Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 525 Animated Painting!

(Why do you all underestimate the engineering capabilities of the late 19th century? Take a look at the pictures in the comments.)
Gustave Eiffel leaned closer to the drawing, showing no disdain for how rudimentary Lionel's work was.

After carefully examining the entire structure, he spoke: "With such a large swing amplitude, safety is paramount. The suspension points must be made of the finest steel, and the bearings must be protected against wear and overheating."

A steam engine could indeed be used for power, but it would require a precise speed control valve to regulate the oscillation speed and amplitude.

Lionel asked with concern, "Can you design it?"

Gustave Eiffel answered simply: "Yes. The mechanical principles are not complicated; the difficulty lies in engineering implementation and safety."

I need to perform detailed calculations of loads, stresses, and fatigue life. I also need to design a weatherproof enclosure; you all know the weather in Paris.

Lionel nodded: "It's up to you!" Then he turned to the next picture: "This is the 'Ferris Wheel'."

The drawing depicts a giant vertical rotating wheel with enclosed cabins suspended from its rim.

"Similarly, the steam-powered rotor rotates slowly, and tourists sit in cabins that rise to a high altitude, overlooking the entire Bois de Boulogne."

On a clear day, you can even see the outline of Paris. This is a 'viewing' facility, not very thrilling, but suitable for families and couples.

Gustave Eiffel nodded: "This is more complicated, but the key is that the structure must be stable enough and able to withstand winds at high altitudes."

Therefore, the cabin must be sealed off to prevent people from falling out, but it must have glass windows for viewing. The rotation speed must be slow to avoid causing dizziness in passengers.

Lionel was not surprised; the devices he envisioned did not surpass the engineering capabilities of this era.

He did not belittle the technology of the steam age because of his experience in the electric age.

In fact, both the application of steam power and the manufacture of large equipment were already quite mature by the end of the 19th century, even touching the edge of modernization.

In practical applications, steam-powered carousels have already become popular in Europe, while pirate ships and Ferris wheels will appear and become popular in the United States in a few years.

These two rides didn't even require Lionel to employ such a luxurious team of designers, nor did they use the most advanced technology and materials of this era.

The inventor of the pirate ship was an American circus owner who only had a rudimentary understanding of the technology; the inventor of the Ferris wheel was a colleague of Eiffel, a bridge designer.

Circuses need to relocate frequently, and pirate ships naturally have to travel around as well. If they frequently kill tourists, the equipment wouldn't even survive into the 20th century.

Since the invention of Ferris wheels, they have been frequently disassembled and sent to various parts of the world for reassembly and exhibition, and there have been no accidents of them tipping over or tourists flying out of the cabin.

Lionel flipped to the third picture: "Third, 'Carousel.' But it's different from the ones on the market now."

Our carousel features horses shaped like pirate ships, sea monsters, mermaids, treasure chests, and all sorts of fantastical designs.

Moreover, it can be powered by electricity!

Nikola Tesla immediately leaned over: "Electric drive?"

Lionel drew a simple diagram: "An electric motor is installed under the platform, which drives the central shaft through gears."

Electricity is better suited than steam for equipment that requires a smooth start-up and shutdown. It's also cleaner, producing no smoke or noise.

Colored lights will also be installed on the platform; it will look beautiful when lit up at night.

Nikola Tesla hesitated: "I can design electric motors, though they won't be too powerful. But the light fixtures, you just mentioned 'colored lights'?"
Current carbon filament lamps only come in a yellowish-white color.

Lionel smiled and said, “We could use stained glass domes. Or we could work on the paint on the light bulbs—we could experiment with that with Curie and the others.”

Tesla jotted down a few notes in his notebook: "Okay. Any other electrical needs?"

Lionel nodded: "Of course, the entire park's lighting system, streetlights, building outline lights, theater stage lights, special effects lights... all use electricity."

Nikola Tesla exclaimed excitedly, "Will the electricity still be supplied from our own alternating current power plant? Then this park will be the best demonstration of alternating current!"

Lionel solemnly stated, "But safety comes first. Any facility must undergo a small inspection daily and a major inspection weekly."

I don't want anyone flying out of the pirate ship or getting electrocuted by wires.

Then he continued, "There are also some smaller facilities. For example, a 'shooting range'—tourists use air rifles to shoot targets with pirate and sea monster designs."

'The Maze'—a pirate treasure maze enclosed by hedges, containing simple puzzles and mechanisms. Oh, and most importantly, the 'Animation Screening Room'…"

Emil Perrin, who had some knowledge of this, immediately asked, "Animation screening room? Animation? Do you mean 'magic disc' or 'living tube'?"

The magic disc appeared as early as the 1830s. Viewers could see a continuous image of a rotating disc through a slit, forming a series of actions such as running and jumping.

The Living Picture Tube is an improved version of the Magic Disc, which uses the rotation of the cylinder to play a longer loop of motion, and the scrolls inside the cylinder can also be changed.

Both of these items were popular for a time in the past and can still be seen occasionally on the streets of Paris today; Émile Perrin, of course, experienced them.

Later, when they were introduced to China, they were given another name – “Western Mirrors”.

Lionel shook his head: "Neither, it's Emil Reynolds's 'movable vision device,' which was exhibited at the National Exposition in Paris a few years ago."

This device can project images such as pictures and paintings onto the wall. We can use it to play a series of pictures, projecting them in sequence at a fast pace, making people appear to move on the wall. The pictures depict short animated stories, such as Captain Jacques stealing a ship. Each segment is only a few dozen seconds long, but it's a 'moving picture,' which tourists will find very novel.

A few months ago, I had Mr. De La Ruwak acquire the patent rights to the 'movable lens,' and I plan to replace single images with 'long strips of images'..."

Upon hearing this, Emil Perrin was struck dumb: "You mean, this thing can project continuous motion onto a wall, allowing many people to watch at the same time?"

As the director of the Comédie-Française, he instinctively sensed a crisis. Although he couldn't quite put his finger on it, he always felt that the "moving paintings" posed a threat.

Lionel nodded: "Yes. After this tape is finished, we can switch to the next one. Each tape is 30 seconds to one minute long."

However, I believe that with continuous improvement, the 'painting tape' can be made longer and longer, and eventually it might be able to last for half an hour, an hour, or even longer.

Everyone else in the living room laughed, engrossed in the prospect Lionel had described, while Emil Perrin remained restless, unable to put his thoughts into words.

After laughing, Debussy pondered, "So the music also has to be set to these short films?"

Lionel smiled and agreed: "Yes, a short piece of music, but it needs to be tense and exciting, matching the plot."

After Lionel finished explaining his general idea, the living room was quiet for a while.

Everyone is still processing what they just heard.

This is no longer a simple park, but a massive project that integrates architecture, performance, music, mechanical engineering, and electrical technology.

Emil Perrin still has some concerns: "If your park isn't fun enough, tourists will only come once and never come back. Once you ruin your reputation, it's all over."

Lionel looked at everyone: "So we have to do our best. The architecture has to be realistic, the performances have to be spectacular, the music have to be moving, and the facilities have to be fun and safe."

We want tourists to feel their money was well spent and that they want to come back.

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Gentlemen, I know this idea sounds crazy, but what I want to do is more than just an amusement park."

I want to prove that art and technology can be combined to create a completely new experience. I want ordinary people—not just the aristocrats in salons—

Workers, shop assistants, students, and families can all step into a completely different world, temporarily forget the troubles of life, and be adventurers for a day.

This is difficult. It requires the best architects to plan the space, the best directors to train the actors, the best composers to create the music, and the best engineers to design the machinery…

And I am fortunate that you all here are the best people in these fields.

The living room fell silent again, and everyone was lost in thought.

After a long pause, Lionel asked, "So, are you all willing to participate in this crazy plan?"

Charles Garnier was the first to open his eyes: "I can take charge of the architectural planning and overall design."

I need at least a year to complete the master plan, including the architectural drawings for all buildings and the interior decoration plans.

Gustave Eiffel continued, "I designed the power and structural parts of large mechanical installations—pirate ships, Ferris wheels, and carousels."

But manufacturing requires reliable factories. There are several steel mills and machine shops in Paris with good capabilities; I can go and talk to them.

Nikola Tesla had already outlined his plan: "I will first determine the electricity requirements for the entire park—lighting, electric motors, special effects equipment…"

Then the power distribution network was designed. All wiring was pre-installed and waterproofed.

Charles Garnier added, "I will mark all electrical requirements and wiring routes on the architectural drawings. Civil construction and electrical wiring can be carried out simultaneously."

The two exchanged a glance and nodded. This kind of collaboration was not unfamiliar to them, but this was the first time they had done it on such a large scale.

Emil Perrin cleared his throat: "I'll take charge of the performance team; we'll recruit and train them through the comedy theater system."

In addition, the scripts for several regular theaters need to be written now!

Finally, it was Debussy's turn. He took a deep breath before saying, "I need to understand all the scenes that require music first—"

The everyday atmosphere of the port town, the performances in various theaters, the background music of the amusement facilities, and even the music in the restaurants and shops.

Then I will write a score outline, prioritizing the creations. Some parts can only be adjusted after seeing the script and the production team.

All the division of labor was clearly defined, and Charles Garnier was finally chosen as the chief person in charge of the project, as he had the most experience in this area.

Charles Garnier estimated the entire project would take about three years, with one year allocated to preliminary preparations.

It was already evening, and the setting sun slanted in through the living room window, casting long shadows on everyone.

But no one felt tired; on the contrary, they were very excited.

At this point, Charles Garnier, the person in charge, asked a crucial question: "Two million francs... Leon, are you really prepared to pay for it all yourself?"

Lionel gave a knowing smile: "Our government is very wealthy... Have you all forgotten what France will soon experience after the park is completed?"

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(End of this chapter)