Great Entrepreneur of the Universe

Chapter 230 Are you asking me to clear the inventory? !

November 11, Xiayuan Festival.

In the steel rolling workshop and hot rolling branch workshop of Foshan Zhujiang Iron and Steel Plant, when Wang Shouliang watched a seamless steel pipe being produced by the hot rolling mill, he suddenly applauded excitedly.

There were also many excited and cheering crowds around him.

We haven't had time to test the quality and accuracy of this seamless steel pipe, but this is a seamless steel pipe, and it can be mixed in the hot rolling branch workshop at this moment. Many people still understand the meaning of this.

Guns and cannons.

At this stage, how many factories in China are capable of providing this kind of production capacity?

Just as the workshop was plunged into a sea of ​​joy, a three-star mid-level escort wearing a blue uniform quickly walked out of the workshop, arrived in front of Wang Shouliang and saluted, "Big shopkeeper, Joseph is here and wants to see you."

Wang Shouliang was stunned, and the next second he told the people in the workshop to continue, and he walked outside, "It took more than three months to build the factory, set up different workshops one by one, and train the workers."

"And then transporting the iron ore... Joseph came just after the first seamless steel pipe came out of the furnace? What a coincidence that he came."

Of course, Mr. Wang did not doubt whether Joseph, the evil guy, had planted any spies or undercover agents in the Pearl River Steel Plant.

In other words, even if Joseph and others do not intervene, the Qing court or various other forces will definitely throw nails in.

This is a steel factory! !

With such manufacturing capabilities, the nature of Wang Shouliang's business is still different from the previous time when he just bought U.S. knives, pounds, marks and yen.

But it doesn't matter. It's just a steel plant. The output is still being tested and adjusted, and it will not arouse too much vigilance or even hostility from the outside world.

Just kidding, it doesn't make much sense to just talk about capabilities and qualifications, regardless of production volume.

After all, Hanyang Arsenal has been able to manufacture 1888 Committee rifles for a long time. In the more than ten years from 1895 to 1909, Hanyang also manufactured 13 rifles.

A moment later, Wang Shouliang arrived in front of the two-story Zhujiang Iron and Steel Plant office building. He saw Joseph standing beside a carriage smoking a cigar. He smiled and extended his hand, "Joseph, long time no see."

Joseph laughed, "Long time no see, King. This time, I want to bring you good news."

"Shall we go inside to talk?"

Wang Shouliang was self-effacing. When he led Joseph to the factory director's office, he dismissed the others, made two cups of coffee, and said with a smile, "Are you here specifically to congratulate my steel plant on its successful start of operation?"

Joseph said happily, "It's interesting, but I would like to cooperate with your sailors again."

"Do you know? There is a group of island merchant ships that bought 10,000 tons of armor steel from Hans Cat and are gradually sailing across the Pacific. Are you interested in doing this?"

Wang Shouliang was confused, "Armored steel?"

Joseph exhaled smoke and nodded, "Yes, if it is crude steel or the like, this small business is completely worth mentioning. Armored steel is different. It is the most important armor of an ironclad ship."

"Now in the market, a ton of armor steel is basically more than ten times the price of crude steel. If crude steel is 8 to 10 pounds per ton, armor steel is basically around 100 pounds."

"Ten thousand tons is one million pounds!"

"The 9 tons of natural rubber we cooperated with in September only cost 500 pounds."

Wang Shouliang also took a puff of his cigar, a bit confused, "Where's the escort force? There was a little surprise two months ago, but when transporting such supplies, what about the island nation's merchant fleet?"

Joseph smiled and said, "Now is the period when the islanders are jumping up and down, competing with the big bear for the ownership and distribution of the peninsula and your rights and interests in Northeast China."

"Those little dwarfs overestimate their abilities and even dare to provoke the Tsar. Although we have no friendship with the big furry bears, it's still quite possible to take advantage of the chaos and make a fortune."

"I will investigate the frigates of their caravan and the information. Your Sihai and Nanhai will also be on board. I even suggest that you buy a few more big ships..."

"Afterwards, we still put the blame on retired soldiers, prisoners and the island team. We still want 100% of the 8 million pounds in cash. The armored steel belongs to you."

Wang Shouliang smoked his cigar again, a little speechless. Last time, he rewarded the Luo San Artillery Department with 100 million taels of silver, which was a thousand gold to buy horse bones. In just two months, the Third Artillery Department had so many more scattered teams. cast.

Now there are 1200 people in the establishment.

Co-author Joseph and these ghost guys are also becoming promiscuous? ? Do you think the money last time was divided too much and was too easy? !

However, if natural rubber was an important resource for the island nation before World War I, its importance was actually far less than that of armored steel.

The island country itself is very short of steel and iron ore!

They have various capabilities such as industrialized steelmaking and steel rolling, but they do not have iron ore. The reason why the island country was able to fight so aggressively and fiercely in the early stages of its invasion of China boils down to two major reasons.

One is to occupy the peninsula, continue to engulf the Northeast, obtain various iron ores, and when resources are abundant, they create a torrent of warships, as well as various guns and vehicles.

The second is to buy from North America.

Before Pearl Harbor, the North American Steel Consortium frequently delivered goods to the enemy's door.

However, in 1904 and 05, the island country and Big Bear fought a national war that bet on the island country's national destiny. The bet was won and they began to annex and control the peninsula.

It is now more than a month before 1902, and the Japanese are still arguing with the big bear and preparing for war.

Is there a naval battle in the war between the island nation and the furry bear? Battle of Tsushima!

This was a more outrageous naval battle than the Sino-Japanese War between the late Qing Dynasty and the Japanese.

Before the Sino-Japanese War of Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese and the late Qing Dynasty had three outcomes: win, draw, and defeat, and three countermeasures. However, before the war with Big Hairy Bear, the Japanese did not think about what would happen if they lost or lost.

They have only one idea, they can only win. If they lose, the country will collapse, and then they win by relying on unlucky luck. For example, the commander of the Wooly Bear Fleet failed at the beginning.

The failure of the naval battle not only ended the Mao Bear's world-leading navy, but also shook the tsarist rule and contributed greatly to the emergence of the Big Mao Bear Red.

After just finishing the Sino-Japanese War and the invasion of China with other coalition forces, the island country guys are now fully preparing for the next war? ! It was Yin Lun who supported him.

Wang Shouliang thought for dozens of seconds and asked curiously, "What level of new ship are you going to recommend to me?"

Joseph's eyes lit up, "How about buying two more Zhenyuan and Dingyuan class ships? Of course, it can be cheaper this time, just 300 million taels of silver. This is still not as expensive as the tons of armored steel."

"If it's still not enough, we can also mobilize a group of ships to assist your team in doing things, and try to be 90% sure."

Wang Shouliang couldn't help complaining, "Are you asking me to clear your inventory? I don't want the Zhenyuan class. If you want to buy it, it's the Shikidao class."

During the Sino-Japanese War of 7000-, Zhenyuan and Dingyuan had a displacement of more than tons, which was already top-notch in Asia. But it is no longer the case. During the Sino-Japanese War of -, the island country placed an order to build Fuji-class battleships.

The Shikishima-class ships delivered after the war were even more powerful.

For a simple example, around 1895, a Zhenyuan cost 150 million taels of silver, a Fuji-class battleship cost more than 600 million taels, and a Shikishima-class battleship cost more than 700 million taels. Each of these ships costs upwards of a million pounds!

Wang Shouliang bought the Sihai and Nanhai ships for a total of just over 40 pounds.

The price difference is enough to prove the quality.

Zhenyuan Dingyuan has a displacement of more than 7000 tons, a hull length of more than 90 meters, a speed of 14.5 knots, a main gun of 305MM, and a crew of 330 people.

The Shikishima-class battleship has a displacement of 14850 tons, a hull length of more than 130 meters, a speed of 18 knots, a main gun of 305MM, and a crew of 741 people.

Wang Shouliang's Sihai Escort Bureau is still just sailors who have been trained for a few months. They really can't beat the Japanese Navy who have fought in the war, coupled with the disparity between the ships.

Either not to fight, or to start a fight, he would have to hire the Yan Lun fleet or buy a better ship. This was what he had said when he first met Luo Sanpao to recruit him.

At this, Joseph frowned slightly, "It's not impossible if you want to buy a Shikishima-class one, but it takes three years from the start of construction to the completion. We won't transfer the ones currently in service easily."

This level is the most advanced in Yinlun, but the most advanced ones still have to be sold. After all, whether the Fuji-class or Shikishima-class are manufactured by Yinlun Shipyard in the island country.

The islanders gave them money and they did it, supporting the Japanese anus and bears.

If Ying Lun doesn't do it, Hans Cat will do it, and North America will do it too. Before World War I, many European powers had been engaged in life-threatening military competition.

In the 19s, the level of large ships evolved from six to seven thousand tons to fourteen to five thousand tons in just ten years. In the following years, it rapidly entered the era of dreadnoughts and super-dreadnoughts.

It was not until around World War II that it was replaced by the aircraft carrier battle group.

The next moment, Joseph smoked a cigar and said, "This time the island countryman's caravan is only escorted by an Asahi and other cruisers. It is a large ship with a displacement of 15000 tons. You only need to gather four ships with a displacement of more than 7000 tons, and you can attack it." win."

Why did Joseph instigate Wang Shouliang? One is money. Armored steel that costs millions of pounds is a good thing and very valuable. Secondly, Yin Lun is a famous offshore balance expert and the most famous troublemaker in Europa.

In the Far East, they also hope to achieve offshore balance, stirring things up and disturbing everyone.

I originally thought that Dai Qing could stab each other with the island country, and the two of them continued to bleed and beat out the dogs' brains. Who knew that Dai Qing would rush to the street and be brutally beaten by the island country guys.

The island country is too strong in the Far East and is not in the interests of Yan Lun.

Yalun is now in the honeymoon period with the island country. It is really a honeymoon period. They support the Japanese Anal Bear. They don't want the Bear to expand too fast here, but they also don't want the island country to become too strong.

If the inventory can be cleared, expired second-hand equipment can be sold off, and the development speed of Xiadao Guoguo can be restricted, this will be a win-win situation for Ying Lun.

Furthermore, Wang Shouliang's fleet does not have the ability to maintain. Every time a war starts, a batch of artillery shells are fired, which is money. This is not an era when the cannon fires and gold is ten thousand taels.

But after a large-scale naval battle, the shells consumed are not small.

Not to mention the fight and the spoils, everyone's wear and tear and post-war maintenance cost a lot of money. Yan Lun was raising a big customer like Wang Shouliang.

Mr. Wang pointed at Joseph with a dumbfounded look, "If I buy two more Zhenyuan-class ships, how many days will it take to arrive?"

Joseph said quickly, "The handover will take place within half a month, including keeping the instructor team, and this time it will be free of charge. In other words, in half a month, the island country's fleet will pass through Malacca."

Wang Shouliang rolled his eyes wildly, this guy is just fanning the flames to cause big troubles, right? However, if we can win and capture an Asahi, it will be a big event.

It was a large ship that the island country spent millions of pounds and took three years to sail back from Yanlun. It was one of the main battleships in the Battle of Tsushima a few years later.

Until the 40s, the Asahi also participated in the Pacific Naval War.

The problem is that this thing is difficult to fight. Take Shikishima-class battleships. Generally, the command tower has an armor layer of 75 to 300MM, the turret also has an armor layer of 200 to 360MM, and the deck armor layer is also 60 to 100MM.

This is what an armored battleship is about.

This was also a manifestation of the frenzied competition between the major powers before World War I, and the shortage of armored steel.

After thinking for dozens of seconds, Wang Shouliang said, "280 million taels, two Zhenyuan class ships, named Donghai and Beihai. In addition, I will buy a batch of torpedo boats and a few high-speed cruisers."

Joseph was overjoyed, "No problem, everything will be delivered within half a month."

He laughed again and said, "Against a large ship with a displacement of more than 10,000 tons, torpedo boats are actually very advantageous, even if they charge desperately."

Regardless of the Zhenyuan class or the Shikishima class, they will be equipped with torpedo boats, including torpedo warfare. Compared with large ships that often have a speed of less than 20 knots, small torpedo boats that can reach a speed of 30 knots are better in terms of speed, rapid firing, and power. Not small either.

His weakness is that he is cannon fodder in a large sea battle.

But as long as there are many dead soldiers charging desperately, ants will eat the elephants.

Some time later, at the gate of the Zhujiang Iron and Steel Plant, Wang Shouliang watched Joseph go and said directly to a Samsung communications escort beside him, "Send the order to Luo Sanpao and the sailor escorts of the Sihai."

"He spent a lot of money to recruit dead soldiers. Next, give priority to torpedo boat combat training!"

In 1901, when China was starving to death and countless people were living on the land, recruiting a group of dead soldiers who dared to fight and fight to perform a swarm charge of torpedo boats?

It is not expected that this will cause huge damage to a super battleship like the Asahi, but it is not an exaggeration to charge a torpedo boat to kill a group of cruisers with a displacement of two to three thousand tons.

Even during World War II, the Yanlun Navy launched torpedo boats to participate in about 800 battles and sank 400 large and small warships. This is sinking! !

There were even more injuries.

Wang Shouliang also planned to go to the Sihai to fight this time. As the only big shopkeeper and boss of both sea and land, it was necessary for him to personally participate in important events.

As for the danger? It's dangerous. Even if the Sihai sinks, with his physical fitness and the space to carry it around, he doesn't have to worry at all. To put it bluntly, if the ship sinks, he can swim back to Hong Kong Island from Xingjiapo.

That's not right. There is a speedboat from the 90s in the portable space, with a speed of or knots, and it has fuel.

This battle was the first time he spent so much money, no, he spent fake money, and recruited more than 2000 experts. After several months of training, he had a real battle.

No matter how hard you train, you will always have to fight and see blood.

Before the war between the island country and Mao Xiong, the island nation placed orders for a total of six Fuji and Shikishima-class battleships. They have not all been delivered yet. To build one would be a serious blow to the island nation's navy.

This is also the opening battle of Sihai Escort Agency.

Last time Luo Sanpao relied on the Nanhai and robbed two steam-powered armed merchant ships. It was really a waste of money.

(End of this chapter)