are many aspects where our company lacks expertise—for example, manufacturing gas pipes, excavation and backfilling, or even producing the gas lamp casings, which would require us to purchase entirely new machinery.
"So, I'd like to subcontract these tasks to you. And rest assured, the prices will be fair.
"This way, we can all share in the benefits, and I hope you'll support Lightning Coal Mining Company in the future."
The room erupted in excitement. No one had expected to recover their lost opportunity. They began clamoring to offer their services:
"Mr. Steller, our company can manufacture gas lamp casings. According to the plan, London will need 20,000 streetlamps. Can you subcontract this portion to us?"
"Our company, Soya & Hill, employs the best excavation workers. We can handle pipeline installation at very competitive rates."
"If you need gas pipes, our company can supply them. I'm sure you've heard of our excellent products…"
"And us…"
Steller raised his hand for silence and smiled.
"Very good, very good. Lightning Coal Mining Company is committed to subcontracting as much work as possible to all of you."
He finalized subcontracting arrangements with several companies on the spot. Then he returned to the stage, cleared his throat, and added:
"However, you should all understand that this is a large-scale project, and City Hall's initial payments may take some time to process. Therefore, we'll need you to provide upfront funding for the subcontracted work."
The attendees exchanged glances but eventually nodded in agreement.
Although no company liked pre-funding projects, it wasn't unheard of. Missing out on such a lucrative project over a reluctance to advance funds would be far worse.
Over the following week, Lightning Coal Mining Company signed subcontracting agreements with numerous British companies. The work ranged from road excavation to coal storage construction, from manufacturing distillation vessel casings to lamp covers. They accepted almost every proposal.
If anyone had inspected Steller's safe during this time, they would have discovered that over half of the project's workload had been subcontracted. However, all the critical interdependent steps remained under Lightning Coal Mining Company's control.
Joseph's objective wasn't just to delay London's gas streetlamp project but also to entangle the British companies capable of completing it. This way, even if City Hall realized something was amiss, they would struggle to pivot and fund an alternative solution.
India, Mysore.
In the grand hall of the Srirangapatna Palace, Tipu Sultan coldly eyed British negotiator Sir Sealy. Turning to the vizier of Hyderabad, he suddenly said:
"We're willing to relinquish Vijayanagara, but it must be ceded to Hyderabad."
Vijayanagara, Mysore's northernmost city, had fallen to the British half a year ago and was beyond recovery. But, as per Marquis Lafayette's advice, Tipu sought to leverage it to align with the Marathas and Hyderabad—the two British vassals.
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