I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 1012 Irish Rebels
Le Bon's ideas were clear and creative, and he solved several major technical obstacles by simply adjusting some existing mature technologies.

After listening to him only once, Joseph was basically certain that this technical solution should be feasible.

After explaining the kerosene refining technology, Le Bon also demonstrated his improvements to the oil lamp, making it more suitable for using kerosene as fuel. The existing oil lamps are all adapted to soybean oil and whale oil. After his testing, he found that if kerosene is used directly, the lampshade will burn.

This meticulousness and caution made Joseph even more satisfied with him.

However, the fourth bidding company is also not simple.

This is a chemical factory called "La Roselle Union". Their sulfuric acid production workshop in Paris can meet the market demand of nearly half of France, with annual sales of up to 15 francs.

Although the kerosene refining technology they developed is more complicated than Le Bon's, it should be able to meet the bidding requirements overall.

They also spared no expense in producing a set of demonstration equipment that can be visited at the factory at any time.

When La Roselle Associates' technical demonstration was over, Joseph knew that they would most likely win the bid.

Although he personally preferred the "Dino Dye Factory" represented by Le Bon, "La Roselle" was a larger company with more funds and even several times more technicians than "Dino".

As the quotations from the two companies were not much different, and given that government projects place greater emphasis on stability and reliability, Dino's hopes were slim.

After the bidding process was over and the four companies left, the members of the "Kerosene Refining Project" bidding committee immediately began the review meeting.

Joseph and Shaptall talked about the development of the chemical industry and walked towards the carriage parked in the square, preparing to return to the Palace of Versailles.

"I remember that the new synthetic dye factory in Reims has been temporarily shut down due to technical reasons," Joseph said. "Perhaps we can ask Mr. Le Bon to handle it. His technical ability is very outstanding."

Shaptall said hurriedly, "Your Highness, the Dino Dye Factory will most likely win the bid, and Le Bon will have to focus on the kerosene refinery first."

Joseph was very surprised: "Huh? Why not 'La Roselle'? They seem to have more advantages."

Sharptal explained: "Your Highness, 'La Roselle Associates' does not receive any 'investment and credit rating'. You know, many companies are unwilling to pay that little rating fee.

“Although the rating of Dino Dye Factory is only Baa2, it still allows them to gain a lot of points in the rating.

"To be honest, the technical solutions and quotations of the two companies are very similar, so Dino's score will be much higher."

Joseph then remembered that France's two major rating agencies - Standard Statistics International and First Credit Rating Company - began providing rating services to companies across France at the beginning of this year.

At the same time, the Ministry of Industry also provides subsidies to pay half of the rating fees for all companies in the first two years of rating business.

For a company the size of La Roselle Associates, it only costs 75 francs to complete the "investment and credit rating".

The rating results will affect the difficulty for the company to obtain bank loans - the higher the rating, the more willing the bank will be to provide loans, and even the interest rate can be appropriately reduced.

After France relaxed restrictions on company listings, many companies have listed on the stock exchange, and ratings will also affect their stock prices and investors' willingness to invest.

But even so, there are still a large number of companies that have no need for loans or listing and do not seek ratings - any new thing is difficult to be accepted by people immediately in the early stages of its birth.

Joseph smiled and nodded: "This bidding will be a good example, we must promote it well.

"The rating agencies in Genoa should also speed up their preparations, after all, the Milan Stock Exchange is about to start operations."

Joseph knew that it would take at least a decade for the rating results to be taken seriously by the public, but the right to speak must be firmly in the hands of France from the beginning. To this end, even hundreds of thousands of francs would be allocated every year.

By the time countries like Britain, Prussia, and Austria react and want to compete for the right to speak on ratings, they will find that even if they invest a hundred or a thousand times as much as France did back then, it will be difficult to gain anything.

Joseph was discussing the rating agency with the Deputy Minister of Industry when the carriage entered the marble courtyard.

The latter bowed and withdrew, and Joseph returned to his own chamber.

When he turned the corner of the corridor, he immediately saw Alexandra coming towards him and knelt down to salute him: "Your Highness, you are back."

The little girl had obviously been waiting for him here.

Joseph was a little surprised.

He knew that Alexandra's schedule was extremely tight - in the morning there were math, physics and chemistry, and sometimes biology. After lunch there were two hours of drawing or etiquette lessons. At three in the afternoon there was fencing, with bullying of Ciel as an extra. Homework started at four and lasted until dinner time or until necessary social activities interrupted it.

Usually the first time Joseph saw her each day was when they went to dinner together.

And today she came before four o'clock.

Joseph bowed to her and gestured to the living room: "It seems you have been waiting for a long time. What happened?"

"Yes, Your Highness, I think this matter may be very important." The Crown Princess said as she entered the house, then turned around and gestured to the people following behind her.

A guard came forward with a short man who looked bookish but had sharp eyes, followed by Porter.

Alexandra gestured to the two men and said, "Your Highness, this is Mr. McCracken. He is from Ireland.

"This is Mr. Porter-Yale. His father is Lord Porter-Yale. He is the one who brought Mr. McCracken to me."

The two men bowed immediately.

McCracken said excitedly: "It is an honor to meet you, Your Royal Highness. Thank God.

"Oh, I'm here on behalf of the United Irishmen."

Joseph narrowed his eyes slightly and said to Alexandra, "You did a good job. Please don't mention this gentleman to anyone.

"Well, do you have classes to attend? See you in the evening then."

It’s not that he distrusts Alexandra. As his crown princess, her life is completely tied to France.

It's just that he didn't want the little girl to be exposed to these bloody things.

After Alexandra bowed and left, Joseph signaled Emand to close the door, then turned to the two of them and said:
"Okay, now you can tell me the purpose of this trip."

Porteryer immediately handed over the letter from the leader of the United Irishmen Association, Thorn, and said with a bitter face:

"Your Highness, I was just dragged into this by accident."

(End of this chapter)