He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 16

16. A Generous Investment

James Watt rushed over, grabbing Anne’s hands and asking,

“Anne? What’s going on? How did you get here without any notice?”

“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you everything tonight.”

James Watt glanced at Theo standing behind her and asked,

“And, who is this gentleman? Did he come with you?”

“Ah, he heard about Mr. Watt’s steam engine and insisted on investing, so I brought him along.”

Theo quickly stepped forward and greeted him.

“Good day, I am Theo Sanderson.”

“Ah, yes. James Watt.”

In truth, if Anne’s lover was indeed the James Watt from history, Theo wanted to make a proper investment.

So, before departing, he held an investment presentation on the steam engine for the members of the Intelligence Club.

When Theo presented his detailed prospects for the development of the steam engine, several gentry members, including William Roland and Richard Defoe, who usually thought highly of Theo’s insight, voluntarily offered investment pledges.

The total investment pledges gathered through the club members amounted to a whopping 100,000 pounds (approximately 15 to 20 billion KRW [South Korean Won] at current rates).

During the carriage ride to Birmingham, Theo conveyed his investment intentions to Anne. Anne McGregor, who was already hesitant to say they came together because of marriage issues, agreed to say that he accompanied her for investment purposes.

“Hello? I am Matthew Boulton.”

“Yes. Theo Sanderson.”

At the mention of investment, Matthew Boulton’s eyes sparkled as he approached.

“May I ask how much you are considering investing to come all the way here?”

“Yes. It’s not finalized yet, but as you can see here, the investment pledges are around 100,000 pounds. It might increase further.”

Boulton, who was eagerly seeking investment in the early stages of commercializing the steam engine, couldn’t have received better news.

“To come all the way here for an investment of 100,000 pounds, even before much promotion has been done, I don’t know how to thank you enough. Hahaha.”

Matthew Boulton beamed at the news of the generous investment, and James Watt was overjoyed that his steam engine was being recognized.

‘I’m the one who should be grateful. As long as these are undoubtedly James Watt and Matthew Boulton, 100,000 pounds is just a pittance compared to the profits they will earn through the steam engine in the future.’

While discussing the investment with Theo, Matthew Boulton clapped his hands and said,

“Mr. Sanderson, this is perfect timing. We are going to the coal mine today to see the demonstration of our improved steam engine. Coming with us to see the machine in operation will be more helpful for your investment.”

Theo was delighted by Boulton’s suggestion.

“Ah, would that really be alright? I would be honored. Also, a friend of mine, Lord Burke, bought a fairly large mine near here, and he’s having a lot of trouble with water filling up the mine. So, he was considering installing Mr. Watt’s steam engine. If I get to see the machine today, I can give him proper information as well, haha.”

“Oh, is that so? Then we would be grateful as well. Hahaha.”

In a few years, James Watt’s steam engine would achieve tremendous success along with its fame.

In addition to simply draining water from coal mines, it was used proactively in various fields such as weaving, ships, warships, and trains, earning James Watt a fortune.

However, Watt and Boulton, who were completely unaware of the rosy future ahead, couldn’t help but feel anxious now, just before the full-scale commercialization.

In this situation, Theo, who brought a large sum of investment, was a welcome and powerful guest who provided them with great comfort and strength.

“Are those parts of the steam engine you two were looking at earlier that we’re going to see today?”

Theo asked, pointing to several valves on the workbench.

James Watt nodded with a smiling face.

“Yes, that’s right. Our factory only makes the most important engine valves and a few other precision parts for the steam engine, and we entrust the rest to other reliable manufacturers. And when installing the engine, we make every effort to ensure proper installation through trained engineers.”

It seemed similar to the operating methods of modern-day companies, where they outsource everything except the main parts to other subcontractors. The attention to quality control through the training of engineers was also very impressive.

“Mr. Sanderson, come this way and see some of the other products we’ve invented.”

“Ah, yes.”

James Watt wanted to boast about the company’s technology to Theo, who would become a major investor.

“This is a pressure gauge that can measure the pressure when the machine is running. And this is an important part of the centrifugal governor. And this is…”

Through the conversation with James Watt that lasted for over 30 minutes, Theo could easily grasp his tendencies.

James Watt was typically a person who focused a lot on his own ‘growth.’ He was proactive and didn’t hesitate to learn.

While most people focus on simply being ‘recognized’ by others, James Watt showed a willingness to be recognized by himself, constantly researching and learning without being discouraged by his low status and circumstances.

Due to this tendency, he was confident and uninhibited in his interactions with the best scholars of the time, despite his limited education.

‘Huhu, it’s amazing and fun to be able to directly face James Watt like this and understand his personality. By the way, James Watt’s personality really suits Anne McGregor. Even without scoring them, I can clearly see why Ms. McGregor and Mr. Watt were bound to be attracted to each other.’

Theo did not know that James Watt and Anne McGregor remarried in history.

However, the personalities of the two people he met in person were such a perfect match that it would be strange if they didn’t marry.

If there was such a thing as a match made in heaven, it would be these two people.

*

Anne McGregor and her maids were sent to Mr. Boulton’s house first, and Theo headed to the coal mine with Watt and Boulton to test the operation today.

“…In the end, we couldn’t receive royalties because it was just repairing the Newcomen steam engine [an early type of steam engine]. So, we converted the Newcomen method, which is an atmospheric pressure steam engine, to a steam pressure-driven steam engine method and obtained a patent.”

On the way, Theo was able to hear many stories about the development process of the steam engine.

Some of the content had been heard in history books, but there were also many hidden episodes that were not covered in the books.

While talking with the two great men who led the era, Theo was able to understand how they became the famous duo of the Industrial Revolution era.

James Watt was excellent at deriving innovative ideas based on existing knowledge and finding the technology to realize those ideas, while Matthew Boulton skillfully handled the commercialization of this technology.

The two were, in some ways, completely different in nature, but they were creating a powerful synergy by complementing each other’s shortcomings.

‘Each of them is a great character. With such strong personalities, they could clash a lot, but they know each other’s needs too well and respect each other.’

While they were talking, the carriage was getting closer to the mine where the improved steam engine was installed.

However, the atmosphere near the entrance to the coal mine was unusual.

“What happened? Why are the miners gathered in front like that?”

Matthew Boulton, with an uneasy expression, looked out the window of the carriage.

As he said, many miners were gathered together, murmuring without working.

“Whoa- Whoa-”

Clunk.

“Let’s get off for now. The improved steam engine we sold is here.”

Watt and Boulton got out of the carriage and approached the huge machinery. Theo followed them to the machine.

The machine had several pillars and weights attached to the top, and below was a large, long cylinder in the shape of a stove that put coal in to create steam.

‘Oh-. That machine is James Watt’s steam engine.’

I thought it was huge when I saw it in history books, but it looks even bigger in person.

However, on the other side of the steam engine, there was a young woman sitting down in a daze and three young children crying.

All of them had black coal dust all over their faces and bodies. They must have just come up from mining coal in the tunnels below.

Matthew Boulton approached a middle-aged man standing with his arms crossed and a serious expression and spoke to him.

“What’s going on, Mr. Rodney?”

“Ah! Mr. Boulton. When did you arrive?”

He said he was the owner of this mine, and he had purchased and installed a new steam engine from Boulton & Watt, and was preparing for the first demonstration today.

“Was there an accident or something?”

“Hoo- Yes. A few hours ago, while mining coal in the lower part of the tunnel, groundwater burst and flooded several places. One of the miners working in the accident was trapped in the water. But he can’t get out, and the water keeps rising.”

His forehead remained unchanged, but his eyebrows were raised, indicating that he was very shocked. And his thinned lips indicated that his irritation was turning into anger. It seemed to be anger at the flooded miner.

The mine owner continued to grumble with a deeply furrowed brow.

“No, I even announced in advance that I would be testing the newly introduced steam engine today, but that damn miner and his family forced their way in to dig in the tunnel to meet their target amount, and this is what happened! I saw signs that groundwater was about to burst, so I told them not to go in if possible.”

At that time, it was common for families to enter coal mining operations.

After agreeing on the amount of coal to be mined with the mine owner, they were paid wages if they met that amount, so the whole family was mobilized to mine coal in order to meet the quota within the agreed time.

If the husband went deep underground to mine coal, the wife and young children would receive the minerals and transport them out of the ground. Also, children or women would enter holes that were too narrow for adult men to enter and mine coal.

Theo, unable to bear seeing the children crying, asked the mine owner as if he were scolding him.

“No, but why are you doing this? You’ve also brought in a new drainage machine, so shouldn’t you be turning on the steam engine as soon as possible to drain the water?”

At Theo’s words, the mine owner retorted gruffly.

“Do you think I’ve only run a mine for a day or two? If groundwater bursts and the water rises to this level, he’s already dead anyway. And the terrain here means that the water will drain naturally if we wait half a day, so it’s better to save coal and prepare for any problems that may arise with the machine by slowly turning on the steam engine then. Why waste precious coal and expensive new machines for someone who is already dead?”

“What did you say?”

Theo was dumbfounded by the mine owner’s words.

But this is the 18th century, not a modern society. It is impossible to blindly apply the values of modern society.

Still, thinking this was not right, Theo raised his voice again.

“Mr. Rodney! Listen to me. It hasn’t been flooded for a few hours, and there should be several spaces left in the underground tunnel, so there’s a high possibility that an air pocket has formed and he’s still alive. There have been people who have lived for three days, right?”

The mine owner stared at Theo with a dumbfounded look.

“Air pocket? What the hell is that? And what do you mean, living for three days? This guy is saying things I’ve never heard of in my life?”

In his haste, Theo brought up the story of a coal mine accident that happened in the 21st century.

“Then shouldn’t we at least find a way to confirm his survival? If he’s alive, we can turn on the steam engine right away to drain the water, right?”

At Theo’s words, the mine owner let out a hollow laugh.

“Huh- really. In a situation where we don’t know how much more water will fill the tunnel, who would go into that pitch-black and murky place to confirm his survival? You’re a really strange guy. If you’re frustrated, why don’t you go in yourself!”

The fellow miners around him seemed to feel the same way as the mine owner.

Having experienced many flooding accidents, they considered it hopeless and turned away from Theo’s gaze.

“Sob sob… Please save him! Please… Save my poor husband… Sob sob!”

“Please save our dad! Please! He’s still alive! Waaah~”

“Daddy- Waaah-”

Theo’s eyes turned to the family of the flooded miner, who were sitting on the floor sobbing.

Their faces, which had miraculously survived, showed no fear of being flooded.

Instead, the shape of their eyebrows, the direction of their mouth corners, and the movement of their eye muscles were expressing strong sadness.

It was clear that they had a desperate affection for their father trapped in the coal mine.

‘The flooded dad is a very special object of memory for them…’

Human emotions develop based on specific ‘memories.’

The wife and three children all showed consistent expressions and actions indicating strong sadness, which was strongly expressed not just in one or two places, but throughout their faces and bodies.

This suggested that the memory of their husband and father was connected to an unusually precious emotion for this family.

This was an emotion that would be difficult to come by in the relationship with a father in the 18th century, when emotional expression was very clumsy, even though it would be taken for granted in the modern era.

‘Such emotional expression is only possible with a very strong bond. It means that their husband and dad are more valuable to them than any gold or silver treasure.’

Perhaps it was because he read the desperate sincerity in their expressions.

Theo wanted to keep their precious memories going.

To people, he was just an insignificant miner who might be dead, but Theo’s heart, which could feel the emotions of his wife and children, was different.

‘If he’s still alive, he’s probably just sticking his face out of the water and holding on. Now is the time to use Watt’s steam engine to drain the water. There’s not much time!’

The owner and miners of this coal mine may be hesitating because they have not seen the performance of James Watt’s new steam engine.

In other words, they may not be able to drain the water because they are thinking based on the existing, low-performance drainage machines.

Theo, who had a stronger belief in the performance of James Watt’s steam engine than anyone else, shouted at the mine owner.

“Instead of that, let’s quickly turn on the steam engine and drain the water! Quickly! We have to save people first!”

The mine owner stared at Theo’s cry to turn on the steam engine and drain the water right away with an absurd look.

“What? Turn on the new machine and drain the water? Why is that person keep doing this since a while ago? Do you think I’m doing this because I don’t want to save him? I’m more upset than anyone else!”

James Watt and Matthew Boulton next to him were also embarrassed.

In the modern era, it would be a very natural rescue activity, but even until this time, it was unimaginable to spend a lot of money to save a miner whose life and death were uncertain.

“What’s the point of just saying you’re upset? If there’s even a slight chance that he’s alive, we should save him!”

“Are you crazy? Do you know how expensive that machine is to say such ridiculous things? If we force the new machine, which hasn’t even been broken in yet, to pump up the groundwater that’s filling the coal mine, what if that expensive machine breaks down? I don’t know if he’s alive, but why would we waste coal and run that expensive machine just to save a miner who’s obviously dead? That’s absolutely not going to happen!”

Theo urgently retorted.

“I’ll compensate for all the damage if the machine breaks down! No, not just the breakdown, but all the costs and coal that go into running the machine. Anyway, I’ll take full responsibility for all the costs incurred in the rescue, no matter how much it costs, so let’s quickly turn on the machine and pump out the water. Hurry! There’s no time!”