That afternoon, Joseph met with Mirabeau, Tressaguet, and the others again to sketch out plans for building a new Steam Forging Machine factory and using the machines to expand iron rail production.
Naturally, this concerned railway construction across the entire country—and eventually most of Europe—and the funds required would be astronomical. The Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Transport would still need to work out the detailed implementation plan.
At four in the afternoon, Joseph bid his father farewell and left the Engineering Design Institute. Seeing that night had not yet fallen, he instructed Eman to take him to the French Academy of Sciences first. When Kulen learned that the Crown Prince had arrived, he hurried out of the Academy's laboratory building with Volt to greet him.
Joseph did not waste a moment. After exchanging only a few pleasantries with them, he gestured for Director Leroy and the others to enter the laboratory together. Pointing at a square glass tank half a meter tall on the test bench, filled with liquid and metal plates, Kulen excitedly introduced it to Joseph. "Your Highness, we have proven your theory through a great many experiments."
"This 'Stacked Battery' can discharge continuously for over forty minutes, providing hundreds of times more electricity than a Leyden Jar!"
As he spoke, Volt had already connected the experimental apparatus beside them. "Please allow me to demonstrate it for you, Your Highness."
Wearing thick cowhide gloves, he drew two wires from either side of the glass tank and inserted them into a bottle of water.
A stream of bubbles immediately rose from the water.
Volt signaled to his assistant, who hurriedly brought over two glass test tubes and placed them over the two electrodes.
Kulen asked Joseph mysteriously, "Your Highness, do you know what those bubbles in