Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Did London Bridge Fall (5)

Thomas Rickett. Born 1825.

Born as the son of a grocery store near Birmingham in Kidderminster he naturally looked for a job and headed to Birmingham the core of British industry.

He came to do work handling farm tools.

He fell into the magic of machines.

Naturally, he came to have interest in the direction of tying various farm machines and steam engines and making something plausible.

Why must the iron horse equipped with a steam engine run only along the railway?

Wouldn’t it be more convenient if there is a steam locomotive running on the road like a carriage?

But there were strictly barriers of reality in the world.

Even if securing time by cutting bones himself, invention of course needed funds. Had to work hard and earn money to be able to challenge the invention of <​road running steam locomotive>.

In the middle.

“Hey! Look at this a bit! A story just for you!”

“What.”

“Said a prize is hung on a machine that makes rice! The Chosen Kingdom and East India Company will generously reward the one who makes this machine!”

From that day Rickett’s goal became inventing a rice polishing machine, and he diligently researched and finally developed a rice polishing machine prototype.

Sending a letter introducing his invention, the Joseon Kingdom legation sent a reply enclosing a postal order. Even sending travel expenses. Truly utmost sincerity?

He set a date and headed to London.

However.

“Nice to meet! You also came to present a rice polishing machine?”

“Yes but... then you also?”

“Called Sampson Moore. Came wanting to invent a rice polishing machine and grab a share.”

Natural words, but those who ran seeing wealth and honor were not just one or two of them.

“The power of the engine is insufficient.”

“Making rice completely a mess. Elimination!”

“What is this? Why making rice into powder?”

“A guy who doesn’t know the value of rice get out!”

“How many can produce in a month?”

“If installing this machine in a tropical rainforest seems will work well?”

“Wow, white rice!”

“Amazing!”

Those who came out from Lee & Gladstone Company, and Far East Company mainly asked how tightly the mechanical device was made, what the principle is.

Those who were former East India Company executives were very interested in whether the machine will work well even in Asia’s harsh environment, how many professional engineers are needed.

Those called Joseon Kingdom bureaucrats and civilians did not stop at testing the rice polishing machine and cooked and ate rice with the polished rice. Actually not much interested in the test and just seemed happy eating rice.

And surprisingly.

What remained until the very end was Rickett and Moore, two people.

“Hello. Arthur Lee who invited everyone.”

“Nice to meet!”

The person who will make the final judgment is of course the protagonist of this work, Arthur Lee.

He invited experts and engineers and sought advice, conducted something called stress test, and like Joseon people directly polished with the two machines and cooked and ate rice etc. doing all sorts of things and carefully pondered repeatedly.

“Seems a really amazing person.”

“Right. Putting heart and soul like that. Even if falling no words to say.”

Although in a competing relationship the two people became quite close going through the screening process until now together.

But the result had to come out, and the glory of victory was one person’s.

“Thank you very much both for being together, but our Lee & Gladstone Company and Joseon Kingdom legation unavoidably can select only one machine. Once more words of understanding.”

“...”

“Mr. Moore. Congratulations. Let’s advance to the Asian market together with us.”

“Uaaaa!! Thank you! Thank you!”

“C, c, congratulations. Uncle.”

Fell.

At that moment something black welled up in Rickett’s chest, but he tried to put a smile on the face and clapped hard.

“Really had many worries. In the case of the rice polishing machine Mr. Moore invented the method of sanding and shaving rice grains, Mr. Rickett’s machine the method of inserting rice grains between two rollers and friction.”

“So if putting rice in Mr. Moore’s rice polishing machine the part shaved off is quite big. If polishing with a treadle mortar can leave all these precious parts!”

As Joseon people harshly criticized Moore’s machine more than thought Rickett was bewildered.

Then why chose his machine not my machine?

“Mr. Rickett.”

“Yes.”

“Polishing through rollers was definitely a good choice. Rice damage is also much less.”

“Then was there a problem elsewhere?”

“Yes. The roller itself was regrettable.”

This roller that gave bumps to polish better, this roller that can be proud as a perfect idea is the problem?

“The material of the roller is wood or iron. If continuing to operate will naturally wear.”

“Ah.”

“Compared to Mr. Moore’s machine the maintenance demand is much higher was the fatal shortcoming.”

Even after that Arthur added more stories, but already his head was empty.

But must accept the result.

Since screened putting very long time and sincerity still no regret.

“-? Mr. Rickett?”

“Ah, yes? Called?”

“Yes. Wanting to talk a bit more.”

Wasn’t it ended after elimination?

“Was very impressed with this machine you invented. Won’t you work with me?”

“This? What kind of work?”

“Once must change the material of this roller first. In my thought rubber seems most appropriate here.”

Rubber?

“And there is one more to propose. Hope invent the product I request.”

“Said make?”

“Yes. Not a special thing, a gun. Like this, if a person turns the lever round and round by hand the barrel turns round and round together and endlessly fires bullets a gun-”

Rickett suddenly recalled.

Perhaps if this person.

If this person with such a serious appearance.

Wouldn’t bring interest even to what I am dreaming?

“I have something I must invent. Perhaps, if I work hard can help?”

“Of course. I always like those who strive. Perhaps what are you thinking?”

“Want to make a locomotive that is not tied to the railway, and runs on the road where horses and carriages move with the power of the steam engine. How does it look?”

“...Automobile?”

Arthur immediately nodded.

***

Rickett newly joined Lee & Gladstone Company!

Will you give a nickname to the caught engineer?

***

The contract with Moore, and Rickett proceeded smoothly.

Make a rice polishing machine.

Sell to Asia.

Money is copied.

The trivial shortcoming that rice grains are shaved a bit much is nothing in front of overwhelming labor reduction.

Need coal to turn? That is also not a shortcoming. Because if building a huge rice mill in a port city where import and export is done fine.

But what excites me is rather Rickett than Moore.

Rice grains that enter between two rollers and peel prettily.

If spacing the two rollers far and tying the two with one rubber band? This is precisely a conveyor belt. I now brought a person who can invent a conveyor belt or the same.

Moreover didn’t hear what Rickett wants to make? Automobile! The flower of heavy industry!

“Keuheuheuheu.”

If going like this even world conquest with money not impossible.

I know the fact that not steam engine but internal combustion engine, in other words gasoline is the answer. If kidnapping engine-related engineers from now and making them research... somehow will work?

- Still does it make sense that automobiles come out done?

That’s right.

But what about bicycles?

Not falling into the shortcut of defeat like steam automobiles, going through bicycles to the internal combustion engine automobile tech tree seems sufficiently possible.

And if bicycles and automobiles came out if a smart 21st century modern person the item that must immediately pop out.

Precisely tires.

Not miscellaneous wheels but rubber tires.

So rubber is needed in large quantities. Whether bicycles and automobiles develop from now on, or electricity-related industries potential explodes, anyway the rubber industry will definitely become an enormous honey jar.

I immediately started market exploration at the money smell flowing from rubber.

“This fuck.”

Came to know the situation is turning quite interestingly.

1855, still no synthetic rubber only natural rubber.

And rubber trees are only in Brazil, in other words the Amazon jungle.

In one word hunting-gathering, the rubber industry of the mid-9th century was finding rubber trees in that huge Amazon and collecting sap.

The concept of vulcanized rubber appeared and the rubber industry itself began explosive growth, but the situation where the rubber itself that must become the material is lacking.

A British intellectual who learned the East’s three bonds and five relationships like me could not just leave this culture-lag phenomenon. That I who combined the power of collar and void have the duty to save the world is an extremely natural fact?

I found the club once more.

“Found a rice polishing machine to your liking?”

“Far East Company stock price is recovering!”

“Arthur, you are our club’s hero!”

As expected all owners of warm hearts. Welcoming me this much.

This time I did not necessarily sell mom dad. That use once more about 10 years later and must not use more for life.

- Will sell parents again 10 years later?

Parents in heaven if can be helpful to the child would have gladly said so. I believe.

“Have an idea to earn money will join?”

“Again?”

“Right, let’s just hear once.”

As the players entered I started the presentation without preamble.

“From now on the rubber industry will make money.”

“Rubber? Will make money that much?”

“No. Demand is swelling quickly. Definitely, rubber seems will make money.”

Once the reaction is not bad.

Then must immediately enter the main point.

“Staking my name the world’s best scholar and Orientalist, rubber trees will definitely grow very well even in Southeast Asia.”

“!”

“The fact that East India Company profits are miserable is a fact we all know? I am sure. India, Ceylon, Malaya, Burma! If greatly raising rubber plantation farms in this area can enormously improve the company’s profits!”

Must save Brazilian people suffering from rubber collection clearing the Amazon jungle.

Who? Precisely me.

If rubber farms are established in Southeast Asia Brazil rubber that is mere hunting-gathering will lose price competitiveness, and consumers will be able to obtain quality rubber at much cheaper prices. This is precisely free trade, fair trade. Of course.

As soon as the word <​East India Company profit improvement> was heard even people immersed in card games and dice play here and there turned their heads this way, and I sold medicine about the rubber plantation business even more vigorously.

“How long seems will take?”

“Still in name a tree... must invest 20 years.”

“20 years!”

“Already coffee farms are going well in Ceylon?”

“Then fine doing in other places besides Ceylon.”

British people who smelled money were strong.

Anyway I am not the constitution for farming, and anyway rubber prices must fall to make better quality rice polishing machines and conveyor belts. Let’s willingly yield the rubber farm idea to the East India Company.

“Instead I am trying to establish one weapons factory, won’t invest a bit?”

“Said will eat Joseon sepoy military supply? Trying to supply even weapons?”

“Arthur. Better not touch rifles. If trying to eat all too much will get sick.”

“Ah. I will make not rifles but other weapons.”

1 year later, British people ‘transferred ownership’ of rubber tree seedlings and seeds from Brazil then started the work of transplanting them to various places in the colonies.

As expected the world turns with division of labor.

Of course.

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