On the third day of the fifth lunar month in the fiftieth year of Qianlong's reign, just after eight o'clock, it was five miles north of Barhu Gate in the north of Jilin City.
A group of Manchu and Qing officials were already standing at the gate of the cannon foundry, as if they were waiting to welcome some big shot.
Not long after, a group of two hundred armored cavalrymen came slowly from the direction of Baerhumen. In the middle of the group was a huge green baize-carrying sedan.
As the ceremonial guard passed by, pedestrians on both sides of the road knelt down and kowtowed. After the team passed by, they got up and continued on their way.
When the team arrived at the entrance of the gun factory, the waiting Manchu officials and the gun factory craftsman knelt down to salute.
As three trumpets sounded, the sedan curtain opened, and a middle-aged man with slender eyes, white face and slight beard walked out. He was wearing a four-clawed python robe, a yellow mantle, a ruby top on his hat and flower feathers for his eyes. Shining in the morning light. It was Fukang'an, the first-class Marquis Jiayong, the co-organizer of the bachelor's degree, and the general of Jilin.
In early February of the fiftieth year of Qianlong's reign, the Military Aircraft Department made Qianlong's edict known to the world. Agui, a bachelor, was appointed as the minister of economics and strategy to control the military affairs of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Shengjing. Appointed bachelor Fukang'an as General of Jilin, admiral to recruit troops and horses in Jilin, Heilongjiang and other places.
At this time, outside the gate of the cannon foundry, a group of responsible officials and chief craftsmen fell to the ground and knelt down. Fukang'an raised his riding whip and said, "Everyone, get up." After saying that, he walked straight and entered the main gate of the artillery factory. The soldiers and counselors behind him also followed.
A group of people walked into the artillery factory and saw white smoke filling the air and steam in the air. It was a completely different world from the outside of the artillery factory. Thousands of blacksmiths, carpenters and helpers are busy. The sound of hammering iron and hammering sawwood was continuous.
At this time, when everyone saw Fukang'an arriving, they all put down their work and were about to pay homage. Fukang'an said to the accompanying official from the Ministry of Industry: "There is no need for false etiquette. It is normal to work separately."
The official quickly shouted to the craftsmen in the field: "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
"Thank you, sir!" The craftsmen bowed to Fukangan, then lowered their heads and continued working.
The accompanying officials from the Ministry of Industry introduced the various courtyards on both sides to Fukang'an as they walked: "Sir, please see, here is where the general cannon is cast, and the place next to it is the copper furnace. On the right is where the second general is cast. The cannons, sky cannons, and mother-and-sonley cannons are next to the iron furnace. The yard you just entered is where the cannon carriages are made. The yard to the east is where the cannons are cast."
The internal layout of this artillery factory is modeled on the artillery station on the east side of Yonghe Temple in Beijing. At this time, there were several arsenals like this in the north of Jilin City, including those making muskets, rockets (used for burning fortresses and grain and grass), and explosive bombs.
Everyone walked up to a newly cast general cannon. Fukangan took a closer look at the cannon and asked the responsible Ministry of Works official: "Has this cannon been tested?"
"My lord, this cannon was just cast the day before yesterday and has not been performed yet."
Fukangan listened without comment. He stepped forward and touched the cold body of the cannon, and then asked: "How much does this cannon weigh?"
"Three catties and five taels."
In the 21st year of Qianlong's reign, the Ministry of Industry reported and the emperor approved, the Qing government determined the "Zimu cannon, Weiyuan cannon, Jingfen cannon, decisive victory cannon, victory cannon, Xingying cannon, Jingping cannon, Tixing cannon, iron cannon". 85 types of artillery, including the "Xing Cannon" and "Jinghai Cannon", are the standard weapons of the Eight Banners and the Green Camp.
In terms of the shape of artillery, the Manchu and Qing Dynasties divided artillery into two categories: light and heavy artillery according to the weight of the gun body. For example, anything from 560 kilograms to 7,000 kilograms is considered a heavy artillery, while anything from 390 kilograms to 27 kilograms is a light artillery. At the same time, Western artillery was mostly classified by magnification, caliber or shell weight, such as long-barreled guns, mortar guns, 3-pound guns, 6-pound guns, etc. Among them, the diameter of the long-barreled guns is more than 15 times.
In actual use, the artillery varieties of the Qing army were mostly named after the production batch rather than the shape. Even two cannons with the same name built in the same province in different years often have very different weights.
Heavy artillery is generally made of brass with six coppers and four zincs (for every six kilograms of red copper, four kilograms of Japanese lead is added, which is then melted into pots and then cooled and taken out to become brass, which can only be made by people.) While light cannons are made by people. Wrought iron produced in Fujian or Shanxi is used.
The smelting methods of the tube materials of firearms in the Qing Dynasty were mostly made in the Ming Dynasty. The copper-melting furnace or iron-melting furnace in the gun factory was close to the foundry. When Fukang'an and his party walked into the courtyard where heavy artillery molds are produced, a group of gunsmiths were making clay molds. The accompanying official from the Ministry of Industry was about to introduce him, but Fukangan stopped him with a wave of his hand. He has been in battle for many years and is no stranger to the use of artillery, but he still knows little about production.
At this time, several carpenters were in the yard, concentrating on applying clay to a cannon mold. This cannon mold made of fir wood was placed on a wooden stand about half a person high. The two ends of the wooden cannon mold were made into axes that were one foot long, and two iron rods were tied to them; the iron rods were pulled. , the gun mold will rotate slightly.
Fukang'an noticed that the wooden mold had already been installed with wooden lugs, hoops and floral inscriptions, and the entire gun body was painted with a layer of black stuff.
"What is this?" Fukangan asked, pointing to the dark coating.
The official from the Ministry of Works quickly replied: "That's fine coal ash."
At this time, the craftsmen first picked up a handful of wool from the basket and shook it out, then filled the mud bucket on the side with yellow mud, and then spread the mud-covered wool evenly on the surface of the cannon mold with a round-mouthed thin board. Apply a thin layer. Several craftsmen applied it very carefully. After each side was applied, they turned the iron rod to continue applying.
"This muddy water is made from fine gum yellow mud and sifted fine sand. Each layer of wool can only be applied one inch thick. Wait for the mud to dry before continuing to apply it. Repeat it many times before it can be shaped."
A general next to Fukang'an asked: "How thick should this wool be applied?"
The official said: "The thickness of the clay depends on the diameter of the gun. If the diameter of the gun is five inches, the mold clay should be eight inches thick."
"Oh." All the military attachés suddenly realized that there was so much detail involved in just making a mold.
Fukangan ignored this and walked into the main room of the courtyard. He saw four craftsmen inside, using tools to wrap iron bars on a cannon mold.
The official did not wait for him to ask questions, and explained softly: "When the mud is two-thirds thick, thick iron bars must be tightly wrapped from beginning to end. After wrapping, apply the mud according to the previous method. Apply the mud until it is tenths of the thickness. At nine o'clock, large iron bars as thick as a finger are placed evenly on the mold to make bone marrow. Now they are making a permanent cannon. They need to use sixteen iron bars, and then use iron hoops one inch wide and five minutes thick. "
Seeing that Fu Kang'an and others were listening carefully, the official raised his hand and said, "Sir, please follow me." Everyone followed the official out of the room and came to another courtyard. Before entering, I heard a "dong-dong" knocking sound coming from inside.
Fu Kang'an walked into the yard and saw several craftsmen struggling to beat the wooden core of a cannon mold with big wooden hammers. After a while, the core of the wood was knocked out. A craftsman took a small shovel, shoveled out charcoal from the brazier at his feet and put it into the mold. The purpose of this was to dry the clay mold and to burn the wood. Made of blunderbuss ears, blunderbuss hoops and flower head inscriptions.
Fukang'an asked curiously: "How to place the base and tail bead of this gun?"
The official said: "After the clay mold has cooled, use a feather broom to sweep out the ash. Then stabilize the bottom of the wooden blunderbuss mold, install the tail bead, apply mud according to the previous method, and wait to dry. Finally, take out the bottom of the wooden mold and use charcoal fire The tail beads are fired and can be cast in the kiln after cooling."
A clerk accompanying him said: "According to this procedure, wouldn't it take several months to cast a cannon?"
The official said: "That's right. According to the regulations, the large-size mold has to wait four months, the small-size mold three months, and the small-size mold two months before it is completely dry and can be cast."
Fukangan asked with a puzzled expression: "How many cannons have been made now?"
The official replied: "The Yonggu General has five cannons, the Shengong General has twenty cannons, the Second General has fifty cannons, the Soaring Cannons have five, and the Twin Cannons have thirty-one."
The so-called "Second General Cannon" is an iron cannon about 1.5 meters long, with a muzzle diameter of about 5 centimeters and a weight of 120 kilograms; while the "Sky Cannon" is actually a mortar cannon; the General Cannons are all bronze cannons, starting from 3600 It ranges from one hundred kilograms to seven thousand kilograms; the Zimu Cannon is the Folangji of the Ming Dynasty. It weighs ninety-five kilograms and is made of pig iron. It is a standard weapon within the Eight Banners and cannot be equipped by the Green Camp.
At this time, Fukang'an's face was gloomy, and he was obviously extremely dissatisfied with the progress of the cannon casting. After a long silence, he said: "It's still too few. My warship is about to be launched into the water. What can I do if the cannon can't keep up?"
The official bowed and said, "Sir, I have written a report the day before yesterday and submitted it to the Admiral's Office and Lord Admiral. I hope to dispatch another group of gunsmiths."
"How much is missing?"
"There is no shortage of copper, iron, and coal at the moment. There are at least three hundred more craftsmen who can keep up."
"I think what you are most lacking right now is mold makers, right?"
"Your Excellency is wise."
Fukang'an waved his hand and said: "I will send you another five hundred men! I just want to be quick! The army will go north in July. If you dare to delay my artillery, I will take your head!"
The official bowed and saluted with a serious look on his face: "How dare you disobey your orders!"
After inspecting the production of the artillery factory, Fukang'an and his party watched the performance of the already cast artillery in the afternoon. At the test firing range where the cannons were rumbling, a foreigner with a high nose and blue eyes wearing a Qing army military attache's uniform was particularly eye-catching.
This person's name is Antony Sederi Nikov, and he is a member of the 7th "Tsarist Russian Office in Beijing" (the 7th Orthodox Beijing Missionary Corps sent by Tsarist Russia to the Qing Dynasty). There are two reasons why Fukang'an recruited this Anthony priest. First, he wanted him to be a messenger to persuade the "Oros" at the mouth of the Sila River to surrender; second, he was good at using quadrants and wanted him to come. Prepare fire tables for newly built artillery pieces.
I saw that Priest Anthony was holding a strange instrument in his hand. He had to perform measurements and adjustments on each cannon before letting them fire. After observing the impact point of the artillery shell, a person on the side recorded the data in a booklet.
Fukangan looked at it for a while, and then ordered someone to call the priest Anthony over.
"Priest An, is this quadrant okay to use?"
"Dear Lord Marquis, the workmanship of this quadrant is very exquisite. With it, it will be very easy to make the shooting watch. It's a pity that there is only one. It would be nice to make a few more."
Fukangan just smiled and did not answer.
This "gun quadrant" was imitated by Fukang'an and asked by Qianlong. There were only two of them in the entire Qing Dynasty. One is kept in the treasury of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and is occasionally used for the production of new artillery fire tables for the Beijing Artillery Bureau. One is here. Fukang'an has used it up here and has to return it to the Ministry of Internal Affairs after returning home.
It is said that the "quadrant", as a measuring tool when artillery is fired, has come to China with Western missionaries since the late Ming Dynasty, but it has not been promoted on a large scale and is rarely recorded in literature.
The quadrant held by the priest Anthony is entirely made of copper. Less than a foot tall, it is connected to a triangular black sandalwood base.
The entire instrument consists of two quarter circles (quadrants) with a right angle of 90 degrees, and a hollow square column with a scale on the base. There is a small hole in the middle of the square column that can move up and down. One quadrant is located at the top of the square column, and the other is located at a 90-degree right angle to the side. There is a falling wire made of copper bars at the center of the two quadrants. When the base is placed in a horizontal position, front, rear, left, and right, the scales of the two falling wires return to vertical zero.
When using it, place the quadrant at the end of the gun barrel, and determine the elevation angle of the muzzle through the scale of the upper quadrant's fall line; there is a small hole on the hollow horizontal column in the middle, and the small hole connects to the muzzle. The stars here match.
The advanced level of this "Gun Quadrant Tester" is that, firstly, it uses a 360-degree circle measuring system instead of the 48-degree gun gauge measurement, which has higher requirements for the accuracy of testing the artillery launch angle; secondly, the "Gun Quadrant Tester" The "meter" is composed of orthogonal two-sided quadrants. One side can easily measure the launch angle of the cannon, and at the same time, the other side can be used for aiming operations at the target.
After sending Fukang'an and his party off the shooting range, Pastor Anthony continued to prepare the shooting list. At this time, he felt very lucky to finally be able to leave the closed monastery and follow the famous Marquis of the Qing Dynasty on a trip to the north, recording the geographical scenery along the way.
Although there are only ten clergy members in the seventh "Tsarist Russian Office in Beijing", there is a lot of trouble at all. There are internal fights all day long, and there are quite a lot of contradictions and conflicts. For example, Orlov, the deputy director of the Beijing Office, had a grudge against the director, the head of the missionary mission, Joachim Shishkovsky, and wrote two letters back to China to complain, requesting that the director be sent back and that he be his replacement. But while the "deputy director" continued to accuse, he himself was deported first.
But on the other hand, what troubles Pastor Anthony is that since mid-September last year, the missionary group's situation in Beijing suddenly became extremely bad.
This is probably mainly because Zhao Xin and others were regarded as Oros by Qianlong.
After the defeat of Fukang'an, the petty Qianlong ordered the sealing of the monastery in Beijing in anger and prohibited the Orthodox missionaries inside from going out. At the same time, he also asked the infantry commander to set up a heavily guarded sentry at the yamen, and placed a guard post on the embassy gate. A death warrant was nailed to deter those people in Beijing who dared to enter the monastery.
After the incident happened, "Director of the Beijing Office" Joachim Shishkovsky was very angry. He wrote three letters in a row and asked someone to take them back to the country, demanding a strict investigation into who was damaging the relations between the two countries. He repeatedly mentioned in the letter that because of the blind and ignorant provocative actions of some idiots, he and other members of the "Beijing Office" became hostages of the Qing Empire and were strictly controlled in Beijing, completely under house arrest!
After a private discussion among the priests, they decided that the most suspicious subjects were the fur traders and fish traders in Kamchatka. After much deliberation, maybe it was Rastochkin who once went on an expedition to the island country who did it!
In 1773, through fishing activities in the Far East, Rastochkin keenly felt that there might be opportunities to obtain huge profits in the south. So he used his private property and sponsorship from other nobles and businessmen to purchase and equip the first-class sailing ship "Nicholas". This behavior was recognized by the imperial prime minister and the local commander of Kamchatka, and became the leader of Tsarist Russia. of a naval captain.
He set out to explore the island country in 1775, but the Nicholas capsized in the Sea of Okhotsk on its first voyage. The second time, the fleet encountered a typhoon near Urup Island. In 1778, Rastochkin's fleet successfully sailed to Kunashir Island (Kunisashiri Island), and under the leadership of the Ezo guides here, came to Akkeshi to start negotiations with Matsumae Domain, but was unwilling to do so. The troubled Matsumae clan said that trade issues could only be discussed in Nagasaki and would not lead him to Nagasaki.
All the priests finally agreed that it was this damned fishmonger who was responsible for the bad thing! Doesn't he know that destroying the relationship between the two countries without the Queen's authorization will lead to the gallows!
(End of chapter)
