Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 82 Iron Workshop
"How much iron ore can there be on such a small hill?"

On October 10, after more than half a month of rest and recovery, the crew members who had sailed with the "Breaking Waves" across the Pacific Ocean had basically recovered their energy. Under the unified arrangement of the decision-making committee, they plunged into the vigorous wave of construction again.

After hearing that a magnetite mine was discovered four or five kilometers north of Shixing Fort, Luo Zhenhui immediately brought several people to conduct on-site inspection and exploration.

When Zhang Ruosong pointed to the small hill in front of him that was only a few dozen meters high and said that the area had considerable reserves of magnetite, the disappointment on his face was beyond words.

This small mountain range is only a few square kilometers in radius. Even though it is covered with magnetite, it doesn't seem to have much reserves.

Can this meet the future steelmaking needs of Shixingbao?

"We still have tens of thousands of tons of iron ore," Zhang Ruosong said with a smile. "At our current stage of development, if we can refine this iron ore, we'll have tens of thousands of tons of steel, which will basically meet our initial steel needs. By then, once we have rudimentary industrial capacity and a sufficient population, finding even more abundant iron ore will be a natural progression."

"I remember that this large island and several nearby small islands seem to have considerable reserves of magnetite. We could recruit a few prospectors from the Ming Dynasty to search for them. Perhaps we could discover a few large iron mines there."

"That's right!" Luo Zhenhui nodded, then looked around at the lush fir forest. "I think we should just build a camp here. We don't need to waste time and effort transporting the iron ore back to Shixing Fort for refining. We can cut down this forest, use the trees for charcoal or building materials, use the vacant land for growing crops, and use the waste slag for paving the road."

"I agree," Wei Yingbin echoed. "We now have a population of over 700, so it's time to open up a new base. It's less than five kilometers from Shixing Fort, and we can reach it in less than two hours on foot. We can definitely communicate and support each other from afar. Furthermore, we should also train and cultivate a group of people with experience in local civil affairs management to prepare for future development."

"Well, Ying Bin is very thoughtful and forward-thinking." Luo Zhenhui immediately gave high praise upon hearing this. "In addition to training a group of civil affairs management talents, we also need to plan ahead and train more technical talents and skilled sailors."

"Those thirty or so children brought from the Ming Dynasty must immediately begin modern science instruction after completing basic literacy and speaking. We don't expect them to master advanced knowledge or culture, but they must possess a rudimentary understanding of modern thinking and strong practical skills."

"That's right. Our current educational approach isn't to produce a group of technological elites, but rather a group of junior professionals with modern awareness. What we need are craftsmen, sailors, teachers, and grassroots managers who can communicate and guide people."

"Do those adults need education?" Zhang Ruosong asked.

"If conditions permit, we can provide some literacy training so they can at least recognize a few words. At the very least, we need them to be able to understand what we say and be able to accurately reflect the various problems they encounter."

"Popularize Mandarin?"

"Yes. Only when we have a unified language can we communicate with them effectively and avoid any ambiguity and trouble."
-
The wetland where the stream outside Shixing Fort flowed was expanded into a small reservoir two hundred meters long and more than forty meters wide in just over half a month.

The silt was piled up beside the reservoir, and some Yin people were using brick molds to make bricks. After they were slowly dried in the shade, they would be transported to the brick kiln for firing.

The construction of this small reservoir artificially created a small drop between the stream and the reservoir, allowing the several windmills erected on the reservoir dam to obtain stronger hydraulic kinetic energy.

The mills, paper mills and grain processing workshops built nearby provided a constant supply of mechanical energy.

The construction of the small reservoir not only provides drinking water and power for Shixing Fort, but also provides sufficient irrigation water for nearby farmland and vegetable fields.

To this end, the Chinese are also considering whether to open up an irrigated land near the reservoir to try to grow rice.

But the question is, can the climate and environment here grow rice?
Blacksmith Pablo couldn't help but smile when he thought of this.

Perhaps, the magical Chinese people can do it!

"Bang!"

A loud noise came from the blacksmith shop, immediately diverting Pablo's attention from the direction of the reservoir.

A craftsman from the Ming Dynasty accidentally knocked over a pile of finished iron pot blanks, which rolled and spun on the ground.

As he hurriedly packed up, he glanced at Pablo.

She seemed worried about being scolded and reprimanded by him.

The Chinese brought back more than 30 craftsmen from the Ming Dynasty, including four blacksmiths, all of whom were temporarily handed over to Pablo's management. This made him feel a sense of authority while also giving him a strong sense of crisis.

Before, he was the only blacksmith in the entire Shixing Fort, but now there are four more.

What made him even more fearful was that among these blacksmiths, two of them could refine iron.

It is said that they had several years of iron smelting experience in an iron smelting center called Foshan in the Ming Dynasty.

You know, the Chinese had mentioned to Pablo more than once that Shixing Fort wanted to smelt iron and steel on its own, so as to achieve self-sufficiency in steel raw materials.

Poor Pablo, he had never learned any iron-making technology or experience since his grandfather's generation, and he could only make some iron farm tools and implements.

You know, iron smelting technology is definitely an extremely advanced technology in Europe. Those craftsmen who know how to smelt iron naturally become the "favorites" of the king and nobles, and can obtain unimaginable generous treatment and personal protection.

Therefore, it is generally impossible for excellent blacksmiths to go to the New World to make a living.

And now, two iron smelting craftsmen have come from the Ming Kingdom. This is really surprising. So, with their arrival, will I become less important in the eyes of the Chinese people?
Moreover, they are a group.

"Mu, you should be more careful." Pablo walked over with a smile, trying his best to appear kind and enthusiastic. "If you accidentally hurt yourself, it would be very bad. Are you... okay?"

"I..., I'm... fine..." Seeing this foreigner being so warm and welcoming, Mu Shunan suddenly felt uncomfortable all over.

The unfamiliar environment and crowd made him feel anxious since he came here.

Where on earth is this?

Alas, if it weren’t for the high salaries offered by the “Nanyang masters”, who would have followed them to sea to make a living?

But who could have imagined that those "Nanyang masters" did not take them to Nanyang, but to such a remote, desolate and unknown continent.

This big ship drifted for more than two months, and it finally arrived here after enduring countless storms.

Well, there are not many people here, there are dense jungles everywhere, and there are countless animals and birds.

Although he had no worries about food and drink, every meal was provided with a full stomach, and the craftsmen he recruited were given clothes and cloth, and temporary wooden houses were allocated to them, and the manager was very kind, he still felt inexplicably uneasy.

Do the high salaries they offer still count?
Before they came, Mr. Luo, who recruited them, claimed that as long as they served them and signed a five-year contract, helping to make iron tools and refine iron materials, he would be paid eight taels of silver every month, and an extra month's salary at the end of the year, which was extremely generous.

Moreover, in order to let them go with peace of mind, Mr. Luo directly paid a year's wages in advance, a full 100 taels of silver, and gave it to his family.

So, he and dozens of craftsmen who were also tempted by the "high salary" happily boarded their big ship, ready to go overseas to make a fortune.

However, a few days ago, after a brief exchange with the barbarian in front of him, he unexpectedly learned that the people here had never been paid wages so far, but instead all adopted a bookkeeping method to record the remuneration that each person should receive.

The barbarian said that Shixing Fort was currently short of supplies, and even if they gave him money, they could not buy any goods, so it would be better to put it on the account first.

If the population here increases and supplies become abundant, forming a preliminary small market environment, the decision-making committee will change the policy in a timely manner, transforming the collective farm model into a private individual production method, and everyone's wages will also implement a "pay according to work" price system.

"Then by then, our wages won't be... swallowed up, or even directly taken away, right?" Mu Shunan asked cautiously.

"Don't worry, we're fair here," Pablo smiled. "And the managers here are also extremely fair. They're not only extremely knowledgeable, but also very sincere and pragmatic. Yes, the promises they make are absolutely valid, and they will be actively fulfilled. I believe that we all should maintain the necessary trust among each other."

"Why do you trust them so much?" Mu Shunan asked curiously.

You, a Western barbarian, should be in the same group with them, right?
Or, did you get some huge benefit?
"Because I believe that under their governance, our place will become better and better, and we will create more and more wealth," Pablo said leisurely. "You might not believe it, but just over a year ago, we had almost nothing here, and we had to steal everything we needed from Mexico."

"Oh, that's when they snatched me away. To be honest, I was just like you are now, filled with fear and confusion. But after more than a year of getting along and communicating with each other, I found that I really like this place."

"Great changes are happening here every day. In a short period of time, we have brand new houses, fertile farmland, amazing factories and workshops, smooth roads, and even many newborn babies. Oh, and two months ago, I had my third child. Everything is so beautiful."

"Now, we are welcoming you, the new immigrants from Ming Country. Oh, God, more than three hundred of you, which has more than doubled our population. I believe that with your arrival, even more changes will occur here."

“Every day, we are changing everything here, and every day, we are creating miracles.”

"So, we should have full confidence in this place, in the rulers here, and even more so, in our future."

"As the respected Director Li often told us, we are all pioneers of this era, and we are also witnesses of all this history."

"At some point in the future, we will establish a nation."

"Haha... You know, we will all become great nation-builders by then."

"Our names and deeds will be remembered forever by future generations."

"So, join us."

"..."

Mu Shunan listened to the barbarian's chattering words and felt a little confused and bewildered for a moment.

We are clearly just here... to work and earn money!

"After a while, we may have to build a fort in the north, and the future ironworks will be located there. So..." Pablo looked at Mu Shunan with a smile and said in a gentle tone.

"So, Mu, can you first tell me how to smelt qualified iron?"

(End of this chapter)