Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 1111 Gathering Technical Information

"This is a newspaper that they publish regularly every day. The number of copies per day in this city is about [-]. It is said that when there is special news, they will issue more indefinitely. Sometimes it is [-]. At most At that time, it could reach [-] copies. The shocking circulation shows that their printing technology is so advanced that they can issue a large number of newspapers every day. The price of books in the city is relatively cheap.”

"There are many things we want to know in the newspapers. According to the local people's dictation in the newspapers, their trains are powered by a machine called a steam engine. The trains are dragged like thousands of horses. move."

After visiting the missionaries living in the capital, several British nobles became more and more curious about the new technologies emerging here, and their thoughts were inevitably impacted. They tried every means to collect technical information about steam locomotives and electric lights in the capital.Information about new technologies that can be circulated among the people in the capital either comes from newspapers issued by Kyushu newspapers, or from popular science pamphlets or books issued by the government.

In fact, another important source is the books of middle schools and colleges, but the British Mission did not know and could not obtain the books of the schools.

If it is the nomads in Africa or Central Asia and they promote these technologies and ideas, they will not believe it anyway, but if the ancient and mysterious Eastern civilization is studying these contents, they have to consider keeping up, so as not to be caught Widen the gap.The price of falling behind is heavy.

"Steam engines? I remember that the customs material list they reported contained more than a dozen steam engines, which they said were used in the construction of factories. We didn't know what those were, nor did we know their cost, so we decided to exempt the steam engines from customs duties. Didn't expect this thing to be equivalent to the power of thousands of horses?" Earl Compton heard that the core technology of steam locomotives is steam engines, and thought of a series of products quoted by Western companies.

The huge fleet organized by Western companies has dozens of galleons and hundreds of commodities and machines.Many of these commodities were unknown to them, such as steam engines and smallpox vaccines needed by textile factories.For these things, there is no customs tax rate for them at all at this time. Based on the first cooperation between the two parties, London has exempted almost all products that have not been heard of. Tariffs, only for tea, steel, wine, porcelain, silk, etc. Traditional goods are taxed.

"However, there is only a very simple introduction on their newspapers. The purpose is to explain to ordinary citizens that trains are not witchcraft. The description of trains is not detailed enough, and there are no structural drawings." A British nobleman said.

"See if we can find opportunities to introduce these technologies to our Britain in the future. We can also hire their craftsmen to go to the city of London to see if we can imitate this magical machine. If we can buy it with money, we will spend money to buy it." If you can’t buy it with money, try to sign an agreement with Mr. Chu to introduce these technologies.”

The Earl of Compton led people around to collect technical information. Due to the government's blockade of core technologies, the Earl of Compton and other British nobles who were interested in new technologies did not collect practical technology. a deeper understanding.A better understanding of the new product allowed them to realize its potential, but their inability to figure out the principle kept Count Compton awake at night.

Unable to collect intelligence in private, Compton can only pin his hopes on hiring Chinese engineers at a high price in the future or signing a technology introduction contract with the Kyushu Army.

Before the arrival of their second batch of envoys, Charles I had no idea of ​​introducing technologies such as trains and electric lights, because Charles I only listened to Sir Greenville's description and did not take it seriously.If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, no one in this era would have imagined that an iron car capable of carrying hundreds of people would walk by itself.

Even though the envoys of the first batch of envoys, such as Lord Greenville, clapped their chests and swore to Charles I that there was a train, and tried clumsily to draw the appearance of the train, Charles I just laughed it off and did not fully believe them. , It's more like a fairy tale, after all, the time for the train to appear is more than 100 years earlier.

Outside the courtyard where the British Mission is located, there are always intelligence personnel from the Intelligence Department monitoring their every move.

"They are secretly collecting newspapers and various books from previous issues. They have bought more than [-] books so far. Can they really understand Chinese characters?" a peddler squatting nearby muttered.

"Mostly they want to learn about new things on our side. According to our interrogation with the translator, the British envoys repeatedly mentioned trains and street lights, and they seem to want to figure out what's going on." The other sat in the store The intelligence officer drinking tea said.

"These technologies are owned by the government, and those who master the principles are university students. Only the 'engineer'-level craftsmen in the factory are the ones who are really capable of making them. Can you get the detailed principles?" The intelligence personnel in charge of keeping an eye on the missions all said.

Industrial technologies involving steam engines, electricity, machinery, ballistics, and metallurgy were all strictly blocked by the Kyushu Army, and even the civilians were unable to understand the detailed technologies, let alone the British envoys who were not familiar with the place.Even if some of the principles are leaked, it is only at the level of popular science, and many core technologies and details have not been revealed.

According to Chu Yun’s thinking, these technologies are the source of wealth. After the internal combustion engine, electric motor, and petroleum technologies are mature, he will sell the remaining steam engine technology to other countries and charge high patent licensing fees every year. It’s not too much money. .

"I think these people are also delusional. How could they easily make these things... Yes, do you know what happened to the prisoners of the Japanese shogunate?" One of the intelligence officers suddenly talked about Tokugawa Iemitsu's situation .

"Is anyone following this line? There should be brothers watching them. Someone must be watching secretly, otherwise it would be a tricky thing for these prisoners to escape back to Dongpu." Another intelligence officer said.

"I have secretly monitored the escort of these prisoners. Their whereabouts are not classified. They are serving their sentences on an official farm in the outskirts of the capital. The sentence is uncertain. I think they should be plowing the fields at this moment. Can the samurai who used to be high above do the farm work well." The intelligence officer who knew the inside story said.

(End of this chapter)