Chongzhen Daming: Starting from Coal Mountain

Chapter 138 Daming Arsenal

However, it is a pity that Chongzhen's knowledge about modern firearms is not rich. He is clear about the structure and working principle of many modern weapons, but this is useless at all.

Because with the materials and craftsmanship of this era, it simply cannot be made.

In addition, Chongzhen was extremely lacking in engineering knowledge in the late Ming Dynasty. He didn't even know the structure of the steam engine, so he knew the working principle of the steam engine, like a teapot.

Of course, I have also read some Mingchuan novels, which also contain engineering knowledge.

For example, how to produce glass, chemical fertilizers, and cement, etc., but who would take knowledge points when reading a novel?So Chongzhen had already forgotten all about it.

Perhaps by chance and coincidence, a certain piece of knowledge will come to mind when a flash of inspiration appears.

But now let Chongzhen think, even if he really wants to break his head, he can't think of it.

So there is no need to think about climbing the technology tree, he doesn't even know the structure of the flintlock.

But it’s not like nothing was forgotten, Chongzhen still remembered three very important trends of the times.

One: The flintlock has a crushing advantage over the arquebus. Not only does the misfire rate become smaller, but the key is that due to the improvement of firing technology, the musketeers can evolve from a large-spaced formation to a shoulder-to-shoulder dense infantry. Formation, thus greatly improving the infantry's unit firepower output density.

[Note: The distance between infantry in the matchlock era was at least 0.96 meters.

The infantry interval in the flintlock era can be reduced to 0.32 meters (sideways).

Therefore, for an infantry line of the same width, the theoretical firepower output density of the flintlock is three times that of the arquebus, but the actual firepower output density is not only three times, because the misfire rate of the flintlock is lower and the reloading speed is faster.

With the flintlock and socket bayonet, the musketeer can really get rid of the protection of the spearman.

Infantry equipped with flintlock guns are arranged in hollow phalanxes, and can even engage in field battles with cavalry.

It is precisely because of the appearance of the flintlock that the cavalry has degenerated from the main combat unit to an auxiliary unit. The heavy infantry in triple armor like Jiannu white armor has completely withdrawn from the stage of history and has only appeared in museums since then. Faced with the intensive firepower of the flintlock guns, the hoplites are already unable to move an inch on the battlefield]

Second: Daming did not have the concept of standardization in both the manufacture of firearms and the use of firearms.

The manufacture of firearms is entirely based on the experience of craftsmen, and the teaching of apprentices is based on the experience summed up by oneself. There are no such things as teaching materials or teaching aids. The use of firearms is also based on the guidance of veterans. There are also no operating standards and standardized teaching. Things don't exist at all.

[Note: There was no standardization in the Ming Dynasty. It can be seen from the two academic monographs dedicated to introducing firearms, "Huo Gong Qi Yao" and "Military Illustrations", whether "Huo Gong Qi Yao" or "Military Illustrations" There are no detailed and precise parameters, all are just general introductions, and the accompanying pictures are just simple pictures, the size is not proportional and there are no parameters]

Third, there seems to be no obvious gap between the firearm technology of the East and the West in this era.

After confirming these three points, the focus of the next work is ready to come out.

Such things as flintlock guns can't be made just because they want to. The manufacturing process is not mature enough. Not only is it expensive, but the performance is not necessarily better than that of an arquebus.

So the flintlock gun can be tried to develop, but there is really no need to force it to be promoted.

It is also impossible to achieve a breakthrough in the artillery casting process in a short period of time. The evolution from muzzle-loaded guns to breech-loaded guns, and the evolution of gun barrels from casting to rolling are all unrealistic wishful thinking.

So the only thing that might improve in a short period of time is standardization.

Not only the manufacture of artillery and guns needs to be standardized, but also the operation of artillery and guns.

However, neither the standardization of firearm manufacturing nor the standardization of firearm operation is that easy, but no matter how difficult it is, it must be done, and it must be done separately.

Chongzhen asked Ma Minglu: "Ma Qing, how many factories does the Bingzhan Bureau have in Nanzhi?"

Ma Mingpao replied without hesitation: "There are nine factories including gunpowder factory, cannon factory, gun factory, etc. In addition, there are [-] large and small workshops, and more than [-] mines of various kinds."

Hearing this, Chongzhen's face collapsed, it was Han Zanzhou's fault.

The nine factories are the original industries of the inner court, but the sixty-one small workshops and more than one hundred mines must have been plundered. Behind these two numbers are hidden countless blood and tears.

But Chongzhen has no time to take care of these nosy things now.

It's going to be the end of July soon, and I have to take the scholars to the north, and I can't delay any longer.

At that moment, Chongzhen said to Ma Mingpao again: "Ma Qing, you have sold all sixty-one workshops and more than one hundred mines, and merged nine factories to form an arsenal called Daming Arsenal."

"Daming Arsenal?" Ma Mingpao nodded and asked again, "And then?"

"Then bid for merchants in the eight prefectures and one prefecture in the south of the Yangtze River." Chongzhen said, "Whoever pays the most money will take over the Daming Arsenal. The Ministry of Internal Affairs only retains [-]% of the shares and does not participate in the operation. By the way, the previous Sixty-one workshops and more than one hundred mines will also be auctioned according to this method."

"Your Majesty, please wait a moment." Ma Mingpao said suddenly, "I'm waiting for my minister to record it."

After speaking, he asked Zhu Cihong again: "His Royal Highness, can I borrow some paper and a pen?"

Zhu Cihong personally brought the paper and brushes, and Ma Mingpao stood up again to thank him.

Chongzhen stepped forward and took a look, only to see that Ma Mingpao had handcrafted it in regular script, which looked like printed script.

I have to say that Oriental soft pen calligraphy is really an ultimate artistic enjoyment. If you don’t master the tricks, the words written with soft pens will be hard to see, but if you learn to control soft pens, the characters you write will be The magnificent works of art give people an ultimate visual enjoyment.

But if you want to learn to control the soft pen, you have to work hard for ten years!
Officials with Jinshi background like Ma Mingpao, which one didn't practice calligraphy hard since childhood?

Therefore, from the point of view of promotion and popularization, calligraphy with soft pens is incomparable with calligraphy with hard pens. Even if you have never learned to write with hard pens such as quill pens and pencils, the points you write are dots. Even if it is painting, you can draw a barely recognizable character, but soft brushes can't do it.

It's really incapable of building Chongzhen with technology, but it can be used to promote hard pens.

But this matter is not in a hurry, there are more important things right now.

"Since you want to record, Ma Qing, you might as well record a few more."

After a short pause, Chongzhen continued: "The first rule: The Daming Arsenal only produces the final finished products, such as the finished products of Hongyi cannon, tiger squatting cannon, Lumi blunderbuss, bayonet bayonet and gunpowder."

Ma Mingpao said: "Only produce finished products? Don't you care about the others?"

"Yes, I don't care about other things." Chongzhen said in a deep voice, "Pig iron, wrought iron, steel, beeswax, casting sand molds, lathes, drills and other tools required for processing gun barrels are all for merchants in eight prefectures and one prefecture in the south of the Yangtze River to bid for. Whoever offers the most reasonable price and the best product quality will be used, and there must be no favoritism in the middle.”

Now that it is decided to rely on the military industry to drive the development of other industries, it is not possible to build a large and comprehensive military factory, but to create a specialized and refined industrial chain as much as possible.

Let every link of the industrial chain be the most professional.

Driven by the policy of profit and excellence, the Ming Dynasty may not invent the Jenny spinning machine before the UK, but it is likely to produce a real steam engine before the UK.

"Yes." Ma Minghao wrote it down.

Chongzhen said again: "Second, the firearms manufacturing of the Daming Arsenal must be standardized."

"Standardization?" Ma Minghao had an interpretation in his heart, but he was not sure, and asked, "What is standardization?"

Chongzhen replied: "The so-called standardization, as the name implies, means that all parts must be common. That is to say, the base of the A-size Hongyi cannon can be replaced by the B-size Hongyi cannon. The squatting gun can also be used without affecting the accuracy, and all the accessories of the Lumi gun, including the bayonet, can also be used in common."

"This!" Ma Mingpao stopped writing and asked, "Your Majesty, although I have never supervised the manufacture of firearms before, I also know that it will be very difficult to achieve the standardization that Your Majesty said."

"If it's easy, you, the deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, are still required to take charge of it yourself?"

Chongzhen snorted, and said, "But it was difficult at the beginning. When you get on the right track, you will find that after adopting standardization, production becomes simpler and the product quality is greatly improved."

Kang Wanwan suddenly interjected: "The standardization mentioned by the Holy Majesty can actually be achieved, but it requires repeated refinement and polishing by craftsmen, but this will take a long time and the cost will increase exponentially."

"No, no, my in-laws, what you said is not really standardized."

Chongzhen waved his hand and said: "Once the real standardization is achieved, not only can the product quality be improved, but also the production and processing efficiency of the product can be greatly improved, and the cost will become much lower instead."

"Oh really?" Kang Wanwan said dumbfounded, "There is such a thing?"

Ma Mingpao asked solemnly, "Can your majesty explain this standardization in detail?"

The standardization mentioned by Chongzhen is so miraculous, but Ma Mingpao has no idea.

But Chongzhen couldn't explain this thing clearly, because he had not participated in production and management.

Although I also know some knowledge points, it is very scattered and it is difficult to form a complete theoretical system.

"I can't tell for a while." Chongzhen said after pondering for a while, "But I know that the Bujialuo Cannon Factory in Macau has achieved standardized production. When they make Hongyi cannons, every process is strictly requirements, and there are special measuring tools, the Daming Armory can learn from the Bogarao Artillery Factory."

"The Bujialao Cannon Factory in Macau?" Ma Mingpao said with a change of expression, "Your Majesty, maybe there is no need to go to Macau. In the past few days, there is a Xiyi red fan named Bu Hege who has been coming to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to post posts. But Chen is busy issuing bonds these days, so I haven't made time to see him."

(End of this chapter)