I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 1441 In the future, a great canal will flow here.
Even though Muhammad Ali was usually calm and collected, he couldn't help but widen his eyes at this moment: "You mean, the ironworks?"

Talleyrand nodded: "That's right, and it's a factory that can produce high-quality steel for cannons."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about the technology. His Highness the Crown Prince has granted your factory permission to join the 'French Steel Technology Association.' You only need to pay a small license fee each year to obtain the necessary technology."

He said that's what he said, but Joseph would certainly not allow Egypt to be provided with advanced technologies such as "blast furnace heating" and "alloy steel".

In fact, some of the blast furnace ironmaking and crucible steelmaking technologies that are very common in Europe are enough for Egypt to dominate the Middle East.

“I really don’t know how to praise Your Highness’s generosity!” Mohammed Ali said, his excitement suddenly waning. “However, even with ironworks, Egypt still lacks enough iron ore.”

Currently, Egypt has only two very small iron ore mines in the southern desert, which have low output, poor quality, and very high mining costs.

Talleyrand said nonchalantly, “The Unza iron mine in Algiers was completed last year. The iron ore there is loaded onto ships from Annaba and can reach Alexandria in less than a week.”

"This is wonderful..."

Talleyrand continued to speak at length: "Not only iron ore, you can also buy coal from the port of Marseille."

"Of course, you could have the ironworks use charcoal, but you know that blast furnaces using coke produce more than 20 times the output of those using charcoal. And the cost of buying coal in bulk from Marseille should be far lower than collecting timber all over the country and then transporting it to Cairo."

Muhammad Ali's eyes widened even more.

Egypt has virtually no forest resources. If they were to cut down trees to smelt iron, the Nile River basin would become bald in just a few years.

The French even prepared coal for themselves!
Talleyrand continued, "In addition, His Highness the Crown Prince has allowed Egypt to join the French Textile Industry Association, thereby gaining access to new carding machines."

"In this way, Egypt can directly export cotton slivers to our country instead of coarse cotton."

"Oh, and steam pumps and stone fertilizer, you can also purchase them through the port of Marseille in the future. His Highness hopes that you can use these things to quickly expand the cotton planting area."

Currently, cotton is Egypt's most important economic resource.

If Egypt were to acquire a steam carding machine, it could very efficiently remove the seeds from coarse cotton and process it into slivers.

Cotton slivers can be used directly in textiles and are easy to stack and transport, which alone can increase the revenue of Egypt's cotton industry by a quarter.

As for water pumps and stone fertilizer, they can help Egypt cultivate farmland in arid areas far from the Nile River, which can directly increase fiscal revenue.

Muhammad Ali felt his head spinning from the overwhelming surprise.

Previously, his only thought was how to get rid of the Ottoman governor and become King of Egypt. But now, with the enormous aid from France, he was confident that he could not only control Egypt, but also march all the way to Constantine and become Sultan himself!
However, he was well aware that since France had invested so much, he would have to offer something in return.

So he rose and filled Talleyrand's coffee cup, asking respectfully, "My dearest friend, I wonder what I should do to repay His Highness the Crown Prince's boundless generosity, as endless as the Nile?"

“His Highness only hopes that his Egyptian friends can achieve more order and prosperity.” Talleyrand made a few polite remarks, then changed the subject, “Of course, in recent years the Ottoman Sultan has paid less and less attention to trade agreements with our country, not only increasing taxes on many goods entering Anatolia and the Levant, but also frequently engaging in private trade with the British.”

"All of this is due to Constantine's monopoly of the Eastern Mediterranean market. Your Highness hopes that Egypt can become a necessary trade competitor."

He paused, his tone becoming more casual: "Oh, in addition, Your Highness also wishes to obtain a channel for communication with India that does not rely on the Ottomans. As you know, a batch of supplies that our country provided to Mysore last time mysteriously disappeared in the Arabian Sea."

"You mean, control of the Red Sea trade routes?" "Not that serious." Talleyrand waved his hand with a smile. "Our country only needs to lease the Suez Canal."

Mohammed Ali hurriedly asked, "Then, what about Port Ibrahim?"

"Of course it's your port, as long as it allows our merchant ships to use it normally."

Mohammed Ali breathed a sigh of relief.

Suez is just an ancient city with a population of just over 3, and at most it can only serve as a transit warehouse for Red Sea trade.

The actual port of entry to the sea is Ibrahim, located in the east of the city.

In fact, not only him, but even Talleyrand was very puzzled as to why His Highness the Crown Prince did not want Port Ibrahim, but only wanted a dilapidated city.

At present, perhaps only Joseph knows that the most important port on the northern side of the Red Sea, Ibrahim, is actually a "defective product"—the water depth is severely insufficient, and even slightly larger ships cannot pass through. Moreover, the coastline is very distorted and there is no breakwater.

Historically, after the Suez Canal was built, French experts discovered that a new port was necessary to meet the canal's design and navigation requirements.

Finally, they redeveloped Tawfiq Port, a few kilometers outside Suez, as a supporting port for the canal. Ibrahim Port subsequently declined.

The outskirts of Suez were entirely within the French leased territory.

“How could I refuse Your Highness’s such a trivial request?” Muhammad Ali nodded immediately. “Your Highness can appoint the Governor of Suez at any time.”

Currently, the Sinai Peninsula is largely unacceptable to his rule, so Suez is essentially Egypt's eastern border. The city of Suez is just a remote wasteland; it wouldn't be a problem to lease it or even give it directly to France.

As if suddenly remembering something, Talleyrand took a sip of coffee and said, "By the way, our country also hopes to obtain a trading post on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean."

Mohammed Ali's heart tightened. Did the French want to take over Alexandria?
That's the heart of Egypt's maritime trade.

He was about to suggest that a base could be established in Port Rashid when Talleyrand said, "So, you might as well lease Famala to our country as well."

Mohammed Ali was taken aback: "Huh? Where did you mean?"

"Famala".

The "King of Egypt" frowned, clearly not remembering where he was.

Talleyrand pointed out, "It's the easternmost beach of Lake Manzale."

Muhammad Ali carefully examined the map and confirmed that the place was indeed a barren wasteland, and also close to the Sinai Peninsula, so he immediately and readily agreed.

What he didn't know was that a port called Port Said would be built on this barren land in the future.

It is also the seaport on the north side of the Suez Canal.

(End of this chapter)