Empire Rising: Spain

Chapter 98: Chapter 90: Plans for a University

At present, the common atmospheric engines have a thermal efficiency of only 11%, which means that about 89% of the fuel is wasted. This is quite an exaggerated situation.

Additionally, the size of atmospheric engines is not very suitable for installation in carriages for vehicle modification.

If atmospheric engines are used, the resulting vehicles would be too large. Due to this excessive size, the vehicles not only look cumbersome but also move sluggishly.

Such cumbersome vehicles are inferior to carriages, which is why many factories are exploring improvements to engines.

The engine, being the heart of a vehicle, is directly related to the vehicle’s advancement. Any faults in the engine are like heart disease in a person, which could be fatal to a vehicle.

Carlo nodded but was somewhat dissatisfied with the progress of the engine research laboratory.

Two years for a prototype to enter experimentation, and five years for a perfected prototype to be tested—doesn’t this mean it will take at least five years before the four-stroke engine is perfected and starts to be used?

“Isn’t this timeline too long? Could we compress it a bit to see the four-stroke engine’s finished product earlier?” Carlo frowned, asking with some dissatisfaction.

“Your Majesty, it’s not that we are unwilling to compress the timeline. The fact is that the laboratory is seriously understaffed, and most design and testing require us to do it ourselves, thus wasting at least half of the entire research and development cycle.

If we had enough personnel, I am confident that in three years, I could present Your Majesty with a finished four-stroke engine, tested for stability and applicability,” Daimler said helplessly.

Previously, if it were in a German company, although they were also the specific heads of research and development, at least they had enough usable manpower at their disposal.

Unlike now in Spain, although the specific treatment is indeed impeccable, there are truly too few usable people under them.

The dozen or so people Carlo has painstakingly gathered have too little understanding of engines; they still need time to learn and grow.

And during this time, the research on the four-stroke engine was almost entirely handled by Benz and the other two personally.

It’s already difficult for three people to develop a perfected four-stroke engine, let alone compressing the timeline, which makes it even more challenging.

Carlo nodded; he was also aware of the current shortage of manpower in the engine laboratory.

“Regarding manpower, I will find a way to solve it. At least within two years, the number of personnel in the engine laboratory will be increased to more than 100. I will also invite technical experts in the engine field from all over Europe, striving for our four-stroke engine to be unveiled earlier,” Carlo reassured.

Although the current engine field is only in its initial stages, this does not mean that there is a lack of related talent worldwide.

Not to mention, with rather generous immigration conditions, we can attract hundreds of related talents, although the quality may not be as high as Benz and the others.

However, the current engine laboratory indeed doesn’t need too high abilities; mid-to-upper-level talents to lend a hand are already sufficient.

Benz and the others have already been tested by history; they are excellent talents in the field of automobiles and engines, if not top-notch.

Moreover, the four-stroke engine is a subject they originally researched, only it was under the Otto Company. Now in Spain, with Carlo’s greater support, it is believed they will develop the four-stroke engine earlier than in the original world and manufacture experimental vehicles based on the developed engine.

Upon hearing Carlo promise to increase the research personnel of the engine laboratory to over a hundred within two years, Benz and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Some experiments indeed cannot be done with just such a small number of people; with collective wisdom, the feasibility of the experiment will also greatly increase.

Thinking of this, Carlo couldn’t help but feel a little headache.

It seems that, for now, Spain is indeed at a much greater disadvantage compared to Italy.

Although Italy’s overall level isn’t that impressive, Northern Italy’s industry and economy are relatively good, and the former Sardinian Kingdom also valued talent development quite a bit.

Italy doesn’t have as rich a reserve of talents as UK, France, Germany, but mid-level talents are absolutely sufficient.

In this aspect, Spain is already lagging far behind. Spain not only lacks top-notch talents, even core personnel in the laboratory are very scarce.

It’s excusable that in Spanish universities the physics and chemistry programs are few, but most are just for show, making it difficult to cultivate sufficient outstanding physics and chemistry talents.

After leaving the experimental area, Carlo headed straight for the Royal Palace.

To improve Spain’s talent shortage situation, Carlo decided to construct a university dedicated to cultivating physics and chemistry talents.

Carlo had already thought of the university’s name: Royal Physical Chemistry College, and the focus of the university is clear from the name.

To express his importance on this university specializing in physics and chemistry, Carlo decided that all outstanding physics and chemistry talents absorbed by Spain in the future would teach at this university, striving to cultivate more potential stars in physics and chemistry for Spain.

Upon informing Steward Luo Lun of such an idea, he also quite agreed and provided his own reasons: “I think building such a university is very necessary, Your Majesty.

With the ’Royal’ title, it can also let the excellent graduates know who they should work for, and who they should serve.”

“Do we have enough funds? If we were to build such a university, how soon could we start enrolling students?” Carlo nodded, becoming more determined in his idea to build a university.

However, it takes a long time for a university to go from nothing to existence. Whether it be school facilities, especially laboratory construction for experiments, or purchasing textbooks and recruiting some renowned university teachers and professors, all are very important.

If there aren’t good teachers, such a university will also struggle to cultivate enough excellent graduates. Attracting those excellent physicists and chemists from around the world, funds are indispensable, and some additional conditions must even be promised.

“It should be no problem,” Steward Luo Lun nodded, being aware of the current Royal Family’s finances: “If starting from scratch to build a university, it would take at least three years before it could start enrolling students.

But if we modify a suitable building and only construct the related laboratories, it should cut down on some time costs.

However, to build a university that can continuously cultivate talents, a certain amount of time is necessary.

I estimate the university’s construction will take at least 2 to 3 years, and the total funds we will need to spend will be at least starting from 10 million Pesseta,” Steward Luo Lun responded.

Carlo nodded, not surprised by this huge fund.

In fact, building the university itself wouldn’t cost much; the biggest expenses are constructing laboratories and purchasing textbooks and experimental equipment.

The largest expense would be in attracting the university’s teachers and professors, making them willingly cultivate enough excellent talents for Spain.

However, as the college develops and gains a certain reputation internationally, it will attract more applicants to the college.

Even if financial balance cannot be maintained, having such a university that can continuously cultivate excellent talents is extremely important.

It’s not that Carlo doesn’t trust those universities in Spain; the issue is their courses do not have much practical use for Spain.

Many universities are famous for literature and arts. What does Spain need so many people engaged in literature and arts for?

In current universities, physics and chemistry are the top priority, and the medical field is also very important. Next, it is education, which can cultivate more excellent teachers, in turn, to produce more students applying to universities in Spain.