Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 937 Ships and Cannons, A Man's Romance

"The Western Trading Company... is like an autonomous organization like the East India Company? In my time, the East India Company had a private army of more than 20 people, and its annual income in India exceeded 1000 million pounds. Ships, building railways, roads and bridges in India, was one of the greatest existences of that era.” Nelson lived in the most powerful era of the East India Company and knew how terrible a company with privileges and armies could be.

The East India Company was an extremely rare form of governance that later became more of a country than a corporation.

"Of course it can't be completely like the East India Company. It will lose control. Europe has a population and the Americas have resources. If Western trading companies are allowed to have patent management rights and armies, they may be separated from our mainland. Our government must own them. Control rights - When establishing a Western trading company, you must own more than 50% of the shares, and when additional shares are issued later, the government must subscribe for more than 50% of the new shares."

"In addition to our government having to occupy more than 50% of the shares, we must also restrict other people from purchasing shares on a large scale and spread the shares as much as possible. The common people still don't understand how the company works, and the first batch of financing targets are likely to be from various places They will definitely want to profit from trade with the West," Chu Yun said.

He knew how terrible it was for a company monopolizing trade, and it might become independent, so it had to be led by the government.

"I don't know much about these, but I believe that if a western trading company is established, it should be able to raise enough funds. How many initial shares should be issued?" Nelson said.

"One million taels of silver." Chu Yun said.

"One million taels of silver?!" Nelson was shocked. The Western Trading Company had not yet been established, and Chu Yun planned to raise 100 million taels for the first fund at the beginning. Then how terrible the assets of the Western Trading Company would be in the future.

"The government subscribed for 40%, but the actual funds raised were only 60 taels. The [-] taels of silver that the government wants to distribute does not have to be paid out now. It will be made up later when there is more money in the finances. That is empty hands and white wolves... In the future, Western trade The company makes a profit, and the government can also get the most dividends from it, which is used to subsidize the finance." Chu Yun said.

"40 taels of silver is enough to build a steam iron-clad ship." Nelson thought that the Western Trading Company might be able to raise 40 taels of silver, and he was full of confidence in building a steam iron-clad ship.

According to the design of Dalian Shipbuilding No. 40, the steam ironclad ship they can build is still the first-generation design, without too complicated protective armor, [-] taels of silver is more than enough.

"It would be a mistake to think so. This steam ironclad ship may only have a maximum voyage of a few thousand nautical miles, and it will face the trouble of running out of fuel. If it wants to go to Europe, it needs to be equipped with coal carriers and supply ships. Regular inspections are required every year. There will be a major overhaul every few years... It is really a waste of money to maintain a ship, just like pouring boxes of silver into the Pacific Ocean." Chu Yun said.

"That's the way the Admiralty is..." Nelson scratched his head.

At present, most of the shipyards of the Kyushu Army produce and repair wooden galleons, and there are only two steam ironclad ships. To produce steam warships, a large number of supporting shipyards, maintenance systems, and auxiliary ships must be built. Everything is extremely expensive.

"However, steamships are the future trend, and we must try to build them. While building them, we will trade with the West to make up for our expenses through trade. Let me solve the problem of funds." Chu Yun said.

"If you're under too much pressure, you can put aside the matter of the steam warship." Nelson was worried for Chu Yun, and he didn't want his daughter's husband to have an accident.

"Building ironclad warships and larger-caliber artillery is a man's romance. Even if you are tightening your belt, you still have to build ships and guns. While the shipbuilding technology of Dalian Shipbuilding No. [-] is improving, the Ordnance Factory's research and development of Armstrong artillery is also improving. "Chu Yun mentioned the research situation of the cannon.

Sure enough, when Nelson heard about the Armstrong cannon being developed, he was very interested: "I have always heard that the ordnance factory has organized many artillery experts and ballistic research physicists to develop this new type of artillery, but it has never appeared and equipped. We At present, the muzzle-mounted smoothbore guns are the most used in the military.”

"You're right, breech-loaded rifled guns have been under development. Although the Armstrong guns under development are powerful, they are too precise, inefficient, and expensive to be mass-produced. Moreover, several Some gunners were killed in the second bombing incident, this matter is extremely confidential, and I suppressed it... Generally speaking, the current breech-loaded rifled gun technology is immature and unreliable." Chu Yun said helplessly.

It's not that he doesn't want to produce more powerful and accurate Armstrong cannons, but that the technology is immature and the cost is too high.

"Easy to blow up is a very tricky thing, and the deck may be bloody." Nelson knew how much psychological shadow a gun that was easy to blow up would bring to the gunners and sailors—a gun that no one wanted to operate by himself It may burst when used, tearing itself apart.

"In order to improve the reliability of the new artillery and reduce the cost, the development of ironwork technology and smokeless gunpowder technology is still needed. Please wait patiently. At this stage, the front-mounted smoothbore gun can already provide enough firepower." Chu Yun said.

The industrial revolution system restricted Chu Yun's development of military technology, and the required civilization points far exceeded those of other fields of technology. For advanced military technology, he could only explore by himself, so he was immature in artillery technology and could barely produce early Armstrong guns, but expensive and unreliable.

"I'm looking forward to the day when steam warships and Armstrong guns are used together! At that time, the history of the entire navy will be rewritten!" Nelson said.

"That's natural. By then, the sailing battleship will be just a pile of wood waiting to be sunk at sea!" Chu Yun said.

"What are you two talking about?" Ella came back from the outside, helpless to Chu Yun and Nelson, two men who got together to discuss battleships and cannons.

"This is a telegram from the Guangzhou City Telegraph Station. The first batch of people from the team you sent to explore Oceania when you were in Nanyang has returned. They are waiting for the placement of the military department." Ella sent a copy The obtained telegram was submitted to Chu Yun.

Oceania advance team... Chu Yun almost forgot about the small team he sent abroad.

After more than a year, this small team established a firm foothold in what was later called Melbourne, and sent back the first batch of adventurers according to the predetermined plan.

(End of this chapter)