But this stuff is too advanced for Datang and is unnecessary. It is already very powerful to have weights that are accurate to grams. As for the daily slight differences caused by air corrosion and other reasons, this is inevitable.
After hearing the rough conversion given by Li Ke, Li Shimin did the rough calculation and was a little shocked. Can a ship carry 10,000 stones of cargo? ! A set of Mingguang Armor weighs about 35 kilograms. Doesn't it mean that one such ship can carry more than 30,000 sets of Mingguang Armor? !
This material delivery volume far exceeded Li Shimin's imagination, and it was much better than land transportation.
"Can the inland rivers in Datang be opened now?" Li Ke asked.
"It can be empty, but not fully loaded. A pointed-bottomed sailing ship is a sea-going ship. Its waterline is deeper and cannot be supported by inland rivers. However, a ship carrying about ten thousand stones of cargo can be transported in the canal if it adopts the traditional flat-bottomed shape. The paddle wheel combined with the spinnaker will be more powerful." Yu Wenlin said with a respectful expression.
(The above record of the canal being capable of transporting thousands of stone boats comes from "The Sound and Meaning of All Sutras" written by Huilin of the Tang Dynasty: The residents maintained their health, died, and got married. They opened alleys for gardens and worked hundreds of people to drive them. It reached as far as Jiangxi in the south and Huainan in the north. One exchange will bring huge benefits, which is equivalent to carrying tens of thousands of people.)
"We are talking about sea-going ships now. It is early February. Before mid-July of this year, that is, in five and a half months, we will hand over all the Datang official shipyards in the Bohai Sea to you, and mobilize the personnel of Yuelai Trading Company. Most of the power is for you to use. You can hire as many people as you want nearby, regardless of the cost. How many ships of this size can you build?" Li Ke didn't waste any words, but asked directly.
The reason why it is mid-July is because it took about three months from July to October when the Battle of Qadishiya between Arabia and Sasanian Persia began. The journey was calculated as one and a half months, and the remaining one and a half months to Sasanian Persia. Shan Bosi must hand over to the other party.
Of course, the handover personnel can leave in advance, or even leave now.
But it’s okay to allow plenty of time.
"If enough ships are mobilized and canals are used to transport wood from various areas of the Tang Dynasty to the Bohai Sea, in five and a half months, including the current two ships, I can build up to four more ships, because the shipyards in the Bohai Sea only have three docks and no If the existing shipyard is expanded, at most one can be built at the same time, and it will be useless no matter how many people there are. However, if time is not tight, the subsequent shipyard can be expanded. The construction of a shipyard takes about one to one and a half months."
"Does His Highness need to go to the ocean?" Yu Wenlin looked at Li Ke and asked.
"Yes! Going to the ocean, take the Guangzhou Tonghai Yi Road (the name of the Maritime Silk Road in the Tang Dynasty) and go directly to Persia. I can provide a complete chart, including related tools that can be used for positioning at night and during the day." Li Ke said directly .
Yu Wenlin's eyes lit up instantly. He raised his head and said, "Your Highness, I strongly request to follow the fleet."
"No, you still have a great role." Li Ke shook his head and refused directly. Yu Wenlin is different from people like Lu Daqiang. It can be said that these craftsmen such as Lu Daqiang can become master craftsmen solely because of their use. It’s something that has been accumulated over time, and there may be some talent, but not much.
But Yu Wenlin is different. Yu Wenlin is a person Li Ke met. He was a real scientist in ancient times. He is very similar to Li Ke's graduate tutor in the university in later generations, and Li Ke's tutor is the kind of real pillar of the country. That kind of thing.
Or people say that for most ordinary people, the mentor you come into contact with in college may be the pinnacle of your life. If you don’t understand, you have no idea how awesome your instructor is.
Li Ke didn't know it when he was studying. It was only after he graduated from graduate school that he gradually realized how awesome his mentor was.
Yu Wenlin's temperament is very similar to that of his teacher. For example, this straightforward and simple way of communication is not that he doesn't understand it, but that he is too lazy to learn it, because in his opinion, this straightforward way of communication is the most efficient. communication method to avoid wasting his time.
"Don't worry, Your Highness, I have discovered several good ideas. Most of the things I have learned can be left to him as manuscripts. Even if I die, Your Highness, you will not have anyone available, but I will follow the fleet. If I go there, I may be able to discover the advantages and disadvantages of the ship better, and I will not miss learning and research on the ship. In addition, we are moving together in a fleet, and each ship has a small boat and a watertight compartment, so we will not die." Yu Wenlin cupped his hands and said.
Li Ke was completely speechless. Why are you running around as a researcher?
"In this way, I don't think you need to go to Persia. It may take half a year to go back and forth. It's too long. If you want to go to the ocean, you can conduct tests in the Bohai Sea, East China Sea, Yellow Sea and other sea areas. If you find problems at any time, They can all be adjusted onshore, making them more efficient.”
"And it's not that we won't stop building these ships after we build these ships. After we build these ships, the construction work of the entire fleet will not stop, but will intensify!"
"There is no limit to your research funding." Li Ke quickly drew a cake for Yu Wenlin.
"If that's the case, that's no problem." Yu Wenlin thought for a moment. He didn't necessarily go to Persia, he just wanted to study how to build ships.
"Then it's settled. If we can maintain six sea-going ships, you should consider the proportion of the fleet. For example, there are those dedicated to locating personnel and those dedicated to transporting goods. You can make detailed arrangements." Li Ke He spoke.
"I understand that it is very difficult to arrange the weight and position of the pointed-bottomed ship. If you don't tell me, I will consider it." Yu Wenlin nodded directly and agreed, "But Your Highness, I have another idea. If it is for the ocean, I personally recommend the application of riveting technology. In this way, the strength of the keel at the bottom of the ship can be strengthened and it will be easier to withstand storms."
"Is it possible? If it is covered with iron sheets, will it affect the shipbuilding progress? Moreover, if the iron sheets are covered, the counterweight must be recalculated, right?" Li Ke hesitated.
"Your Highness, this is not something you should consider. This is what I should consider. I can definitely guarantee that it can be completed! The progress will definitely not be affected, but I need your Highness to provide me with materials and related technologies! Of course, I am also prepared Good money!" Yu Wenlin said rudely.
Li Ke: "..."
Okay, you are the boss and you have the final say. Riveting technology is actually not difficult, and of course it is certainly not as efficient as later generations. However, in the Tang Dynasty, this thing was already very advanced. After all, modern aircraft carriers more than a thousand years later still have riveting parts on them.
As for money, Li Ke didn't care at all, he was not short of money!
