On the first day of the new year, Arthur began his morning with a light workout, mindful of the cold weather. After finishing his routine, he returned to his room, took a quick shower, and had breakfast. Once refreshed, he sat at his desk and began working on his plans to modernize the military.
Arthur started by examining the current state of firearms in this world. While rudimentary firearms existed, they were unreliable and had not been widely adopted. Determined to change this, he decided to design a weapon that matched the late 19th-century level of technology. After evaluating several alternatives, Arthur settled on a design inspired by the Lee-Enfield rifle.
Although manufacturing the rifle itself would not be overly complicated, the real challenge lay in producing reliable ammunition—specifically, the smokeless powder needed to make the cartridges effective. Fortunately, Arthur had anticipated this issue. By providing significant funding to researchers at his university and occasionally guiding them with knowledge from his memories, he had successfully enabled the production of smokeless powder.
Building upon the success of the Lee-Enfield, Arthur also designed a water-cooled Maxim machine gun for use by infantry units. This revolutionary weapon was capable of sustained automatic fire, with its water-cooling system preventing the barrel from overheating during prolonged use. Arthur made sure to design the necessary machinery to mass-produce the gun and its ammunition, ensuring its widespread availability to the army.
In addition to designing firearms, Arthur turned his attention to artillery and developed a 75mm field gun based on the French Model 1897. This cannon featured a hydraulic recoil mechanism, which eliminated the need to re-aim the gun after each shot. As soon as the barrel returned to its resting position, soldiers could reload and fire again, significantly increasing the weapon's rate of fire.
With a range of approximately 8,500 meters, the cannon was designed to fire two types of ammunition: shrapnel rounds and high-explosive shells. To improve its mobility and reduce logistical costs, Arthur designed the cannon as a modular system. This meant that the gun could be disassembled for transport and then reassembled on the battlefield. This modular design also made it easier to replace damaged parts, reducing overall maintenance costs and keeping the weapon operational for longer periods.
For the navy, Arthur envisioned a steam-powered battleship made entirely of steel. The ship would feature a main armament of four 12-inch (305mm) guns, complemented by secondary batteries of various calibers. To enhance its defensive capabilities, Arthur also designed a machine gun specifically for this battleship.
After finalizing his plans, Arthur left the palace to meet with William. As he passed through the city, he noticed families enjoying the New Year together. He smiled faintly, knowing that William, much like himself, was unlikely to take a day off, even on the first day of the year.
When Arthur arrived at the industrial district, he headed to the steam engine manufacturing factory where William's office was located. At the entrance, he encountered William, who greeted him with a mix of surprise and amusement.
"Your Highness, what brings you here on the first day of the new year?" William asked.
Arthur, confirming his suspicion that William had not taken the day off, replied, "I have some designs I need you to start working on."
Hearing this, William's face lit up like a child receiving a long-awaited gift. He smiled broadly and invited Arthur into his office. Once inside, Arthur placed his plans on William's desk. While William began examining them, Arthur explained the details.
"First," Arthur began, "I want you to manufacture a firearm I've named a rifle. It will have a capacity of ten rounds and a rifled barrel, which might pose a challenge for you. Beyond the rifle, we'll need separate factories to produce ammunition and smokeless powder. Chemists at the university have already developed a formula for smokeless powder, so you can collaborate with them on setting up the powder factory. I'll provide them with the necessary instructions."
Arthur paused briefly, letting William take notes, and continued. "Next, I need a 75mm field gun to be manufactured. It must be designed with interchangeable parts so that damaged components can be replaced without needing to replace the entire weapon. This modular design will improve the gun's mobility and reduce maintenance costs on the battlefield."
Arthur then added, "Finally, I want you to produce a water-cooled, rapid-firing machine gun. This weapon will require yet another factory to be built."
Arthur waited patiently as William studied the designs and formulated his questions. After answering all of William's inquiries, Arthur moved on to the topic of naval production.
"For the battleships," Arthur said, "we'll first need to build a shipyard capable of handling such a large-scale project. Once the shipyard is complete, we'll construct a prototype based on these plans. Depending on its performance, we'll make improvements and adjustments. After that, we'll expand the shipyard to handle the production of eight to ten ships per year."
William examined the ship designs closely and finally said, "Building this ship will be extremely challenging, but I think I can produce the first prototype within six months."
Arthur smiled at William's confidence. They spent the rest of the evening discussing additional details before Arthur eventually made his way back to the palace.
Upon returning, Arthur changed out of his work clothes and sat down by the fireplace. As he sipped his wine, a whimsical thought crossed his mind: I wish I were drinking hot chocolate instead. He chuckled softly to himself, thinking, Perhaps next year, I'll be able to enjoy some.
Arthur sat for a while longer, letting his thoughts wander as the warmth of the fire comforted him. Eventually, fatigue overtook him, and he rose to change into more comfortable clothes before heading to bed.