After initially completing all aspects of mining, coking, and steelmaking, and upgrading Daye Tieshan's industry to a higher level, Shen Shuren finally felt relieved and could live a good year with peace of mind this year.
He can slowly leave the subsequent daily basic scientific research to Song Yingxing and others to worry about, without having to do everything himself.
As a big boss, he had to personally support the horse and give it a ride only at the initial stage of scientific research project establishment. In the future, with his busy schedule, the most he can do is give some guidance in the general direction.
Even with the appointment of Song Yingxing, Shen Shuren wanted to slowly transfer him to scientific research management. After all, he was only fifty-seven years old, so how could he have so much energy to do scientific research on the front line himself.
However, the first year and a half required practice - after in-depth contact, Shen Shuren also discovered that Song Yingxing was not as good at hands-on practice as later generations had said.
In the final analysis, Song Yingxing now only has rich theoretical knowledge, but lacks practical experience in scientific research.
In fact, Song Yingxing himself also wrote this in the preface to "Tiangong Kaiwu": "It's sad to be poor! He wants to buy strange research, but lacks the capital of Luoxia; he wants to invite his colleagues to discuss false truths, but lacks the library of Chen Si; With his humble knowledge and knowledge hidden in so many places, how can it be appropriate to write about it?"
To translate this passage, it means that Song Yingxing originally wanted to buy some of the machines described in his book for physical study, but unfortunately he had no money.
I want to find craftsmen who are actually engaged in these industries to copy the reverse machine, but I don’t have the space or materials.
Writing a book by myself is "writing without real objects" from beginning to end. Of course, it is only pure theory of empty versus empty.
In the final analysis, it is poverty that harms people, and "it hurts to be poor."
Now that Shen Shuren has money and is willing to pay to help him sort out all the things in the preface that he wants to physically verify but has no money to verify, Song Yingxing will of course be eager to go to the front line in person.
It would be best to wait for a year or two to work on the front line, make up for the shortcomings in practical experience, complete all the experiments that I originally wanted to do but had no money to do, fully integrate theory with practice, and then let Song Yingxing return to scientific research coordination and management. The way to employ people.
…
Suddenly, two more days have passed, and there are only seven or eight days left before the Chinese New Year.
As the New Year approaches, Shenshu people must have many other things to deal with.
Moreover, he had previously asked Zheng Chenggong to block the water supply routes in the Dabie Mountains in order to make an emergency landing in Linzhuang. Now that the coldest time of winter is almost over, Shen Shuren has to return to Nanjing to make overall plans to close the network.
By the way, I would like to gain some connections in the officialdom, work on my promotion after meritorious service, and then conspire with my father, who is now a minister in the Ministry of Household Affairs in Nanjing.
Therefore, this day was also his last trip to the recently established "Bingzhan Kiln Smelting Research Institute" in Daye County.
Let's talk to Song Yingxing, talk about some prospects for follow-up technology, and also arrange some tasks for the scientific researchers after the year.
After the New Year, Shen Shuren would not return to Wuchang immediately, so he explained the project approval in advance to avoid being idle.
Song Yingxing is also in a good mood these days. He, his nephew Song Mingde, and Zhou Tiedan, the original craftsman leader of the Huangzhou War Bureau, have recently been busy using the steel smelted from the coke of the new blast furnace to reshape the existing Hongyi cannon. Cast a sample door.
If it is finally confirmed that there are no flaws, the cost of making cannons in the future will be much lower, and the Ming Dynasty can say goodbye to copper-cast cannons forever - at least Shen Jiajun can definitely say goodbye to copper-cast cannons forever.
Seeing Shen Daotai wandering around again, he thought he was checking the progress of cannon casting, so he quickly grabbed a bunch of materials and prepared to introduce them.
Unexpectedly, Chen Shuren was not in a hurry, and said kindly: "Slow work will bring out the fine work, we are not in a hurry, anyway, the Chinese New Year will be in seven or eight days, and you can't finish it, just put it off until after the Lantern Festival and then do it slowly."
The reason for coming here this time is that in the past few days, I have been thinking about a few more projects. While I am away, I will explain them first. Mr. Song, you can also evaluate them and see which of them are feasible.
If you can't do it, put it aside or postpone it, and pick the easier one first."
After hearing this, Song Yingxing regained his serious look. Song Mingde, who was pouring tea for Shen Shuren next to him, also quickly put down his tea cup, turned around and closed the door of the study.
This study room is relatively large, with a long table suitable for drawing in the middle and a circle of chairs around it, which has also been newly decorated in recent days.
Shen Shuren believes that research and development requires equality, teamwork, emancipation of the mind, and a relatively free environment. Therefore, meetings must be held together to discuss, and no hierarchy of superiority and inferiority is allowed.
This is not Chen Shuren's pretentiousness, but an inevitable law of scientific development - even if he is as tyrannical as Beria in the future, a typical spy chief of an intelligence agency, when he was asked by Stalin to supervise the construction of the atomic bomb, he also knew that he had to put away the KGB's To give respect to scientists, they know that brain creativity cannot be forced out by high pressure.
When Shen Shuren first asked to arrange the R&D conference room like this, Song Yingxing felt awkward, but after using it for a few days, he realized the benefits.
At least the huge drawings are spread out and explained, which is very convenient. There is no need to circulate them around like when everyone had a small case, and the communication efficiency of everyone discussing the matter has also been improved a lot.
On the first day of using the new conference room, Song Yingxing still had the airs of a civil servant. He and an old blacksmith who was illiterate sat around the same table to discuss things. He still felt a little polite. But after two days, this kind of The awkwardness was overcome.
The original meeting could not be considered an open discussion. It could only be regarded as a report, full of bureaucratic attention.
At this moment, Song Mingde was about to close the door to keep it secret, when Shen Shuren said casually:
"Don't be busy. Call Zhou Tiedan here first. We have to combine theory with practice on this matter. In the future, when we demonstrate whether the project can be funded, both designers and craftsmen must be present, and both sides can express their opinions."
Song Mingde was stunned when he heard this, but he quickly accepted it and went out next door to find Zhou Tietan.
The four people sat around the conference table, and Shen Shuren took out a list and asked them to sort it out carefully.
"That's what I think. The work of metallurgy and using new materials to imitate old models of cannons can be completed by the end of the first lunar month at most, right? During the Chinese New Year, we will have a half-month break as usual, until the Lantern Festival.
After these two things are settled, I want to take the opportunity to use new steel materials to see if I can design some new fire guns. All the fire gun equipped by our army so far are similar to the bird gun and turtle dove gun used by the Hongyi people today. There is no difference, just a ferrule bayonet is added and the ammunition is improved.
Last year, I had to make do with production and use, but there was no other way. I started everything on the spot. Now that we have a foundation, we have to make improvements in all aspects of the blunderbuss body and blunderbuss tube.
Take a look at this sample first. This is the latest fire gun of the Hongyi people that I asked Brother Zheng Xian to get from the Dutch. It is better than the turtle dove gun that Xiong Wencan got in Guangdong eight years ago. It is better than our own Lu The ignition of the secret gun is also more convenient.
The torque accumulating mechanism of this flintlock hammer is more stable, which can prevent false triggering. After accumulating, it is locked for a long time and is not prone to fatigue. There is also a half-circle iron hoop on the outside of the trigger. If the gun body is dropped on the ground or knocked It’s not easy to shoot accidentally.”
As Chen Shuren said, he first took out a new stick he got from the Dutch and tried to verify it by learning from each other.
He will not let people do the repetitive work of "reinventing the wheel." If you want to engage in scientific research, of course you must first align with the latest existing technology.
In the late Ming Dynasty, Westerners had certain advantages in firearms. Whether they stole or cheated, they should first reverse engineer them and then upgrade them.
Other time-travelers in the late Ming Dynasty did not have this condition at the beginning, but the Shen family was a maritime merchant and had won over Zheng Chenggong. As long as they kept explaining, it would not be difficult to get the latest overseas models. Of course they would use it if they had the conditions.
The gun he has in hand at the moment is actually just a second-hand dealer from the Netherlands who sells it at a high price. It is not made in the Netherlands. Its actual country of production is Sweden -
The Thirty Years' War from 1618 to 1648 was mainly fought on the territory of later Germany. At the forefront of European military technology at that time was the alliance of states representing the Tianzhu forces in southern Germany, and the Swedish King Gu, who was behind the Protestant forces in North Germany. Stav II. Gustav II's military technology and tactical innovations represented the most advanced level of the West at that time.
Of course, it is now the end of 1641, and Gustavus II has been dead in the war for 9 years, but his successors are still continuing to learn from the experiences and lessons of previous wars and constantly optimize.
This time, Shen Shuren asked Zheng Chenggong to ask the Dutch for Swedish goods by name. The Dutch had to go round and round for two years to get them, and they must have spent a lot of money on Zheng Chenggong. Shen Shuren would be asked to reimburse him, and Zheng Chenggong had obtained it, so he would definitely keep a few for further study.
Song Yingxing also had some research on firearms. After taking Chen Shuren's gun, he took a few glances and saw its merits - the hammer torque of this flintlock gun was charged, and the lock was locked. The stop mechanism has been optimized to a certain extent.
One thing must be clarified here: flintlock muskets have long existed in the Ming Dynasty, so Song Yingxing would not be surprised to see flintlock muskets. However, the Ming army's flintlock muskets have never been fully refurbished. The state of using both guns and guns.
In Europe, the flintlock gun was first invented by the Frenchman Mahan in 1547. According to Bi Maokang's "Illustrated Weaponry" in the Ming Dynasty, it was only about 20 years later than the Europeans. By the end of Jiajing in the 1560s About forty years later, flintlock guns also appeared.
Among the firearms used by the Shen family today, the old-fashioned "fire guns" are still matchlock guns. The bird-bill gun and Lumi gun are already flintlock guns. uukanshu.com www.uukanshu.com Shen Shuren started to use them last year The craftsmen also produced flintlock guns, and the matchlock guns were only in stock.
On the other hand, the "turtle dove gun" obtained from the Spanish is a bit "against the historical trend" and is still a matchlock gun. This turtle dove gun is too heavy, and the fire door requires relatively large firepower. The few sparks produced by the collision of flint may not necessarily To ensure stable ignition, use the match rope to ignite the fire.
In fact, this is not difficult to understand, because at the same time, cannons were still ignited by match ropes. The cannons had too much charge and required a lot of ignition firepower. There were not enough sparks, so they could only use torches to ignite the match ropes. The turtledove gun was somewhere between a gun and a gun. Heavy firearms between guns also have this problem.
In addition, the original muskets of the late Ming Dynasty, including the Western muskets of the same period, had the triggers directly exposed to the outside, and they fired as soon as they were bumped. This Swedish gun finally thought of adding a half-circle of iron rings to the outside of the trigger, so that it fell to the ground. It will only hit the iron ring but not the trigger.
Shen Shuren should have thought of this a long time ago. He saw so many guns in his later life, which one did not have an iron ring on the outside of the trigger? However, the need in this area was not urgent or obvious at first, so it was inevitable that he would miss everything, and this time it was just right Make up for it together.
Song Yingxing thought about it carefully for a while, then took the original Shen Jiajun's beak gun and the Lumi gun to compare, and discussed it with Zhou Tiedan, who was specifically responsible for the construction.
Both of them felt that it would not be difficult to modify the power-charging locking mechanism of the fusilier and the trigger and the iron ring to prevent accidental firing. It would only take a few days to adjust. They would come back after the Chinese New Year next month to produce the subsequent bird gun Lumi Gun. You can change it to new one.
After these minor optimizations were resolved, Shen Shuren proposed some brand-new design tasks as mid- to long-term goals.