The Revolt of the Three Feudatories: All-in at the start in Beijing

Chapter 228 The New Warships of the Han Dynasty

The group followed the boatmen, who were not afraid and even took the initiative to lead the way.

The Ministry of Works is not what it used to be; it has begun to improve the treatment of craftsmen, and even registers these senior shipwrights, giving them generous treatment according to their rank.

Those who could live in the camp with their wives and children were the highest-ranking shipwrights, who received three taels of silver each month, along with food for their entire families.

In terms of rank, they were equivalent to a flag officer. Ordinary soldiers wouldn't dare to do anything to them, and even if they needed repairs, they had to be polite to them.

Geoje Island Dock is located right next to the west coast. Several small islands are scattered around it, which shelter most of the waters from the wind and waves, forming a natural harbor.

The water here is deep and the channel is wide, with stable tides, so ships don't have to wait for high tide and can leave the port smoothly at any time to sail into the open sea, saving a lot of trouble.

When everyone arrived at the gate, they could see ten huge docks lined up in the distance, all of them filled with the same type of ship being built.

The craftsmen were busy going back and forth, and the sounds of hammering and sawing rose and fell, creating a lively and bustling scene.

"This is our Great Han's shipbuilding base in Korea. All ten docks are built to the standards of ocean-going shipbuilding and can build large warships. The craftsmen are all veterans transferred from Fujian and Zhejiang, and their skills are superb." Zhao Lie introduced as he walked, leading everyone into one of the largest docks.

Inside the dock, ten newly built warships were quietly moored on the water. Their hulls were painted with dark brown waterproof paint, making them sturdy and heavy, and their extraordinary nature was immediately apparent.

Xu Chuang and Yin Huasheng's eyes lit up, and they quickly walked to the side of the boat to examine it carefully.

Zhao Lie pointed to the new warships and explained, "These ten are our latest ocean-going warships. The main design follows that of the Fujian ships, since the Fujian ships are wide and stable, making them suitable for ocean voyages. However, we have made many modifications, all designed for distant seas and naval battles. Moreover, we have already conducted model tests, so they are absolutely capable of withstanding heavy attacks and fighting!"

Xu Chuang reached out and touched the wooden planks of the boat; they were all thick hardwood, and the waterproofing and anti-corrosion treatment was extremely thorough. He asked, "What specific parts have been modified?"

"First of all, the ship's length is 50 meters. This new warship is 50 meters long, which is 5 meters longer than the largest Fujian ship. The hull is more slender, and the speed is faster. It can cope with the big winds and waves at sea and will not be easily rocked," Zhao Lie said slowly. "The bottom of the ship has been modified to be pointed, which reduces seawater resistance. It can save a lot of energy when sailing on the ocean. The speed is 20% faster than ordinary Fujian ships. When encountering enemy ships, it can chase or retreat."

"Secondly, the hull was reinforced with three layers of thick wooden planks with iron plates sandwiched in between, making it extremely strong in defense. Ordinary cannons could hardly penetrate it, allowing it to withstand more firepower during naval battles."

"However, there are only twenty gun ports on each side of the ship, which means ten 3,000-jin heavy cannons on the west side. But large-caliber flying torpedo cannons can be installed on the top deck for close combat. The firepower of this ship is inferior to that of the Dutch warships, but it is most suitable for long-distance voyages, so that it can do both business and war."

"The sails have also been upgraded to three-masted hard sails, supplemented by soft sails, allowing for flexible control whether sailing with or against the wind. This makes long-distance sea voyages unrestricted by wind direction, and even against the wind, the ship can move steadily forward. A helmsman has been added to the stern, providing a wide field of vision, making command and control more convenient, and also allowing for the stationing of soldiers to guard against enemy boarding."

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"In addition, the ship was specially equipped with water and grain storage tanks, which can store more food and fresh water, eliminating the need for frequent resupply along the way, making it perfectly capable of crossing the ocean. The bottom of the ship was also reinforced with ballast stones, so it will not capsize even in the storms and waves of the open sea, making it more stable than a galleon."

Yin Huasheng circled the warship, increasingly satisfied with his assessment. Having fought in naval battles for many years, he immediately recognized the warship's advantages. He said in a deep voice, "This modification balances speed, defense, firepower, and endurance, making it perfect for long-range naval warfare. With these ten new warships, we can easily handle any pirates or foreign navies on our way to Portugal."

Xu Chuang nodded repeatedly, his face full of praise: "Governor Zhao is indeed amazing. This shipbuilding base and new warships are the weapons of our great Han ocean-going navy. With these warships, our future expeditions overseas will be even more powerful."

Zhao Lie smiled and said, "This is all part of the imperial court's plan. The craftsmen have simply put their hearts into building them. Once the initial tests are successful, large shipyards will be built in Fujian, Guangzhou, Bavilia, and Malacca. I believe that in less than three years, these red-haired devils' warships will be obsolete!"

Hearing what Zhao Lie said, Xu Chuang also felt a longing. As the head of the navy of the Han Dynasty, who wouldn't want to sail a warship of their own style?

The group toured the shipyard for a while longer, watching the craftsmen skillfully build hulls and assemble cannons, and they were all deeply impressed. The Han Dynasty's naval and shipbuilding capabilities were among the best in the world.

If Liu Mu were here, he would definitely applaud, because this is exactly the ship he had imagined.

For small countries with limited local populations and no well-developed official system, the natural choice is to pursue strong military force to protect more merchant ships, with the primary goal of colonization and gradually extracting profits.

The Han Dynasty was different. Every time its navy set out, it had to deploy hundreds of ships and tens of thousands of troops, just like Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean, to achieve the strength to destroy small countries.

Just like the future British Empire, which will send a dozen or so steam battleships to the coast of the Qing Dynasty to do business, and ask you whether you want to do it or not.

Steam-powered battleships are not feasible at present, but only ships capable of fighting, withstanding storms, and carrying large numbers of soldiers and supplies can meet Liu Mu's plans.

After leaving the shipyard, the group returned to the dock. By the time they arrived, the North Korean youths had already disembarked.

At this moment, it was the ten thousand Korean soldiers who landed. They lined up in neat rows and boarded the merchant ships and warships one by one. Their families also carried their luggage and boarded the ships in an orderly manner without any chaos.

Xu Chuang stood on the deck, watching the Korean soldiers boarding the ship. They were disciplined and highly obedient. He said to Zhao Lie beside him, "The troops trained by Governor Zhao are indeed well-deserved. If we take them to Portugal, they will surely be able to defend the vassal lands of the Han Dynasty."

Zhao Lie nodded slightly: "These Korean soldiers are indeed loyal and capable. I will trouble General Xu to escort them safely to Portugal!"

"Governor Zhao, rest assured!" Xu Chuang bowed solemnly, his tone firm.

……

The next morning, after everyone had adapted to the day and night and found no problems, Xu Chuang ordered the sails to be set sail.

This was mainly to take care of these Koreans. If it were black slaves, there would be no need for such trouble. Anyone who died along the way would be thrown into the sea to feed the fish.

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