Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

Chapter 143 043 Railway Connect doesn't work
Solovyov went to Italy to visit Prince Bagration and his wife again. After entering the house, he saw that the couple had a very close relationship. Before they met, he heard the "little elf's" happy laughter like a silver bell, which was a childlike innocent laughter.

It turned out that the prince was holding her under the arms with his arms, playing the game of "lifting her up high". Being petite has its advantages. At the age of seventeen, she can still be pampered by her family like a child.

He originally thought that the girl's married life would be more depressing, after all, this senior brother had a serious and resolute character, a typical brave soldier, and was not in tune with the lively "little fairy". Unexpectedly, the prince obeyed her in everything and was willing to be her safe. It was not because of the ATM machine, but because the dowry brought by the "little fairy" was too rich. Paul also rewarded such a mansion to his trusted general.

If Bagration had given up his gambling habit, he would have had no worries about food and clothing relying solely on his annuity. If it were peacetime, and he could retire one day, he could travel around the world with his wife - after all, Count Skavronsky and Prince Potemkin left too much property to the "little goblin", and her aunts also gave her a lot of jewels as a supplement to the huge dowry.

"I never thought you could be so close while on vacation at home."

"Misha, we all know that you have done a lot of messenger and 'reconnaissance' between me and Kadish in order to make our lives happy."

"Yeah yeah."

This girl is still not satisfied. She has obviously gained weight again, and her bare feet are chubby and it feels like there is really something wrong.

If her relatives and friends hadn't suggested that she control her diet, she might have been even fatter now, with a chubby face like a little child.

Bagration held her in his arms and pinched her face again. It seemed that her relatives liked her little face and everyone who saw it wanted to pinch it.

"Okay, Katish, Misha and I have something to discuss."

"Well, I'll go take a shower first, and then we can play together after Misha leaves, dear."

Bagration looked at his "junior brother" whose mouth was so surprised that it could fit a tomato, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Kadish is still a child. I think it's because my father-in-law died early, and she needs fatherly love."

"She also needs a husband, Peter Ivanovich. You make her feel very safe. But I didn't expect that after marrying you, she would be as happy as a child. I have never seen this before when I am teasing my sister at home."

"Ah, didn't your father always want to have another son to pass on his business skills?"

"But my father is not young anymore, and I have a younger brother. I have to wait until he grows up. Poor Sergei Osipovich."

He doesn't necessarily have the energy to teach his younger brother. The eldest son is "I love to invent" and likes to tinker with new gadgets all day long. And since he is in the army, it is obvious that he will not devote too much energy to business.

Solovyov had actually thought about this problem. His father was worried that no one would inherit his business skills. However, relying on scientific inventions and accumulated technology, monopoly management is actually more powerful. His farm management skills and economic knowledge are only useful in some areas.

"But you have the talent for invention. I will help you with the memorial to the Emperor."

We came to Bagration's house to discuss the issue of rail transportation. It was not surprising that some wooden or iron tracks appeared. This has existed since ancient times. Even in the Middle Ages, many technologies had their prototypes - including breech-loading rifles and revolving weapons.

"If we want to build a railway connecting St. Petersburg to Gatchina, I think it will be very promising. Ultimately, what we want to accomplish is a railway connecting St. Petersburg to Moscow, and then inland Moscow to connect Minsk, Kiev, Kharkov, Kazan and"

"The plan is grand, but you will face a difficult road. There will be many people who oppose it, including the nobles who operate carriage transportation."

The prince reminded him that at least around Tsar Paul, there were people who claimed that railways were a waste of resources and that Russia was a country that lacked coal.
The reasons make sense, but Russia is so big, with so much coal under the ground, and in fact these nobles are obstructing it for their own purposes. This is a ridiculous Greek drama.

However, it is much more sufficient than reasons like destroying feng shui.

Paul had never been to the battlefield, but he had his own way of training soldiers according to the Prussian methods, and he was also well versed in the organization of logistics.

The reason why he agreed to use steam-powered ships and vehicles for transportation was that he realized their great value in logistics transit. Russia's territory was too vast. Horses might be used in ordinary villages and small towns, but on main roads, there was always a need to improve transportation efficiency.

Paul is paranoid, but he is not as stupid as his father, and what he says makes sense.

If he had appeared in the era of radio and given a speech to the people into the microphone, the serfs might have thought he was a good emperor.

After all, William II asked for a wage increase in front of Krupp, and the pay increase for Russian soldiers was written in the edict.

Paul himself is very supportive of this plan, but his reply also made it clear that a project of this magnitude cannot be achieved by connecting lines on a map.

Mr. Sun may have felt the critical hit. The 7th Corps was surrounded and annihilated in Nianzhuang because they forgot to build a pontoon bridge. They were not as good as the Austrians in 1799.

The Tsar, at least, had a deep understanding of this map, but he also supported horse-drawn rail transport in Pavlovsk, which was also a temporary measure before the advent of steam locomotives.

"I am flattered that your Majesty's edict has been approved. This way we can adopt the 'salami slicing' strategy in rail transit and steam locomotives. When people realize the benefits in the future, I think many people will join us."

“I remember this has a monopoly, right?”

"Indeed it is."

"When Katish comes out of the shower, I'll tell her that she has always regarded you as a friend and brother who can open her heart. You have helped her so many times, and maybe my husband and I can give her something in return."

"Thank you, Peter Ivanovich. I will also seek help from other friends."

This does require finding someone to invest.

He also did not want to disturb the couple's life at home, but to find help.

This was somewhat guaranteed, as the "little devil" had suggested that he go to Prince Yusupov.

However, when it comes to business operations, Baron Sergei has to go in and act as Count Bobulinsky's manager.

What he wanted to do was to build a railway between several tsars' palaces. This railway line had a bend, so although the straight-line distance was not very far, the overall route was planned to be nearly 30 versts long, which indeed exceeded the steam locomotives that were being prepared at the same time in terms of route length and operation scale.

However, Solovyov also planned a lot of facilities besides the railway. His ideas were still very comprehensive. He arranged the railway facilities very comprehensively and designed complete facilities to make a wide-gauge railway.

After all, this is also a characteristic of Russia. It is really not easy to find a place where the railway is wider.

Moreover, in plain areas, the use of wide-gauge railways will have higher transportation efficiency. There is no such thing as standard gauge now, and all the railways on the tracks are horse-drawn carriages.

Solovyov even learned from what he saw and heard in St. Petersburg that the progress of steam locomotives in Britain was not smooth, because Watt, who improved the steam engine, used his patent to suppress young inventors. In English-speaking places, it is always the old men who hold patents who hinder the progress of science and technology.

However, he had no channels to invite these people, so he had to go back and start making miniature models.

The entire landscape model will be displayed in the Winter Palace, where there are more than 300 rooms open to the public, which is indeed a lot of space.

The models of planned routes are all placed here, and the content is relatively intuitive.

"Your Majesty, this is the rail transport route we have planned. If the steam-powered vehicles can be completed on time, they can be used as a means of transportation on this road."

"Soloviev, you always come up with something new, but there is another problem. The 30-verst section of the road from Pavlovsk to Tsarskoye Selo and then to Gatchina cannot be completed on time."

"Then we can use rail carriages for operation, Your Majesty, we have fully demonstrated it."

Solovyov only dared to do it on flat ground like this; any terrain with a slight slope would be difficult for the train.

But what he said still made sense, and there was always a way to burn coal and use steam power, and it could be used in large quantities in mines.

"How long will it take to build this 'Royal Railway' and equip it with steam-powered vehicles?"

"Your Majesty, if we start construction next spring, we expect it to be completed in 1803. This involves the construction of a full set of lines and supporting facilities, not just two rails and a pile of sleepers."

Paul is more likely to adopt this kind of scale, after all, the memorandum and plan have been prepared for him.

"When the time comes, I will personally come and take the first passenger train."

Actually, Solovyov himself thought it unlikely that the project could be completed in 1803, because the efficiency of Russian bureaucracy had always been low, so they could only make do with what they had.

If anything were to happen to Paul, it would depend on Alexander's interest in railroads.

At present, it seems that he only strongly supports steamships and is not enthusiastic about railway construction. This may be because some people are giving him advice.

There were simply too many interested parties in Petersburg, especially those factions close to the British.

However, at the meeting that day, Count von Paaren, who had been dismissed from his post, strongly supported him. Even though everyone knew that he was planning to assassinate the Tsar, no one knew what he was up to.

This is a signal within the court. Although Paul has received some reports now, he is still confused by the conspiracy group's maze.

What he was more concerned about was that in addition to focusing on his mistress, Alexander had recently returned to his family and spent time with Louisa, and also the grand plan of an expedition to India.

Time has come to the last month of 1800, and some latest orders issued by the Russian government also involve the latest policies towards Britain.

Paul himself hoped to expel Lord Whitworth of Britain. After all, such an unpleasant diplomatic incident had occurred. After the lord's private letters were intercepted, the Tsar himself was very clear that the British ambassador was against him and even called him "crazy". With his petty mind, he would definitely want to do some small tricks.

Through his mistress, he now learned who were the people currently involved in the entire anti-Paul conspiracy group, including some former pro-British factions, Guards officers, and General Bennigsen who came to St. Petersburg from Hanover.

After learning of their actions, the lord actually acquiesced in their operations and secretly provided assistance to these conspirators through the British intelligence system in St. Petersburg.

If he fails, he, like Count Palen, can still clear himself from the affair. The result of the coup d'état may very well be regicide, and everyone is aware of this.

Lord Whitworth also wanted to know the attitude of the Russian royal family towards this matter. At least Queen Maria would not join in. Alexander, while staying out of it, also learned about the progress of the conspiracy.

There were still some people from the Queen's time who exerted influence behind him. Paul's series of actions, which were considered "retrograde" by the great nobles, made these people stand behind Alexander.

If Paul falls, they will still benefit greatly.

The time for showdown is probably coming soon. After all, these opponents have used various divisive tactics to create some cracks among the people around Paul.

As for the conspiracy group, they finally reached a consensus that, unlike in the past, to end Paul's rule, they could not do as they had done with Peter III in the past, but had to depose him.

While Alexander's attitude was still ambiguous, they believed that the way to deal with Paul was to eliminate him physically.

Now there is a new arrangement. When 1801 comes, we need to start making these people regain Paul's trust, and then let some of them take up certain positions.

And mobilizing officers from the Guards was also part of their plan.

Solovyov could not have imagined that this group of people had really gone to great lengths to transfer him away.

After all, when he was the officer on duty here, not only was the security very tight, but he also established rapid and effective alarm measures, especially in the Winter Palace and the Summer Palace.

(End of this chapter)