Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 328:

TL: Etude

Since the demonstration of the flying shuttle loom and the Jenny spinning machine at the October conference, many in the textile industry expressed their intentions to purchase these machines.

Under Paul’s direction, the mechanical factory announced that the Jenny spinning machine still had some unresolved technical issues, delaying its sale. This decision greatly disappointed many factory owners.

However, the flying shuttle loom was launched as scheduled, and the Lakeheart Town Mechanical Factory received a large number of orders. Driven by demand, the factory expanded, hiring new apprentices to ramp up the production of the looms.

In addition to the flying shuttle loom, other agricultural machinery like cotton gins, threshers, grass cutters, root cutters, and grinding machines also gained popularity and were included in the increased production plans.

The sales of these new machines brought considerable wealth to Paul. Although he had voluntarily separated his private treasury from the public one, the Lakeheart Town Mechanical Factory was a property of the Grayman family and not under the jurisdiction of the Administration Council. Hence, its income went into Paul’s private treasury.

However, like other factories, the mechanical factory also had to pay taxes, which went to the public treasury of the Administration Council. Many people did not understand this arrangement. In their view, since the entire territory belonged to the Grayman family and the Administration Council’s role was to assist the lord in managing the territory, and with Paul having the final say over the council’s public treasury, they saw the mechanical factory paying taxes to the Administration Council as merely shifting money from one hand to the other.

Despite questions raised by many, Paul insisted on this procedure. In terms of complying with other laws, all Grayman family properties, including the mechanical factory, were treated no differently from other private workshops and factories.

Another development that pleased Paul was the growth of maritime trade. As more civilian sailing ships were built, the proportion of goods transported by sea, especially those sold to the south, increased, reducing the amount taken by land-based tolls.

To further develop maritime trade, the Administration Council heavily invested in a shipyard owned by Count Price Parker. This shipyard, located at a natural harbor in Port Fran, was taken over by a large team of managers and technical staff from the shipyard. They began revamping the equipment and facilities, training the old craftsmen to produce new ships that met Alda’s needs.

Expanding the “domestic” market in the vast Northwest Bay area was also part of Paul and the Administration Council’s plan. After proposing a “Customs Union” to Henry Ferdinand, the newly appointed Duke of Center, in Center City, Paul gradually pitched this plan to other lords. Over the past few months, there was frequent correspondence among the lords discussing the “Customs Union” and calculating its advantages and disadvantages for their respective territories.

While there was no unified opinion externally, disputes arose internally. Abolishing tariffs was a significant move. Following ancient traditions, Paul and Malron jointly convened an assembly in Lakeheart Town, inviting prominent families, lower nobility, large estate owners, and influential merchants and factory owners from Alda, Baylding, and recently included Emden under the Administration Council’s jurisdiction. Paul sought their opinions on forming the Customs Union and explained that its establishment would reduce or even eliminate tariffs between the territories around Northwest Bay, removing trade barriers and creating a closely-knit trade and economic zone.

Paul had thought this was merely a formality, assuming that everyone would unconditionally support the lord’s decision. However, he encountered significant opposition.

Merchants and factory owners welcomed the plan, as it would greatly reduce their costs for importing goods and raw materials. If other territories implemented the same policy, their costs for selling goods to other territories would also decrease.

Opposition came from estate owners or landlords. Their lands produced the goods and raw materials needed by merchants and factory owners, such as food grains for food and brewing, cotton and wool for textiles, etc. Once tariffs were reduced or eliminated, the local merchants and factory owners would have more options, reducing the competitiveness of their crops and severely impacting their income.

Cutting off someone’s livelihood is akin to killing their parents. Previously, when Paul implemented crop rotation, consolidated farmland, and even audited property, the landlords, though complaining about his continuous reforms, largely cooperated since many of these measures were ultimately beneficial to them. However, regarding the tariff issue, they showed strong and unprecedented unity in opposition.

The lower nobility of Baylding and Emden, depending on the main industries or assets of their respective territories, either supported or opposed the plan.

Paul now realized that tariffs were not just a means for lords to amass wealth; they also served as a protective measure for the supporters within their territories. In an era dominated by agriculture, the local nobility’s main reliance was on the landlords of their territories. The lords protected the interests of these landlords through various policies, including tariffs. In return, the landlords supported the lord’s power and authority with both financial and physical resources. They also sent the most talented members of their families to join the lord’s army, serving as attendants and officers. The lords had no other choice, as they couldn’t rely on illiterate peasants or serfs for these roles.

Many landlords in Baylding and Emden held the status of knights and were a significant part of the military force in their territories. Although Alda had no real knights, the principle was the same. After the military reforms, most officers in the new army were also from landlord families, as they were literate from the start.

Due to significant resistance, Paul had to announce that the matter of the Customs Union would be discussed later. The opposition breathed a sigh of relief and, after touring the new developments in Lakeheart Town, gradually departed. It was evident that the Count was reluctant about this decision.

The first thing Paul did after the meeting was to consult with his Chief of Staff, Schroeder, about rewards for the army. Many officers had shown excellent command during the War of the Usurper and needed promotions, and many soldiers who fought bravely required rewards.

“I have no objections to your plan,” Paul said, marking a large check on the plan Schroeder had handed him and signing his name.

“But this means that many lower officer positions will now be vacant, right?”

“Yes, my lord,” replied Schroeder. “The plan is to fill these from among the veterans with combat merits and graduates from the Grayman Academy.”

“Good,” Paul said, eyeing the old knight. “But about the origins of the new officers… you need to control the proportion well.”

Schroeder gave the lord a reassuring look. “Lord Grayman, I will manage it well.”

The lord had discussed this issue with him a long time ago, and Schroeder understood the lord’s intention. The plan was initially to gradually shift this balance over several years, but it seemed the Count was getting impatient.

The Count’s words echoed in the room.

“Schroeder, I need the staff… no, my personal will, to directly influence down to the level of company and platoon.”