The Shadow of Great Britain

511: Chapter 270: Research Craze (4K2)_2 511: Chapter 270: Research Craze (4K2)_2 Louis took a deep breath and said, “It’s really dark here!”

Arthur asked, “How much does an army second lieutenant’s rank cost?”

The stranger, hugging his knees and smoking, replied, “Taking an ordinary line infantry regiment as an example, the lowest purchaseable rank of second lieutenant costs 450 pounds, while the highest rank of lieutenant colonel goes for 4500 pounds.

If you want to join the cavalry or the Guards Corps, you need to pay extra.

You might be aware of the Cold Creek Guards Infantry Regiment, right?”

“It’s that ace infantry regiment whose motto is ‘second to none,’ and their rank prices are also top-notch.

I heard that recently the price for a lieutenant colonel in Cold Creek was raised to 9000 pounds.”

Although my second lieutenant rank isn’t from Cold Creek, because I wanted to go to India, and since India is recognized as a lucrative posting, I also had to shelve out a significant amount.

I had to pull strings and barely managed to secure this position with 700 pounds.”

Hearing this, Arthur responded with a smile, “Now I finally understand why you can’t afford Cambridge’s tuition fees.”

The stranger chuckled self-deprecatingly, “Isn’t that the truth?

Although my father left me a rather generous inheritance, it dwindled quickly because I insisted on going to India as a soldier!

If I had chosen to study at Cambridge instead, I could have settled the tuition fees and my university living expenses with just 500 pounds, and I could have even bought a small house of my own in London.

Unfortunately, now I can neither afford to study at Oxford nor at Cambridge.

Earlier this year, in search of cheaper schooling, I even went to the Duchy of Wurttemberg in Germany to enroll at Heidelberg University.”

Upon hearing this, Louis could not hide the smile on his face.

Although he felt it tragic to be a descendant of Napoleon’s family and ending up this way, seeing a fellow sufferer seemed to lessen his mental burden somewhat.

Louis offered consolingly, “Don’t feel too sad.

A person’s luck can change.

These years of bad fortune might be God’s way of ensuring you have smoother paths ahead.

Heidelberg University isn’t as bad as you think; although its reputation in Britain isn’t as renowned as Oxford or Cambridge, it is still a fine university.

Wasn’t Mr.

Hegel a professor there?”

“Hegel?” The stranger shook his head, “He’s long gone, now serving as the chancellor at Berlin University.

I did see him when I visited Berlin, and he seemed unwell, hardly energetic during his lectures.

Though Hegel’s lecture was not thrilling, I did encounter some delightful little gadgets at Berlin University that excited me.

If not for that, I wouldn’t have urgently withdrawn from Heidelberg University and rushed back to Britain.”

Louis curiously said, “Oh?

What good stuff did you find?”

The stranger began, “Hmm…

I don’t know if you two are familiar with electromagnetism, but it was a new invention in that field.

The Russian diplomat in Berlin, Baron Pavel Shirin, created an electromagnetic telegraph.”

“It utilizes electromagnetic induction to transmit signals using six wires, one wire for the initial call signal, and a common line for the electrical return.

Additionally, it features six magnetic needles whose varied deflections encode different messages corresponding to the 32 Russian alphabet letters.”

“When I saw this new invention, I was absolutely astounded.

Although the telegraph was quite primitive and the transmission distance was only four to five feet, I believed that with improvements, it could be developed into a telegraph capable of long-distance communication across Europe.”

“That night, after viewing the demonstration, I lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

I had wasted five years in India, yet God had presented me with this opportunity to turn my life around.

If I could perfect the telegraph, I could instantly become one of Britain’s wealthiest young men, much like Mr.

Wheatstone who invented the phonograph.”

“And the best choice for developing the telegraph would be to return to Britain.

All of Europe knows, Britain leads in the emerging field of electromagnetism.

Michael Faraday, William Sturgeon, Arthur Hastings, and others—this list alone speaks volumes about Britain’s pioneering role in electromagnetism.”

“And when Baron Pavel Shirin displayed his invention at Berlin University, he acknowledged the pivotal influences of Faraday and Hastings on the development of the telegraph.

Without that definitive paper on electromagnetic induction, the very logic of the electromagnetic telegraph would be untenable.

Thus, for me, abandoning a medical degree at Heidelberg University to return to Britain was not a difficult decision.

My life was nearly ruined by the army, and things couldn’t get much worse, so I didn’t mind taking another gamble on the telegraph.”

Upon hearing this, Louis’s expression turned peculiar, and he glanced at Arthur with a twitching smile.

Arthur, having smoked the last of his tobacco, removed his pipe and tapped it against the footstool to empty the ashes: “With that said, I think I know who you are.”

“Oh?” The stranger frowned, “Do you know me?

Have we met before in India during my service?”

Arthur pulled out two coins and handed them to the shoeshine boy, then smiling, extended his hand to the stranger: “You must be Mr.

William Cook, right?

Charles told me he had made a new friend who had served in India.

Since you are Charles’s friend, you are also my friend.

It’s a pleasure to meet you; allow me to introduce myself—I am Arthur Hastings.”