"Our cannons can certainly withstand higher chamber pressures!"
Pierre said with absolute certainty.
"After all, the quality of the steel produced in the open-hearth furnace is better, not inferior to crucible steel! But the converter steel used by the British to make Armstrong cannons is different. Its quality is far inferior to our steel, and in order to reduce costs
, their outer casings and hoops are made of wrought iron, and even the outer tube of the inner tube is also made of wrought iron! That’s why there is a risk of the barrel exploding!”
In fact, this itself was the biggest problem with the Armstrong breech-loading rifled gun in the early days. Because the raw materials it used were not rigid enough, it was very prone to explosion accidents. In history, there were even five Armstrong breech-loading rifled guns on the battlefield.
As a result, five cannons exploded at the same time. All the forty-five gunners around the cannon were blown away. In the end, not even a complete body could be recovered. Moreover, during the Civil War, both sides had a total of one hundred and sixty soldiers.
Eight breech-loading rifled guns or Armstrong breech-loading rifled guns suffered explosions.
"But there is absolutely no chance of ours exploding!"
In order to explain clearly, Pierre pointed to the cannon that had been prepared and said.
"Because when the artillery is fired, it will generate a large bore pressure. In order to ensure the strength of the artillery barrel, it is necessary to bind layers of gun casings or gun hoops outside the inner tube. This kind of gun hoops and gun casings are drilled during drilling
When installed, it will be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the inner tube. During installation, it is first heated at high temperature to expand, and then put on the inner tube. After cooling, it will naturally be tightly tightened. Because of the difference in materials, our cannon has a stronger pressure-bearing capacity.
…”
As an engineering student, Zhu Xianhai is no stranger to this layering enhancement and the hot-laying process. He has even considered improving the Armstrong cannon, such as borrowing the layering process of some Krupp cannons. Compared with
The former and the latter are more advanced in technology and more durable.
Zhu Xianhai came over this time for another matter, so he interrupted him and asked.
"Well, in your opinion, is there any problem if the chamber pressure is doubled?"
"Double it?"
Pierre was stunned immediately and said in shock.
"There shouldn't be a problem. After all, the chamber pressure we tested was higher? But is this necessary?"
"It's completely necessary because..."
Pointing to the completed cannon body on the ground, Zhu Xianhai said.
"I'm going to use it to fire a more powerful cannonball! A cannonball with astonishing power!"
Now that Buenos Aires has sent their fleet, it is definitely too late to temporarily build cannons such as a 254mm breech-loading rifled gun, but there is still room for improvement of this Armstrong breech-loading rifled gun.
Very big! Especially the products reinforced by Nanhua's arsenal with epoch-making high-quality steel (ordinary carbon steel), not to mention the room for improvement.
That's why Zhu Xianhai decided to "replace the shotgun with a cannon" and give the Argentine Navy a surprise.
A big surprise!
…
"It only takes one salvo to make them surrender!"
As the captain of the cruiser "General Belgrano", Redsa said to Davis rather arrogantly when receiving the order.
"Mr. Douglas, as long as you give the order, my warships can blast open the gate of San Antonio for you at any time!"
The firepower of the 2,000-ton "General Belgrano" cruiser is extremely powerful. It has up to 12 nine-inch Dahlgren cannons and two 12-pound guns. This steam-powered three-masted cruiser is the Argentine Navy
The most powerful battleship.
However, the Argentine Navy does not have many warships, but even so, Redza still seems very conceited.
"Believe me, those merchants can't stop the fleet's attack at all."
Davis laughed.
"Of course, but we should also know that there are forts in San Antonio Bay, and they even have the world's most advanced Armstrong cannon,"
Some things are not secrets, such as forts and cannons. They can obtain this information through various channels.
"Only a few, sir, and what you have is the naval fleet of the province of Buenos Aires!"
In fact, Redesa didn't pay attention to the businessmen in San Antonio Bay at all.
"It's just a group of businessmen!"
I hope so, Davis prayed in his heart while looking at the conceited colonel.
Soon, a fleet of three warships left the port of Buenos Aires. After sailing into the sea, they sailed all the way south. In just a few days, the fleet appeared in Nanhua.
On the open ocean surface.
As soon as the fleet's ships emerged from the horizon, a rapid bugle sounded from the fort where they had been waiting for a long time. Amidst the sound of the bugle, Ding Wentao rushed out of the office, shouting as he ran.
"Everyone is in position, send a report to the commander, the big fish is coming!"
The big fish is coming!
In the past few days, he and his brothers on the fort have been waiting for the arrival of the big fish. When the gunners rushed to the gun position, after receiving the telegram from the fort, Zhu Xianhai immediately went to the dock
, headed to the fort. He didn't have to worry about Nanhua's safety at all. After all, the range of the naval guns of this era could not reach the city.
"The big fish is coming!"
Standing on the small fire wheel, Zhu Xianhai said to himself.
His fists were sometimes clenched, sometimes loose, and there was a hint of expectation in his seemingly calm expression.
Six days ago, when Rezas Deira received the order to prepare for departure, he had already started preparing for the "welcome ceremony".
After waiting for six days, the big fish finally came.
Mighty and mighty... no, the fleet of three warships just arrived at the sea less than two kilometers away from Nanhua Bay, and then stopped moving forward.
"Send a signal to Major Bernardino and ask him to approach the coast and send a signal to the other party. Tell them that the Argentine Navy's First Squadron will sail into San Antonio Bay!"
When Zhu Xianhai boarded the fort, the fort happened to receive the flag from the other side.
"Answer them and welcome them. This is the territory of the American Company. Please raise their merchant flag and enter the port."
This is a rule in the Age of Discovery. If a country has a colony, the other country's flag must be hoisted. If it is a company's territory, warships need to hoist their own merchant flag to enter the port.
Of course, this is also the rule of the public law of all nations. To put it bluntly, the competition starts with the flag language.
"damn it!"
After seeing the semaphore reply from the fort through the telescope, Rezas immediately said angrily.
“Tell those damn guys that Patagonia, including the Bay of San Antonio, is Argentina’s territory, and we have the right to enter any Patagonian bay, including the Bay of San Antonio! If they deny us access, there will be consequences.
!”
You bear the consequences at your own risk!
Standing on the fort wall, staring at the three warships on the sea, feeling the gentle sea breeze, Zhu Xianhai whispered softly at the corner of his lips. He didn't even use the simulator, but turned to ask directly.
"How about it, Director Ding, are you sure you can sink it?"
Big fish!
What is a big fish? Of course, a big fish is the one sent to the bottom of the sea. This is the embodiment of hospitality!
Since they are fish, they should be sent to the bottom of the sea!
"Reply to the Commander-in-Chief, no matter how big the ship is, it is just a wooden hull boat! As long as the Commander-in-Chief gives the order, we will sink them in half an hour at most!"
Wooden hull boat!
In these days, even the United Kingdom didn't have many ironclad ships, and as for Argentina... they didn't even have wooden-hulled iron-clad iron-clad ships.
Just relying on the surprise I gave them, it was easy to knock them down. Of course, the premise was that they could hit the target, otherwise, no matter how powerful the shells were, it would be in vain.
"Then I'll leave it to you brothers!"
Zhu Xianhai smiled and said.
"Reply them, Argentina's southern border ends at Viedma! San Antonio Bay and surrounding areas are the territory of América. Please abide by international law!"
This chapter has been completed!