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Chapter 969 Tai Sui’s head is in trouble
"Don't worry, the first batch of revolvers has been delivered to Dagukou. They will be sent to the Marine Corps for use first. It is estimated that they will arrive in ten days or half a month.

There will be craftsmen from the machinery factory and technicians from the General Staff on board to teach you how to use it and what to pay attention to. You must listen carefully and follow the instructions. Although this thing is easy to use, it is also easy to cause accidental discharge and injury, so don't take it lightly. "

That's right, the pistol that Hong Tao gave to Xiao Si for trial use was a revolver that was very common in later generations. It had been on the market for six or seven years and had always been in the experimental improvement stage. It was not until three years ago that it was roughly finalized and put into small batch production. The first to be equipped was naturally the Imperial Horse Guard.

But it is different from the revolvers seen in western movies. It does not use copper shell primer bullets, but the more backward paper shell primer bullets. Its structure is basically the same as the Minié bullet used in a wide range of rifles today, but the amount of powder is reduced.

It’s not that we can’t make copper shell primer bullets, but it’s expensive! Because the primer is highly corrosive, it’s too difficult to preserve and dangerous, so we simply don’t use it for the time being.

Anyway, the flintlock smoothbore rifle is still the mainstream in the world now. You don’t need to be too demanding in terms of firing rate and range, and it already has an overwhelming advantage. Save as much as you can.

"That's right, that's right. Your Majesty, don't worry. Everyone can memorize the instruction manual and the safety manual. I will personally monitor it if it is not even a word. It's a really good gun... Can I use it for a few days and return it to Your Majesty when you board the ship?"

Xiao Si probably didn't hear most of what the emperor said, he just responded subconsciously, all his attention was focused on the pistol. He not only touched it but also smelled it, he almost drooled on it to show that it was his master.

"Give it to me. I wanted to let you learn more, but I won't teach you this kind of face. Lead the way quickly. Everyone, listen to my orders, mount your horses and set off!"

Use it for a few days, and when the emperor is busy and forgets about it, he won't have to return the gun once he gets on board. What was he thinking? Hong Tao grabbed the revolver and threw it to Wang Chengen, then led the way away from the dock.

In the distance, the Flathead Brother and several warriors had already led a large group of horses over. The Crocodile Guards and the Warrior Battalion, a group of more than fifty riders, passed through the military camp and slowly headed north.

A lot of effort has been put into the site selection of Seabird Port. In addition to the suitable water depth, current, tidal flow and geological structure at the seaside, the topography of the shore has also been carefully considered, making it a very good military port.

There is a big river 6 miles south of the pier, with fast-flowing and wide water. There is also a big river 10 miles north, which is not as wide as the one in the south but is very deep and also a natural barrier.

Ten miles east of the pier, there is a small mountain range running from north to south. The highest mountain range is no more than 10 meters high and the lowest is no more than 600 meters high. It stretches for more than 30 miles, like a wall blocking the east side.

Between the two rivers, from the mountains to the sea, is a small rectangular plain of more than 20 miles by 10 miles, where the military camps, arsenal, material warehouses, and parade grounds of Hainiao Port are distributed.

As long as the two rivers and the mountains are guarded, this area will be safe and outsiders cannot easily get in. No matter which direction the enemy attacks from, the naturally formed rivers and mountains will block them.

The navy was certainly not afraid of water, so it did not pay too much attention to the defense of the sea and the two rivers, but instead focused its main energy on the mountains to the east.

This north-south mountain range is not high but very steep, with only two ravines that are relatively easy to navigate. So the navy took advantage of the opportunity to blast the mountain to get stones to build the dock, widened and repaired these two ravines, and turned them into two stone slab roads that cross the mountain range, and set up sentries at the entrances at both ends. The width of the road is wide enough for baggage wagons, but don't think this is a loophole. Anyone who sets foot on this road without the consent of the sentry is basically equivalent to setting foot on the road to hell.

The Lu Zhanwei set up more than ten soldier hiding caves on the cliffs that had been excavated along the way, and there were also artillery positions on the top of the cliffs. Each route was guarded by three centurions in turn, which was the only land transportation in Seabird Port.

“Ah, what a beautiful view!”

Following the steps carved out of the cliff to the top of the mountain, to the west is the vast ocean. Although I know that the mainland is close at hand, I can't see it at all. To the east is a flat land. The terrain rises suddenly after dozens of miles. Looking further away, there are continuous mountains, one layer higher than the other.

"Your Majesty, why are there snow-capped mountains here when it's warm all year round?" Wang Chengen felt that his naked eyes could not see far, so he simply raised the telescope. As a result, he happened to see something. He actually saw the white snow on the top of the mountain, which puzzled him.

"All the books you've read were thrown out with the food! Xiao Si, come and help Manager Wang solve his puzzlement."

The emperor felt very unsuccessful when asked this question. This is common sense. Anyone who has studied geography for a few years in the Cuju Team, the Haihu Division, or the New School should understand this. You are in charge of the Cuju Team, how can you be so unmotivated?
"Your Majesty's book on geography says that, from sea level, the temperature drops by 100 degrees for every 0.6 meters of elevation. The General Staff's Surveying and Mapping Department has sent people to measure and calculate, and those snow-capped mountains are all above 3500 meters.

3618, it is more than 20 degrees lower than here, and it will freeze even if it doesn't snow. Your Majesty has also written that the temperature near the equator in Africa is higher than Luzon all year round, and there are still snow-capped mountains. It is as hot as a steamer at the foot of the mountain, and the wind is biting at the top of the mountain. The many changes between heaven and earth are beyond the comprehension of mortals except for gods. "

Xiao Si did not give Wang Chengen any face. He not only answered the question, but also extended it and expressed his inner feelings. He had only been to Shalian Port in his life, and he was skeptical about a lot of knowledge he learned from books.

However, the Lu Zhanwei had soldiers who were constantly returning from Enniao Port, and after hearing their own accounts of the scenery in Africa, they had no choice but to believe the descriptions in the books. This led to a suspicion that the emperor was not an ordinary person, otherwise how could he have foresight of the scenery thousands of miles away.

"You talk too much! It looks like there's a fire down there, and so are these farmers. They shouldn't be too careful in the middle of winter."

Wang Chengen was annoyed when someone showed off their knowledge in front of him, but he couldn't say much in front of the emperor, so he simply raised the telescope again, intending to look for other scenery. As a result, he really found something unusual. This time he didn't say anything, but just muttered in his heart, fearing that he would be lectured again.

"Dangdangdang...Dangdangdang..." But after a few minutes, a series of rapid bells suddenly rang out from the artillery platform not far away, and people were running around, busy moving the artillery carriage and turning the muzzle to the east.

"It's an alarm, there's a smoke signal! Your Majesty, please return to the barracks as soon as possible. As long as I'm here, no one can pass this pass!" Xiao Si immediately lost his composure, and with a serious face he advised the emperor to interrupt his journey and return to the dock, even making a gesture of fighting to the death.

"You have thousands of elite soldiers, but you're going to just defend this place and that's it? You're going to ignore the farmers living at the foot of the mountain?" Hong Tao didn't move, looking at the column of smoke rising higher and higher in the distance, and asked Xiao Si a soul-searching question.

(End of this chapter)