The Philosopher's Stone could not only produce the Elixir of Life, but also turn "base metals" into precious ones.
To create the Philosopher's Stone, many alchemists devoted tremendous effort, yet Nicolas Flamel was the only one who truly succeeded. He made the Philosopher's Stone in Paris, France.
Spain had discovered silver mines, yet it was desperately short of money. Besides the need to improve silver-extraction techniques, there was also the issue of bills of exchange. In short, Godoy had no intention of investing too much in Louisiana. He had already realized that Spain could never achieve the same growth in North America as it had in South America. North America contributed little to Spain's finances, while requiring enormous military expenditures for garrisons. Not only was it unprofitable, it was a massive burden.
An exchange with Tuscany was worthwhile for Spain. There were no vast uninhabited regions there; on the contrary, it was already well developed, with flourishing industry, a refined culture, and a high degree of civilization. Most importantly, it was "debt-free."
Besides the Louisiana Purchase, North America now had two other focal points of diplomatic concern.
One was the Du Pont Company's purchase of gunpowder-manufacturing equipment from France. The Americans shipped corn from America to France aboard warships, then carried "saltpeter for making ice" back from France.
Paris's fertilizer factories were certainly disgusting, but they produced a great deal as well.
The Atlantic Ocean's northeastern monsoon was suitable for sailing from America's east coast to Europe. Going with the waves was also much safer than going against them.
American bison meat was still meat. Winter temperatures were conveniently low, so natural ice could be used to preserve and transport it—an astonishing, era-spanning change for the Americans.
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi recorded a remarkable plant that grew only