Creating an Industrial Empire in 19th Century Parallel World

Almost a year has passed and the Axelsen & Nielsen Company continued to thrive in the United States of Avalonia, not much of a significant event had happened for the last months aside from building prototypes and keeping up the production of their current products. 

But in two weeks, the industrialist duo is going to visit the biggest event the world has ever seen, the World\'s Fair. The world\'s fair will showcase each country\'s latest inventions and technologies, as well as their cultural and artistic achievements. This event was the perfect opportunity for Axelsen & Nielsen to showcase their latest products and establish new business connections.

Outside the main office were horse-drawn ornate carriages lining up. Poul, Jonathan, Amelia, Sara, Morgan, and Caroline boarded their respective carriages. Poul is with Amelia and Sara while Jonathan is with Morgan and Caroline. 

"Why are we not using the automobiles that your partner invented?" Morgan asked with a frown.

"Because there\'s one thing that is keeping the automobile out from the street," Jonathan paused for suspense and continued. "And that is the road itself," 

"The road?" Morgan raised a brow. "What do you mean by that, Mr. Axelsen?" 

"Mr. Morgan, the road that we currently have is not friendly to the automobile tires, they are rough, uneven, and full of potholes. It\'s not safe for us to use automobiles just yet." 

"So you are saying that the automobile that Mr. Nielsen invented is useless because it can\'t go on a road? I thought that automobiles are going to revolutionize transportation. Have I been caught in a hype again?" 

"Mr. Morgan, if I may," Caroline chimed in. "The automobiles that they made aren\'t entirely useless, they are roads that can accommodate their cars such as the streets of New York and even the streets of Paris, but long-distance transportation with cars without proper roads would be difficult. In fact, there is already a solution to that problem." 

"Which is what?" Morgan looked at Caroline expectantly. 

"Asphalt," Caroline revealed. 

"Asphalt?" Morgan repeated. "I have heard of that before, isn\'t that made of oil?" 

Jonathan interjected. "That\'s correct, Mr. Morgan. Asphalt is a petroleum-based material that is commonly used for paving roads. It\'s a mixture of aggregates, like crushed stone and sand, and asphalt binder, which is a viscous liquid that comes from crude oil. The mixture is heated and mixed together, then laid down on a prepared surface and compacted to create a smooth and durable road surface."

Morgan nodded in understanding. "So, with asphalt roads, automobiles could travel long distances without difficulty?"

"Yes," Jonathan confirmed. "Asphalt provides a smooth and durable surface that is resistant to wear and tear, making it ideal for automobile travel. And as more and more people begin to adopt automobiles for long-distance travel, the demand for good-quality roads will only increase. The good thing is that we have an oil mining and refining company, so it\'s a win-win for us. However…" Jonathan trailed off. 

"What\'s the problem?"

"Paving the roads with asphalt is more of a government matter, and it will take time for them to allocate funds and resources for it," Jonathan explained. "But I believe that with the increasing popularity of automobiles and the need for better transportation infrastructure, it\'s only a matter of time before we see more asphalt roads being built."

Morgan nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Well, I guess we\'ll just have to stick with the carriages for now. Oh, before I forgot, there\'s someone from the United States Navy that would like to speak with you, or rather from your partner."

"The Navy? What do they want from us?" Jonathan arched his brow, his interest piqued. 

"They didn\'t tell the details but representatives from the Navy will see you in Paris, at the World\'s fair. Though can you guess what they might need from you?" 

Jonathan stroked his chin as he contemplated. "Based on what we have right now, we don\'t have services that cater to the Navy but one possible area I could think of is the propulsion system."

"I see where this is going," Caroline gasped softly. 

"Uhm…I\'m feeling a bit left out here, please do explain, I have to know if there\'s money in it." 

"Well it isn\'t possible that they would ask us to build a warship but what the industrialist duo could do is to improve the propulsion system of the ship. You see, Mr. Morgan, most of the warships that the world has right now are powered by reciprocating steam engines, which are heavy, inefficient, and require a lot of maintenance. But in the electric enterprise of Mr. Nielsen and Axelsen, the steam turbines used in power plants can be adapted to power ships," Caroline explained.

"Wait, steam turbines? How does that work on a ship?" Morgan asked, a bit confused.

Jonathan took over the explanation. "Well, Mr. Morgan, a steam turbine is a device that uses high-pressure steam to rotate blades that are connected to a generator, producing electricity. In a ship, the steam is generated by boilers and the turbine turns the propeller, which moves the ship forward. The advantage of using steam turbines is that they are more efficient and require less maintenance than the reciprocating steam engines that are commonly used in warships today."

Morgan nodded, looking impressed. "I see. So, you\'re saying that your company can provide a more efficient and reliable propulsion system for the Navy?"

"Yes, that\'s correct. We have already developed and installed steam turbines in several power plants that we have finished building, and we are confident that we can adapt this technology for use in naval vessels as well. It would require some modifications and testing, but we believe that it would be a significant improvement over the current technology," Jonathan replied and continued. "I hope…" 

"I hope?" 

"This is more of Poul\'s forte as he is the one who developed the steam turbine for the power plants, if you want a detailed explanation, you can go to him and ask."

"But what if they do not want a new propulsion system, instead they want you to design a warship? How are you and your partner going to react?" 

"Well that\'s impossible, Mr. Morgan. We are not a shipbuilding company so there\'s no reason for the Navy to go to us and ask us to build a warship. Secondly, although we know the basics of shipbuilding, I don\'t think we have the expertise and experience required to build one. Thirdly, the capital to start one is expensive, you would rather buy an existing shipbuilding company and employ the same workers." 

"But you can design a warship right?" Morgan asked. 

"I believe we can…" Jonathan replied, his tone hinting a 

bit of hesitation. "But designing a warship is a completely different ball game than designing a power plant or a propulsion system. There are so many factors to consider, from the size and shape of the ship to the type of armor and weapons it will carry. It would require a team of experts in naval architecture, naval engineering, and naval warfare to design a successful warship."

Caroline nodded in agreement. "And not to mention the time and resources it would take to design and build a warship. It could take years to complete, and cost millions of dollars."

Morgan looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "I see your point. I\'ll keep that in mind. For now, we have a long trip ahead so sit back and relax."