Late Ming Dynasty: The Counterattack Begins with Sea Pirates

In order to minimize the time required for the entire shipbuilding process, the production of dehydrated timber is crucial.

No matter how many people know how to build ships, without a sufficient amount of completely dehydrated timber, there's nothing you can do but watch helplessly.

Although it is possible to forcibly use undehydrated wood to build ships, the resulting ships will not only have a significantly reduced lifespan, but will also be less resistant to impacts.

But its mission is precisely to fight wars.

In response, both Western craftsmen and local carpenters came up with a solution—manual drying.

Under the guidance of the craftsmen, the group responsible for the construction built the kiln house with stones.

After the charcoal fire inside the kiln is lit, the wood is carefully stacked inside.

Because drying wood is an uninterrupted process, and the temperature is very important.

If the fire is too small, it will not only prolong the overall time, but more importantly, it will be ineffective. However, if the fire is too large, it may burn the wood and cause it to crack, making it unusable.

Therefore, during the manual drying process, someone must be on duty 24 hours a day to adjust the temperature by observing the conditions inside the kiln.

The kiln fire here is not an open flame, but a hearth made of bricks.

Charcoal fire provides a more lasting, stable, and easily controlled heat compared to open flame.

The kiln walls have observation holes and ventilation openings. The person guarding the kiln can put their hand into the observation hole and judge the internal temperature by feeling the hot air on their skin.

More experienced craftsmen would spit into the kiln and estimate the temperature by the "sizzling" sound and the speed of evaporation.

Temperature control is achieved by adjusting the size of the ventilation openings to regulate oxygen flow, thereby precisely controlling the fire.

The kiln roof is equipped with an openable ventilation window for dehumidification.

Hot air carrying a large amount of water vapor surges out from here, forming a white column of vapor visible to the naked eye.

When the steam column changes from thick to thin and finally disappears, it means that the free water in the wood has been basically exhausted.

During the process, the resin and tannins inside the wood will seep out to the surface when heated, forming glistening droplets and emitting a rich, burnt aroma.

Dutch artisans call it "tears".

When the moisture inside the wood is forced out and condenses on a cooler surface, it is called "sweating".

The entire process lasted for seven days, repeating itself over and over.

The wood that comes out of the kiln after seven days often has a bronze color from being baked, and its texture is more brittle and harder. When it is struck, it sounds like striking metal or stone.

But that's not all. The final step in the manual drying process is water immersion.

Although soaking in water seems contradictory to the need for dehydration, it is indeed a crucial step in the dehydration of wood.

The key ingredient is salt water.

The dried timber was then pushed into a pre-dug saltwater pond and soaked for about a month.

Because the concentration of salt water is much higher than the concentration of liquid inside wood cells, it can actually draw out some of the residual moisture deep inside the wood through osmotic pressure.

At the same time, salt can fill the tiny gaps inside the wood and effectively prevent decay and insects.

Chi Honghai had never seen this method of handling before, so he didn't quite understand it. He pressed him for an answer, asking if he was sure there wouldn't be any problems with this method.

The Dutch craftsmen explained that the wood needed to be thoroughly soaked in the saltwater in this pond before it would expand and deform again when submerged in the sea for an extended period, thus maintaining the ship's streamlined shape and tight structure. If this step was omitted before installation and launching, the ship's hull would suffer extensive damage after prolonged immersion in seawater.

While waiting for the wood to come out of the water, there may be shellfish or algae attached to the surface, which need to be scraped and cleaned.

But at that time, this piece of wood completed its true transformation from log to ship material.

Although Chi Honghai did not fully understand the manufacturing secrets, he believed the craftsmen's words without question. Every step of the process, the required personnel, and the time were strictly carried out according to the Dutch craftsmen's requirements.

During this period, Chi Honghai also emphasized again that Dutch craftsmen should teach as much as possible while working, which would make things easier for them.

In order to expedite the process, after training a certain number of people in each charcoal kiln to ensure they could operate independently without their teachers, Chi Honghai ordered the construction of new charcoal kilns to meet the needs of building a ship as quickly as possible.

In addition to keeping a close eye on the wood dehydration process, Chi Honghai also brought a group of craftsmen to the site he had already selected and began to plan and develop the new shipbuilding port.

After taking multiple measurements, Chi Honghai planted a wooden stick with a flag on it in the sand at his feet, thus confirming the final location.

He led about a hundred people, excluding the craftsmen, to move the large logs that had not yet been split from the carpenters' warehouse to the beach.

Everything is difficult at the beginning, and pile driving is no exception.

About a hundred people took turns at the designated location, working in groups of four. They tightly bound the log with hemp rope, pulled it up from four directions, like tearing a body apart, and then slammed it to the ground.

It was only after countless such impacts that a hard layer of soil appeared on the beach that the project was considered successful.

Although the process is arduous, tiring, and tedious, if you slack off, the result will be that the future shipyard, along with the ships, will be welded to the soft mud by the sea.

After the foundation was laid, the apprentices, who had already received excellent training, moved their worktables aside, picked up tools such as chisels, saws, and axes, and began to build while measuring.

In an instant, everyone on Hong Kong Island, regardless of age or gender, was focused on this major event.

Working day and night, even Chi Honghai felt it was too tiring, but the people on the island gritted their teeth, said nothing, and worked hard.

Perhaps for the people on the island, building ships is not just something the master wants to do, but something they all want to do as well.

The blood and tears shed in the last battle were already more than enough.

To avoid being covered in white cloth again, to protect the people I care about, and to live in this world like a normal person, this hardship is entirely worthwhile.

Life requires you to be strong enough to survive and live with dignity!

Chi Honghai was coordinating various affairs, and finally had a little time to catch his breath.

Exhausted, he sat down on a stool in the room, poured himself several cups of tea and drank them down in one gulp. After catching his breath, his gaze fell back on the fur trunk.

Judging by the time it took, it should have been enough for the Guangzhou Prefecture to send a response from Zeelandia.

Such an important item on the ship could not be kept secret by the Guangzhou government. This thing must be brought to light, "either alive or dead."

Chi Honghai stared intently at the fur-lined suitcase.

Rather than having the other party come knocking on your door, it's better to take the initiative and knock on their door.