In fact, what Colbert didn't know was that Alphonse did not need to pay transaction tax, because he gave the agents a price of 40 livres, which was a price that did not include tax, and the tax generated by the customer's transfer was

Customers deliver by themselves.

But in fact, the tax effect produced by the artillery workshop does not stop there. After all, when purchasing raw materials for artillery, Alphonse needs to pay 10% tax, which is a raw material tax of 30 sous per artillery;

Then the customer's resale price is around 60 livres, and the resulting transaction tax reaches 6 livres per gun. Then the merchant ship also needs to pay berth tax and import and export tax. Although the tax is collected on a per-ship basis,

On average, an artillery piece generates at least 8 livres of tax revenue for the national finance;

Alphonse has produced more than 2,500 rapid-fire cannons so far. In other words, it has generated more than livres of tax revenue for the country. However, Alphonse does not worry about the final tax revenue received by the country.

"It's really shocking. A descendant of an unknown noble can create huge profits by improving artillery. At the same time, the country's finances are becoming more and more difficult." I have never considered that it is because of my luxurious life that I already have.

The heavily indebted national finances were even worse. Louis XIV became more confident in valuing business: "Colbert, what kind of investment plan are you talking about?"

"This year I plan to invest 1 million livres to strengthen our navy. Not only do we need to build new big ships, we also need a lot of artillery." Colbert replied:

"Considering the profits of this workshop, I decided to invest another 500,000 livres in this workshop and occupy at least 60% of its share. This will not only bring us a profit of at least livres every year, but also provide

We produce artillery;

The production capacity of the Royal Artillery Factory is very limited. If we can control such an artillery workshop, even if it only helps us produce artillery with a caliber of less than 9 pounds, it will be enough for the Royal Artillery Factory to spend its energy on casting large-caliber artillery, faster.

Strengthen our navy."

"Sir Vigeri, what calibers of artillery can this workshop produce?" Louis XIV nodded repeatedly. Colbert's calculation was very good. First of all, the 8% return of 500,000 livres was guaranteed. After that,

You can also ask the other party to process artillery pieces of other calibers for you, which is almost a waste of time, and it is even more cost-effective.

"Currently, this workshop can only produce 6-pound rapid-fire guns, but for investment purposes, Mr. Alphonse happened to mention that he is prepared to invest 100,000 livres in purchasing equipment and researching 9-pound and 12-pound caliber guns.

Artillery, and finally an additional 300,000 livres to conquer the 16-pound artillery;

This caliber is currently the largest caliber of civilian artillery. Mr. Alphonse believes that with the reputation of rapid-fire cannons, we can gain a very optimistic market share." Rieux quickly and respectfully replied.

"That is the most appropriate, Colbert, I hope this investment will be implemented as soon as possible." Louis XIV laughed. In fact, he did not think that Alphonse really said that investment would be used in this way, but Rieux himself.

I said this according to my own will, but it doesn't matter. After Rie said this, he has the responsibility to ensure that Alphonse does this!

"Yes!" Colbert bowed, but he scolded Rieux in his heart. In fact, he didn't think that Alphonse would so coincidentally say that he would invest the money in developing new artillery calibers. After all, research is not casual.

Whatever you do will make you successful!

"Sir Virgery has worked hard on this trip. The Duke will give him a good reward and rest for a few more days before going to Calais." Louis XIV said again, not only once again appointing Rière to be fully responsible for this matter.

He was responsible for the crime, and even brought Duke Letelier into it, who could have stayed out of it.

The reason is very simple. He just wants to ensure that the money is invested in the development of new artillery. He thinks that those who can transform the 6-pound rapid-fire cannon should be able to give him more surprises!

"Bang!" Back in the office, Duke Letelier slammed his hat on the table, startling Count Colbert and Lieutenant who were following him: "Vigeri, who told you

I casually told His Majesty that the artillery workshop owner would use the investment to develop larger caliber artillery?"

"This...he did say..." Rie replied somewhat innocently, and then looked at Count Colbert for help.

"Ahem." In fact, Colbert was also half-infuriated by Rieux. As early as the beginning, Duke Letelier had hinted that he could license the production technology of the state-owned artillery factory to Alphonse, which would soon allow him to

Alphonse has the technology to produce large-caliber artillery, and can recover part of the investment capital of 500,000 livres.

But Rieux said blankly that if Alphonse wanted to develop it himself, then Louis XIV would definitely not worry about money, let alone 500,000 livres. If Alphonse could develop 9 pounds, 12 pounds and 18 pounds with rapid fire

For a six-pounder cannon that is invincible in the world, he can approve it without blinking an eye for 5 million livres.

So now they are riding a tiger with difficulty. Louis XIV wants Alphonse to develop better artillery, and he also needs to deliver the goods as quickly as possible. This makes two people who don't need this credit at all willing to get into trouble.

What's wrong with the mess? But now that the matter has come to this, he can only say: "Rie, this Alphonse is not very old. Do you think it is really possible for him to develop a better large-caliber artillery?"<

/p>

"He has enough master craftsmen. He has planned to hire ten master craftsmen of artillery. Currently, he has at least three master craftsmen. The day before he came back, I also knew that he secretly went to test the artillery outside Calais. From the sound of the cannon

Listen, it’s at least a 12-pounder:

I think no matter whether this 12-pounder gun is successful or not, at least the 9-pounder gun should have no technical problems." Rieux thought for a while and said: "I think this is also the other party's plan to develop 9-pounder and 12-pounder guns. The total investment is only

The reason for 100,000 livres."

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"Are you sure?" Duke Letelier looked better now. If he has mastered the technology of a new 9-pounder gun, then at least he can still do this job.

"I personally followed their carriage outside the city, but I had to avoid it because it was already their private property. It was just hundreds of acres of wasteland as private property. I thought it could only be an artillery testing ground, not to mention me.

I did hear the sound of artillery." Rie quickly replied.

"Could it be the sound of artillery fire from other places?" Colbert asked again.

"I didn't go far, so I'm sure it was them who made the noise. And the next day, I saw the employees who accompanied Mr. Alphonse to the testing site. This means that even if it fails, there will be no explosion.

." Rie said again.

"Well, this is not too bad news." Duke Letelier nodded and waved his hand to indicate that they could leave. He did not mention a word about Louis XIV's words of praising Le Tellier well.

After saying goodbye to Duke Letelier, Colbert walked to his office and whispered to Lieutenant: "There are only two of us now. Give me a definite answer. Is what you just said true?"

?"

"It's absolutely true, my lord! I can swear to God that you told me to handle this matter well. For this reason, I stayed in Calais to investigate for many days, so much so that I was sent to prison by Mr. Fabian when I came back.

, thinking that I am committing treason." Rie took this opportunity to severely accuse Fabian Mahsha of his evil deeds.

"Thank you for your hard work, but you'd better stay in Calais during this period until you see the modification drawings of the 9-pounder gun or the 12-pounder gun. It's best to have samples and send them to Paris. We have inspected and accepted the things. 500,000 livres

I will call it." Colbert continued as he walked:

"At least Lever's investment return every year. In addition, he must process a batch of artillery for the country free of charge. We will send raw materials there, with a total weight of about 300,000 pounds."

Rieux felt the pressure all of a sudden. You must know that these are small-caliber artillery, probably 12-pound and 16-pound calibers. Colbert will only ask Alphonse to process lighter-weight short-bodied cannons.

It is necessary to process guns with a total weight of 300,000 pounds for free, which means more than a thousand 6-pound rapid-fire guns, and hundreds of 9-pound guns or 12-pound guns. Doesn't this mean that Alphonse has to work for more than two months in vain?<

/p>

"Don't worry, he won't really let his work go to waste. I will let His Majesty award him a Lordship as a reward for his contribution to the country." Colbert is really good at playing with nothing. At present, donating a Lordship only requires a profit.

However, if the artillery processing fee is calculated as a 6-pound rapid-fire cannon, 1,200 guns will only cost a livre at most; but if it is calculated as a 16-pound short-bodied cannon, 200 guns will cost at least a livre!

With a little thought, Colbert could let Alphonse get the lordship that would be given to him sooner or later, and extract some residual value. The most important thing was that the lord didn't have to pay taxes, and he could also let him be admitted to the Louvre Museum.

There is some comfort in taking away a lot of profits.

"Yes." Rieux was a little reluctant. Alphonse finally gave him a few hundred livres in labor fees, but he still hasn't gotten a hair out of these big shots!

"When you finish this matter, I will mention it to you. As for whether you serve as a tax collector in the Finance Department or as a local financial officer, it depends on your own ideas." Colbert added.

Said, these words made Rieux suddenly happy. He directly stepped over the magistrate and became the chief officer. This was a two-level promotion, and he also had the choice of staying in Paris or going somewhere. He had to think about it again.

!

"Thank you for the promotion, sir." Rie suddenly became full of energy.

"Go and have a rest. You don't need to go to the official residence tomorrow. You can summarize and report the mission the day after tomorrow. I will have the specific investment plan made into a document for you. Then you can go to Calais regularly.

Stay there." Colbert said again.

"Yes, sir." Rieux then breathed a sigh of relief and said goodbye. He suddenly felt that after being promoted, he might as well go somewhere to work. After all, here in Paris, a tax collector is not even the size of a sesame seed, and he is still at the mercy of others.

life...

On this side, when receiving the list of shipbuilding plans given by Alphonse, Ann almost slapped Alphonse to death: "Are you kidding? Do you think the more than 10,000 livres you paid is worth such a boat?"
p>

"First of all, I modified it according to the standard ship requirements. The length-to-width ratio was four to one because I wanted it to be an armed merchant ship, but I could add armor myself, and I didn't ask them to thicken the hull for me;

Secondly, I don’t need them to add bow rigging and head sail, and I save them money.” Alphonse pointed to the pointer and said: “Finally, I asked them not to make the deck too narrow, and to

Heightening the side of the ship does require an increase in cost, but I don’t need a four-story stern building. I asked them to cut off one floor. Isn’t this enough to compensate for their cost?”

"You'd better find a ship and take a look first. The gun you want to install is an 18-pounder. Do you know how far the gun will retreat when you fire it? A gun must be at least 18 Dutch feet (about 5 meters) wide.

space, and you need to deploy twelve guns on a single side, which means that the outermost gun position also needs such a wide space. At the widest place, the ship's width must be at least 43 Dutch feet (12 meters)!

You still ask for a ratio of four to one. The length of this ship is 178 Dutch feet (50 meters). Is this a 110 last (200 tons) ship?" An exclaimed angrily: "The Flutter Merchant Ship is originally a big fat man.

Design, wouldn't it be better if you let it be three to one? Wouldn't adding more headsails make up for the speed?"

"Just kidding, my artillery doesn't have that much recoil. It doesn't need to be that wide, 36 Dutch feet (10 meters). Just ask them to make the ship width 36 Dutch feet (10 meters). The captain should be 148 Dutch feet."

(42 meters), which is probably a 165 last (300 tons) Flute merchant ship;

Cut off a stern layer, cut off the bow, and the mast only needs to be configured according to the 110 last (200 tons) ship, the cost should still be about the same." Alphonse thought for a while and continued: "No need.

For any interior, I just need it to be driven to Calais, and then we will modify and install it ourselves. By the way, the keel does not need the best materials."

"Are you kidding?" An opened her eyes wide.

"I'm not crazy. Of course I know that the keel is very important, but I can change the keel by myself! The British have done this a long time ago. They used bad keels when they started building ships, and then after the ship was built, they replaced the keels with

The best, and then put it in the wet dock, the keel will be new, and the keel will be the strongest in the entire ship." Alphonse replied:

"This is what I planned. We will sail the ship to Calais, and then we will take the ship to the dry dock to reinstall and install the ship. We will also replace the keel."

"If you put it like that, it should be about the same amount of money." An said helplessly: "You spend the money of a 110 rast (200 tons) merchant ship to build an empty 165 rast (300 tons) Flutter

, and then spend a lot of money to modify it, don’t you think it’s too much for you?”

"Do you really think that I bought nine merchant ships to use as privateers? I did it to find out better warships." Alphonse smiled and said: "My idea is to use all the nine ships that belong to us.

The best battleship is built!"

"Brain is a good thing, I hope you have it." An hummed and stood up and said: "The cost of nine ships is 140,000 livres, plus modifications and artillery, more than 200,000 livres are used to build one ship, you can just

Wouldn’t it be better to use these nine boats?”

"Without a good boat, how can I conquer the sea? Isn't my dream worth the money?" Alphonse spread his hands and said.

"I think what you said is very good. Money is enough. What do you want to dream about?" An curled her lips and complained.

"It seems that I need to let you know in the future that this dream is more important than money." Alphonse laughed loudly and said: "You are busy with your work. I will also go to the workshop to see Yasuo's new products."

Have the prototype cannons been cast?"

"Let's go, let's go." An waved his hand and went out on his own, while Alphonse also headed towards the workshop. When he arrived at the workshop, he found that everyone was busy working on new cannons, except for Ya.
Chapter completed!