Reborn South Africa as a police officer

Chapter 284 Madsen Machine Gun (Do nothing, just want to add more)

Before getting in touch with Gandhi, Rock still had great hopes for Gandhi, thinking that Gandhi, an Indian who had received a modern education, might be a little different from other Indians.

After getting in touch with Gandhi, Rock was completely disappointed with the group of Indians. Whether it is Indians of high caste or Indians of low caste, they all have a mysterious self-confidence that ordinary people cannot understand, and their thinking and normal people are not on the same channel. , so Rock wants to prove it to Owen, and he has to think of other ways.

In fact, there are still ways, Gandhi is unreliable, Roque can get some reliable people for Gandhi, such as the "non-combatants" who are being trained by the War Office in Nyasaland.

It's a pity that Rock can't leave now, otherwise Rock can go to Nyasaland to see how Frank is going.

Leaving aside Frank's progress, in mid-September, the Yao people in Portuguese East Africa ignored the Portuguese strongholds along the coast and crossed the Zambezi River to attack the Portuguese in southern Portuguese East Africa.

At the end of September, the Ngoni and Zhaona people killed their local Portuguese one after another in response to the attack of the Yao people.

The Portuguese in Lorenzo Marques were sitting on pins and needles. The Portuguese governor in Portuguese East Africa sent six telegrams to the South African company within a week.

The Portuguese have always known that it was the South African company that supported the Yao people, but the Portuguese had no evidence, and the resistance of the Yao people had not had much effect. Therefore, the Portuguese only protested to London and did not point the finger at the South African company.

After Nyasaland intervened, the resistance of the Yao people entered a new stage. Before the Portuguese could react, they lost important cities such as Tete and Mapupa one after another. London’s response at this time was still not painful, but Portugal People were already in a state of desperation, so they had to ask the South African company to intervene in an attempt to temporarily stop the Yao people's attack.

"Why stop? The Portuguese are gathering troops in their homeland. I heard that they have hired a large number of mercenaries. What the Portuguese need most now is time. They haven't reached the end of the road. This is just a way for the Portuguese to slow down their troops." Rock refused to give the Portuguese Taking a breather, the Portuguese are now on the edge of a cliff, as long as they work harder, the Portuguese will be kicked into the abyss.

"It is very difficult to drive the Portuguese out of Portuguese East Africa. The Yao people do not have the ability to attack head-on. The Portuguese strongholds along the coast are very strong, and they can obtain supplies through the sea. Unless the Yao people can block the port of the Portuguese, otherwise The Portuguese will not surrender.” Stoudemire is now based in Johannesburg, spending less than three days a month in Salisbury.

"That's not how the accounts are calculated. Think about why the expeditionary army negotiated with the Boers—" Rock was not worried about this issue. Anyway, it would not be the Chinese's turn to die anyway. It doesn't matter if the Portuguese don't surrender, just play slowly.

"Why?" Stoudemire and Rock have been together for a long time, and they don't bother to use their brains at all.

"Because of military expenditures, costs, and the disproportionate input and output, even with the foundation of the British Empire, it can't afford a protracted war. Do you think Portugal's foundation is stronger than that of Britain?" Rock dismissed, and Compared with the UK, Portugal is the younger brother.

"Hehe, I understand, Locke, you insidious guy, you want to consume the Portuguese." Stoudemire laughed loudly. Britain persisted in the Boer War for 27 months. How long can the Portuguese last?

Count the time, it has been four months!

Yes, Roque just wanted to consume the Portuguese to death. Although the Portuguese are very happy now, they are mercenaries and expeditionary forces. In fact, the Portuguese don't have much confidence.

Britain mobilized 45 people in the Boer War, including British troops, Cape's servants, and reinforcements from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India.

How many men could the Portuguese mobilize?

4 people are enough!

Look at the Portuguese opponents.

Britain's opponents in the Boer War, the Boers, including women and children, were only 44 at full count. The troops mobilized by Britain were larger than the total population of the Boers.

The Portuguese's opponents are the Yao people, the Bantu people, the Ngoni people, the Zhaona people, and perhaps the Zulu people in the four colonies of Cape. The total population is at least five to six million. That's more than the total population of the Portuguese.

The "total population" here refers to the total population including the Portuguese East African whites and Portuguese West African whites. The population of Portugal is not worth mentioning, and it will only exceed 21 million in the [-]st century.

Therefore, the Portuguese have no chance of winning in this war. If Portugal negotiates now, maybe Portugal will have a decent result. If the Portuguese are obsessed with it——

Hehe, I am afraid that the Kingdom of Portugal will be destroyed once, let alone Portuguese East Africa, whether it can keep Portuguese West Africa or not.

"Why don't you consume energy to death? It's better than crowd tactics—" If it was someone else, the Yao people might be mobilized to carry out crowd tactics.

Rock doesn't do the killing of chickens and eggs. The Yao people are quite obedient now. Rock won't let the Yao people queue up to die. The Yao people will have a greater role in the future.

In Roque's vision, Portuguese East Africa is just a small test. In order to complete the "two C plans" in the future, Roque will inevitably face the Germans.

Compared with the Portuguese, the Germans are undoubtedly tough, and they might lose their teeth.

The total population of Portugal is only 512 million, while the total population of Germany is 5636 million. Therefore, Roque wants to preserve the vitality of the Yao people. When necessary, Roque will strengthen the power of the Yao people and use the Yao people to attack German-controlled areas. Tanganyika finally helped Rock complete the "Two C's Plan".

Taking a step back, even if Roque does not seek Germany's Tanganyika, it is necessary for Roque to retain an army to deal with these Africans in southern Africa. To deal with these Africans, whether it is Roque or Whatever white people in Europe do will leave an indelible stain on history.

The Yao people don’t have this worry. After all, the Yao people are also Africans, so no matter what happens between the Yao people and other Africans, it belongs to the internal conflicts of the African people and has nothing to do with other people.

"The arsenal has already started production, what are we going to do next?" Stoudemire is very interested in Rock's plan. Although it seems that Nyasaland and Rhodesia have no relationship, Stoudemire has witnessed the changes in Nyasaland , There is a sense of satisfaction in participating in it and being honored.

"Now we can only produce bullets. There is nothing to be proud of. Next, we will manufacture rifles, artillery, and even design rifles and artillery by ourselves. There is still a long way to go. Don't be satisfied." Rock is not in a hurry, military industry The development of the industry also needs background information, and you can't become a fat man with one bite.

Last month, Nyasaland's arsenal began production.

It's a bit embarrassing to say, and there is nothing to be proud of when it goes into production, because the machines are bought from the Royal Small Arms Factory, the workers are hired from Europe, and even the raw materials are imported in bulk from Europe, that is, the place of production is Nyasaland , is indeed nothing to be proud of.

But in Stoudemire's view, even if it's just bullets, it's already great to be able to produce them in Nyasaland.

After all, before this, the meaning of Africa to Europe was basically the origin of raw materials and the dumping place of industrial products. Except for agricultural products and industrial raw materials, there is basically nothing in Africa that can be exported to Europe. Nyasaland can produce bullets. Already a huge improvement.

"Hahahaha—Lock, don't dream, we can't produce our own gun stocks now, and you still want to produce rifles?" Stoudemire laughed loudly, never expecting that Rock's ideals are so big.

Rock didn't smile, and leaned comfortably on the back of the chair, watching the smile gradually disappear from Xiaosi's face.

"Lock, are you serious?" Stoudemire felt unusual.

"Why not serious? As you said just now, Nyasaland can't even produce its own gun stocks. Is it true? I'm afraid you don't believe it yourself. I don't even say how rich we are here. Oak Town has already built two wood processing factories, you can have as many gun stocks as you want, and they can produce them now." Rock didn't brag, gun stocks really don't have much technical content.

"Then what about the rifle—" Stoudemire felt his face go numb. Referring to Rock's previous performance, Stoudemire knew that if Rock wanted to do something, he would definitely be able to do it.

"Rifles are also very simple. Although we don't even have the steel to produce rifles now, but that's not a problem. We can't produce gunpowder and thunderbolt yet, but we can also make bullets—no, next month we will Can produce gunpowder, actually I am very curious, there are so many mines in Johannesburg, need a lot of gunpowder every day, why no one set up a gunpowder factory in Johannesburg?" Rock really can't figure out, compared with the gold mine, the profitability of the arsenal Not inferior.

"What are you thinking? Johannesburg used to be controlled by the Boers, and they must not be allowed to produce gunpowder by themselves." Stoudemire explained that there is a reason why the industry in Johannesburg, and even the entire Transvaal, is so backward. It's not that the Boers don't want to Engage in industry, but the British do not allow it.

Speaking of industry, this has something to do with the sea. In the past, Pretoria and Bloemfontein had only one railway leading to Cape Town, so no matter what the Boers wanted to buy, they were subject to Cape Town's restrictions.

In order to get rid of this passive situation, the Transvaal built a railway to Lorenzo Marques, but it was a pity that Britain launched a war not long after the railway opened.

Therefore, the industrial dream of the Boers was shattered before it was born.

"Well, let's not talk about gunpowder. Do you think there are any obstacles in our own production of rifles? In terms of technology, we can hire technicians, and we have even hired many technicians. Now as long as there are raw materials, we can immediately You can start working; then raw materials, not only Europe can produce raw materials for rifles in the world, American steel is better and the price is cheaper, so don’t say whether you can buy raw materials, London will beg us to buy raw materials Yes." Compared with politics, Rock believes in the power of capital.

Generally speaking, in order to limit the production capacity of the colonies, London will definitely restrict the colonies from possessing advanced technology.

But this "restriction" has no effect in front of countries like the United States. Don't forget that both the United States and the United Kingdom are staunch supporters of "free trade". The United Kingdom will not sell technology and raw materials to Nyasaland. And raw materials sent to Nyasaland.

"So, our next step is to produce rifles? Produce what, Lee Enfield?" Stoudemire couldn't wait, looking forward to Rock's future.

"Lee Enfield is one of the options. We need to produce Martini Henry to support the Yao people. At the same time, we also need a large number of Winchester 1897 and Webley revolvers. As for what to produce in the future, that depends Let's see what we need." Rock is not in a hurry, and solves the practical problem first.

What Nyasaland and Johannesburg currently need most is not Lee Enfield, but seemingly outdated weapons such as Winchester 1897 and Webley revolver.

Winchester 1897 is an improved version of 1883. The biggest improvement is to improve the lever structure into a pump-action structure. Winchester 1897 is a close-range weapon with great power at close range and fast firing speed. Can form an effective firepower advantage.

As for the Webley revolver, Rock didn't like it either, but there was no better choice at the moment.

These two weapons are urgently needed by the Chinese in Nyasaland and Johannesburg. For farmers, they don’t need offensive capabilities, but more for self-defense, so farmers don’t need high-precision, high-range Lee. Enfield, but need Winchester 1897 and Webley, which are cheap, easy to use, and powerful defensive weapons.

"I thought it was Lee Enfield—" Stoudemire lost interest immediately.

Rock laughed dumbfounded. Lee Enfield may be an epoch-making weapon in the eyes of Stoudemire, but Lee Enfield is really not the number one for Rock. Rock has already asked Christian to go to Denmark to contact Jean Theo. Do Skobo tried to buy the blueprint of the Madsen machine gun from Madsen. Once successful, the Nyasaran Armory will have a powerful fist product.

The Madsen light machine gun was an epoch-making product. In 1890, Lieutenant Jean Theodor Skobo of the Danish Army began to design a semi-automatic rifle, which was actually based on the Martini Henry rifle. , transformed into a rifle capable of automatic fire.

After the successful design, the Madison light machine gun used a top-down top-feed method and was originally called a cavalry automatic rifle.

This kind of light machine gun has now started production in Denmark, and the company responsible for the production is the famous Madsen company in the future. The Madsen machine gun did not stop mass production until 1950, and its tenacious vitality is surprising.

In a few years, if Rock wants to obtain the drawings of the Madsen machine gun, he will need to purchase a production license from the Madsen company.

There is no such problem now. Nyasaland is tens of thousands of kilometers away from Denmark. The Danes would never have thought that someone in Nyasaland would have their idea.

(End of this chapter)