Chapter 1628
The Secret of the Steam Engine
Chapter 1628 The Secret of the Steam Engine
During the previous visit to the guns, Bai Kesi had already introduced on his own initiative that Haihan introduced the steam engine into the weapon manufacturing process, but because of the limited production capacity, it was only used to manufacture the advanced weapons equipped by the Haihan army. The two places they had just visited were invisible.Even though Fei Cexian was full of curiosity about this and wanted to know how Haihan used the steam engine in the weapon manufacturing process, since Haihan didn't take the initiative to arrange it, he couldn't take the initiative to make this request.
However, the manufacturing process of the steam engine is also one of Haihan's top secrets. If he can see the process of manufacturing the steam engine, Fei Cexian can still use it as a topic and submit a report to the court. Afterwards, there will be a reward from the capital.
A group of people left the rifle assembly workshop, and there was a carriage waiting outside. Fei Cexian was invited to get on the carriage, thinking that the place where the steam engine is produced is farther away in the mountains and old forests, and they still need to take a carriage to get there.
Unexpectedly, after getting on the carriage, the carriage went back and forth instead, and then crossed the railway track from a flat place to the other side. Only then did Fei Cexian notice that there were many factory buildings hidden in the mountains and forests.Not long after, the carriage stopped. After Fei Cexian got off the car, he found that the factory buildings here were the same as the two places he had visited before. They were all gray brick houses with many windows opened on the walls and ceilings. lighting conditions.Outside the door is the same as the place where weapons are produced, and there are also soldiers with live ammunition standing guard.
As soon as the group walked outside the factory building, they could hear the unique sound of metal friction and impact from the steam engine coming from inside the factory building.Fei Cexian wanted to speed up his pace, but seeing Bex's unhurried appearance, he could only suppress the excitement in his heart, and slowed down to follow behind.
But after entering the factory, Fei Cexian couldn't understand the situation inside immediately.The factory building is full of various machines in operation. The huge axle converts the energy released by the steam engine into mechanical energy through gears and belts, and processes all kinds of strange-shaped metal parts. Above the steaming boilers, there are There are chimneys leading to the roof, and it looks like there are many more pillars supporting the roof in the interior space.
Fei Cexian didn't come back to his senses for a moment: "Isn't this the place where steam engines are made? Why do these huge machines in operation in the factory look like steam engines?"
"Your Majesty Fei is right. These are indeed steam engines. A lot of processing work is done with steam engines to manufacture steam engine parts." Beks proudly introduced: "In this way, our work efficiency can be changed from pure manual work. The level has been increased dozens of times, and the construction period for manufacturing steam engines has also been greatly shortened.”
Using machines to build machines may sound a bit convoluted, but it is indeed a symbol of Haihan's gradual industrialization.The several machine-added equipment transported through time were mainly used to manufacture various steam-powered machine tools, and then used these machine tools to manufacture more processing equipment, as well as military and commercial versions of steam-powered devices.This process took hundreds of years in the original history, but in the hands of the Haihan people who have fully mastered the steam technology, it only took a few years to complete this evolution process.
Fei Cexian couldn't help asking curiously: "Then how did these produced parts turn into a steam engine?"
Bex replied: "These parts need to be further polished and surface treated before being sent to another place for assembly. To assemble a steam engine requires hundreds of parts, and a group of skilled workers requires about two The assembly of a steam engine can be completed in about two days. However, if it is the large steam engines in the factory building now, the assembly time may have to be several times longer."
Fei Cexian listened carefully and didn't interrupt, but Bai Kesi stopped abruptly, and didn't mention whether he would visit the place where the steam engine was assembled later.Fei Cexian was secretly angry. When he went to the place where the rifle was manufactured, he only saw the assembly process but could not see the production process. Now when he saw the manufacture of the steam engine, he only saw the production but could not see the assembly process. This arrangement is clearly the sea. The Han people did it on purpose, deliberately only allowing themselves to see a part of the entire production process.In this way, even if I see all these scenes in my eyes, I will not be able to restore Haihan's production process after I go back, let alone let the Ministry of Industry carry out imitation and other plans.
Although Fei Cexian knew that the Hai Han people were good at calculating, of course he still felt very uncomfortable being manipulated by the other party like this.It's just that these places are originally forbidden areas in Haihan, and outsiders are usually not allowed to enter at all. It is already a very special treatment for people to arrange this kind of visit, and they can't blame the other party.
Fei Cexian looked at the steam engines, but he didn't feel any joy in his heart. Although he also knew that the place that Beks brought him to see was a real production site, he really couldn't understand these huge steam engines. Mechanical equipment, even with Beks, an expert, explaining it from time to time, he still couldn't understand it.
Why can the Haihan people come up with these complicated mechanical devices, but Daming can't even imitate them? Fei Cexian even came up with such a desperate idea for a while.If Daming possesses such advanced technology, both in terms of resources and manpower, it is far superior to Haihan, and it will definitely have a wider range of uses, and the national strength of the entire country may also rise to a higher level because of this.
"Master Fei, do you think that if these things are developed by Daming, they might have a better prospect than Haihan?" As if he had read Fei Cexian's mind, Bai Kesi's question immediately pulled him out of his contemplation return.
Fei Cexian forced a smile and said, "Isn't that the case? Skilled craftsmen, my Ming Dynasty only has a lot more than your country, but I just don't understand the structure and principles of this steam engine. If I can learn the secrets of it, with the strength of Ming Dynasty, I can produce more than [-] yuan in one day. The steam engine of our country is probably better than that of your country in a year."
Beks also responded with a smile: "Lord Fei takes it for granted. If this thing is so easy to make, someone should have imitated it tomorrow. Besides, you are still trying to find out the structure of the steam engine, and we have already made it." There is already more advanced equipment, but it has not been put into large-scale production. Mr. Fei, the technological gap between our country and your country is not as simple as a steam engine. Even if your country has craftsmen who can imitate it, it will be very difficult. It meets the requirements of commercial use, let alone military use. It is easy to talk about military affairs on paper, but it is not as simple as adults think to do business from scratch.”
Fei Cexian actually didn't understand how Bai Kesi could say with such certainty that Haihan had an absolute advantage in technology. Could it be that this group of people were born with knowledge as rumored, and they were better than others in everything they did?
But he noticed something Beks said, equipment that is more advanced than a steam engine, so what is that?Could it be an advanced steam engine?But judging from Beks' tone, it shouldn't be that simple.
However, Bex's next words made him put this idea behind him for the time being: "About the steam engine manufacturing technology, in fact, our country can also provide paid transfers, Mr. Fei, should you consider it."
Fei Cexian was just about to ask how much money it was, but after thinking about it, Beks was probably going to repeat his tricks to lead to that clichéd topic, so he asked cautiously: "Master Bai, don't you want to talk again, do you want to talk about it?" For technology transfer, we must first resolve the territorial dispute between the two countries, right?"
"Master Fei is really smart, he guessed it right! But he didn't hit all of them..." Beks didn't show any embarrassment after being exposed, and continued: "If we want to talk about the transfer of steam engine technology, we only need to focus on the previously disputed areas. Certainly not enough, your country has to show more sincerity."
"No, no." Fei Cexian immediately shook his hand to express his refusal.For Ming, territorial sovereignty is much more important than dispensable things like steam engines. Without steam engines, Ming has continued to rule for more than 200 years. With this thing, it may not be possible to pacify the Central Plains and War in the North.And actively ceding territory to other countries in exchange for something that is still considered divine by many people, this choice is definitely impossible to be approved by the court.
Seeing Fei Cexian's repeated rejection, Bai Kesi smiled even more happily.Of course, Haihan had no plan to transfer the steam engine manufacturing technology to Daming, and he was just joking about Fei Cexian.If Fei Cexian was really moved by this, then Bai Kesi's side would naturally open his mouth, and then offer an unacceptable condition to persuade him to leave.
"Your Majesty Fei, don't rush to make a decision, you can think about it slowly." Beks persuaded with a smile: "When you stay in our country for a long time, you will gradually realize how versatile the steam engine is. The population of our country There are only about [-] people, and the labor force accounts for only a little more than one-third. But why you can do many things that your country cannot achieve, of course, part of the reason is that our country has the magic weapon of the steam engine. A steam engine can Having obtained ten times and a hundred times the manpower, Mr. Fei is a smart person, so he should be able to figure out how much benefit this thing can bring."
Fei Cexian said in his heart that I understand all these reasons. You have a small labor force in Haihan country, so steam engines are used as labor force, but you are not willing to sell this stuff to Daming. If you want to talk about it, you only talk about the technology transfer of the whole package, and If it is also linked to the territorial issue, then how can this deal be negotiated.Although Daming's technology in this area was backward and faced with internal and external troubles, the country's power was not weak enough to be manipulated by others. Haihan's asking price was not marginal. After all, he was still unwilling to let Daming have this technology.
As for when Haihan would be able to sell things like steam engines to Daming, Fei Cexian actually had a premonition in his heart after many contacts with Haihan's senior management.He estimated that this matter is mostly the same as the weapons produced by Haihan. The export of old-fashioned models will only be gradually released after better advanced equipment is mass-produced and widely used.How long this process will take, Fei Cexian has no idea at all, but it is a bit sad to think that Daming can only use what Haihan has eliminated.
But Fei Cexian thought about it again. Beks also said just now that the weapons equipped by their own army will use steam engines in the production process. If this thing is exported to Daming, wouldn't it be possible for Daming to explore slowly? Made more advanced weapons?The rifles produced by Haihan, which are said to be old-fashioned models, cannot be sold to Daming at all.Thinking about it this way, it seemed reasonable for Haihan not to sell the steam engine to Daming.
Of course, Fei Cexian still thinks the problem is too simple, not to mention that the models and functions of steam engines are very different. Although the principles of steam engines for various purposes are the same, they must be specially designed when they are manufactured. It is impossible to transform them with just a steam engine. into equipment for processing weapons.And even if you have a steam engine, if you don't master the processing technology related to weapons, you can only stare blankly at the raw materials.The manufacture of rifles for the Haihan army's own use involves more than just machining, but also materials science, heat treatment, weapon design and other disciplines, all of which are indispensable.At present, the finished product that Daming copied from the Haihan Rifle can only copy the appearance, and the performance is still very different.
Compared with the steam engine, the structure of the flintlock rifle is already very simple. It is difficult for Daming to imitate a rifle with both inside and outside, let alone a steam engine with a more complicated structure and certain requirements for the processing technology of parts.Even small parts such as rubber gaskets are enough to make Daming's imitation fall short.
Of course, to be on the safe side, and to firmly control Daming’s technology tree, Haihan still strictly blocked the steam engine technology. Each steam engine that leaves the factory has a separate number, and it is inspected regularly. Even if it is scrapped, it must be recycled as a whole. Opportunities to flow into other countries are blocked as much as possible.Even knowledge related to steam engines can only be learned in Sanya's special training college.So so far, there are quite a few Ming people who have seen the Haihan steam engine, but there have been no pioneers who have successfully copied it in the Ming Dynasty.
He visited several steam engine factories one after another, but Fei Cexian still had no clue.Bai Kesi deliberately did not explain to him the principles and uses of making these parts, so Fei Cexian could only watch the excitement like a countryman entering the city.While secretly scolding Bex in his heart for being so unkind, he even arranged this kind of tour to torture himself, and at the same time he had to smile and talk to Bex, hoping that the other party would reveal some valuable information.Otherwise, after this visit, he really looked at it for nothing, and he didn't understand what the production process of the steam engine was all about.
"It's getting late, let's stop here for today's visit."
When Bai Kesi uttered these words, Fei Cexian felt faintly relieved, as if he was relieved from the predicament.
(End of this chapter)
During the previous visit to the guns, Bai Kesi had already introduced on his own initiative that Haihan introduced the steam engine into the weapon manufacturing process, but because of the limited production capacity, it was only used to manufacture the advanced weapons equipped by the Haihan army. The two places they had just visited were invisible.Even though Fei Cexian was full of curiosity about this and wanted to know how Haihan used the steam engine in the weapon manufacturing process, since Haihan didn't take the initiative to arrange it, he couldn't take the initiative to make this request.
However, the manufacturing process of the steam engine is also one of Haihan's top secrets. If he can see the process of manufacturing the steam engine, Fei Cexian can still use it as a topic and submit a report to the court. Afterwards, there will be a reward from the capital.
A group of people left the rifle assembly workshop, and there was a carriage waiting outside. Fei Cexian was invited to get on the carriage, thinking that the place where the steam engine is produced is farther away in the mountains and old forests, and they still need to take a carriage to get there.
Unexpectedly, after getting on the carriage, the carriage went back and forth instead, and then crossed the railway track from a flat place to the other side. Only then did Fei Cexian notice that there were many factory buildings hidden in the mountains and forests.Not long after, the carriage stopped. After Fei Cexian got off the car, he found that the factory buildings here were the same as the two places he had visited before. They were all gray brick houses with many windows opened on the walls and ceilings. lighting conditions.Outside the door is the same as the place where weapons are produced, and there are also soldiers with live ammunition standing guard.
As soon as the group walked outside the factory building, they could hear the unique sound of metal friction and impact from the steam engine coming from inside the factory building.Fei Cexian wanted to speed up his pace, but seeing Bex's unhurried appearance, he could only suppress the excitement in his heart, and slowed down to follow behind.
But after entering the factory, Fei Cexian couldn't understand the situation inside immediately.The factory building is full of various machines in operation. The huge axle converts the energy released by the steam engine into mechanical energy through gears and belts, and processes all kinds of strange-shaped metal parts. Above the steaming boilers, there are There are chimneys leading to the roof, and it looks like there are many more pillars supporting the roof in the interior space.
Fei Cexian didn't come back to his senses for a moment: "Isn't this the place where steam engines are made? Why do these huge machines in operation in the factory look like steam engines?"
"Your Majesty Fei is right. These are indeed steam engines. A lot of processing work is done with steam engines to manufacture steam engine parts." Beks proudly introduced: "In this way, our work efficiency can be changed from pure manual work. The level has been increased dozens of times, and the construction period for manufacturing steam engines has also been greatly shortened.”
Using machines to build machines may sound a bit convoluted, but it is indeed a symbol of Haihan's gradual industrialization.The several machine-added equipment transported through time were mainly used to manufacture various steam-powered machine tools, and then used these machine tools to manufacture more processing equipment, as well as military and commercial versions of steam-powered devices.This process took hundreds of years in the original history, but in the hands of the Haihan people who have fully mastered the steam technology, it only took a few years to complete this evolution process.
Fei Cexian couldn't help asking curiously: "Then how did these produced parts turn into a steam engine?"
Bex replied: "These parts need to be further polished and surface treated before being sent to another place for assembly. To assemble a steam engine requires hundreds of parts, and a group of skilled workers requires about two The assembly of a steam engine can be completed in about two days. However, if it is the large steam engines in the factory building now, the assembly time may have to be several times longer."
Fei Cexian listened carefully and didn't interrupt, but Bai Kesi stopped abruptly, and didn't mention whether he would visit the place where the steam engine was assembled later.Fei Cexian was secretly angry. When he went to the place where the rifle was manufactured, he only saw the assembly process but could not see the production process. Now when he saw the manufacture of the steam engine, he only saw the production but could not see the assembly process. This arrangement is clearly the sea. The Han people did it on purpose, deliberately only allowing themselves to see a part of the entire production process.In this way, even if I see all these scenes in my eyes, I will not be able to restore Haihan's production process after I go back, let alone let the Ministry of Industry carry out imitation and other plans.
Although Fei Cexian knew that the Hai Han people were good at calculating, of course he still felt very uncomfortable being manipulated by the other party like this.It's just that these places are originally forbidden areas in Haihan, and outsiders are usually not allowed to enter at all. It is already a very special treatment for people to arrange this kind of visit, and they can't blame the other party.
Fei Cexian looked at the steam engines, but he didn't feel any joy in his heart. Although he also knew that the place that Beks brought him to see was a real production site, he really couldn't understand these huge steam engines. Mechanical equipment, even with Beks, an expert, explaining it from time to time, he still couldn't understand it.
Why can the Haihan people come up with these complicated mechanical devices, but Daming can't even imitate them? Fei Cexian even came up with such a desperate idea for a while.If Daming possesses such advanced technology, both in terms of resources and manpower, it is far superior to Haihan, and it will definitely have a wider range of uses, and the national strength of the entire country may also rise to a higher level because of this.
"Master Fei, do you think that if these things are developed by Daming, they might have a better prospect than Haihan?" As if he had read Fei Cexian's mind, Bai Kesi's question immediately pulled him out of his contemplation return.
Fei Cexian forced a smile and said, "Isn't that the case? Skilled craftsmen, my Ming Dynasty only has a lot more than your country, but I just don't understand the structure and principles of this steam engine. If I can learn the secrets of it, with the strength of Ming Dynasty, I can produce more than [-] yuan in one day. The steam engine of our country is probably better than that of your country in a year."
Beks also responded with a smile: "Lord Fei takes it for granted. If this thing is so easy to make, someone should have imitated it tomorrow. Besides, you are still trying to find out the structure of the steam engine, and we have already made it." There is already more advanced equipment, but it has not been put into large-scale production. Mr. Fei, the technological gap between our country and your country is not as simple as a steam engine. Even if your country has craftsmen who can imitate it, it will be very difficult. It meets the requirements of commercial use, let alone military use. It is easy to talk about military affairs on paper, but it is not as simple as adults think to do business from scratch.”
Fei Cexian actually didn't understand how Bai Kesi could say with such certainty that Haihan had an absolute advantage in technology. Could it be that this group of people were born with knowledge as rumored, and they were better than others in everything they did?
But he noticed something Beks said, equipment that is more advanced than a steam engine, so what is that?Could it be an advanced steam engine?But judging from Beks' tone, it shouldn't be that simple.
However, Bex's next words made him put this idea behind him for the time being: "About the steam engine manufacturing technology, in fact, our country can also provide paid transfers, Mr. Fei, should you consider it."
Fei Cexian was just about to ask how much money it was, but after thinking about it, Beks was probably going to repeat his tricks to lead to that clichéd topic, so he asked cautiously: "Master Bai, don't you want to talk again, do you want to talk about it?" For technology transfer, we must first resolve the territorial dispute between the two countries, right?"
"Master Fei is really smart, he guessed it right! But he didn't hit all of them..." Beks didn't show any embarrassment after being exposed, and continued: "If we want to talk about the transfer of steam engine technology, we only need to focus on the previously disputed areas. Certainly not enough, your country has to show more sincerity."
"No, no." Fei Cexian immediately shook his hand to express his refusal.For Ming, territorial sovereignty is much more important than dispensable things like steam engines. Without steam engines, Ming has continued to rule for more than 200 years. With this thing, it may not be possible to pacify the Central Plains and War in the North.And actively ceding territory to other countries in exchange for something that is still considered divine by many people, this choice is definitely impossible to be approved by the court.
Seeing Fei Cexian's repeated rejection, Bai Kesi smiled even more happily.Of course, Haihan had no plan to transfer the steam engine manufacturing technology to Daming, and he was just joking about Fei Cexian.If Fei Cexian was really moved by this, then Bai Kesi's side would naturally open his mouth, and then offer an unacceptable condition to persuade him to leave.
"Your Majesty Fei, don't rush to make a decision, you can think about it slowly." Beks persuaded with a smile: "When you stay in our country for a long time, you will gradually realize how versatile the steam engine is. The population of our country There are only about [-] people, and the labor force accounts for only a little more than one-third. But why you can do many things that your country cannot achieve, of course, part of the reason is that our country has the magic weapon of the steam engine. A steam engine can Having obtained ten times and a hundred times the manpower, Mr. Fei is a smart person, so he should be able to figure out how much benefit this thing can bring."
Fei Cexian said in his heart that I understand all these reasons. You have a small labor force in Haihan country, so steam engines are used as labor force, but you are not willing to sell this stuff to Daming. If you want to talk about it, you only talk about the technology transfer of the whole package, and If it is also linked to the territorial issue, then how can this deal be negotiated.Although Daming's technology in this area was backward and faced with internal and external troubles, the country's power was not weak enough to be manipulated by others. Haihan's asking price was not marginal. After all, he was still unwilling to let Daming have this technology.
As for when Haihan would be able to sell things like steam engines to Daming, Fei Cexian actually had a premonition in his heart after many contacts with Haihan's senior management.He estimated that this matter is mostly the same as the weapons produced by Haihan. The export of old-fashioned models will only be gradually released after better advanced equipment is mass-produced and widely used.How long this process will take, Fei Cexian has no idea at all, but it is a bit sad to think that Daming can only use what Haihan has eliminated.
But Fei Cexian thought about it again. Beks also said just now that the weapons equipped by their own army will use steam engines in the production process. If this thing is exported to Daming, wouldn't it be possible for Daming to explore slowly? Made more advanced weapons?The rifles produced by Haihan, which are said to be old-fashioned models, cannot be sold to Daming at all.Thinking about it this way, it seemed reasonable for Haihan not to sell the steam engine to Daming.
Of course, Fei Cexian still thinks the problem is too simple, not to mention that the models and functions of steam engines are very different. Although the principles of steam engines for various purposes are the same, they must be specially designed when they are manufactured. It is impossible to transform them with just a steam engine. into equipment for processing weapons.And even if you have a steam engine, if you don't master the processing technology related to weapons, you can only stare blankly at the raw materials.The manufacture of rifles for the Haihan army's own use involves more than just machining, but also materials science, heat treatment, weapon design and other disciplines, all of which are indispensable.At present, the finished product that Daming copied from the Haihan Rifle can only copy the appearance, and the performance is still very different.
Compared with the steam engine, the structure of the flintlock rifle is already very simple. It is difficult for Daming to imitate a rifle with both inside and outside, let alone a steam engine with a more complicated structure and certain requirements for the processing technology of parts.Even small parts such as rubber gaskets are enough to make Daming's imitation fall short.
Of course, to be on the safe side, and to firmly control Daming’s technology tree, Haihan still strictly blocked the steam engine technology. Each steam engine that leaves the factory has a separate number, and it is inspected regularly. Even if it is scrapped, it must be recycled as a whole. Opportunities to flow into other countries are blocked as much as possible.Even knowledge related to steam engines can only be learned in Sanya's special training college.So so far, there are quite a few Ming people who have seen the Haihan steam engine, but there have been no pioneers who have successfully copied it in the Ming Dynasty.
He visited several steam engine factories one after another, but Fei Cexian still had no clue.Bai Kesi deliberately did not explain to him the principles and uses of making these parts, so Fei Cexian could only watch the excitement like a countryman entering the city.While secretly scolding Bex in his heart for being so unkind, he even arranged this kind of tour to torture himself, and at the same time he had to smile and talk to Bex, hoping that the other party would reveal some valuable information.Otherwise, after this visit, he really looked at it for nothing, and he didn't understand what the production process of the steam engine was all about.
"It's getting late, let's stop here for today's visit."
When Bai Kesi uttered these words, Fei Cexian felt faintly relieved, as if he was relieved from the predicament.
(End of this chapter)