African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 148: Chapter 138 New Product

July 12, 1868.

The Berlin Power Company showcased its latest research achievement to the world.

Due to prior publicity in the newspapers, this experiment attracted many visitors.

The experiment was conducted in Berlin, and many dignitaries joined in the excitement.

Because before this experiment began, the Berlin Power Company advertised in the newspapers that this invention was not inferior to the electric lamp.

The weather was clear that day.

In the city center of Berlin, a temporary venue was set up by the Berlin Power Company, reserving places for Berlin’s dignitaries and journalists from various newspapers.

In the morning, ten o’clock.

The place was bustling with many Berlin citizens joining the excitement.

The staff removed the curtain covering the experimental equipment.

Two semi-open pavilions, separated by a hundred meters, appeared before the people.

”Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the product launch of our latest offering from the Berlin Power Company. This time we will surely bring everyone another shock. The Berlin Power Company was established in...”

The host, holding a megaphone, introduced the excellent history of the Berlin Power Company and its business scope.

”As everyone knows, technology is advancing daily, and Berlin and Germany are the centers of this civilization. Therefore, this experiment will announce that Germans are once again at the forefront of the world...”

Seeing the audience below starting to get a bit impatient, the host quickly cut off the topic, refocusing attention on the experimental activities.

”Next, we invite the staff to unveil the red cloth. We are about to witness history.”

The staff on either side of the pavilion pulled back the cloth on the table, revealing a set of strangely shaped equipment before everyone.

”Can anyone guess what this is?” the host asked the audience on-site.

A pre-arranged plant in the crowd shouted, ”This thing seems to have nothing to do with our life. Who can tell from the appearance what it can do? Isn’t this an electric toy!”

The dialogue between the two indeed made the audience curious about what these two strange-looking things could do.

”Since everyone is curious about what this thing is used for, let me first reveal it to you. This machine’s name is ’telephone.’ Can you guess its function from this name?” the host asked the audience.

”Telefon, voice from afar? (The English etymology comes from Greek, here it is in German),” shouted the arranged plant in the crowd.

”Sir, you can actually guess the meaning of this word. It’s remarkable, indeed derived from ancient Greek,” the host performed impromptu with the plant.

If pursued deeply, the exchange wouldn’t hold up to scrutiny, but it’s a product launch, and no one cares about these minor details. A company can call it whatever they like.

”This thing’s function is quite similar to a telegraph, but the difference is that a telegraph can only send telegrams, while a telephone can be used for long-distance calls,” the host revealed the mystery.

The scene was in an uproar!

”Are you saying that this thing is for conversation?” someone asked skeptically.

”Ladies and gentlemen, a telephone uses lines to transmit a person’s voice to distant places, so naturally, it can be used for mutual communication. If anyone doesn’t believe it, we can demonstrate it live. Is there anyone on-site willing to try it out personally?”

Someone in the audience raised their hand.

”You, sir! How should I address you?”

”I am Baron Akela from Saxony.”

”Baron, would you like to personally try this experiment?”

”Of course,” Baron Akela said gracefully.

”This way, please, sir!” The staff escorted Baron Akela to the telephone booth,

”This is the receiver, put it to your ear, and below is the transmitter. Once we power it on, you can say something into the transmitter, and our staff over there will record what you say.” The staff handed the receiver and transmitter to Baron Akela.

Subsequently, the staff connected the telephone to the line, and as the switch was pressed, the staff said to Baron Akela, ”Baron, you may begin.”

Baron Akela thought for a moment and uttered a series of numbers: ”18450214.”

The staff at the distant telephone booth, upon hearing the numbers spoken by Baron Akela, wrote them down on a drawing board and then displayed it to everyone.

”Baron Akela, is this what you said?” the host asked beside him.

”Indeed, but I’m still not convinced. Can you have the person over there send this sentence back to me through this machine so that I can believe it?” Akela said.

”Baron, please hold the receiver!” the staff said to Baron Akela.

Akela complied.

The staff ran to the opposite telephone booth, picked up the transmitter, and replied to Baron Akela, ”Hello, Baron, 18450214, can you hear my voice?”

”Of course, this is truly incredible!” Baron Akela was completely amazed.

Seeing the astonished expression on Baron Akela’s face, everyone else wanted to try it too.

”Gentlemen, feel free to come over and try this groundbreaking invention,” the host respectfully said to the dignitaries and journalists in the audience.

The dignitaries were the future clients of the Berlin Power Company, while the journalists were responsible for publicizing the advent of the ”telephone.”

Like the electric lamp, in this era, only the wealthy could afford such a luxury as a telephone.

Of course, electric lamps are much cheaper now. Although civilians cannot afford them, some municipalities in big cities still have the capability to procure them.

The dignitaries and journalists who came to the scene were very interested in trying out this new thing called a telephone.

Of course, the dignitaries, compared to ordinary people, had already seen it a few days earlier.

The Prussian and Austrian courts have already started installing the relevant systems.

Especially William I, recognized its strategic value at first sight and planned to promote it within the Prussian army.

The telegraph has similar functions, but it requires professional operation, whereas the telephone can allow generals to dictate orders once connected.

Speaking of the invention of the telephone, Ernst took a shortcut; Antonio Meucci is the actual inventor of the telephone.

Antonio Meucci was an Italian-American. From 1850 to 1862, while living in the United States, Antonio Meucci created several different forms of sound transmission devices, called ”long-distance talking tubes.” However, Meucci could not afford the 250 US Dollar patent application fee and could not obtain the patent rights for the telephone.

Americans apparently did not realize the importance and value of the telephone. Antonio Meucci had already published his invention in Italian newspapers in the United States, but evidently no one cared, resulting in no company buying his patent.

Ernst, based on information from Italian newspapers from a previous world, sent people to the United States to find Antonio Meucci. The result was clear: the readership of Italian newspapers was small, and Antonio Meucci was only somewhat famous within the Italian community.

Therefore, they quickly found Antonio Meucci, and the Heixinggen consortium’s staff bought the telephone patent from him.

Unlike Antonio Meucci’s publication of his results with the telephone, the Berlin Power Company, due to its significant influence with electric lamps in Europe, attracted the entire society’s attention with the new product launch.

Unfortunately, after receiving the money, Antonio Meucci declined the Berlin Power Company’s invitation and planned to return to Italy with his wife to live a pastoral life instead.

Over the years, Antonio Meucci had been exhausted, and his family’s life had been financially strained due to his inventions. To compensate his wife, Antonio Meucci decided to return to Italy and the countryside, retiring from further inventions.