Chapter 565: A New French Scientific Landscape
"You've truly sacrificed so much for France!"
Le Roy, the president of the French Academy of Sciences, was visibly moved. He couldn't imagine himself willingly giving up an award if he were in Joseph's position. Yet the Prince had done so selflessly, all to protect the integrity of the Supreme Louis Prize.
Le Roy remarked, "In fact, several committee members and I believe even the Literature Prize should go to you. I've read Ladies, Please Stop—the captivating plot had me so enthralled I could barely taste my meals."
Though the novels were published under a pseudonym, the secret had long since been revealed: the author was the Crown Prince himself.
Joseph felt his embarrassment deepen. The story was, in fact, a blatant copy of a work by a contemporary author, Tian Haishan. To take undue credit for it felt shameful.
He quickly changed the subject.
"Ahem, President Le Roy, how is the reorganization of the French Academy of Sciences progressing?"
"Oh, fairly smoothly, Your Highness," Le Roy replied eagerly.
"So far, the new departments—Mathematics, Geometry, Mechanics, Astronomy, Optics, Agriculture, and Chemistry—are up and running.
"However, some newer departments, such as Thermodynamics and Surgical Medicine, are still being established.
"As for departments like Geology and Electricity, we're experiencing delays due to a lack of scholars in those fields…"
To modern readers, these changes might seem unremarkable. But in this era, such organizational reforms marked a revolutionary step in scientific administration.
Before this, institutions like the French Academy of Sciences or the Royal Society of London had only two main divisions: Mathematics and Physics.
The lack of specialization often hindered scientific progress. For example:
A fledgling discipline like electricity would struggle to secure funding while competing against giants like mechanics within the same department.Fields such as geology were ignored outright by traditional physicists who dismissed them as irrelevant.
Administrative inefficiency also abounded. Lavoisier, as a deputy head of the physics department, focused exclusively on chemistry. His lack of expertise in physics often left promising submissions in limbo or worse, neglected entirely.
To address these issues, Joseph tasked Le Roy, Lagrange, Condorcet, and Laplace with reorganizing the academy into specialized departments.
This reorganization offered several key advantages:
Efficiency: Research could progress more smoothly with dedicated departments.Fair funding: Resources could be allocated based on the unique needs of each discipline.Talent attraction: Specialists would no longer feel overshadowed or undervalued.
Joseph explained:
"Imagine a brilliant geologist toiling away under a department dominated by physicists. They'd likely remain unnoticed and unrewarded. But in France, they could rise to head an entire geology department, earning recognition and resources commensurate with their expertise."
Le Roy continued, "As for the national laboratories accompanying each department, construction is already halfway complete. Barring delays, they should be fully operational by August."
Joseph's decision to fund national laboratories was groundbreaking.
At this time, scientific research was an incredibly expensive endeavor, accessible only to the wealthy elite. Universities provided only basic equipment, and serious research required setting up private laboratories—an endeavor that could cost tens of thousands of francs.
Lavoisier's personal laboratory, for instance, had consumed over 100,000 francs, housing more than 10,000 glass beakers alone.
Such costs barred many talented but impoverished scholars from realizing their potential.
To remedy this, Joseph allocated 1.2 million francs to construct several cutting-edge national laboratories. These facilities would be open to all scholars free of charge.
This initiative aimed not only to empower French scientists but also to attract foreign talent. Researchers would come to France to use the facilities, and while there, they'd live, work, and likely grow roots in French society.
Moreover, standardized equipment across the laboratories would accelerate scientific progress, ensuring that experiments were reproducible and comparable.
Arriving at the Palace of Scholars
Their carriage came to a halt. Outside, the air buzzed with chatter from the gathered crowd. Émond opened the door, bowing slightly as Joseph stepped out.
Before him stood a sprawling estate surrounded by red brick walls. Carved into a stone monument near the gate were the words Palace of Scholars.
Despite the grandiose name, the "Palace" was not an actual palace but a luxurious residential complex. Initially, Joseph had proposed naming it The House of Talent, but Briand had suggested Palace of Scholars for greater prestige.
These residences were not for sale. Only individuals recognized by the Talent Recruitment Program could lease them at nominal rates. As their academic contributions grew, scholars could eventually own these homes outright—on the condition they could not sell them privately.
As a result, residents would find themselves living among a community of distinguished peers, fostering collaboration and intellectual exchange.
The program's chief architect, Mirabeau, was already waiting by the central fountain. Upon spotting Joseph, he gestured for the band to strike up a welcoming tune.
Talent Recruitment and Inspiration
Though academic events rarely drew large crowds, the Palace of Scholars had been widely publicized. Today, over a thousand people had gathered to witness the ceremony. Among them were children gazing in awe, dreaming of one day earning a place in the estate.
After a brief speech extolling the importance of scholarship and talent, Joseph turned his attention to the press, emphasizing France's commitment to nurturing brilliance.
By 6 PM, the ceremony concluded. As Joseph prepared to leave, Mirabeau approached, his expression hesitant.
"Your Highness, may I have a moment of your time?"
Joseph gestured for him to join him in the carriage.
Inside, Mirabeau hesitated before finally speaking:
"Your Highness, I must ask for an extension on the next phase of the Palace of Scholars' construction. Oh, and it would also be helpful to delay the Industrial Development Fund's dividend payouts…"
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