Chapter 252: Madrid City That Never Sleeps

The relationships between European countries are quite complex, which is well demonstrated in the Three Emperors’ Alliance. Although Germany did not favor the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the peace negotiations, that self-proclaimed impartial neutral attitude also annoyed Russia.

The Russo-Turkish War, which Russia won at great cost, ended up benefiting the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the British Empire instead. This made Tsar Alexander II harbor resentment toward Germany, and German-Russian relations deteriorated as a result.

For Germany, how relations with Russia would progress became an extremely difficult choice.

German Chancellor Bismarck secretly prepared an alliance with the Austro-Hungarian Empire on one hand to guard against the possibility of Russia allying with France, while on the other hand seeking to repair relations with Russia and continue maintaining his policy of isolating France.

Amid this seemingly contradictory diplomatic stance, the German-Austrian Alliance was successfully signed, but not publicly. This alliance treaty was more like a private agreement between Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with both sides jointly guarding against the possibility of Russia switching sides.

In this alliance treaty, Germany and Austria-Hungary agreed that if either side was attacked by Russia, the other would provide aid with all its troops and not seek a separate peace.

If one side was attacked by other European countries that were not Russia, the other side would adopt benevolent neutrality. If the attacking country received support from Russia, the other side should join the war in accordance with the treaty.

This military treaty specifically designed to guard against Russia gave the Austro-Hungarian Empire a sigh of relief, while also formally bringing Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire closer together.

The German side also began to value this ally, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At least compared to the greater threat of Russia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s stance toward Germany was more steadfast and an ally that Germany could more easily control.

Although Russia’s strength was powerful, this ally Russia could also easily backfire on Germany. A German-Austrian Alliance treaty led by Germany was clearly more reassuring to Germany than the Three Emperors’ Alliance where each had their own agenda.

Thanks to the intelligence brought by the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau, Carlo naturally also learned of the secret meeting between the diplomatic representatives of Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

From the course of history, Germany ultimately chose the Austro-Hungarian Empire, while Russia joined with France, giving birth to the two most powerful military blocs in Europe to date: the German-Austrian Alliance and the Franco-Russian Alliance.

The current evolution of the European situation already showed this trend, though the situation was not yet so clear-cut. Carlo was also considering, when the two major military blocs evolved into their final forms—the Anglo-French-Russian Alliance group confronting the German-Austro-Italian Alliance group—which side Spain should choose?

Carlo currently had no clear answer. Perhaps only when that moment truly arrived would Carlo know which side Spain should choose.

For now, Carlo’s most important task was to help Spain establish more advantages in the Second Industrial Revolution and minimize the gap with other European countries as much as possible.

Although the two major military blocs each had three great powers, their actual comprehensive strengths were not proportional. The three great powers of the Anglo-French-Russian Alliance were all hegemon-level powers, with the only slightly weaker one being Russia, plagued by domestic issues.

But even such a Russia still had comprehensive strength surpassing the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

On the German-Austro-Italian Alliance side, only Germany could truly match the three Anglo-French-Russian countries, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was one level weaker, and Italy another level weaker.

Moreover, Italy was not a steadfast ally at all and instead sided with the Anglo-French-Russian side once the war broke out.

This also led to the World War I situation actually being Germany and Austria-Hungary facing off against all of Europe alone. In the mid-to-late stages of the war, it had evolved into Germany alone facing all of Europe.

Spain at least needed to grow into a great power on the level of France and Russia to have any hope of changing the World War I situation on its own.

At that time, whether joining the Anglo-French-Russian side or the German-Austrian Alliance side, Spain would have options and could guarantee its own ultimate victory.

As time reached September 1879, Carlo also welcomed two pieces of good news.

The first good news was that, with Tesla’s help, Gramme’s Electricity Laboratory had successfully developed a generator with much greater power capacity.

The generator Gramme mainly researched was the ring armature engine, driven by hydroelectric power, with a maximum power capacity of 5KW.

After Tesla joined the Electricity Laboratory, he proposed a completely different two-phase giant generator conception.

With the help of many scientists at the Electricity Laboratory, after more than a year, the Electricity Laboratory finally manufactured the first-generation product, which was also the world’s first high-power generator.

This high-power generator had an astonishing power generation capacity of 5KW, fully four times that of the previous generation’s power generation capacity.

This also meant that electricity now truly had hope of being put into industrial production, allowing Spain to truly usher in the Electricity Era.

Of course, there were still some problems to solve. Although the generator’s power had increased, electricity transmission remained a major trouble.

Current electricity supply for electric lamp lighting was fine, but for industrial production, at least multiple power plants would need to work together.

Unless the high loss issue during electricity transmission could be solved, the door to the electric power industry era would not open.

Although there were many limitations, the birth of the high-power generator also meant more streetlights could appear on Spain’s streets and alleys, providing more sufficient lighting for people getting off work at night.

Currently, only Spain’s two most prosperous streets had streetlight lighting. Carlo’s next plan was to have streetlight lighting on the main roads of Madrid and Barcelona, letting Spaniards feel the beauty of the Electricity Era.

According to Tesla’s report, the current high-power generator still had many problems. If these could be solved one by one, this generator’s maximum power could even hopefully reach over 50KW.

This was the so-called difficulty of starting things. Once the usage methods for electric motors and electric lamps were clear, the arrival of the Electricity Era was just a matter of time.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be long before the Electricity Laboratory could manufacture large generators with power generation capacity up to hundreds of KW. These large generators would be the hallmark of Spain’s electric power industry era arriving, because only larger generators could drive larger electric motors, thereby boosting Spain’s industrial production.

The birth of the high-power generator also marked a decline in power generation cost. As streetlights began appearing on Spain’s streets and alleys, electricity would certainly be emulated by other countries, drawing more people into the electricity industry and promoting the global spread of the electric power industry.

Carlo had a bold conception: before this year’s Christmas, install streetlights on all of Madrid’s streets and alleys, lighting up the entire Madrid on Christmas night.

Doing so would be very meaningful, at least allowing for extensive propaganda, letting all Europeans understand that Spain had a nightless city, spontaneously sparking curiosity about electric lighting and about the country of Spain.

Once Spain’s image in Europeans’ minds became developed and advanced, there would naturally be a continuous stream of immigrants vying to join Spain.

Just like the United States in posterity. No matter what the domestic environment in the United States was like, for publics in other countries, the United States was propagandized as the beacon of human civilization, naturally attracting many uninformed people yearning to join this so-called world pearl.

By the time they truly arrived in the United States, it would be too late to regret. Because immigration required cost, not everyone could afford the expenses, and not all countries would accept people who wanted to return right after immigrating.

In this era without the internet, once Spain’s external image became one of civilization and advancement, it would invisibly increase immigrant attractiveness.

Even without relying on this to attract immigrants, strengthening international influence through displaying technology was feasible for Spain now.

Spain’s current situation was very awkward. In terms of strength, Spain had already returned to the ranks of great powers. In terms of international status and influence, Spain’s situation was similar to Italy’s and would not receive true attention from other countries.

Therefore, improving Spain’s international status and influence became extremely important. Enhancing military strength was one way, and displaying technology while boosting presence was another.

Electricity and electric lamps were not secrets at all; other countries were researching them too. But as long as Spain became the first to eat the crab, people using electricity would often think of Spain, the first country to apply electricity on a large scale.

The nightless city was clearly an excellent gimmick. Before electric lamps, there had never been a way to light up an entire city and maintain it for a whole night.

If Spain achieved this, it was certain that newspapers from European countries would compete to report such a scene. As long as it attracted attention from European media and curiosity from European publics, Carlo’s goal would be more than half accomplished.

To accomplish the miracle of Madrid’s nightless city, building sufficient power stations was very necessary.

According to the Electricity Laboratory’s estimates, one set of generators could light nearly 1500 small light bulbs or 700 large light bulbs. To achieve the grand goal of Madrid’s nightless city, at least 5 large power stations needed to be built around Madrid to light over 3000 large light bulbs on Christmas Eve.

These 3000 large light bulbs would cover several main roads in Madrid City Center, allowing Madrid City Center to achieve the grand goal of nightless city on Christmas Day.

The streetlights around the city center would use small light bulbs for lighting. Although the brightness wouldn’t be great, it would at least ensure no one crashed into walls in the night.

The photographs in the newspapers would only publish the bright scenes of the city center; the dim areas outside the city center would not be mentioned by newspapers.

At this time, there were only three months until Christmas. To build five large power plants and install over 3000 streetlights in Madrid within these three months was still quite challenging.

More importantly, the electric company also had to install wires for these 3000 streetlights, ensuring they could all light up normally on Christmas night.

Carlo even personally guaranteed Gramme and Tesla that as long as the grand goal of Madrid’s nightless city could be achieved, the research budget for the Electricity Laboratory next year would double directly, and Carlo would hire more electricity experts from Europe to join the Electricity Laboratory in Spain.

The benefit of the research budget doubling directly determined Tesla and Gramme to complete this goal at all costs.

To fill the Electricity Laboratory researchers with enthusiasm, Carlo even stated that as long as the plan was successfully completed, all personnel in the Electricity Laboratory would receive a bonus.

Carlo’s generosity toward researchers was well-known, which also made those ordinary scientific researchers look forward to it. They were full of motivation in their work, not only for the rewards promised by Carlo but also to achieve the unparalleled feat of the nightless city and personally create a great electricity milestone.

Under the premise that everyone was full of vigor, no problem was unsolvable.

And facts proved it so. One week before Christmas, the Electricity Laboratory had already completed the laying of all streetlights and the construction of the power plants, and had tested the lines to confirm no issues with the connections.

Now they just awaited Christmas’s arrival, awaited Madrid becoming a hot topic among European publics, awaited Spain becoming the symbol of advancement and development in European publics’ minds.

On December 25, 1879, with the arrival of Christmas night, the streetlights in Madrid City Center were also successfully lit.

Madrid’s citizens also poured onto the streets one after another, their eyes full of excitement and agitation, looking at the Madrid City Center bright as daylight, Spaniards’ eyes full of excited tears.

“Father, what is this? Why does it glow?” Under a streetlight in Madrid City Center, a little boy who looked only a few years old asked his father very curiously.

The streetlight in front of him was so bright, a brightness never seen before, just like the sun in daytime.

Hearing his son’s question, Francesco reluctantly shifted his gaze from the streetlight, smiling as he introduced to his son: “The newspaper says this is a streetlight, it’s the thing that provides us with lighting.

We are the first country to adopt streetlight lighting on a large scale, and Madrid is also the first city to achieve brightness as in daytime at night. And all this was brought by our great His Majesty the King. Now Spain is the most powerful country in the world!”

As early as the day before Christmas, the Spanish Government had publicly announced the Nightless City Plan. This one sentence caused a sensation among all Spaniards, with many Spaniards even deciding not to celebrate Christmas and going to Madrid in person to see the so-called nightless city.

Francesco’s family was just like that. They lived in Toledo to the south and skipped Christmas altogether to come straight to Madrid.

And the facts were just as they had hoped: at this moment, Madrid was bright as daylight. This light was not emitted by the streetlights but bloomed in the hearts of the teary-eyed Spaniards under the streetlights.

The facts proved how much Spaniards loved their country. When Spain showcased its strength with the nightless city, Spaniards all had tears in their eyes, venting their emotions and celebrating the country’s power in various ways.

Tonight’s Madrid was a nightless city, and for all Spaniards in Madrid tonight, it was another sleepless night.

That a nightless city kept many Madrid citizens awake all night was something Carlo had completely not anticipated.

But this also proved that the effect of the Nightless City Plan was indeed good, and the next day’s news from various countries confirmed this once again.

First, Spain’s major newspaper offices proudly reported the success of Madrid’s nightless city and proudly announced that Madrid was the first nightless city in human history, with Spain declaring its power and return in this way.

Photographs of the rows of streetlights in Madrid City Center bright as daylight were reprinted by newspaper offices in other European countries, and their news also reported Spain’s Madrid nightless city.

Because Europe was at peace, this once-in-a-century news immediately became front-page headlines in various countries, sparking discussions among many European publics.

Of course, while these European publics envied Spain for having a nightless city, they also began condemning their own national governments.

Especially for European great powers like Britain and France, the British and French condemned their own governments even more fiercely.

In the eyes of the British, the British Empire was the most powerful country in the world, and London was the world’s beacon.

How could London not have achieved the grand goal of nightless city, while Madrid, such a small city, had?

In the past, Londoners saw Spain as a remote backward countryside, but now this remote backward region had become a developed modern city, while London was inferior.

This was absolutely unacceptable to the British. The British could be proud for their country’s power, and of course angry that their country lagged behind.

On the second day of Christmas, as newspaper offices in various countries reprinted the news of Madrid’s nightless city, London citizens also poured onto the streets, protesting the government’s inaction and demanding that London also install streetlights to turn London into a nightless city.

Parisian Citizens protesting the government like the London citizens also included them. The Parisians’ struggle was even more intense, and the French Government did not dare underestimate the opinions of Parisian Citizens at all.

This was no joke; Parisian Citizens really dared to overthrow the government. The British Cabinet could turn a blind eye to the London citizens’ parade, but if the French Government handled public protests like the British Cabinet, the French Government’s lifespan would probably come to an abrupt end.

Public opinion could not be defied, but achieving a nightless city was a heavy burden that Britain and France could not bear.

Thanks to the power of Britain and France, London and Paris also had extremely large populations. This also meant that to achieve the nightless city goal, London and Paris would need to power more streetlights than Madrid and build more power stations than Madrid.

Looking at the publics’ angry emotions, these constructions still had to be completed in a short time to appease the publics’ anger.

What a huge expenditure that would be? The two governments didn’t even dare calculate it. If they really did a nightless city like Spain, and just to light one city, what about their other developments?

Moreover, even if they were willing to emulate Spain and do a nightless city, did their electricity development have such capability?

They not only needed high-power generators but also stable lighting light bulbs. Under the premise of having both, they still had to save costs as much as possible and reduce expenditures, which instantly gave the two governments headaches and led them to complain why Spain had to do a nightless city—wasn’t this putting their two governments on the fire?

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