Chapter 123 Preparations for the base camp

After disembarking from the ship, the expedition team members were surrounded by crowds and returned to Base No. 1. After a brief welcome dinner, the exhausted team members returned to their barracks to rest. After the executive committee learned that the expedition team had sailed for two consecutive

After rushing back for more than ten hours, the team members were allowed to catch up on a few hours of nap, and then report on the expedition after recuperating at night. Of course, the expedition team had already produced the port area before

The maps and route charts were handed over to the executive committee so that they could work with relevant departments to start preparations immediately. Planning and designing construction plans for a relatively complex project like port construction cannot be done in a day and a half.

things.

During the nine days of the expedition team's trip, the relevant departments were not idle, and the preparation work of the entire Chuanchuan Group for overseas mining never stopped for a day.

The first to bear the brunt is the metallurgical workshop. In addition to completing daily pig iron smelting tasks, they also undertake metal processing work. Overseas mining will require a large number of iron tools, and the entire workshop has been producing non-stop these days.

Various shovels, hoes, hammers and other tools. In order to ensure sufficient supply for mining operations, Chuanchuan Group even suspended the export of iron tools to Li District and Yazhou.

The second steam engine has also entered the assembly and debugging stage. With the manufacturing and use experience of the first test machine, a lot of technical improvements were made during the manufacturing process of the second steam engine. The technical team hopes that this steam engine can

In actual use, it can reach the level of continuous operation for 72 hours without failure. This requirement may seem very low, but considering the current production technology level and processing accuracy, it is not easy for the technical team to achieve this level. Only by waiting for large-scale

After the electric transmission motor and equipment are installed in place, the machining accuracy of some important parts will be qualitatively improved, and the actual performance of the steam engine will make a big leap. As for the many steam trains and steam sailing ships that the public has been waiting for,

I'm afraid we have to wait until Chuanchuan Group begins to have the ability to smelt steel on a large scale.

In addition to the production of tools, weapons production is also a key project during this period. At present, after repeated trials and improvements in the early stage, the Type 27 matchlock gun has begun to be finalized and mass-produced. Of course, this so-called mass production is only relative to the current era.

In terms of production efficiency, with the current production capacity of Chuan Chuan Group, it can only reach the level of 120 to 150 guns per month at full operation. Samples of more technically advanced flintlock guns have also been trial-produced, and the difficulties in manufacturing are still

It is stuck in the material. If you want to increase the power of the firearm, the current pig iron barrel has little potential to be tapped. You must use stronger steel to meet the requirements, and now the Cross-Travel Group simply does not have enough steel.

Reserves are used to supply the military industry sector for large-scale production.

In terms of artillery, the 6-pound army gun has been basically finalized, and naval guns have also begun to be shipped for sea trials. It is worth mentioning that during the trial production of matches by the Ministry of Chemical Industry, the potassium chlorate needed for the evolution of artillery has been produced.

This is an important material for making artillery flame tubes. The Military and Police Department has been impatient for this thing for a long time. With the flame tube, artillery launches no longer need to use ignition powder and open flames. This not only greatly

It increases the safety of the artillery crew during firing, and also solves the problem of low artillery firing success rate on rainy days.

The Executive Committee and the Military and Police Department have held many discussions on how strong the armed defense force required for overseas mining operations is and whether large-scale equipment of firearms is needed, but there has never been a final conclusion.

This is because the final location of the port area has not been determined, and the armed forces required for defense cannot be calculated; on the other hand, it is because there is still an ongoing debate within the Cross-Travel Army about what kind of armed force structure should be established in overseas bases.

Some people think that the training time for the current naturalized civilian soldiers is still very limited, and both the technical and tactical level and the ideological transformation work are only in the initial stage, and they are not suitable for being sent to station overseas in large numbers. Even if a certain number of local security maintenance troops are needed, naturalized civilian soldiers are still in the initial stage.

The number of civilian armed personnel should not exceed that of the crossing troops too much.

However, the opinion of the Military and Police Department is that the main body of the armed forces stationed abroad should be mainly naturalized civilian soldiers, and only a small number of command personnel should be sent to the Chuanchuang. As for the configuration of firearms, the Military and Police Department believes that since it is already in place

The training of matchlocks and gunners has begun in the new barracks, so these people should be put into actual combat as soon as possible. The sooner they master the combat skills of the firearms age, the better. Of course, you may not encounter any battles when stationed in the Hongji Coal Mine.

But this experience of being stationed overseas is undoubtedly a good training for soldiers.

In fact, the Military and Police Department is not just talking about it. After getting the approval of the Executive Committee, preliminary preparations have already started before the expedition team departs. The second batch of naturalized civilian military and police cadets, a total of 110 people, has already

They were stationed in the new camp half a month ago. Like the first batch of trainees, these people were mainly recruited from the three communes under the executive committee. After a period of intensive training, they will be enriched into local security and defense personnel.

force to supplement the manpower gap caused by the deployment of armed personnel to be stationed overseas.

The first batch of local security guards and soldiers who have received training for more than a month will be dispatched to station overseas. In addition to the increase in salary and benefits, these overseas personnel will be sent to the army after completing their overseas service period.

will get the opportunity for promotion, and the first batch of grassroots officers of the naturalized civilian army in the future are very likely to be among this group of people. The news that the Crossing Group will establish overseas bases has been semi-public, and the basic treatment of expatriates is also private.

It has spread among the people. For this kind of opportunity, anyone with a little sense knows how to choose. According to the internal investigation conducted by the Military and Police Department, the current enthusiasm of naturalized soldiers to sign up is very high. After all, the double salary and early promotion are available.

The temptation is still quite great.

In addition, it is worth mentioning that more than 40 local teenagers under the age of 16 were selected into the newly established Scout camp. These teenagers were recommended by the cultural and educational system in charge of Ning Qi. Selection by relevant departments

The standards are very simple and rude. Poor academic performance, slow academic progress, likes to make troubles, and violent tendencies are all reasons for being selected into the Scout camp. These naughty children will receive semi-military training in the Scout camp until they are sixteen years old.

By then, most of them will join the military and police service.

As for the most urgent issue of transportation capacity of the Executive Committee, it seems that we have seen the dawn of hope. Just the day before the expedition team returned, He Xi, who went to Qiongzhou Fucheng alone to inquire about the situation, had already returned on the "Anfuxing" ship.

Victory Port, and returning with him was a fortune ship with 400 supplies and 47 sailors with their families.

Relying on the introduction of "Anfuxing", He Xi got acquainted with many maritime merchants who traveled between Qiongzhou and Lei during his stay in Qiongzhou. Fortunately, he met a businessman who was planning to sell his ship and return to the north. In the end, the price was eighty percent.

Bailiang bought this sea-going ship in pretty good condition, and recruited a group of poor sailors from Qiongzhou Fucheng to bring it back with him. As for the sellers of sea-going ships, there are still some, but the tonnage of these ships for sale is too small.

, does not meet the executive committee’s requirements for this route to be able to run more quickly.

However, this did not trouble He Xi. He quickly thought of a compromise. He Xi searched the market for a large merchant ship willing to accept employment at a price of two hundred taels of silver per month. This price immediately became popular among maritime merchants.

It aroused a response, and soon several maritime merchants took the initiative to contact He Xi to discuss employment matters. For these shrewd merchants, instead of selling the ship to this wealthy "Haihan man" at a high price, it would be better to keep it for a long time.

He would benefit more from renting the ship. So He Xi had already negotiated the leasing of three large ships before returning. However, these ships were not empty at the time, and they had to make a trip to Xuwen across the Qiongzhou Strait.

, only then can you go to Victory Port and obey the orders. Of course, during the ship rental period, the wages and expenses of all the sailors and boatmen on the ship will also be borne by the Crossing Group.

In addition, He Xi also placed an order for two 400-ton freight ships at the only shipyard in Qiongzhou Prefecture, totaling 2,200 taels of silver. However, he has only given a deposit of 600 taels so far. As for the delivery of the ships,

I'm afraid I have to wait until the end of the year. Of course, this money will not be paid in vain. He quickly persuaded several experienced shipwrights to follow him south by offering three times the wages at the shipyard.

A successful poaching was completed at a very small cost.

These expenses seem to be a lot, but the executive committee is not worried about the financial burden it will cause. Several sets of glass stationery samples taken by "Anfuxing" last time were sold to various dignitaries on the day they were displayed at the Qiongzhou head office.

They were all sold out, and it was said that at least two sets had been delivered to the official residence of the prefect. It was only a matter of time before it became a popular trend in the market. When sending He Xi back to Victory Port this time, Zhang from "Anfuxing"

The shopkeeper immediately ordered a full two hundred sets, and said that "Anfuxing" and Haihan can fully use "trading coupons" for account settlement. This means that in the future, "Anfuxing" in Qiongzhou Fucheng or other places can

Use circulation coupons to directly purchase goods. Of course, this kind of treatment is also based on Schneider's commitment to adopt an unlimited exchange policy for "Anfuxing" - Anfuxing can be used in Victory Port without any restrictions at any time.

The circulating coupons were exchanged for a sufficient amount of silver.

The Ministry of Commerce is very confident that with the continuous enrichment of product types and the rapid progress of product technology, even just one foreign trade income from glass products will be enough to offset all current commercial expenditures, including the purchase of raw materials, and realize

trade surplus.
Chapter completed!