On the eastern edge of the hall, the English journalist Alvin saw Lavoisier approach the front desk and nudged the lethargic young man beside him, whispering:
“Clark, the big shot is here. Take meticulous notes for me, and don’t miss a single word!”
Yes, this was the same Alvin who came to Paris to cover Fashion Week. After returning to his country, he sold all his property, took a risk and bought the rights to the Paris Commercial News, translating “Battle Through the Heavens” and “Madam, Please Stop Your Steps” into English for sale. In just a few months, he made a fortune and then bought a small newspaper, becoming its owner.
This time, he came to discuss the purchase of other novel distribution rights with the Paris Commercial News, but happened to catch the grand event of France announcing its measurement standards, so he brought his reporters over to interview.
“Oh, yes, boss!”
Clark jolted to attention, stood up straight, and assumed a serious note-taking posture. Then he saw the Frenchman named Lavoisier raise his hands high, passionately exclaiming, “First, let us thank His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! It was he who fervently promoted the standardization of France’s measurement system…”
Clark casually scribbled down these words in his notebook but felt disdainful inside; these people really knew how to brown-nose the Royal Family.
He looked around the grandly decorated hall, mumbling in English under his breath:
“The French really are extravagant, making such a big fuss over just announcing a few units of measure.”
Alvin glared at him and said in a low voice:
“Put away your pitiful ignorance. This is about more than just a few units of measurement; it’s a great enterprise of scientific civilization!”
Onstage, Lavoisier had an assistant push forward a glass case holding a copper rod and excitedly announced:
“Ladies and gentlemen, please observe, this is the physical prototype of the length unit ‘meter.’ Its definition is ‘one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along the meridian that passes through Paris’…”
Clark wrote down diligently, still grumbling to himself:
“Oh yes, with this, the French lords will find it much more convenient to collect taxes. No more converting between different units.”
After Lavoisier finished speaking, amid the thunderous applause from below, Alvin patiently explained to his subordinate:
“Do you know why they made the definition of a unit so complicated?”
“This…” Clark scratched his head, “to show off how powerful they are?”
Alvin cut him off:
“Such definition allows for exactly the same results to be obtained anywhere in the world. Which means, whether it’s the British, the French, or the North Americans, even separated by tens of thousands of miles, they can use the same units for measuring and calculations.
“Do you understand what this means? It means the entire world’s scientific theories can be described in the same ‘technical language,’ and from here on, humanity’s science and technology will move towards perfection and unity!”
As an idealist, Alvin focused on matters such as “world science,” but in fact, the significance of standard measurement for the development of national industry and commerce was even more crucial.
For example, baskets made in the north of France couldn’t be sold in the south because the southerners wanted to fill them with three ‘muids’ of grain, but the northern baskets could only hold a precise ‘ounce’ amount.
At this time in France, there were over 800 commonly used measures, and if counting the lesser-used ones, there were tens of thousands more. This led to additional restrictions on the circulation of goods between regions.
Even worse was in industrial production. Not to mention between two cities; even workshops separated by a single street could not interchange their screws. How could they talk about building an industrial chain?
A unified system of measurement was the foundation for unblocking the arteries of commerce and industry.
Clark’s eyes widened as his boss’s words enlightened him on why the French made such a big deal out of this standardized measurement.
Suddenly, Lavoisier had someone bring over a pure platinum weight covered by a glass case and loudly proclaimed it as the physical prototype of the mass unit ‘kilogram’…
A week later, almost all European newspapers were reporting on the measurement standards established by the French Standards Commission. The academic communities of all countries were greatly shaken. Whether to support the French units of measure or to create their own set, the governments were in heated dispute.
What the European countries didn’t notice at that time was, beginning with the Paris Fashion Week at the start of the year, to Louis XVI’s birthday celebration, to this announcement of measure standards, France had consistently dominated the core of international news topics.
…
Barbary Coast.
Two British armed merchant ships, escorted by two escort ships, were sailing half-mast towards Mitidja in Algiers.
From the forecastle of the escort ship ‘Robinson,’ the Duke of Leeds peered through his telescope at the sunlit, gray-yellow coastline in the distance.
There stood a fortress. At the moment, it teemed with busy figures moving incessantly about.
He knew that British engineers were directing the workmen to reinforce the artillery battery.
As they drew closer, the Duke of Leeds could clearly see that the artillery battery was almost complete. A British 24-pound cannon was being hauled up to the fortress by hundreds of Algiers slaves tied to thick cables.
“Heh, I’d love to see the French’s astonished faces when they suddenly get bombarded by these heavy guns.”
He chuckled, retracting his telescope, and said to Stuart, the new British consul in Algiers, standing beside him:
“The French took the guise of fighting Pirates to set foot in North Africa, a shrewd move indeed. Russia has even sent us multiple inquiries, stating that France’s actions also help safeguard Russian maritime trade.”