Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

“In the past, when soldiers loaded their muskets, they would first measure the amount of gunpowder in a powder container, pour it into the barrel, wrap the bullet in oilcloth and insert it into the barrel, and then use a cleaning rod to press the bullet into the bottom of the barrel to compact it.

Following His Highness's instructions, I visited papermaking merchants in the capital, consulted papermaking craftsmen, and made many trials before finally producing this kind of paper shell that meets the requirements.

This paper shell is highly plastic but not too hard. My subordinates produce it according to the specifications of the gun barrel. First, they wrap the bullet with oilcloth and press it on the bottom of the paper shell. Then they pour a measured amount of black powder into the paper shell and finally tie one end tightly with a thin wire.

When soldiers were about to fight, they only needed to take out this paper shell bullet and bite open the end of the thin wire with their teeth.

Pour the black powder into the barrel, then insert the paper shell bullet with the open end facing down directly into the barrel, and then press it down with a cleaning rod, and it can be fired normally.

As Bi Maokang spoke, he demonstrated with a Guards' active-duty musket, and in a moment he had loaded the musket with powder.

Zhang Shikang didn't waste any time. He took the rifle and walked out of the house. He didn't even bother to go to the shooting range. He pulled the trigger at a hitching post about ten steps outside the house.

But there was a bang, sparks and white smoke came out from the flint, and white smoke also came out from the hitching post.

Zhang Shikang walked closer to the hitching post and used his hands to check the material of the post and the extent of the damage caused by the bullet.

As an experienced musket user, Zhang Shikang could already judge the power of a musket by its material.

In fact, the power of this paper shell bullet is no different from that of direct-loaded gunpowder.

But its strength lies in simplifying the steps of loading ammunition, making it about 30% faster than the original method.

Although 30% only takes one or two breaths of time, it may change the outcome of the battlefield at the most critical moment.

After all, for the musketeers at that time, the speed of changing ammunition was everything.

"Mr. Bi has made another great contribution!" Zhang Shikang stood up and smiled like an aunt.

The concept of paper shell bullets is not complicated. For the ancients, there are only two difficulties: one is whether they have thought of doing so, and the other is the material.

In fact, what restricts this project is the new paper system. Otherwise, if the concept had been learned from Zhang Shikang, it would not have taken so long.

But no matter what, once this type of fixed paper shell bullet is mass-produced, the combat effectiveness of the Ming Dynasty musketeers will definitely be taken to the next level.

"I'm ashamed. This is all thanks to Your Highness."

Like Song Yingxing, Bi Maokang humbly returned the greeting with a bow.

In their minds, the proposal of a concept is much more important than its final realization, which is why they attach so much importance to the Book of Answers.

“As for the rifling that Your Highness mentioned, I have not yet been able to achieve it.

Previously, my subordinates had been stuck on the material. The barrel needed to be cast with the best steel, and to carve the rifling on the barrel, an even harder material was needed.

However, I have already made some progress. The three eldest brothers in the Manufacturing Bureau use blast furnaces to refine steel of higher quality. I have asked them to help me make the tools for carving rifling grooves."

Bi Maokang said again.

"How are the three brothers doing now?" Zhang Shikang asked.

The three eldest brothers were naturally the three brothers who were discovered by Zhang Shikang during the imperial examinations in science and engineering.

However, due to limited conditions, the three brothers basically only used a very small furnace to refine steel.

After the three brothers joined the General Manufacturing Bureau at the invitation of Zhang Shikang, the first task Zhang Shikang gave them was to build larger coking ovens and steel furnaces.

Although it was only enlarged in proportion, the three brothers had never used such a large furnace to make steel, so it was still difficult.

Wang Zheng took over the conversation and said:

“Your Highness, the three brothers have already completed the construction of a medium-sized coking and steelmaking furnace, and the steel produced is no different from the original one.

The three brothers said that they were fully confident that they could complete the construction and commissioning of the large-scale coking and steelmaking furnaces. Two days ago, they asked us for permission to skip the experiment of the large furnace and directly approve the construction of the steel workshop.

I believe that this is something that needs to be decided by Your Highness."

Zhang Shikang thought for a moment and said:

"Since the three brothers are confident, there is no need to hesitate. Later, I will send a message to the Ministry of Industry to start building the steelmaking workshop!

but……"

After saying this, Zhang Shikang suddenly hesitated.

"The location of this steel workshop may not be built around the General Manufacturing Bureau. We should give it some careful consideration.

I have two requirements. The first is to stay as far away from the capital as possible and to be downwind of the capital.

Second, a special canal should be built to connect Tianjin directly to the sea.

Let’s use cement as the material and test its properties.”

Zhang Shikang said this while thinking, Wang Zheng was puzzled.

"Your Highness, why is this?"

Many workshops have been built around the General Manufacturing Bureau, including glass workshops, textile workshops, porcelain workshops, musket and artillery workshops, etc.

This was also according to Zhang Shikang's original plan. After all, the various workshops were close to each other, which not only had a clustering effect, but also made it easier for the craftsmen of the Manufacturing Bureau to supervise.

"You will know later." Zhang Shikang kept it a secret.

Steel mills were naturally rare in those days. After all, salt and iron had been government-run since the Han Dynasty.

The reason is naturally simple. Steel production is low and needs to be used for the military first.

But according to Zhang Shikang's plan, once large-scale coking and steelmaking furnaces were built, with the mobilization capabilities of the great Ming Dynasty, steel production could be increased to an unprecedented level within two years.

This brings us to a very serious issue.

That is the problem of environmental pollution.

Just look at Hebei Province back then to see the air pollution caused by large-scale coking and steelmaking. PM2.5 levels were off the charts all year round, especially in winter, when the air was so pollutants that even the sun couldn't be seen.

Zhang Shikang doesn't want himself and his children to live in pollution every day in the future.

The temporary solution is not difficult. Just build a steel workshop downwind of the capital.

As for industrial wastewater, Zhang Shikang really had no way out. At that time, there was no advanced sewage treatment capacity like in later generations. The only thing he could think of was to build a separate canal to discharge the water into the sea.

Fortunately, the capital is not far from the Tianjin estuary, so we have to endure the hardship of the sea.

"I will send people to survey the site later and will select a location according to Your Highness's requirements." Wang Zheng bowed.

Zhang Shikang nodded.

Unfortunately, there was no progress on smokeless gunpowder, which made Wang Zheng feel somewhat guilty. Zhang Shikang, on the other hand, comforted the old man.

After all, smokeless gunpowder and explosives are still a bit too difficult for the current industrial level of the Ming Dynasty.

First, there was the backwardness in chemistry, and secondly, glass beakers, test tubes, etc., were only just beginning to be used in the General Manufacturing Bureau.

Fortunately, now that the Academy of Sciences has been established, Zhang Shikang can arrange for craftsmen with expertise in chemistry to conduct research.

Regarding the subject of chemistry, Zhang Shikang also wrote about many items he knew in his reply to Lingjun.

The most important one is three acids and two bases.

If the improvement and use of steam engines and spinning machines are important milestones in the First Industrial Revolution, then the three acids and two bases have the same significance in the discipline of chemistry.

In fact, the Ming Dynasty was already able to produce most of them at that time, but the names were slightly different from what we learned in later generations. As for the remaining two or three types, Zhang Shikang believed that even under the current conditions, it would not be too difficult.

It's just a matter of time.

After adding the conquest of the three acids and two bases to the Academy's main future research topics, it was almost time for dinner.

A craftsman came over to pass on the message, and Zhang Shikang went to the reception room of the General Administration of Manufacturing together with Song Yingxing and others.

Even Johann Adam Schall von Bell and several other European missionaries he had summoned were called over.

As soon as Zhang Shikang asked everyone to sit down, Song Yingxing took out two potatoes from his arms like a magic trick and handed them to Zhang Shikang.

After Zhang Shikang took the potato, he immediately showed a surprised expression.

This potato is a whole size larger than the potatoes currently widely grown in the northern part of the Ming Dynasty.

Potatoes before this had not undergone any improvements and were basically the same size as white-shelled eggs in later generations.

Although the yield is more than twice that of wheat, it is still a world of difference compared with the yield of over 10,000 kilograms per mu in later generations.

But the two potatoes Song Yingxing gave him were almost as big as goose eggs.

"Mr. Song, how did you do it?"

……