Napoleon's eyes remained fixed on the moored ship before him, a formidable structure that stood as a testament to the ingenuity of the French. It was yet another unexpected marvel that had taken him by surprise. He had anticipated being the one to introduce novel concepts to his nation, but now, at this moment, he realized he had underestimated the capabilities of his compatriots.
The ship's sleek steel hull exuded strength and modernity, a departure from the familiar timber-built vessels that had long dominated naval fleets. Its paddlewheels, driven by steam engines, presented a revolutionary advancement in propulsion, rendering the ship independent of the winds that had once dictated the course of maritime exploration.
As he observed the steam-powered patrol ship, a wave of pride washed over Napoleon. The French had always been pioneers in science and engineering, and this invention reaffirmed their position at the forefront of technological progress. The vision and dedication of men like Jacques-No?l Sané and Jean-Charles de Borda had birthed a vessel that could reshape the balance of power on the seas, which is something they desperately needed to counter the Royal Navy's dominance.
"Your Excellency?" Antoine Lavoisier called, waving his hand in front of Napoleon to get his attention. But despite the interruption, Napoleon's gaze remained locked on the ship.
Finally, he tore his eyes away and turned to Antoine.
"Yes, Monsieur Lavoisier?" Napoleon replied, trying to gather his composure.
"I was just worried for a moment there, Your Excellency. For it looked to me that you were stunned at the ship presented by Monsieur Sané and Borda," Antoine explained.
"Who wouldn't be," Napoleon replied with a smile, regaining his composure. "This invention is a marvel, a leap into the future if it works. Is it working?"
Napoleon flickered his gaze toward the two inventors.
"Yes, Your Excellency, do you want to see it in action?" Jacques responded eagerly.
"I would love to," Napoleon said, smiling.
With that, Jean led Napoleon inside the steamship. As he stepped aboard, he was greeted by a complex array of machinery and equipment. A system of pipes, gauges, and levers adorned the interior. The steam engines, housed in a well-organized compartment below deck, hissed and roared, their power evident even at a standstill.
"So, how does this work, gentlemen?" Napoleon turned towards Jacques, who was just calling out orders to the crew down below.
"Your Excellency, this vessel is powered by a powerful steam engine, which drives the paddlewheels on either side of the ship," he began. "The steam engine works on the principle of converting the energy of pressurized steam into mechanical motion."
He pointed towards the massive boilers that generated the steam. "The water in these boilers is heated to produce high-pressure steam. The steam is then channeled into the steam engine's cylinders, where it expands, exerting force on the pistons and driving the crankshaft. The crankshaft's motion is then transmitted to the paddlewheels through a series of gears and shafts. The paddlewheels are equipped with paddles, or blades, that rotate when in contact with the water. These rotating paddles propel the ship forward or backward, depending on their direction of rotation…"
Jacques went on to share the source of his inspiration for the steam-powered frigate. He credited Claude-Fran?ois-Dorothée, Marquis de Jouffroy d'Abbans, a French naval engineer, who had constructed the first steamboat in France back in 1783. That early steamboat had employed a Newcomen steam engine, utilizing oars with rotating, hinged flaps that resembled the webbed feet of waterfowl for propulsion.
"Claude-Fran?ois-Dorothée?" Napoleon repeated. He confirmed in his system that Claude-Fran?ois-Dorothée existed and that he was credited to be the first person who invented the steamboat. "Is he still in Paris?"
"Yes, Your Excellency," Jacques confirmed.
Napoleon heaved a sigh of relief inwardly, glad that the person who invented the steamboat is still around. He would need the best naval engineers for his naval modernization project in the future.
"So what was Borda's role in building this ship?" Napoleon asked, glancing at Borda.
"Your Excellency, my role in this endeavor was to ensure the structural integrity and stability of the steamship. I was the one who designed the shape of the paddles and the placement of the steel structure," Borda explained and continued. "Our goal was to achieve maximum efficiency while ensuring the vessel's robustness in the face of the forces at sea. I calculated the optimal dimensions for the paddle blades, taking into account factors such as water resistance, weight distribution, and power transmission. We wanted the paddles to provide the highest thrust with minimal resistance, thereby enhancing the ship's speed and maneuverability. As for the steel…"
Napoleon raised a hand, interrupting Borda's explanation. "I understand now, Monsieur Borda. You don't have to go into details now."
"As you wish, Your Excellency," Borda bowed his head.
"Now, Monsieur Sané, anytime now," Napoleon said.
"Indeed, Your Excellency," Jacques replied, turning his attention to the crew on deck. He gave a series of commands, and the crew members sprang into action, adjusting valves, checking gauges, and ensuring everything was ready for the demonstration.
The powerful steam engine roared to life, and thick plumes of steam billowed from the funnel as the pressure built up in the boilers. The paddlewheels on either side of the ship started to rotate, churning the water beneath them.
The rhythmic turning of the paddlewheels pushed the ship forward, and slowly it began to glide along the calm waters of the harbor. The vessel moved with remarkable smoothness, unaffected by the whims of the wind. The people walking down the nearby promenade and along the docks couldn't help but stop and gaze in awe at the steam-powered frigate in action. Whispers and murmurs spread among the onlookers as they pointed at the ship.
"Your Excellency, I believe we have impressed our spectators," Jacques remarked, his voice filled with pride.
"Yeah, I can see that," Napoleon agreed. "So, I believe you two are thinking of adopting this design for our future warships right?"
"That is the plan, Your Excellency. The next ship-of-the-line, frigates, and sloops, will be powered by steam in the future," Sané confirmed.
"Hmm…that's great, but let me present another perspective," Napoleon said, and the attention of the two engineers focused on him.
"I believe both of you have already considered the potential issue with the paddle wheels. If we were to utilize them on warships destined for ocean voyages, there is a concern, particularly during adverse weather conditions, that passing waves could cause the ship to roll to one side, resulting in one of the wheels spinning uselessly out of the water. The paddles dipping in and out of the water in such situations would lead to a considerable waste of engine power."
"You raised a valid point, Your Excellency," Sané rubbed his chin as he contemplated Napoleon's perspective.
Borda chimed in, "Indeed, the paddle wheels have their limitations, and we acknowledge the challenges they may pose in rough seas. But aside from paddle wheels, there's just no other means of propulsion we can think of."
"I don't think so," Napoleon disagreed. "Are you two aware of Archimedes in the third century B.C.?"
The two engineers nodded.
"Ah, then you must be familiar with one of his inventions, the helical screw. When rotated, it effectively moves water upward, functioning as a pump."
The two engineers nodded again.
"Okay, now imagine we orient that screw horizontally, secure it at the back of the boat, and set it in motion. As the screw rotates, according to Newton's third law of motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The water, reacting to the motion of the screw, exerts an equal force in the opposite direction, propelling the boat forward. Unlike the paddle steamer, that screw is always underwater, meaning there'd be no waste of power," Napoleon concluded.
Sané and Borda let out an impressed sigh.
"That's a brilliant idea, Your Excellency!" Sané said.
"But what is it going to look like? It is literally a helical screw?" Borda asked.
"Get me a pen and a paper, I'll draw it for you," Napoleon said, his excitement evident in his voice.
A nearby crew member quickly fetched the requested items, and Napoleon began sketching the design of the propeller. He drew a flat, horizontal circular plate with several curved blades extending outward, resembling a propeller. The two engineers leaned in, observing intently as he added more details.
"The screw will be placed underwater at the back of the boat, with its axis perpendicular to the water's surface," Napoleon explained as he continued drawing. "The blades are carefully angled, and their shape is designed to create a helical motion when the screw rotates. Then the screw will be connected to a shaft, and the shaft will, in turn, link to the steam engine's crankshaft through gears or other transmission systems," Napoleon continued.
Sané and Borda nodded in understanding.
"What do you call it, Your Excellency?" Borda asked.
"I call it the propeller because it propels the ship," Napoleon explained simply.
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