Chapter 278: Charles's "Toys"
As Gallieni struggled against parliamentary demands in the Assembly, Charles was meeting with Wells in a conference room at the Ritz Hotel. This was their first face-to-face encounter.
Wells, visibly preoccupied, studied the young man across from him. At first glance, Charles looked like any other boy, his face still showing a hint of youthfulness. If Wells hadn't known that this was the young man all of France was talking about, he might have dismissed him as unremarkable.
"It's an honor to meet you, Colonel!" Wells extended his hand politely. Glancing at his son Tijani beside him, he added, "Allow me to express my gratitude—you saved Tijani's life…"
"No need, sir," Charles interrupted. "As a soldier, that's my duty."
To Charles, such matters weren't personal. Soldiers fought for their country, and saving comrades had little to do with personal relationships. If anything, it was an obligation he saw as owed to France itself.
Wells nodded, adding, "Your ideas on torpedoes have been very constructive. We're currently exploring more powerful explosives than TNT to reduce the size of warheads as you suggested…"
It seemed Wells was merely repeating information Charles had relayed through Tijani. But Charles understood that this was Wells's way of probing him, testing to see if his reputation held any truth.
"Hexanitrodiphenylamine," Charles said suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere.
"What?" Wells blinked.
Tijani looked equally puzzled. "Hexanitrodiphenylamine? What on earth is that?"
"It's a more powerful explosive," Charles explained calmly. "Sixty percent TNT combined with forty percent hexanitrodiphenylamine would increase the explosive yield by about seven percent over pure TNT."
Wells's eyes widened as he stammered, "That…that can actually increase the yield by seven percent?"
Though seven percent wasn't massive, it represented a significant breakthrough and a crucial step toward extending torpedo range.
"How do you know this, Colonel? And with such precise proportions?" Tijani asked, astonished. "Have you been researching this as well?"
"You guessed right, General," Charles replied smoothly. "I've set up a research team for this, and we're making great progress."
This was, in fact, a lie—he had no such research team. Charles wanted Wells to believe he was spearheading torpedo development, forcing him to choose between siding with Charles or supporting Schneider.
Wells, a veteran of the business world, understood Charles's intent immediately. After a brief pause, he smiled warmly, signaling his decision. "With a team led by you, Colonel, I have no concerns whatsoever!"
Charles smiled back, recognizing this as a sign of support. Tijani, however, looked slightly bewildered, feeling as though he understood, but perhaps not entirely.
Charles then took two diagrams from his briefcase, handing them to Wells. "Sir, I'd like you to build these two types of boats for me."
Wells glanced at the papers, puzzled. Both designs were for vessels he'd never seen before, their shapes peculiar. One had a large, open midsection and a sharply raised bow that reminded him of a clown's boot. The other, though technically a boat, looked oddly like an automobile.
"What exactly are these?" Wells asked, wondering if Charles intended to sail these strange boats up and down the Seine for amusement. The timing was right, given the river's flooding, and the odd design would certainly turn heads.
Tijani leaned over for a closer look, then gasped with realization. "Colonel, are you…planning to use these boats for the Dardanelles landing operations?"
With Tijani's insight, Wells suddenly understood—these were military vessels, designed for amphibious assault!
Charles nodded slightly. If he was asking Wells to build these, he had to be clear about their purpose and requirements.
"Yes," Charles explained. "As I understand it, our soldiers are still using wooden boats for landing operations. They're slow, vulnerable, and easy targets for the enemy."
Tijani, both surprised and thrilled, eagerly studied the diagrams again. "With these boats, landings would be so much faster. How did you think of this, Colonel? They're brilliant!"
Gesturing to the first diagram, he continued, "This one can carry a large number of soldiers to shore quickly. The armored front plate would shield them, and once the boat hits the beach, it lowers to form a ramp for the soldiers to storm ashore."
(Above: The U.S. LCVP landing craft)
Then, looking at the second design, he added, "And this one—it can travel on both water and land, delivering supplies directly to the troops onshore!"
(Above: The "DUKW" amphibious landing craft)
Charles nodded, pleased to see that Tijani understood the value of these designs at a glance.
Watching his son's reaction, Wells finally grasped the potential of what he'd initially thought were mere "toys" for Charles. He looked back at the diagrams and realized these vessels could redefine amphibious warfare.
"Will building these boats be difficult?" Charles asked.
"No, not at all," Wells replied confidently after another look. "In fact, they're fairly simple to construct."
Indeed, the first boat was essentially an engine mounted on a hull. The second, while a bit more complex, only required switching the engine's output between propeller and wheels—nothing beyond existing technology.
"How many of each will you need?" Wells asked.
"Twenty of each," Charles answered. "I'll need them ready in two weeks."
"No problem!" Wells agreed enthusiastically. For his shipyard, this would be a small task.
Charles added, "I want to emphasize the need for secrecy, sir, due to the element of surprise on the battlefield."
"Understood!" Wells replied assuredly. "The workers involved will be isolated in the shipyard until these vessels appear on the battlefield."
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