Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty-Four Semi-Streamlined Operations and Control Funds
Jérôme Bonaparte, who had tentatively decided on the future ownership of French guns, led a group of members of the Ministry of War and drove to the factory where Minnie rifles are produced... No, to be precise, it is the gathering place of the French steel industry.
The industrial cluster is located in a wilderness in the northern suburbs of Paris. Yellow sulfur-smelling smoke drifted from the chimneys of the factory to the Seine River, less than 2 kilometers away from the factory.
At this time, the banks of the Seine were bustling with activity. A British cargo ship loaded with bituminous coal docked at the newly built berth on the river bank.
"Hurry up! You guys!" Under the shouts of the foreman, the workers lifted boxes of bituminous coal from the ship and loaded them on the carts. When the carts were full, two workers would move the carts.
Pushed to factory for factory use.
Every day, this factory consumes large amounts of coal and iron ore, turns them into rails and steel plates, and then delivers them to the Ministry of Railways.
Bituminous coal from Britain and iron ore from Sweden became the main sources of raw materials for this factory.
"Generals, just over half a year ago this was a deserted land. In the future, this place will become one of France's industrial and arms centers! Everything the French army needs will be produced here!" Riding on horseback.
Jérôme Bonaparte proudly pointed at the industrial park in the distance with his riding crop in hand and said to the general who was doing this.
The generals present did not know the tricks of this factory. Apart from other things, just building a port for berthing cargo ships cannot be built with money. Only the combination of power and money can succeed.
The value of one port can be worth the entire industrial park.
After all, land in the suburbs of Paris is not a valuable thing.
Under the leadership of Jérôme Bonaparte, the generals of the Ministry of War quickly arrived at the gate of the factory park.
A group of soldiers wearing blue shirts and holding new Migne rifles hurriedly saluted Jerome Bonaparte after seeing Jerome Bonaparte and others.
In recent times, Jérôme Bonaparte has been visiting the factory frequently, so much so that the entire factory has gotten to know Jérôme Bonaparte.
"Watch our horses!" Jérôme Bonaparte dismounted and handed the horses over to the soldiers and gave the order.
"Yes!" the soldier responded sonorously and forcefully as he took the reins.
The generals of the War Department also handed over the horses to the soldiers, and the factory door slowly opened, and Jérôme Bonaparte and members of the War Department entered the industry.
"That's the steel industry area!" Jérôme Bonaparte, who acted as a guide, pointed to the chimney in one corner of the factory that exuded sulfur color and was mixed with black gas. Then he pointed to the workshop in the other corner of the factory: "That's the locomotive there.
production area!”
"This industrial park will continue to expand, and they will produce more military ancillary products on the original basis to protect the logistics problems of our army!" Jérôme Bonaparte continued.
In his plan, such an industrial cluster would not only be established in Paris, but also corresponding large-scale industrial clusters in Lyon and Strasbourg.
[ps: The Strasbourg steel industry has been fully prepared by Eugene Schneider and is about to be put into production. In the military industry, Jérôme Bonaparte is considering transferring a group of experienced workers from Paris. 】
Through industrial clusters, factory owners in small and medium-sized industries in Paris will be driven to complete the unification of the system. Without unified management and standard parts, it is impossible to increase the production speed of the French military industry.
France, with its production in chaos, will make a joke like it did in 1870, mobilizing earlier than Prussia and sending troops later than Prussia.
After introducing the steel and locomotive production workshop to Gerome, Bonaparte led the war department general to the Migne rifle workshop.
Basilio, the general manager in charge of the entire industrial production area at the moment, who can also be called a professional manager, stood respectfully at the door of the Migne rifle workshop. It seemed that he should be waiting here for Jérôme Bonaparte and others.
people.
"Your Excellency, President, generals! Welcome to Paris-Nord Industrial Group! I am Basilio, the person in charge of this industrial park!" Basilio introduced himself to Jerome Bonaparte and the generals.
Paris Nord Industrial Group, this is a funny name given by Jérôme Bonaparte to the prototype of the newly established military enterprise group. Of course, this also represents Jérôme Bonaparte's full enthusiasm for this newly established enterprise.
hope.
Jérôme Bonaparte hoped that the military industrial park established by him would not only satisfy the supply of the French army, but also sell it overseas and become a truly international arms company.
"Mr. Basilio, you will take us to visit the Mini Rifle Factory. My generals all want to know the production capacity of this factory!" Jérôme Bonaparte pretended to have no knowledge of the factory.
Helio said.
"Okay! Please come with me!" Basilio took Jerome Bonaparte to the factory where Migne rifles were manufactured.
The interior of the Migne factory shocked the generals present. Solid iron rods made by sand casting were placed at the first station. The first station simply removed the burrs and drilled holes.
Then it was handed over to the next work station... and then the people at the next work station continued to perform the next actions until after reaching the tenth station, a brand new Minie rifle was formed. This method was consistent with their impressions.
, a gun is completely different from start to finish if it is processed by an experienced master craftsman.
"Dear generals, our company has adopted standardized management to ensure that every part on the gun is replaceable and universal!!" Basilio said to the generals present.
Semi-streamlined management makes every component a replaceable product, which also solves logistical worries.
"What's your weekly output?" one of the generals asked curiously.
"The weekly output is about 3,000-4,000! As our factory continues to expand, I believe we can continue to increase production capacity!" Basilio said proudly to the general.
Basilio's data once again caused an uproar among the generals of the Ministry of War. This data was not achieved by any factory in the original history. Even the Enfield rifle manufactured by Britain's largest arms company was sold in Crimea.
The production capacity during the war was also around 3,000 per week.
"How do you ensure quality issues?" Logistics Director Niel asked his own question.
"Please rest assured that our company will conduct sampling tests on the produced batches of goods to ensure that there will not be any quality problems!" Basilio said slowly.
Next, the generals asked about some information from Basilio, including the news that the minie bombs were also produced according to standardized processes.
After observing the production of the Minie rifle, everyone has no doubt that the production of the Minie rifle is too difficult.
Basilio brought the president and all members of the Ministry of War to his office.
"Go and do your work first!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Basilio in a commanding tone.
"Yes!" Basilio was stunned for a moment and responded immediately.
There are no more "outsiders" in the office.
"Everyone, what do you think?" Jérôme Bonaparte, who was sitting on the general manager's chair, asked the generals of the War Department gently and elegantly, "Can they take over the task of changing the army's uniforms?"
"Your Excellency, I personally think they are fully qualified!" War Minister Reño immediately stated that in his mind, even if the President did not bring them here to visit the factory, they would obey the President's orders and drive.
Now that they have visited the factory and have an idea of the factory's carrying capacity, they are even more convinced that the factory can handle this project.
But choosing this factory means they have to give up some of their vested interests.
After all, every arms company will give them a certain profit rebate. They dare to take action against some firearms companies with no background, but they dare not take action against a military conglomerate controlled by the president.
"In that case, it's settled!" Jérôme Bonaparte made the final decision on the army's firearms for the next ten years. Next came the "negotiations" between Logistics Director Niel and Basilio.
After "fierce" bargaining, the two parties determined that each gun would only earn Weibo's profit.
"Thank you for the concessions you have made to the army!" Major General Niel said to Basilio.
"I'm just following orders!" Basilio knew that if the price were not high, it would be impossible to make a profit.
Even if the French Army ordered hundreds of thousands or even millions of guns from them, they could barely make a profit.
If not for the special instructions of the president, Basilio would have increased the price of the Miné rifle by 50%.
At the moment, we can only hope to capture a certain share of the overseas market, so that the rifle business can be considered profitable.
Niel also understood Basilio's subtext, and he smiled slightly and said nothing.
After the verbal agreement is reached, all that is needed is for the Bureau of Munitions to place the order and then for the Secretary of War to sign it.
As for the life and death of the firearms companies that were cooperating with the military, Niel didn't bother to care.
Anyway, this contract was signed by Niel's predecessor. When the time comes Niel only needs to announce that there are loopholes in the contract and needs further verification, which means that the entire contract is completely abandoned.
After the initial cooperation was reached, Jérôme Bonaparte and others left the factory on horseback.
At the invitation of Jerome Bonaparte, the generals from the Ministry of War who accompanied the president for a day went to the Elysee Palace.
The sumptuous dinner satisfied the appetites of the generals, during which Jérôme Bonaparte also raised a glass to express his gratitude to the members of the War Department.
The generals of the Ministry of War also humbly expressed that it was their honor to accompany President Jérôme Bonaparte.
After the banquet, Jérôme Bonaparte gave each of the generals 50,000 to 100,000 francs, euphemistically called the presidential special funds.
[In later generations, this became one of the crimes of Jérôme Bonaparte’s reactionary rule. A certain pickle country in East Asia also learned from Jérôme Bonaparte’s methods and subsidized his subordinates. 】
