I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 503

Even before, there had been constant attempts to create artificial fertilizer.

Even Liebig, one of my researchers and the father of agricultural chemistry, had proven that nitrogen and potassium promote crop growth.

Just by supplying the right amount of nitrogen to the soil and crops, food production could increase by 30% to 50%.

However, nitrogen compounds aren’t easily stored in the soil like potassium or phosphorus, so it was almost impossible to supply them using traditional compost.

Nitrogen gas is difficult to use naturally because its atomic structure is too stable and its chemical reactivity is low.

So, scholars turned their attention to nitrogen compounds with high chemical reactivity.

In the beginning, many scholars tried to use nitrogen oxide, but I didn’t have to go through those trials and errors.

I already knew that Haber in the original timeline created ammonia.

However, I hadn’t realized that there were a lot of preceding scientific principles that were absolutely necessary for this great invention.

In this process, there would be three or four laws that geniuses like Crookes or Liebig would newly organize while burning through money, time, and manpower.

I’d bet my entire fortune that the academic world will call this period the era of the modern chemical revolution in the future.

Describing this process in detail would be enough to produce dozens of papers, but that’s something that would drive scholars crazy, so I left that to Liebig and Crookes.

Instead, I focused on how to mass-produce the ammonia obtained in this way.

Of course, scholars wanted to announce their great achievements quickly, and it was possible at any time, but adding dramatic production numbers was more effective.

“Wouldn’t it be much more impactful to make the announcement when commercialization has been perfectly successful?”

“But will commercialization be that easy?”

“There’s nothing impossible in the world, so just keep watching. You guys made this invention that will go down in history, and wouldn’t it be unfair if someone else succeeded in commercializing it and taking all the credit?”

“···I guess that’s true.”

Some people were uneasy because they didn’t know how long it would take to mass-produce it, but their trust in my money was greater than that.

When you think about it, this process was also thanks to the fact that I poured money into it without sparing it, so there was a vague belief that mass production would be possible soon.

And it didn’t take long for that belief to become a reality.

As the five laboratories installed in the British Isles and the three laboratories in Canada, a total of eight research facilities, continued to operate and began researching the mass production of ammonia, results were immediately achieved.

“Your Majesty! The 4th laboratory has finally found it. We can produce ammonia using a much cheaper catalyst without having to use osmium.”

“Our researchers are very excellent. They are wonderful, competent, and smart. Give all the members of the 4th laboratory 10 times their annual salary as an incentive, and give the employees of other research institutes 3 times each.”

“Yes? To other research institutes as well?”

“Of course, because everyone worked hard together. That’s how they will work hard when I try to do something in the future.”

How can I be stingy with that incentive when the short-term profits from mass-producing ammonia using the [Killian Method – the method I am developing] are so great?

Rather, the bigger issue was how to package this and advertise it to the world.

“First of all, I will let the parliament know, and Crookes will be responsible for the Royal Society [Britain’s premier scientific academy]. Also, invite reporters from the newspapers in advance and have them write articles beforehand. You have to cut out difficult scientific explanations and write articles in an easy and intuitive way so that citizens can understand how great this achievement is.”

“Well, no matter how much you talk about nitrogen and ammonia, most people will just ask what it’s for.”

If you want to know professional knowledge, please refer to the papers published by the Royal Society.

In addition, articles that create anticipation in advance are essential before such a large-scale announcement.

Even before the new iPhone is released, there are dozens of articles about the display and chipset, so you have to make this much fuss.

[Imperial Science Research Institute of the British Empire Succeeds in Invention of the Century to Change History]

[Dr. Crookes of the Royal Society Vows Something Big is Coming. You can find out what’s big by looking at Killian’s announcement]

[The Announcement Date is Approaching in Fifteen Days, Anticipation is Rising!]

[Trends in the Chemical World are a Hint? Chemists from All Over the World are Gathering in London!]

From cholera to malaria, my researchers have made achievements several times, but I have rarely come forward to make announcements myself.

So, everyone was making a fuss, wondering how big it was, and once again, the attention of the world was focused on London.

So, the historic first day when chemical fertilizers that could actually be used in the market were produced arrived.

In a place where I gathered all the major members of Parliament, the opposition parties, the newspapers, and the academy, I stood on the podium with Liebig and Crookes on either side.

“Dear citizens of the British Empire, and brothers and sisters around the world who will share this joy. In Luke’s Gospel, an angel says this to the people: ‘I came to bring good news.’ I am here today to deliver one piece of good news to you.”

Thanks to the fact that I had been fueling the fire in advance, people’s curiosity had already reached its peak.

The lawmakers who had heard the news in advance waited for me to open my mouth, anticipating how people would react.

On the other hand, those who had not yet received proper news due to thorough security were fidgeting and watching me.

“I know very well that everyone here has enough knowledge to understand even professional stories. However, I will cut to the chase because explaining it in detail will only be boring. I have been feeling fear deep in my heart as I watch our human scientific civilization develop. In fact, to be honest, our humanity was already facing disaster.”

“······?”

The atmosphere subsided in an instant.

It’s natural to be dumbfounded when you create a pleasant festive atmosphere and suddenly talk about a disaster that was right in front of you.

However, without minimal build-up, the catharsis when the problem is solved will inevitably decrease.

So, before drinking cider, let’s get our throats clogged with sweet potatoes [a metaphor for creating suspense before delivering good news].

“Thanks to the remarkable development of technology and medicine, the current world population has nearly doubled compared to 150 years ago. But unfortunately, the increase in food production does not even reach half of that. If this trend continues, we will inevitably face a serious food crisis within 60 years.”

This was a future that was recognized by the academic world at the time, but everyone was turning a blind eye and ignoring it because there was no clear solution.

“But I couldn’t just sit back and watch such a terrible future engulf us. Even at this very moment, there are many poor people in our British Empire who are worried about how to fill their hungry stomachs tomorrow. To prevent this reality and the disaster that will come in the future, I have worked with the researchers here to research and research with all our abilities.”

For a more dramatic effect, I opened the Bible and slowly read the Gospel of Luke I mentioned earlier.

“Fear not. I bring you good news that will be to all the people.’ I mentioned this verse earlier. That’s right. We no longer need to fear the coming disaster. Because the world’s best geniuses and I have combined our strength and wisdom to successfully develop artificial chemical fertilizers that will keep the land from withering forever!”

Scientists who knew what this meant widened their eyes so much that their eyeballs popped out and tried to scream, but blocked their mouths.

However, it is difficult for people who do not have professional knowledge to understand if they only say this.

One of the ruling party lawmakers who had been told in advance obtained the right to speak and asked me a question.

“Your Majesty! Is that chemical fertilizer different from the fertilizers people have been using until now?”

“It’s completely different. In short, there is no longer any need to farm and let the land rest [practice of fallowing]. This fertilizer will replenish the soil with nitrogen. And, we have also confirmed that the amount of food coming from the land will increase by 30 to 50 percent.”

“···Are you saying that not only will fallow land disappear, but also the production per unit area will increase?”

“That’s right. To put it bluntly, our food production will soar by more than 50 percent within 3 years and double within 10 years.”

More than double in 10 years.

The venue was in an uproar for a moment as specific figures were presented.

“Even this may not be very realistic because it’s just words. So, I will tell the lawmakers and scientists who are listening to me now, and the citizens who will hear this in the future, bluntly.”

The moment those who understood the meaning of my announcement were wondering whether to cheer or maintain a solemn atmosphere.

“Humanity is now liberated from the fear of famine. I hope you enjoy the era of abundance that has never existed in human history.”

“Wow!”

“Long live Killian! Long live the Imperial Family of the British Empire! Long live the British Empire!”

With my closing remarks, the cheers that had been suppressed until now burst out, and everyone stood up and applauded.

Click! Click!

Then, lights poured out from the huge cameras, and a moment in history to be displayed in the British Museum was captured in a square frame.

-The moment humanity was liberated from starvation

The name to be used in the photo has already been decided.

* * *

“Amazing! This is a truly amazing discovery! Hahahaha!”

After the showcase announcing the paradigm shift of nitrogen fertilizer was successfully completed, Wellesley was still unable to hide his excitement with a flushed face.

This is because the question of where to import limited food and how to distribute it was always a problem that the British Empire’s political circles were struggling with.

Fortunately, I put in a clause that preferentially imports wheat from the black soil zone [fertile regions in Eastern Europe and Russia], but if it weren’t for this, Wellesley’s hair would have already been gone.

How can I not be happy that I will soon be able to completely escape from this agony?

“Hoo···But if you look at it coldly, I’ve been agonizing over this for decades, but my successor will just eat the fruit that His Majesty has worked on without doing anything. That’s the problem. The predecessors worked hard and struggled, but the successors just roll around comfortably and reap the rewards.”

“Isn’t that what the development of science and technology is all about?”

“If Your Majesty had developed that technology 20 years earlier, I wouldn’t have suffered like this. I have to retire in a few days, but when I think about it, it’s unfair?”

“So, I’m going to give the Prime Minister a good opportunity. Would you like to hear it?”

Being able to produce ammonia through aerial nitrogen fixation does not only mean that you can make bread like crazy.

It also means that you can grow beans or corn, which can be used as feed for livestock, in a way that cannot be compared to the past, and that much more meat will be released into the market.

There will be less need to use human waste as compost, so there will be fewer parasites, and looking at it from here and there, it is no exaggeration to call this a great event that has advanced human civilization one step further.

However, one problem arises here.

“As the Prime Minister knows, making ammonia with the nitrogen fixation method is like being able to make bread with air. The problem is that it won’t only be used for fertilizer.”

“···Ammonia? What do you mean it’s not only used for fertilizer···Ah, gunpowder?”

“That’s right. From now on, you have to keep in mind that we are not only making bread with air, but also making gunpowder with air.”

From the beginning, the development of fertilizer was closely related to the development of gunpowder.

There was even a saying that nitroglycerin was originally an accidental product of trying to make fertilizer.

I don’t know if it’s true or not.

Anyway, now that we can produce gunpowder without relying on things like saltpeter [potassium nitrate, a key ingredient in gunpowder], large-scale civil engineering projects that were unimaginable in the past will be easily possible.

The problem was that the probability that people would use this gunpowder only in positive fields such as construction and civil engineering was lower than the possibility that the earth would be destroyed tomorrow.

“Explosive increase in food production, gunpowder raw materials that will be cheaper than ever before, this also means that the ability to wage war has increased to a different level than in the past.”

“······.”

“So, the Prime Minister still has an important role to play: to prevent the coming new era from being swallowed up by the madness of war. The world’s strongest power, the British Empire, must keep its mind straight and establish world order. I think you are the only one who can successfully carry out this important task.”

I put both hands on Wellesley’s shoulders and continued speaking in a more serious tone.

“If you get through this period well, Prime Minister Wellesley’s name will go down in world history as the epitome of the most outstanding and wise prime minister.”

A touching spirit of partnership that takes care of the partner so that they can raise their name value until the end.

Wellesley’s eyes lit up and he seemed to be burning with a sense of duty for a moment… but then he tilted his head from side to side and asked.