1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 598 National Strength
September 1647, 9, Hanzhou, Jianye Port.

As a symbol of a country's maritime strength, a huge warship is docking at the pier. Nearly [-] navy officers and soldiers are lined up on the side of the ship, accepting the inspection and inspection by the military and political officials of Qi State.

The length of the lower deck of the ship reached 43.5 meters, the width of the midship was 12.3 meters, the maximum draft was 4.6 meters, and the displacement was 1200 tons.In order to save construction costs to the greatest extent and make comprehensive use of berth resources and building modules, the construction of its sister ship began immediately after the "Han He" battleship built last year.

该舰的武备系统包括12门36磅火炮，布置于下层甲板后部、16门24磅火炮，布置于下层甲板中前部、14门18磅火炮，布置于上层甲板中后部、12门12磅火炮布置于上层甲板前部、26门6磅火炮布置于艏艉楼露天甲板的炮座上，此舰共计拥有火炮80门。

Compared with the battleship "Hanhe" built before, this battleship named "Hanping" is a qualitative leap from the previous one in terms of manufacturing technology, size and armament.In terms of the main keel and rib frame, steel structures are used in many places, which makes the ship have a more solid and reliable support, and at the same time, it also has a certain strengthening effect on its own protection.

In this way, the Qi State Navy currently has the only two and the most powerful super warships in the region, plus eleven professional warships that have been launched over the past few years, and more than [-] armed merchant ships. Sea threats, have a certain confidence and strength to deal with a tough stance.

Although, in terms of the total fleet size and technical and tactical level, there may be a lot of gaps with the Dutch East India Company, the maritime overlord in this region, but the Qi State Navy is very confident that in the future, when there is a maritime conflict with the Dutch , they have the ability to ensure their native sea dominance.Moreover, they also dared to engage in local decisive sea battles with the Dutch by relying on the armaments possessed by powerful professional warships.

You must know that during this period, around 1650, among the European powers, only the United Kingdom and Spain had three-deck first-class battleships (such as the "Ocean Overlord" and "Royal Prince", etc.), but their hull size and displacement were not comparable to those of the "Han-class battleships". "How big is it.Due to the elevated center of gravity of the three-deck hull, there is a certain gap between the sailing stability and maneuverability of the "Han-class" battleships; in terms of the performance and power of the artillery on board, Qi's 36-pound and 24-pound artillery are even better than the opponent. .

"This ship is huge and mighty astonishingly powerful, but I'm afraid the state money and people's power it consumes is too much." Yuan Zuliang twitched his beard and shook his head, sighing: "If the cost of building this ship is used for the people, it will at least be enough for the people." Needed by hundreds of impoverished farmers. The construction of this ship is very inappropriate!"

When the surrounding Qi officials heard the words and heard him questioning King Qi's naval construction, they immediately showed embarrassment and wanted to refute, but considering that Yuan Zuliang was the former mentor of King Qi, it was difficult to speak for a while.

Regarding Yuan Zuliang's doubts, Qi Tian naturally heard it in front of him, and couldn't help but look back at the so-called teacher, shaking his head secretly.

After Yuan Zuliang came to Hanzhou with the princess and the pro-envoys, he was treated favorably by all local officials and scholars in Hanzhou because he taught Qi Tian to study and take exams in Dengzhou more than ten years ago.As we all know, the king of Qi is erudite. Except for Confucianism and moral articles, he seems to know everything about astronomy and geography, Chinese and foreign history, building equipment, and even military history. In addition, for more than ten years, he has often made accurate judgments on the general trend of the world. Let the whole country of Qi be particularly impressed.

Then, as King Qi's former mentor, Yuan Zuliang must also be a generation of Confucian scholars and a generation of outstanding talents in the world.Therefore, when he returned to Daming with the pro-envoys in July, many officials and scholars of the Qi State tried their best to keep Yuan Zuliang to Hanzhou, inviting him to give lectures and train more talents of the Qi State.

But after several months of communication and contact, everyone found that the knowledge of this king of Qi's mentor seems to be completely opposite to what his own king has. , Facts inside and outside, unexpectedly little is known.

Officials and scholars of the Qi State could not help but wonder, what did our king learn from this old gentleman?Could it be that there are other wise teachers in King Qi's chest?

But in addition to doubts, I dare not underestimate this "emperor teacher" of Qi State. Don't you see, every time the king sees Yuan Zuliang, he is very caring, always asks about his health, and puts on a posture that the teacher and student's kindness is deeper than the sea .

In fact, Qi Tian felt a little guilty and also a little uncomfortable with this teacher who came to Hanzhou suddenly.In other words, I really didn't learn anything from what you taught more than ten years ago!In addition, how should I face the few people around me who are always asking, where did the miscellaneous knowledge I know come from?

"Your Majesty, it is a waste of money to build such a huge ship." Seeing King Qi looking over, Yuan Zuliang quickly cupped his hands and said, "You must know that all the funds of the state come from the power of the people. Blindly ostentatious military and martial arts are wasteful." , not by a benevolent king."

Yo, this is direct face-to-face criticism!
"Mr. Yuan, this huge ship costs 15 Hanzhou silver dollars, which is indeed too much money." Qi Tian nodded and said: "In addition, the annual consumption of naval officers and soldiers, supplies on board, and operating costs also add up to a lot. More than 2 Hanzhou silver dollars. Not to mention, during the war, the gunpowder and projectiles consumed, of course, if there is war damage, the cost will be more."

Yuan Zuliang listened, showing a deeply appreciative smile, it seems that the king will follow my advice and stop doing such extravagant affairs.

"But we can't just look at the cost of this huge ship, but also look at how much benefit it can bring to our country." Qi Tian looked at the many officials in front of him with puzzled expressions, and continued: "The warship is built. , not to waste the state money in vain, but to create due benefits and wealth for Qi.”

"How can a gunboat create profit and wealth besides war and killing?" Yuan Zuliang asked in amazement.

"Such a huge ship can serve at least ten years, so there should be no problem." Qi Tian said with a smile: "If it can survive ten years of service without being sunk or captured, what will it bring? It will at least It will participate in two to three wars, at least 50 battles, and it will capture enemy merchant ships at least 10 times. According to the merchant ships captured during the war with the Dutch a few years ago, each ship will probably have 5-8 Wan Hanzhou’s wealth worth of silver dollars. That is to say, it has captured at least 50 silver dollars in goods during its fighting career.”

"Finally, after it has been in service for ten years, it will generally be sold to private commercial companies or transport ship owners at 5% or [-]% of the ship's cost. That is to say, a battleship with sufficient firepower and good maintenance can serve for ten years as long as the tactics are reasonable. , create at least [-] times its own value! This is only the direct economic value brought by this warship, if you count the indirect economic value it brings?"

"My Hanzhou is surrounded by the sea, and merchants and goods are exchanged by boats. According to the military equipment of this warship, it can escort five merchant ships with a displacement of 5 to 1000 tons at a time, and carry 2000 to 30 tons of Qi. Manufacturing industrial products to Nanyang, Daming, Annan, and even India, and then filling the same amount of fur, cotton, grain, saltpetre, spices, and agricultural products and then returning to Qi, it can at least guarantee the circulation of more than [-] Hanzhou silver dollars cargo safety."

"If it is used for another ten years or at least three years to perform escort missions, it will run back and forth at least twice a year. He will at least guarantee the safety of about 180 million Hanzhou silver dollars and more than 6000 tons of goods that must be circulated by domestic industries. This warship, created The value of it far exceeds its construction cost and operation and maintenance costs, and it can also greatly promote the development of domestic industries and the safety of maritime trade and transportation.”

"On the other hand, the giant ship cannon reflects the strength and will of the country, deters the surrounding area, prevents unruly forces from spying, and can also defeat the enemy without fighting. Everyone, who of you thinks that building such a huge ship is a waste of money National treasury, a waste of Qi's national power?"

"Your Majesty's thoughts are very far-sighted." Cabinet Prime Minister Pan Qifeng took the lead in bowing and saluting, "Your ministers are terrified and did not think carefully. They also complained that the navy spent too much money building this huge ship, which would shake the national power."

"What the king said made me feel ashamed. However, I also let me wait for the moment." Luan Jinxing, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said excitedly: "In this case, I suggest that I supervise the construction of a third such huge ship to serve our country Qi. Industrial and commercial goods can travel everywhere, and it is a solid and powerful guarantee!"

"Lord Luan, this suggestion of yours may make Mr. Xiao, Minister of the Household Department, unable to sleep at night." Qi Tian said with a smile, "You know, the Ministry of Household Affairs has been in the red for three consecutive years, and it has been paid to the Hanzhou Big Bank every year. Borrow to live."

Xiao Wendong, Minister of the Household Department, smiled wryly when he heard the words, but said nothing.Since the establishment of the Qi cabinet government, except for the first two years when the Ministry of Households achieved a balance of revenue and expenditure and a slight surplus, in recent years, with the increase in the number of immigrants and the birth of a large number of new children in middle schools, the Ministry of Households has to do this every year. Expenditures of huge resettlement costs and newborn subsidies and medical care and other related costs.

Coupled with the situation in Daming, more than a thousand marines fought and fought in Daming, and kept five or six warships providing maritime support along the coast of Daming all year round. Military expenditures have also remained high.If it weren't for the large amount of profits put into the treasury by several trading companies and workshops controlled by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, as well as the annual dividends of the Hanzhou General Trading Company and the Indian Trading Company, it is estimated that the government's operations would have long been unsustainable.

For this reason, the Ministry of Household Affairs has strongly requested all government departments to reduce non-essential expenditures, and at the same time continuously urged all prefectures and counties to step up collection of resettlement loans for old immigrants.In addition, the Ministry of Household Affairs is still considering setting up new commercial taxes, intending to make up for the shortfall in the fast-growing industrial and commercial industries in the country.

It stands to reason that the State of Qi had the earliest developed Heishan gold mine and later the Jincheng gold mine in the eastern part of Hanzhou (now Chartersburg, eastern Australia, west of Townsville), plus the soon-to-be-developed Jindao (now Papua New Guinea) Lihir Island) copper-gold mine, should not be short of money.

However, Qitian did not hand over the management rights of the gold mine and the right to mint coins to the Ministry of Households, but was under the jurisdiction of the Hanzhou Big Bank and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and resolutely stopped the government from minting coins without restriction.

As a result, Qitian also gave a special course on finance and finance to officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs, Hanzhou Big Bank, and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.Through the level of two knives in his mind, he briefly introduced the quantity theory of money demand, the positive and negative correlation between inflation and currency issuance, the relationship between currency circulation velocity and price level, and so on.

All in all, Qi Tian warned the government not to use the mined gold and silver as its own currency reserve and mint all of it into currency, otherwise, the most vulnerable people will be those who are vulnerable.Currency issuance must be in line with the total economic development, not because the government takes it for granted or urgently needs to fill the deficit of the treasury.At present, Qi has a small population and a small economic aggregate, which is convenient for officials in economic affairs and currency issuance affairs to explore and learn from it, and establish a mature and effective currency and financial system.

"Your Majesty, that Dutchman is unwilling to serve our country of Qi." The battleship "Hanping" slowly left the pier, preparing for a three-month sea trial.At this time, Cao He, the commander of the black guard, came to Qi Tian and said in a low voice, "However, he sold us the previous exploration chart and some materials."

"In this case, let our exploration fleet prepare to go to the unknown sea in the east of Hanzhou to search for it!"

(End of this chapter)