Chapter 170
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 170
Chapter Title: Farewell to the Old Era
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Strike while the iron is hot.
For politicians or anyone in the public eye, few sayings ring truer.
For a politician, 'the water coming in' means a surge of public support and interest.
At such times, whatever they do is viewed favorably and earns support; even ambiguous policies tend to be interpreted in the best possible light.
Conversely, once they lose the public's attention, it's astonishing how little notice they receive, no matter what they do.
That's what makes perception so formidable.
For the time being, Parliament will likely be viewed with a jaundiced eye, no matter their actions, while the Royal Family will be met with applause and encouragement for anything they do.
And now is the perfect time to unveil, one by one, the projects I have been preparing.
Having firmly declared I would not interfere in domestic politics and enshrined it in law, I will now involve myself indirectly, entirely through Wellesley.
Hygiene? Food? Inconvenient lavatories?
Countless factors could be named, but the one that drives a person mad is the lack of internet.
I don't just mean the inconvenience of not being able to search or watch videos; I'm talking about all forms of internet-based communication.
It's this bad even after landing in the 19th century, a time of scientific progress. I shudder to imagine what it would have been like to be born in an even earlier era.
For my own comfort, if for no other reason, these aspects must be improved somehow.
To advance such large-scale projects, a pioneer is needed to push them forward in the early stages, but scientists struggled to find such patrons.
Unless one possessed considerable vision, it was difficult to foresee the immense social transformation this would bring.
People are naturally hesitant to dip their toes into things they haven't experienced.
But I knew it all not from prediction, but from experience, so I had no reservations about pouring money into it.
The event I am unveiling today is no different.
“So this is the device called the Morse telegraph, which His Highness the Prince Consort has invested so much in.”
“Yes. The business began on a partial basis in the United States and Canada just last year. However, thanks to a massive investment in infrastructure I provided through an entrepreneur I know, we were able to bring it here to our country right away.”
“I seem to recall there being other telegraphs before. Is this a much more advanced version?”
“Yes. The existing Cooke-Wheatstone telegraph is certainly a great invention that will be remembered in human history, but in terms of practicality, it falls short of this latecomer, the Morse system.”
A lavish demonstration hall was set up in Buckingham Palace.
Attended by Prime Minister Wellesley, members of the Royal Family, government officials, members of Parliament, scientists, and journalists, the hall was filled with anticipation and curiosity.
Their gazes were fixed on the Morse telegraph device at the center of the room.
While people often think of Morse when they hear 'telegraph,' the British Empire had in fact already introduced a telegraph device called the Cooke-Wheatstone several years prior.
However, compared to the Morse telegraph, this device was unstable over long distances and highly inefficient, requiring multiple wires whereas the Morse system needed only one.
The addition of Morse code, which used dots and dashes to represent numbers and letters, gave the system an unparalleled simplicity, allowing it to grow explosively in a short time.
I intended to roll out this telegraph system across the British Empire at least a decade faster than in the original history.
People might not realize it now, but those who possess information quickly will inevitably hold an absolute advantage over those who do not.
In time, other latecomers will build their own systems, but while they waste those years, the British Empire will surge far ahead.
“Well then, I shall be off. Enjoy the show from there.”
As I rose from my seat at the appointed time and approached the device, cheers and applause erupted from the audience.
I gave a slight bow to Victoria, seated in the place of honor, then beckoned a young engineer to the front of the stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. Today, you will witness how the advancement of science can fundamentally change people's lives. Through this device here, we will be able to send the messages we desire faster and farther than ever before.
Please give your warmest encouragement to the young man who will demonstrate this incredible scientific revolution for us.”
Before I had even finished speaking, the seated audience erupted in another round of cheers and applause.
What must it feel like for a young man to demonstrate his technology while hearing the cheers of the most powerful figures in the British Empire?
The young man, named Richard, bowed deeply in a gesture of humility and cautiously approached the Prime Minister, who was seated in the front row.
“Excuse me, Prime Minister, but would you be so kind as to write a message for me to send to my colleague, Frederick, who is on the second floor? A single short sentence, anything you like, would be much appreciated.”
“A message... very well. Let's go with this.”
A famous quote left by the great English philosopher, Francis Bacon.
After confirming the paper read 'Knowledge is power,' Richard walked back to the device with a light step.
He soon placed his hand on the telegraph key and began tapping, and a rhythmic sound of short and long clicks echoed through the hall.
As the clicking continued unabated for about a minute, I overheard someone muttering.
“Is that beeping sound being transmitted somewhere else inside the palace right now?”
“From the explanation I heard, it seems so.”
“So someone listens to that sound and transcribes it back into letters, I suppose.”
“If it works, it seems truly revolutionary, but will it actually work?”
“It is the Prince Consort himself who has vouched for it, after all...”
Just as murmurs mixed with equal parts anticipation and doubt began to rise.
The heavy doors of the hall, through which no one had passed, opened, and the other young technician who had been waiting on the second floor to receive the message entered the room.
“Thank you for waiting! The message sent by the Prime Minister has been deciphered as the phrase 'Knowledge is power.' Is that correct?”
A brief silence fell over the room.
Soon, Wellesley let out a laugh of disbelief and fluttered the paper with the previously written phrase for all to see.
“It is. 'Knowledge is power.' Is there a more fitting phrase for this very moment?”
“Good heavens...”
“Does this mean we'll be able to exchange letters in real time?”
“R-really? Is that truly possible? Surely it won't work over very long distances, will it?”
Admiration, questions, and astonishment.
Seeing the rising tide of excitement sweep through the audience, I cleared my throat and stepped back onto the dais.
“Everyone, please give a generous round of applause to the young technicians who have so wonderfully demonstrated this new technology.”
“Huzzah!”
“A truly marvelous technology!”
“Your Highness! Over what sort of distance can this communication be exchanged?”
“As long as the wires are laid, distance is practically no obstacle.”
At my assertion, the Prime Minister, ministers, and members of Parliament all gaped in astonishment, one and all.
“Does that mean one could freely communicate between London and Manchester?”
“It is not merely that. Within two years from now, we will install a submarine cable across the Strait of Dover to France. Then, real-time communication with France will become possible. And in ten years. Within ten years, we will lay a cable across the Atlantic, enabling intercontinental communication between the British dominion of Canada and the mother country.
In other words, by that time, a decision made here can be relayed to Canada or the United States in a matter of minutes. And vice versa.”
“My word...”
“A revolution. This is a revolution!”
Everyone struggled to contain their excitement at the fact that telegraphic communication, previously thought possible only in theory, was now functioning perfectly in reality.
Wellesley shot up from his seat, clapping his hands in great excitement as he exclaimed.
“A truly astounding discovery! With this, distance will no longer be an obstacle for our British Empire! From this day forward, the government will actively support the telegraph companies and spare no effort to establish a telegraph system throughout the Empire! I pay my respects to the Prince Consort's foresight and decisiveness in firing the starting pistol for this great beginning!”
Like other nations, the British Empire currently holds territories on nearly every continent.
Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Possessing the largest territory in the world also meant that the speed of information exchange was correspondingly slow.
However, once this telegraph network is properly established, there will be no problem exchanging simple, brief communications.
The naval admirals, in particular, were more excited than anyone, crowding around me and bombarding me with questions.
“Y-Y-Your Highness! Surely these devices will be supplied to the military as well?”
“Of course.”
“This is a truly tremendous thing. Above all else, the Navy must be the first to be able to use these devices. If the British Navy, spread across the globe, can communicate in real time, it will gain the power to fight the entire world!”
*You fools, you can't go fighting the whole world.*
I could understand their excitement at the prospect of gaining such power, but there were several essential steps to address before it could be introduced to the military.
“Though it is an honorary position, as an Admiral of the British Navy, I too will spare no support to ensure our Navy can use this new technology without any inconvenience. However, using the telegraph for military purposes has a critical weakness, so we must devise a system to resolve it.”
“...A weakness, you say?”
“You are likely unaware, but these telegraph messages can be intercepted by other parties. If you exchange classified military information via telegraph, you risk exposing those secrets directly to foreign powers.”
“That is a very critical weakness indeed. If there are security issues, no matter how convenient the technology, its practicality is severely diminished...”
“You need not be so disappointed. To prevent this, we can create ciphers and change them periodically. However, as the ciphers themselves could be leaked, we must also implement various safeguards and maintain strict security.”
As I explained the vulnerability and its countermeasures on the spot, the faces of the naval admirals brightened noticeably.
Anyone who has commanded troops would know what a dream-like miracle real-time communication is.
It would be no exaggeration to say it would bring about a major revolution in nearly every field, including military logistics, intelligence gathering, and command and control.
“When Your Highness invited us, I was puzzled as to why soldiers were summoned to such an event, but now I understand. It was so we could grasp the strengths and weaknesses in advance and prepare for the new era that will unfold as this technology is introduced throughout the military.”
“Precisely. The British Empire is, and must continue to be, the world's leading superpower. It may be a headache, but the more effort you all put in, the more brilliantly the Empire will shine, so I ask for your swift action.”
“You can count on us! I will convene a meeting with my officers as soon as I return!”
From this moment on, in the minds of the naval admirals, my status would be elevated from a mere honorary admiral to a true Admiral of the British Navy.
It would be troublesome if it weren't so.
No matter how I thought about it, the possibility of a Crimean War or a great war of similar scale was high, and until then, I needed to strengthen the British military by any means necessary.
But I didn't have the ability to command troops and crush the enemy myself, so wasn't it necessary to raise the standard of the British military in this way?
And what I have in mind is not limited to the field of communications.
To be precise, communications were merely the beginning.