Make France Great Again
Chapter 224 Semi-fluid Operations and Centralized Control Fund

Chapter 224: Chapter 224 Semi-fluid Operations and Centralized Control Fund

Having temporarily finalized the future ownership of French firearms, Jerome Bonaparte led a group of Ministry of War members on horseback towards the factory producing Minie rifles... no, to be accurate, it was the hub of the French steel industry.

The industrial cluster was located in a wilderness on the northern outskirts of Paris, where yellowish sulfur-scented smoke drifted from the factory chimneys, quickly reaching the banks of the Seine River less than 2 kilometers away.

The banks of the Seine were bustling at the time, with a British cargo ship loaded with coal docked at the newest berth on the riverside.

"Faster, you guys!" yelled the foreman as workers lifted boxes of coal from the ship and placed them on carts. Once the carts were full, two workers would push the cart to the factory for use.

Every day, this factory consumed large amounts of coal and iron ore, turning them into rails and steel plates before delivering them to the Ministry of Railways.

British coal and Swedish iron ore became the main raw material sources for this factory.

"Generals, just over half a year ago this was a barren wasteland, and in the future this will become one of France’s industrial and military strongholds! Everything the French Army needs will be produced here!" Jerome Bonaparte, riding on horseback, proudly pointed with his whip at the distant industrial park and said to the generals present.

The generals present were well aware of this factory’s intricacies, not least the construction of the docking port for cargo ships, which wasn’t something that could be built with money alone; only the combination of power and money could succeed.

The value of a port could equal the entirety of the industrial park.

After all, land on the outskirts of Paris wasn’t exactly valuable.

Under Jerome Bonaparte’s lead, the War Ministry generals soon arrived at the entrance of the factory park.

A group of soldiers wearing blue jackets and armed with new-style Minie Rifles quickly saluted Jerome Bonaparte and his entourage upon seeing them.

Recently, Jerome Bonaparte had frequently visited the factory, to the point where the entire factory recognized him.

"Watch our horses!" Jerome Bonaparte dismounted and handed over his horse, issuing the command to the soldiers.

"Yes!" the soldier replied firmly, taking the reins.

The War Ministry generals also handed over their horses to the soldiers, the factory gates slowly opened, and Jerome Bonaparte with members of the Ministry of War entered the industry.

"That’s the steel industry zone!" Jerome Bonaparte, acting as the guide, pointed at the chimneys emitting sulfurous and mixed black gases at one corner of the factory, then pointed at another workshop corner: "That’s the locomotive production zone!"

"This industrial park will continue to be expanded, and they will generate more army-affiliated products based on the existing foundation to ensure our army’s logistics!" Jerome Bonaparte continued.

In his plan, such industrial clusters should not only be established in Paris but also in Lyon and Strasbourg with corresponding scaled industrial clusters.

[PS: The steel industry in Strasbourg has already been fully prepared by Eugène Schneider and is about to start production. For the military industry, Jerome Bonaparte is considering dispatching a group of experienced workers from Paris.]

Through industrial clustering, the unification of systems for small and medium-sized industries in Paris will be completed. Without uniform management and standard parts, the production speed of the French military industry can’t possibly improve.

Chaotic production in France is bound to make jokes like mobilizing earlier than Prussia but sending troops later than Prussia, as happened in 1870.

After introducing the steel and locomotive production workshops, Jerome Bonaparte led the War Ministry generals to the Minie rifle workshop.

At this moment, the general manager responsible for the entire industrial park, or more accurately, the operations manager named Baxilio, stood respectfully at the door of the Minie rifle workshop, seemingly waiting for Jerome Bonaparte and the others.

"Mr. President, Generals! Welcome to the Paris Northern Industrial Group! I am the person in charge of this industrial park, Baxilio!" Baxilio introduced himself to Jerome Bonaparte and the generals.

Paris Northern Industrial Group was a humorously peculiar name that Jerome Bonaparte chose for the newly formed military enterprise group, which of course also represented his earnest hopes for this newly established enterprise.

Jerome Bonaparte hoped this military industrial park he established from scratch would not only meet the French Army’s supply demands but also be sold overseas, becoming a truly international arms company.

"Mr. Baxilio, lead us in touring the Minie rifle factory. My generals want to know the production capacity of this factory!" Jerome Bonaparte feigned ignorance about the factory’s operations, speaking to Baxilio.

"Alright! Please follow me!" Baxilio led Jerome Bonaparte to the factory producing Minie rifles.

The interior of the Minie Factory stunned the generals present. Solid iron rods made through sand casting were placed at the first workstation. After simple deburring and drilling at the first workstation, they were handed over to the next workstation... The next worker continued the subsequent processes. By the time they reached the tenth workstation, a brand-new Minie Rifle took shape. This method was entirely different from how they remembered that a gun was crafted start to finish by an experienced master craftsman.

"Honored Generals, our company adopts standardized management, ensuring every component on the firearms is interchangeable and universal!!" Baxilio told the generals present.

Semi-automated management made every component an interchangeable product, also resolving logistical concerns.

"So what’s your weekly output?" one of the generals curiously asked.

"The weekly production is about 3,000 to 4,000! As our factory continues to expand, I believe we can further increase our capacity!" Mr. Baxilio proudly said to the generals.

Mr. Baxilio’s figures once again caused a stir among the generals of the Ministry of War; no factory in recorded history has been able to achieve such a feat. Even the Enfield Rifle, manufactured by what was considered Britain’s largest arms company during the Crimean War, had a production capacity of only about 3,000 per week.

"How do you ensure quality control?" Logistics Director Nie’er raised his concerns.

"Rest assured, our company conducts random sample inspections on the batches produced to ensure there are no quality issues!" Mr. Baxilio replied calmly.

Subsequently, the generals continued to inquire about various matters from Mr. Baxilio, including the news that the Minie Bullets were also produced following standardized procedures.

After observing the manufacturing of the Minie Rifle, no one doubted whether the production of the Minie Rifle was too challenging.

Mr. Baxilio led the President and all the members of the Ministry of War to his office.

"You may go about your business!" Jerome Bonaparte ordered Mr. Baxilio.

"Yes!" Mr. Baxilio was momentarily stunned but responded immediately.

The office was devoid of "outsiders."

"Gentlemen, what do you think?" Jerome Bonaparte inquired elegantly while seated in the general manager’s chair, "Can they undertake the task of reequipping the army?"

"Mr. President, I personally think they are fully competent!" Minister of War Renio stated immediately, believing that even if the President had not brought them to tour the factory, they would follow the President’s orders without question.

Now that they had toured the factory and gained an understanding of its capacity, they were even more convinced that the factory could take on the project.

However, choosing this factory meant they would have to forgo a portion of their vested interests.

After all, every arms company offers them certain kickbacks, and they dare not take action against a military enterprise group with presidential control.

"In that case, it’s settled!" Jerome Bonaparte decided on the firearms for the army for the next decade, followed by the "negotiations" between Logistics Director Nie’er and Mr. Baxilio.

After "intense" bargaining, both parties agreed that each gun would yield only a meager profit.

"Thank you for the concessions made for the army!" Major General Nie’er said to Mr. Baxilio.

"I am merely following orders!" Mr. Baxilio knew that without volume, such prices were unprofitable.

Even with the French Army ordering hundreds of thousands or even a million firearms, the profit was barely marginal.

If not for the President’s special instructions, Mr. Baxilio would have increased the Minie Rifle’s price by 50%.

Now, they could only hope to capture a significant share of the overseas market to make the rifle business truly profitable.

Nie’er also understood the underlying message in Mr. Baxilio’s words, and smiled slightly without speaking.

After reaching a verbal agreement, all that was left was for the Military Supply Bureau to issue the order, followed by the Minister of War’s signature.

As for the survival of the firearms companies currently collaborating with the army, Nie’er had no concern.

After all, the contract in question was signed by Nie’er’s predecessor, and by announcing that there were loopholes in the contract requiring further verification, the entire contract was effectively nullified.

Following the initial cooperation, Jerome Bonaparte and others left the factory on horseback.

At Jerome Bonaparte’s invitation, the War Department generals accompanying the President spent a day at the Elysee Palace.

A lavish banquet satisfied the generals’ appetites, during which Jerome Bonaparte raised his glass to express gratitude to the members of the Ministry of War.

The War Department generals also humbly expressed that it was their honor to accompany President Jerome Bonaparte.

After the banquet, Jerome Bonaparte bestowed upon the generals 50,000 to 100,000 francs each, under the guise of a presidential special fund.

[In later generations, this became one of the charges against Jerome Bonaparte’s reactionary rule, with a certain pickle country in East Asia also adopting Jerome Bonaparte’s methods to subsidize its subordinates.]