Chapter 607: The Thunder Strikes
For France's Minister of Trade, the situation seemed promising, with export volumes surging by over 10% each month.
French factories, which had suffered under the infamous scam of fake orders, had now bounced back thanks to subsidies and successful clearance of unsold inventories. While they had incurred costs for additional workers and machinery acquired to meet those phantom orders, these were now being fully utilized.
The recent boom in smuggling trade with Britain and Portugal had reactivated much of the idle capacity in these factories, to the point of slight shortages in production.
Simultaneously, the growing volume of goods headed for the Southern Netherlands had significantly accelerated development in the Walloon region. Where money flowed, prosperity naturally followed.
Smugglers, keen on streamlining their operations, even pooled resources to extend Joseph's originally planned wooden rail from Hainaut to Ostend, further stretching it to Luxembourg and connecting it to France's Verdun rail system.
Ostend itself had transformed from an overlooked minor port into a thriving hub of activity within months.
The area became a magnet for people from northern France, French-speaking Southern Netherlanders, and even large numbers of Italians, all seeking lucrative wages from the "special trade." The influx of labor was so overwhelming that monthly sailor wages dropped from 100 francs to 80—still a highly attractive figure.
These workers needed housing, food, and entertainment, which in turn spurred the arrival of masons, carpenters, cobblers, and even "ladies of the night."
Residential buildings, shops, and entertainment venues sprouted like mushrooms around the port.
The population in and around Ostend ballooned from just over 4,000 to more than 50,000, with numbers still climbing.
Austria's weak control over the Southern Netherlands allowed this rapid growth, as the tens of thousands of French-speaking inhabitants increasingly ignored Brussels' authority. Meanwhile, the Walloon Trade Association's influence began extending across the region.
Were Joseph to press the matter, he could likely annex areas south of Brussels into France immediately. However, he refrained to avoid provoking Austria, viewing this as an unexpected but welcome outcome of their efforts.
London: A Tremor Hits the Capital.
In a Thames dockside café, a scholarly-looking Mesmer gazed toward central London, sighing wistfully.
"I'm confident Sir Enfidgib was ready to invest 50,000 pounds in company bonds within three days—at most," he lamented.
Turning to Carona, who calmly sipped his coffee, Mesmer added, "And yet, you won't give me those three days."
Carona remained silent. Beside him, the mustachioed Steller, Lightning Company's general manager, whispered:
"Baron Mordaunt is already under fire in Parliament—delays are no longer tenable."
The London gas streetlight project, plagued by repeated delays, had become a political liability for its chief proponent, Mordaunt, who faced relentless criticism from his opponents.
Desperate to salvage his reputation, Mordaunt pressured London's mayor, Herbert, to ensure the project delivered tangible results before year's end.
Herbert had confidently assured him, believing the project was nearly complete.
Eighty percent of the city's gas lighting infrastructure had been installed, with streets lined with elegant lampposts boasting sturdy bolts and exuding industrial charm. All that remained was the final testing phase.
However, unbeknownst to Herbert, the lampposts were purely decorative.
While they were built to Lightning Company's exact specifications, the components were deliberately flawed. Pipe connections could not be sealed, essential valves were omitted, and the gas pipes themselves were made of materials guaranteed to corrode within a year of installation.
Even if London were to pour vast sums into patching up the project, they would soon face the expense of tearing everything up and starting over—a costlier endeavor than building from scratch.
When Herbert demanded Lightning Company activate the completed streetlights, Carona and Steller knew the jig was up. It was time to flee, having already made a fortune.
The Night of the Lighting Ceremony.
Hours after Carona and Steller's ship departed the Thames, London's mayor Herbert, Baron Mordaunt, and other officials gathered at the ceremonial site for the grand lighting of the gas streetlights.
Yet when informed that no Lightning Company executives or senior staff were present—and seemingly nowhere to be found—Herbert grew visibly irritated.
Surveying the thousands of onlookers and throngs of reporters, he couldn't shake a growing sense of unease. But spotting Lightning Company technicians and subcontractors among the crowd reassured him slightly.
"Let's just light the lamps," he muttered.
At sunset, after a round of stirring speeches, the moment arrived.
Baron Mordaunt raised his hand dramatically:
"Let us banish the darkness of London with light!"
Dozens of lamplighters set about uncovering the glass lamp covers, inserting lit rods into the fixtures.
Yet nothing happened.
They checked valves, tried again, and still… nothing.
London remained shrouded in the same darkness as before.
Lamplighters rushed to test other lamps—none worked.
After half an hour, reports poured in from across the city: not a single lamp had been lit.
Herbert glared at the Lightning Company technician, who stammered:
"Sir, there must be an issue with the gas supply. I've sent someone to check the pipes."
But checks yielded no answers. An hour later, a grim-faced Herbert announced the ceremony's postponement due to "technical difficulties."
The Aftermath.
At dawn the next day, Herbert stormed into Lightning Company's offices, demanding answers.
With Steller and other executives gone, a trembling technician reported:
"We checked the main gas pipeline, and there's no gas flow."
"Then inspect your distillation plant!" Herbert roared.
The technician lowered his head in despair.
"But… sir, only the chief engineer has access to it…"
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen10