Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 1488 Barter Trade
According to the observed errors, Hale re-fine-tuned the pitch angle and direction angle, and the other guns were also fine-tuned accordingly and loaded with live ammunition.

"Mr. Paul, it seems that the cannon is not as accurate as you said." Zheng Zhifeng, who was also observing with a telescope on the other side, was a little dissatisfied after seeing the impact of the shell.In fact, it is unprecedented in this time and space for these artillery to be able to shoot such high accuracy at such a long range. The Zheng family spent huge sums of money to buy Hongyi cannons from England, Macau, Portugal, and even dry Greek merchants in Manila. Surprisingly large.It's just that he has already seen the power of Australian artillery, so Hale's shooting seems a bit overshadowed.

"This is called calibration shooting. In fact, the artillery calibration shooting is the first shell fired. Because of various factors such as the temperature of the gun bore, the operation method, the firing force, the calculation of various elements, and the weather conditions, it is difficult to hit the first shot. The purpose of the calibration shooting is to In order to correct the shooting parameters of the artillery, so that the shells fired in the future can hit the target accurately." These technical terms that I had never heard before came out of Hale's mouth, which really shocked Zheng Zhifeng.For most Chinese at that time, firing a cannon meant aiming the muzzle in the general direction of the enemy, and just holding a matchlock.Few people care about the so-called artillery skills, and even fewer people really understand it.

"The first shot can hit the target, it's either God's will or guidance..." Hale stopped talking, looked at Zheng Zhifeng who was bewildered and rolled his eyes, and couldn't help but feel that he was casting a shadow on the pearl, and continued. : "In fact, the general experience has to go through two test firings to determine the amount of error in the middle, and then it is easy to compensate and correct the shooting elements according to the amount of error; if the site environment and artillery performance are familiar, you can only do it once. Test firing, like now."

Zheng Zhifeng, struggling from a lot of unfamiliar nouns, asked: "You mean, you can definitely hit it right now?"

A sneer appeared on Hale's confident face: "We will wait and see."
With an order, the six cannons spit out tongues of flame that were ten feet long, and the shells were pushed out of the barrels at a speed invisible to the naked eye and hit the target. After three or four seconds in the telescope, several clusters of flames rose on the mound, and then there were several muffled thunders in the next few seconds. like sound.

"It turned out to be a bomb?" Zheng Zhifeng gasped involuntarily.Not only do most of the shells hit, but they are also powerful blooming shells that can burst!Could it be that this is the rumored cannonball used in Australia?
After witnessing the devastating power of the Australians shooting the fleet with grenades, Zheng Zhifeng admired this weapon very much-but he didn't expect to get this "big killer" from Hale.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, European grenades had flowed into China, but limited by the technical level at that time, the power of the grenades was very small, and they did not play a major role in sea and land battles, so they were not taken seriously.It wasn't until the appearance of grenades filled with high-density black powder used by Australians that the flowering bombs became frightening.

"That's right, grenades—or blooming bullets." Hale said, "Although their power is limited in land battles, in sea battles, once a wooden ship is hit, its effect is far better than dozens of rounds of solid bullets."

"Mr. Feng, are you satisfied with the goods this time?" Hale had a slight smile on his face, but his voice was still very cold.

"Very satisfied, you, Paul, never break your promise." Zheng Zhifeng returned to reality from the shock and delusion;
"Our deal?"

"It's a lot of money. I, Mr. Zheng, also said that as long as your goods are good, you won't lose a penny." As he spoke, he asked someone to carry over two large boxes, which were filled with white money, black and white. There was a glimmer of light in Er's eyes, he rubbed it with his slender fingers, feeling the cold texture of the silver, then closed the lid of the box and asked someone to carry it away, saying: "According to our previous agreement, each of the six large and small cannons is The corresponding solid ammunition is equipped with 20 bursting explosive ammunition, and I will leave the cannon table and teach the gunners you sent until they learn all of them.”

"It's a pity that there are fewer."

Zheng Zhifeng was thinking about how the situation would be changed if such a cannon was installed on his newly built three-masted ship.Not to mention Zheng Cai brothers, Liu Xiang's Fu Chuan and Guangzhou Chuan, even the big plywood boats of the Hongmao Yi people in Macau were also wiped out!Although the Australian boats can run without wind, at least they can fight on a relatively equal level with such guns, instead of being reduced to living targets on the sea.

After Operation Hunger, Zheng Zhifeng reorganized the remaining ships and used the timber of the year to build Dafu ships to make up for the gap in trading ships. At the same time, he rebuilt the shipyard on Kinmen Island, spared no expense in purchasing dry materials, and began to build new special warships—these The mother ships of the warships were the unfinished and improved Fuchuan licensed to be found in the Zhongzuo new shipyard.These boats were the result of improvements made by local shipwrights to the merits of European ships.

Hale seemed to know what he was thinking, and said with a sneer: "With all due respect. If you continue to install the artillery I handed over to you on your wooden boxes, you will still be no match for the Australians."

Zheng Zhifeng was startled, although he really wanted to refute Hale's words, but the tragic defeat of the Zheng family's fleet on Weitou Bay made him speechless.Finally he said:
"We also have a few ships of the red-haired barbarians, but they are also no match for the Australians..."

"Their boats suffer from the guns. With my cannons installed, they can still deal with the Australians. Your wooden boxes--I advise you not to build them again. It is more cost-effective to dismantle them early and use them as firewood. "

"what do you mean?"

"The Chinese ships you build, no matter what they are called, I have carefully observed them. They may be good as trading ships, but they are very unsuitable as warships. They have no deck and the center of gravity is too high. The artillery is difficult to deploy. Yours Those ships can only deploy three or four cannons. They cannot form the power of a salvo."

"To build Western ships, I don't have craftsmen who are proficient in Western ship technology." Zheng Zhifeng said, "I have enough ship materials and many craftsmen. Even if I start building ten ships at the same time, it is no problem."

"What do you think of the brig you saw in the port of Manila?"

"Very well, but don't you think it's too small?"

"When the Australian fleet attacked Zhangzhou Bay, most of them were light and light boats. They are of course too small compared to your wooden boxes. But their speed is fast enough to rival the Australian patrol boats. And Four cannons can be installed on its small body." Hale made a gesture, and a Tagalog servant brought a glass of red wine, "You should have seen Australian patrol boats."

"Yes. But they are powerless against the Australian Clippers..."

"You don't have to worry about this. As long as you are willing, I will soon build a larger warship that can fight against them. Of course, I will sell it to you." Hale said calmly.

Zheng Zhifeng's eyes lit up.But he soon realized that it was all about drawing cakes to satisfy his hunger.That said, the light boats and Hale's cannons would at least help.

"Then what price do I have to pay?"

Hale laughed: "You are really a top-notch businessman." He put down his empty wine glass, "Is your An Hai ship still coming to Manila?"

"If I'm not mistaken, your nephew Zheng Sen and Zheng Cai brothers will also send ships to Manila—after all, this is your largest remaining trade channel."

"And Japan."

"Unless you send a fleet to Japan to root out the power of the Australians, I don't see that you have any advantage in trade with Japan. That aside. I think you must be willing to monopolize Manila's trade-at least Keep those pesky relatives out."

Zheng Zhifeng's eyes widened: If these two competitors can be excluded from the Manila trade, the brothers Zheng Lian, Zheng Cai and Zheng Sen who have lost their financial resources will soon decline, and it will be easy to deal with them.

"Your condition is..."

"You need to send enough ships to Manila. During the trade season, at least four to five Anhai ships should arrive every month. The more the better..."

"How is this possible." Zheng Zhifeng shook his head and interrupted him, "The Spaniards don't have so much money to buy my goods."

"The Spaniards don't have them, but I have cannons and maybe someday warships."

"You mean," Zheng Zhifeng asked in surprise, "I can directly use the goods to pay for the value of the ship's cannon?!"

"That's right." Hale said, "Of course, it's up to me to decide which goods can be reimbursed."

"As long as it's not something too unpopular."

"You can rest assured that everything I want can be easily obtained." Hale took out a sheet of paper from his pocket. "This is the specific list of goods."

Zheng Zhifeng took it.The goods listed on the paper are indeed ordinary things.There are always hundreds of items, some of which Zheng Zhifeng doesn't know what they are.Chief among them are pig iron, copper, lead, mercury, and various metals.

"Things are not difficult. But these are cold goods, and you can't afford them after you ask for them..."

"Hehe, my dear friend. Your concept is still a businessman from the beginning to the end." Hale laughed, "You don't have to worry about my financial problems. The more goods you provide, the more weapons I can supply you and ships. Of course, silks, porcelains, sundries, etc., you can transport and sell as you please."

"Okay, it's a deal!"

"Finally, I need more people - they can also be counted as a kind of goods."

"Population?" Zheng Zhifeng hesitated, "Don't you know that Spaniards are very afraid of Chinese immigrants?"

Throughout the history of Philippine colonialism, the Spaniards have always held a suspicious and unacceptable attitude towards Chinese immigrants.And this time is only a few decades away from the so-called "Chinese riots" in the Wanli year.

(End of this chapter)