Ming Zuo

Chapter 64 Military Uniforms
Steelmaking and glass manufacturing both require an important condition.

That is high temperature.

And with today's technology, even the best furnaces can't consistently withstand temperatures that can make steel and melt sand.

That's why, when making iron, you can occasionally get some steel.

The melting point of glass is higher than that of steel, so Huaxia cannot even obtain it by accident.

The only thing that can be used is natural crystal.

A person who is proficient in military history, weapons history, and ordnance must also be a qualified chemist.Relevant smelting, chemical reaction and other knowledge, it must be mastered.

This is also the basis for Zuo Menggeng's confidence to come up with more advanced muskets.

"We need to build a kiln first to burn refractory bricks."

Refractory bricks are the key to building a smelting furnace, and Yang Gui is going to start from here.

He looked at Zuo Menggeng and kept pondering what technology Zuo Menggeng said could make steel.

Seeing that Zuo Menggeng didn't say much about Jianyao, Zuo Gui knew that the key to the technology was not here.

Then it can only be on refractory bricks.

"The brick kiln is built there. Yang Gui has the final say. How many people are needed, Director Huang will allocate to you."

Huang Zongxi is now not only the director of the Military Affairs Department, but he has to participate in the construction of the weapons institute.

After all, there are financial issues involved.

How could Zuo Menggeng entrust such an important matter to a newcomer like Yang Gui?

For this reason, Yang Gui also felt extremely comfortable.

When were these craftsmen so respected?
Around the barracks and Zuozhuang, there are more than ten hectares of wasteland.Because it is impossible to cultivate, no one wants it, and the land deed is in the hands of the government.

Zuo Menggeng looked for Qu Shisi and came over easily.

Of course, Zuo Menggeng would not take the help of Qu Shisi, Zhang Jimeng and others for granted.In the future glass business, he has reserved a share for these bigwigs.

If the bosses want to help him all the time, they must establish enough alliances of interests.

The alliance of interests is the method that must be adopted when reform and revolution cannot be fully launched from the grassroots level.After a certain connection, we can talk about ideals.

This is different from peasant uprisings and proletarian revolutions.

These two classes have nothing in the first place, and as long as they have a common need for survival, they will naturally unite together.

But for other classes to help you, there must be a big enough interest.

With a labor force of more than [-], Zuo Menggeng's preparation for industrial production was quite smooth.

More than [-] people were allocated to Yang Gui, and the brick kiln started construction immediately.

It's a pity that time waits for no one, otherwise, this brick kiln can be used to provide materials for the construction of the barracks, and there is no need to go outside to buy bricks and tiles.

The military uniforms Zhang Jimeng sent were all given to Wang Xiuqin by Zuo Menggeng.

Wang Xiuqin is very lively here.

I heard that women can also earn money to support their families, and every household was a sensation.

Women came to sign up one after another, and many people who had bullied her in the past could only accompany their smiling faces and say good things at this time.

Zuo Menggeng focused on observing, and found that Wang Xiuqin has always been normal to those who have offended him.Not only did he not take the opportunity to take revenge, he also did not deliberately pretend to forgive.

Just talk about things normally, laugh when you need to laugh, and scold when you need to scold.If it happens a few times, no one cares about the past.

This is actually an open-minded woman, and a character who can achieve great things.

"Young master entrusted me with such a big thing, and I just thought, how can I do it well. There are many people who are jealous of this job, and I also care about the past carelessness and designate people to chew their tongues. If anyone makes trouble, I'm sorry. Master."

The common people have the wisdom of the common people, and they often shine.

Zuo Menggeng asked Zuo Hua to take out the military uniform and put it in front of the women.

"That's what you're going to make, but not exactly."

In any case, the rear camp belongs to the Ming army, so it has to wear the military uniform of the Ming army.

But in Zuo Menggeng's view, there are many unreasonable places in the military uniforms of this era, which are also inconsistent with his army building ideas.

Then it is necessary to adjust the details while maintaining the consistency on the big surface.

Women are illiterate, so they can only do what he says and what they do.

"This cloth armor, you just need to stuff cotton and compact it. You don't need to add iron pieces. It's not troublesome, right?"

Wang Xiuqin took a few women and turned the cloth armor inside and out.

"If you don't add iron, it would be very easy."

Zuo Menggeng's approach is equivalent to simplifying the production process of the cloth armor.

Zuo Hua was very puzzled by the side.

"Short... A thousand seats, if you don't add iron, you can't guard against swords and arrows."

How could Zuo Menggeng not know this.

"In the future, our muskets will have a longer range than bows and arrows, and the battle damage will be greatly reduced. Adding iron sheets will not have a good protective effect. It will also increase the weight and consume the soldiers' physical strength."

Zuo Hua scratched the back of his head after hearing that muskets had a farther range than bows and arrows, he couldn't imagine what muskets were.

Zuo Menggeng didn't even want iron pieces, let alone arm armor.

This decision made the women a lot easier.

In this way, the military uniform of the rear battalion only needs to be stuffed with cotton cloth and compacted.Even if the rivets are cancelled, it is simpler than the cotton armor of the Qing army later.

Obviously, such a military uniform does not have any defensive function.

It wasn't that Zuo Menggeng cut corners, or that he took the lives of soldiers lightly.Instead, under the blessing of advanced weapons, it is pure waste to make a fuss about defense.

After the large-scale equipment of firearms in the army, protective gear gradually began to withdraw from the stage of history.

People's research has found that no matter how well-made armor is, it can't stop the blow of muskets and artillery.

On the contrary, remove the armor and increase the flexibility, but it is more likely to evade the blow.

Only on the Chinese side, until the end of the Qing Dynasty, there was an army wearing protective gear.

After World War II, the importance of protective gear in various countries has increased again.

Why is this?

First, the caliber of firearms is reduced, and the power of bullets is also reduced.In the case of certain protective gear, it can effectively defend against killing.

The second is the application of new materials, making the armor lighter and more practical.

In such a situation, both sides use rifles to fight, one has body armor and the other does not, so the unprotected side will definitely suffer.

This is also why in many countries, gun ownership is allowed, but private ownership of body armor is a felony.

In the transformation of the cloth armor, Zuo Menggeng not only canceled the iron sheet, but also made changes to the details.

"These cloth armors have to have the sleeves sewn together, and it's a complete garment, you know?"

Wang Xiuqin's face was embarrassed.

"Master, if you add sleeves, it will take me a long time to do it."

Yes, it's so hard to start from nothing.

Zuo Menggeng had to be patient and carefully teach these women how to do it.

"You have to learn to divide labor. Those who cut fabrics will cut the fabrics, those who press cotton will press cotton, those who sew threads will sew threads, and those who install buttons will install buttons. Otherwise, how much can a military uniform be made by one person alone? "

Everyone is stunned, they have never done this before, and obviously they can't appreciate the benefits.

Zuo Menggeng simply pointed at a woman.

"How long does it take you to cut a piece of fabric?"

The woman rejoiced.

"What's the trouble with that, it's over in three or two minutes."

Zuo Menggeng asked the next woman again, "How long does it take to press cotton into the fabric?"

The woman was cautious and hesitantly said, "It will take an hour to compact it."

Zuo Menggeng ignored it and found another person.

"How long does it take you to sew your sleeves?"

"A stick of incense at most."

Zuo Menggeng clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention.

"Listen, right? If you divide the labor like this, it will take at most two hours to make a military uniform. Isn't this much faster than working alone?"

When he said this, he really realized the wonderful theory about the division of labor in The Wealth of Nations.

Those women are not stupid, after thinking about it, they also discovered the beauty of it.

Wang Xiuqin is really a very responsible person, and she doesn't hide any problems.

"Master, you said that those who cut fabrics should cut fabrics, and those who sew needles and threads should sew needles and threads. But everyone cuts fabrics in different ways, in different sizes, and in different thicknesses of needles and threads. What should I do?"

Zuo Menggeng gave a strong order to die.

"Standardization, everything has to come to spec. As much fabric as you need to cut, as much needle and thread as you need to sew. All of you, you have to come to spec."

Wang Xiuqin was not afraid and continued to ask.

"But some people are tall and some are short. If our uniforms are all the same size, what should the soldiers wear?"

Zuo Menggeng cannot be overcome by this kind of problem.

"You can formulate an equal division standard, for example, the clothes you make are divided into four and a half feet, five feet, five and a half, etc. In this way, although the clothes you make may not be just right, they will always be Not bad, right?"

After thinking about it, the women applauded, knowing that this method is good.

Zuo Menggeng was not satisfied. After thinking about it, he said, "When the iron smelting institute starts work, I will let them make some rulers and send them over. The military uniforms you make must be made according to the prescribed size."

It seems that in order to make the industry develop smoothly, in addition to technology research and development, standardization is also an important factor.

Zuo Menggeng kept it in mind and decided to do this first after he went back.

　Thanks to Jane Nan and Mrs Xing for the reward!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)