Gulburn listened to Faraday and Arthur explain to him how the 'Faraday cage' worked, while wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief drawn from his jacket pocket.

General Goulburn asked incredulously, "The excess charge on a charged conductor exists only on its surface and has no effect on any object enclosed within it?" In other words, the reason why Mr. Faraday did not receive an electric shock was because the excess charge was all distributed on the outer surface of the iron cage? ”

Faraday nodded slightly: "There's no problem with your understanding. ”

Gulburn finally stabilized his mood, and he asked, "Is there any use for this principle in the field of application?" ”

Arthur smiled and responded, "Knowing this, you don't have to worry about lightning strikes from God anymore." I pack you a ticket, if you go out on a rainy day with such an iron cage, then no one can help you, whether it is Thor, the god of thunder in Northern Europe or Zeus in Greece. ”

Gulburn thought about it, and finally nodded slowly: "It sounds like it makes a little sense, and this principle does prove the safety of the current...... Well, Mr. Faraday, your new work has won the approval of the Ministry of Finance, and we will be providing you with an additional research grant of about 3,000 pounds for your research in the field of electromagnetism. ”

When Arthur heard this, he wanted to question if the money was a little less.

But when he thought about it, the steam locomotive that killed the Huskison was only £789, and in comparison, £3,000 seemed to be quite generous.

Sure enough, Arthur noticed that Faraday's expression was also much brighter because of the injection of 3,000 pounds of research funds.

Faraday bowed slightly: "Your Excellency, I promise that the Ministry of Finance will not regret this investment in the future." When the technology of electromagnetism matures, the whole of Britain will benefit from it, and it will only be a matter of time before the Treasury pays for itself. ”

When Arthur heard this, he looked up again and saw Henry Goulburn's expression of wanting to say and finally smiling.

Arthur understood, of course, that Gulburn's treasury wanted not to win in the future, but to win in the present. If the scientists of the Royal Society could express their support for the Tories, it would certainly help to maintain Wellington's cabinet.

Arthur saw that Goulburn was not able to speak, so he knocked on Faraday's side and said, "I think the Treasury is investing in you more than investing in electromagnetism." The money is given to your project, which may be more important than anything else. ”

When Gurburn heard this, he smiled and agreed: "That's right, Mr. Faraday, the Ministry of Finance trusts your good scientific research reputation more than the project. Of course, this also includes the recognition of Mr. Hastings, the best electromagnetist in Great Britain after you. Investing in your electromagnetics project is more reassuring than investing in Mr. Babbage's Difference Machine......"

As soon as Goulburn said this, he hurriedly stopped his mouth, and then he seemed to remember something, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was still in the mood to chat, suddenly opened his mouth to ask Faraday to leave: "That, Mr. Faraday, I still have official business today, so I won't accompany you much, I wish you a good afternoon." ”

With that, Gulburn limped out of the laboratory with his cane, and looking at the way he walked, it seemed that he had just fallen lightly.

After watching him walk away, Arthur asked Faraday, "What is Babbage's difference machine?" ”

Faraday, who was the head of the Royal Society's laboratory, actually showed a headache like Gulburn when he heard this.

"It's a steam-powered computer. I've seen Mr. Babbage's design, and I have to say that the structure of that thing is far more complex than a locomotive. If he really made it, it would probably be a behemoth that could only fit in several rooms.

So, Arthur, you see, the more this kind of thing burns money. The Duke of Wellington was once very optimistic about this thing, and he thought that if the difference machine was built, it would greatly improve the computing power of the battlefield staff. Therefore, the Treasury has previously approved a special research fund of up to 10,000 pounds for the production of the differential machine.

But, judging by Mr. Babbage's reaction, the £10,000 may be just a drop in the bucket. He told me that he would probably have to use more than 20,000 parts up and down the differential machine. 10,000 pounds of money may not even cover his money for custom-made parts.

So at the first opportunity, Mr. Babbage went to the Treasury to ask for additional investment, and you can see from the expression of His Excellency Goulburn that for this kind of investment that seems to be a bottomless pit, unless the Duke of Wellington personally orders it, the Ministry of Finance should not give even a penny more. ”

When Arthur heard this, he felt a little interesting in his heart.

The computer, he knew, was certainly an epoch-making invention, and there was no objection. But steam-powered computers ......

Arthur imagined that if Mr. Babbage really got this kind of thing, could it be that in the future, he would have to put a towel around his neck, go to the boiler room naked, and run to the boiler room to play games.

What sauna themed internet café?

A combination of steampunk and cyberpunk?

Arthur had just thought of this, when Faraday suddenly asked, "Arthur, did you come to me today with any problems?" ”

"Ah...... Not really. It's just that I want to ask you today if there are some simple and easy-to-understand experiments here, preferably the kind that can be used to popularize science at banquets. ”

"Banquet?" When Faraday heard this word, he immediately understood: "The Blue Sox Club has invited you?" ”

Arthur nodded, and recounted the cause and effect of Codrington's invitation to him.

After hearing this, Faraday just shook his head helplessly: "Actually, I don't have any prejudice against the Blue Sox Club. If it can be found in its original intention, I will certainly be willing to explain the scientific principles to the ladies and ladies there.

After all, the Blue Sox Society was one of the first upper-class groups to embrace us poor scientists.

Speaking of its name, you may not know it, but the reason why it is called the 'Blue Sox Society' is because the first scholar it invited to give a lecture in the past, Benjamin Stilling, lived in poverty and could not afford the black and white stockings that the upper class often wore at banquets, so he could only wear a pair of blue socks to the meeting.

But those ladies don't care about that, and now ...... Well...... With all due respect, Arthur, the Blue Sox Club is now almost indistinguishable from the average social group.

However, this is also normal, just like chemicals, as long as anything is exposed to air, most of it has to be air-dried and oxidized.

So, instead of wasting energy on them, you might as well work on a few more cases, or come and work with me on something in the field of electromagnetism. ”

When Arthur heard this, he probably understood what was going on.

No wonder General Codrington was struck at the mention of Faraday's name, and it seemed that he must have invited Faraday on behalf of his wife, but what happened at the banquet disappointed the British star of science.

Faraday didn't want to talk about it, and Arthur didn't want to force it.

He shifted the conversation to Charles Wheatstone, whom he had met at the entrance of the academy earlier.

"By the way, Mr. Faraday, can you arrange for me to meet with Mr. Wheatstone? I'm a little interested in that mantra of his. ”

Faraday couldn't help but be surprised: "Have you recently started working on acoustics again?" Even Wheatstone himself is moving in the direction of electromagnetism, how did you choose to jump out of electromagnetism? ”

Arthur replied with a smile: "It's not a jump, it's just a little personal interest." But as you describe, I love acoustics, and Mr. Wheatstone wants to turn to electromagnetism, so maybe we will have a lot of common language. ”

Faraday smiled and shook his head: "That's it, let's see it." I remember the last time he told me that he wanted to meet you too. But for all the time, you have to be careful, don't let him run away. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to explain this to the Duke of Sussex. ”

(End of chapter)