Wearing British clothes as a second-generation aristocrat

86. Hand the cash to Mr. Fulton.

Old Watt and his son, along with Matthew, were immediately extremely embarrassed.

However, old Watt was a man of many experiences, and he immediately put on a smiling face.

"Hearing a hundred rumors is not as good as seeing it for yourself," old Watt said, bowing his head. "Please forgive us for being deceived by rumors."

Watt Jr. and Matthew followed suit, apologizing, "We're sorry."

Although Watt was very famous in the mechanical field, Dugan was, after all, a young master from a noble family and a legion commander. The old Watt father and son wouldn't be so foolish as to argue with Dugan over a single sentence.

Dugan didn't care about these things at this point; a few verbal misunderstandings were not worth mentioning.

Dugan said, "I'm going to Bakershill to take up my new post in two days, so I hope to finalize the initial plan today."

Old Watt pointed to Fulton's steamship blueprints on the table and said, "Mr. Fulton's ship can be solved simply by completely removing the old Newcomen single-acting steam engine and replacing it with my improved new double-acting condensing steam engine, while also fine-tuning the hull's counterweight."

Dugan asked, "How much will it cost, and how long will it take?"

Watt Jr. said, "The entire process, from modification and equipment customization to installation, commissioning, and sea trials, will take at least three months. The total cost of all materials, labor, and expenses will be at least £100."

Old Watt had actually retired in 1800 and now only handled technical matters.

The Soho steam engine manufacturing plant was actually operated by Watt Jr. and Matthew.

Dugan turned to look at Fulton, who nodded.

Without hesitation, Dugan turned to Aldo beside him and said, "Give the cash to Mr. Fulton."

"Yes, sir." Aldo handed Fulton a thick wad of banknotes.

"Here are two hundred pounds," Dugan said calmly. "One hundred pounds will be used for Mr. Watt's renovation expenses, and the remaining one hundred pounds will be reserved as reserve funds for subsequent experiments, consumables, and labor, to be used by Mr. Fulton."

"Mr. Dugan..." Fulton's face turned red again from excitement.

Previously, Fulton had been turned away by dozens of powerful figures and heard countless taunts, but this time Dugan directly entrusted him with the money to manage—that's a huge level of trust.

In Europe during this era, contracts were generally highly valued.

Especially for large grants like this involving hundreds of pounds, a contract is mandatory.

Old Watt felt this most deeply.

Old Watt signed a contract with his first partner in 1769, also known as the Roebuck Contract of 1769.

The contract stipulated that Roebuck would repay £1000 of Watt's debt and provide research and development funds, and Roebuck would receive two-thirds of the profits from the steam engine.

Later, Watt's second partner, Bolton, bought the contract for £1200 and continued to fund Watt.

In the Bolton Contract signed in 1775, Bolton and Watt agreed to split the factory's profits 2:1, with Bolton bearing all the risk of failure.

To support research and development, Bolton exhausted his resources and was on the verge of bankruptcy.

He borrowed money from all sides like a gambler, and made a final gamble: the universal steam engine was finally born, which could be used in machines in different industries, and was patented in 1784, which made Watt and Boulton extremely wealthy.

Therefore, in Watt's view, business cooperation without a contract is just empty talk and is very likely to breed disputes, breaches of contract and fraud.

But today, Dugan simply handed over £200 in cash to Fulton without even signing a contract.

In Watt's opinion, Dugan was either stupid or just plain stupid.

Watt Jr. and Matthew were also dumbfounded and incredulous.

Two hundred pounds is a considerable sum for an ordinary nobleman, and Dugan gave it to him without hesitation.

Fulton was not good with words, and at this moment, he blushed for the third time.

"Mr. Dugan, I will certainly not let you down. I will draft a contract as soon as possible, and I will personally deliver it to Bakershill."

"Alright, I'll be waiting for you in Bexhill." Dugan waved casually.

Old Watt secretly envied Fulton, wondering why he couldn't find such a wealthy patron.

After finishing up Fulton's business, Dugan prepared to go home. As soon as he arrived home, the doorman told Dugan...

"Young Master, your friends, Young Master Glass and Young Master Ken, have arrived. They've been waiting for you all afternoon."

"What are these two guys doing here?" Dugan asked, quite surprised.

In the living room of the Connaught family, Gris was dressed in a well-tailored riding outfit, while the chubby Ken was nestled in a soft leather armchair. Half a bottle of aged brandy and some delicate snacks were already laid out on the table.

Upon seeing Dugen enter, the two immediately stood up to greet him.

"You're finally back." Gris handed Dugan a glass of brandy first, then smiled and said, "We've come here specifically to discuss joining the army with you."

"puff……"

Dugan spat out a mouthful of wine.

"Joining the army? You guys?"

Gris said with a serious expression, "The army major rank that your family sold before is vacant. You can just resell it to me. Ken has also asked someone to buy a major of the same rank. We've discussed it and agreed that once we get the commission, we'll go to Bexhill with you."

"Are you serious?" Dugan turned sideways and glanced at Gris and Ken.

“Yes, we’re serious,” Ken said. “Nina and Scarlett say they like men in military uniforms now. Several other women say the same thing.”

"Fuck... damn fatso..." Dugan cursed inwardly, knowing full well what they were thinking.

At that time, the British Army implemented the Officers Purchase Act for officer appointments. Within the infantry and cavalry system, the ranks of second lieutenant, first lieutenant, captain, and up to major were all protected by law and allowed to be bought and sold openly and legally. This was a recognized standard practice among the upper class. This system of purchasing officers was not completely abolished until the British Army was reorganized in 1871.

The British War Office maintains an official rank pricing catalog, with each rank having a clearly stated official price. When vacancies arise due to officers retiring or dying in action, priority is given to the sons of nobles and wealthy merchants who queue up to purchase the rank.

In the British Army in 1804, military positions purchased with money could be legally resold (a practice known as "selling out").

Now that Dugan has been promoted to brigadier general, the major position he previously acquired is now available for sale.

However, resale is subject to strict official regulations, including restrictions on price, priority purchase rights, and years of service, and is not applicable to all branches of the military.

The Royal Navy completely prohibits the buying and selling of military ranks, and naval officers can only be promoted step by step based on their sea service experience and combat merits.

The ranks of brigadier general and above in the army are controlled by the royal family and the army command. It is strictly forbidden to purchase them with funds. They can only be promoted based on military merit and seniority.

Gris poured Dugan another half glass of brandy: "Just sell me your major position."

Ken rubbed his large belly and added, "My family has already made arrangements, and all the procedures should be completed within two weeks at most."

"..." Dugan was speechless, but then he thought about it and realized that the Gris family's connections in the Ordnance Department, which is the military logistics system, were unfathomable.

Previously, when he encountered trouble in India, he used the connections of the Gris family.

As for Ken, although the Rivers family's connections and relationships are mainly with the Navy, who would dare not give the Rivers family face?

But now that these two clowns have joined the army, especially since they're under my command, how can I possibly have any peace of mind?