Walsh frowned at that. "If I understood correctly, you intend to have people burn coal in their homes?"
"It will be coal processed into a special form."
"God, the smoke would choke people to death."
Rochefoucauld smiled. "That is indeed true of French coal, but I am talking about hard coal produced in the Rhineland."
Walsh was very familiar with hard coal, for the United Kingdom was currently Europe's largest producer of it. His family had burned coal for heating when he was young. This was also one of the major reasons the Industrial Revolution had first emerged in the United Kingdom.
Even so, he shook his head. "Transporting it to Paris from so far away, the freight costs will likely be extremely high."
"There are government subsidies," Little Fatty immediately said. "Every ton of coal transported to Paris can receive a freight subsidy of 6 Francs." Walsh's wool business required him to ship wool from the United Kingdom to Lyon, so he was rather familiar with transportation costs. A smile finally appeared on his face—shipping from the Rhineland to Paris by water cost a little over 20 Francs per ton. Yet the French Government subsidized nearly a third of that. This brought the price of hard coal in Paris very close to that in London.
Judging by London's coal sales, this business could barely be considered viable.
Rochefoucauld continued, "Moreover, once the coal reaches Paris, it will be mixed with 30 percent clay before being sold."
Walsh's eyes immediately lit up. The profits would be considerable, then.
After Little Fatty gave him a detailed introduction to Honeycomb Briquette, Walsh nodded repeatedly. "This is truly a great invention. Its burning rate can be adjusted at will, and it can even be used for cooking.
"Now, please tell me how much