Begum's Fortune
quentin skrabec
Jean
First, thanks for your response. I think I confused my research hypothesis of Verne’s Begum’s Fortune, which used Krupp and his steel company as a model for his fiction. I agree that the asphyxiation link lacks strong standalone support and is not a primary component of my Hypothesis anyhow. I lead with it because, along with other parts of Schultze the character, it fascinates me.
Due to the challenges in non-experimental research on Verne’s ideas, sources, and technical origins, it cannot be fully proven without consulting Verne himself. 😊 I will employ a technique developed at the university’s monthly research forum, known as A Pre-Confluence Hypothesis Outline Review. It might help other researchers in the forum too.
To Forum members
A Pre-Confluence Hypothesis Outline of research observations for your consideration
Some of the strong Evidence to support the Hypothesis ---Verne’s Begum’s Fortune used Krupp and his steel company as a model for his fiction
· Uniqueness and secrecy of Krupp cast cannon process and Verne's use of these details in the 1870s suggest some linkage far beyond random
· The precision, circular timed multi-crucible casting process patented by Krupp to produce large cannon in 1850s- Note Verne details as well in his casting of an iron cannon in From Earth to Moon (1865)
· The strong evidence of process details compared to French espionage ( and others) in the 1870s, total fit of little process design details
· Unique Stahlstadt design details compared to actual Krupp history
o Circular design of mill Krupp pioneered this circular integration – no other steel company had such circular process integration until recently
o Unique one-of-a-kind shared design details –
o Conservatory inside mill -Coal heated by underground coal mines
o Unique, one-of-a-kind coal mine/mill integration ---Krupp works and Stahlstadt were literally the steel mill built directly over the coal mine – while some steel mills are close to mines, few if any were built on top of
o Krupp’s and Schultze’s unique one-of-a-kind inside the steel mill park both have exotic plants and animals – I know of no steel mill having an exotic park inside the mill then or now
o observation tower inside both Stahlstadt and Krupp mill
o an owner’s family house inside the mill – I know of no steel mill of the 19th century having the house inside the mill
o the railroad recoil cannon system, unique to both Krupp and Schultze in 1879
o Windowless rooms with electric lighting (note1879) and thick cirucalr skylight shared by Krupp and Schultze
o The use of employee spies to find the secret of Krupp steel from France, England and others- note subplot
o Shared Counter esiposage such as
§ Triple locked doors
§ Employee oaths , locked guarded door between departments, and employee ID
§ Restricted access of employees to the overall plant layout by departments, etc.
· Use of puddling for large steel cannon production in 1879, competitors were using open hearth, direct crucible, or Bessemer
· A. Krupp was unique in using puddling, which had been used widely before after 1875, for Krupp steel because he believed puddling offered unique cannon steel properties. By 1879 major cannon makers had moved on to Bessemer or open hearth steel
· A large number of personal characteristics representing lesser strength but adding weight
· Large number of lesser strength international and French/Germany social links-NOTE NOT MY GOAL HERE – others have written on these
Should any one really want to go deeper I can make a rough copy of article available
THANKS TO ALL Quent