The Rise of the European Emperor

Said to be ready to leave at any time, but that was actually just a statement from Amerigo. If you really want to set off to find the Ming Dynasty, there are many problems that need to be solved.

Of course, the only thing that is not a problem is the exploration of the route. Because Marin has already chosen a route for Amerigo. This route is the route of the later Manila galleon trade. This is the route that the Spaniards have determined after years of hard exploration, and it is naturally the most suitable route.

As long as Amerigo arrives at the port of Panama City with the fleet, after replenishing the supplies, he can continue to sail forward. Moreover, the journey from the Americas to East Asia is very smooth.

Not to mention that the easterly wind belt on the north side of the equator is downwind, and the north equatorial warm current on the north side of the equator can definitely push the ship forward. Coupled with the east wind, the route from America to East Asia is simply smooth sailing. It should be noted that as long as you do not take this route during the typhoon season.

According to later records, the Manila galleon trade, the ships traveled from Manila to Acapulco in southern Mexico, because they needed to go northward to Japan along the Kuroshio, and then reach the westerly wind belt in the north, and follow the warm current of the North Pacific to the east. It takes 6 months of sailing time to make a big circle like this.

However, from Acapulco to Manila, just follow the North Equatorial Warm Current all the way west, and the wind is smooth. So, it only takes 3 months.

Therefore, Amerigo took the fleet to Daming this time, and it was a smooth journey. It will be more troublesome only when you come back.

The main trouble on the return voyage was that the Spanish manila galleon trade had to wait until the summer monsoon before heading north along the Kuroshio.

But this trouble doesn't exist here in Marin, why? Because Marin came up with the popular upper edge cantilever sail. Unlike the galleons of Spanish galleons, which have to wait for the monsoons. Marin's modern upper-edge gaff sail, similar to Huaxia's rigid sail, can take advantage of the wind from all sides, and can set off at any time without waiting for the monsoon.

Moreover, summer is a period of high typhoon occurrence. If you only follow the monsoon north in the summer and encounter a typhoon, the ship must be destroyed.

So, here in Marin, the Spaniard's problem, for him, is not a problem at all. And Marin's ocean-going ships are generally prepared with two sets of sails - horizontal sails and upper edge gaff sails.

When walking on the north-south route where the wind direction changes frequently, it is natural to use the upper edge gaff sail that is not afraid of the headwind. When walking in the downwind belt for a long time, put on a horizontal sail, so as to fully borrow the wind.

From the point of view of the Manila galleon route, the journey from the Americas to East Asia has been smooth sailing, and it is natural to use horizontal sails. To return to America from East Asia, you need to make a big circle and switch the wind belt. Most of the time, it is more appropriate to use the upper edge gaff sail.

Marin explained these issues to Amerigo in detail, which surprised Amerigo, the great sailor. So he couldn't help but ask:

"Grand Duke, how did you know this route? Even the wind and ocean currents are so clear..."

Marrington paused, then lied without changing his face:

"Of course my teacher - Daxian Einstein told me..."

"His old man is also a navigator?" Amerigo was even more curious.

"I don't know, anyway, he just knows this route!" Marin didn't know how to explain it, so he simply played a rogue.

...

"Okay, Grand Duke, I have a very important problem to solve now!"

"Say!"

"Overhaul of the ship!"

"How?" Marin asked curiously.

After Amerigo organized the language, he said:

"It's like this, the Grand Duke should know that during voyages on the sea, the part of the ship below the waterline is often eaten by sea maggots. Or, it is slapped by wind and waves and corroded by sea water. Therefore, after each voyage, the ship needs to be overhauled. "

"But the problem is, on the nautical chart you gave me, Grand Duke, it seems that there are no ports or docks for repairing ships along the way. If you are in the middle of the vast ocean,

The bottom of the boat was suddenly eaten away by ship maggots, and the people on the boat really had nowhere to go. "

"Are you worried that your fleet's ships will not be repaired midway?" Marin immediately understood Amerigo's concerns.

If you sail along the edge of the land, naturally you don't have these problems. If you want to expel the maggots, the boat can go to the inland freshwater area and stay for a while, and the sea maggots will run away automatically. Just like the current routes to India and China, most of the time, they are actually on the coast of Africa. Only the section that crosses the Arabian Sea is purely salt water. However, the duration is not very long.

However, according to the nautical chart given by Marin, this time Amerigo's fleet had to cross the huge Pacific Ocean, and there was basically no freshwater area along the way. In other words, sea maggots can cling to the bottom of the boat and gnaw at ease for several months...

If there are no ports and docks to repair the ships along the way, once the ships are gnawed by sea maggots in the middle of the sea, it will be dangerous...

As a navigator and explorer, Amerigo was not afraid of death. However, you can't die in vain.

As far as Amerigo knows, although Panama City has already started construction, it is only a small town. Moreover, the shipyard and dock over there have not yet been built. This time he took the fleet over, apparently in the booming town of Panama City, he could not get the service of the ship overhaul. If the ship is not repaired, rush to the sea to China...

Moreover, after arriving in Huaxia, the Ming Empire may not allow his fleet to dock. In other words, the ships of his fleet will not be able to be repaired by then. If you run back again, it will be another 6 months...

In other words, the ships of the Amerigo fleet may run on the ocean for more than half a year without maintenance services... So long in the ocean in the salt water area, it is difficult for the ships to have no problems. what……

...

Marin thought about it and let it go, Amerigo's worries were really a big problem. After all, after sailing from Beihai Country, the fleet may face problems that cannot be repaired. After all, the docks in Panama City haven't been repaired. When the boat arrived in Panama City, it stopped at the freshwater area at most to drive away the sea maggots. However, the erosion caused by sea maggots on the bottom of the ship along the way cannot be repaired. Then continue to go to Taiwan Island to find Keelung Peace Island... and then a big circle return... It is indeed very easy to have an accident...

How to solve it? Marin first thought of wrapping copper under the waterline of the boat. After all, this was the trick of the 18th century British warships.

In the 18th century, some British warships cruised at sea for a long time and could not go to the base for overhaul. In order to ensure long-term activities at sea, to protect the British navigation line. British craftsmen invented a method of wrapping the copper skin of naval copper under the waterline of the battleship, which made it difficult for the ship to sail on the ocean for a long time. As long as it doesn't hit a reef or get shelled, warships can operate at sea for a long time. Only if the supply of fresh water and other food is insufficient, you need to find a military port to replenish it casually. Then, the ship does not need to be overhauled, and it goes straight to sea to continue the mission...

However, Marin thought about the current price of copper, and immediately persuaded...

Now is the era when 15 pounds of copper can be exchanged for 1 pound of silver. 15 copper skins are equivalent to 1 silver skin. It would be too extravagant to wrap the ships of Amerigo's fleet under the waterline with copper skins...

Therefore, the idea of ​​wrapping copper skin, Marin just thought about it for a while, and then abandoned it...

Then, there is the galvanized tinplate. The tinplate has a strong anti-corrosion effect, but the tinplate also has a problem - I am afraid of knocking off the galvanized layer and scratching...

If the galvanized layer is intact, the tinplate can last a long time in seawater. But if it is scratched, or the galvanized layer is knocked off, it will corrode quickly when it encounters sea water...

During the voyage, bumps and bumps are inevitable. Then, nail the tin sheet to the bottom of the boat, and the nails will inevitably scratch the tin sheet. Many accidents can lead to a reduction in the service life of tinplate.

Therefore, in the end, the tinplate was also abandoned by Marin. Amerigo's fleet cannot be repaired after sailing at sea for more than half a year. There are too many uncertain factors such as tin, and it is difficult to be trusted.

...

What to use? Is it really necessary to use expensive copper skin? Marlin is in trouble...

But suddenly, he slapped his head sharply:

"Gee, how did I forget the nickel!"

Marin suddenly remembered that he seemed to have a lot of nickel in his hand...

"If nickel and iron were remelted to make nickel steel..."

Marin thought for a while. If he did this, the nickel-steel sheet he would get would not be as corrosion-resistant as the chromium-doped chrome-nickel alloy stainless steel, but at least it would be much stronger than the galvanized tinplate. At least, this nickel-steel tinplate is not afraid of bumps and scratches...

As a result, the iron sheet made of this kind of nickel steel that only contains nickel and does not contain chromium, after being wrapped in the lower part of the waterline of the sea ship, must have better stability than galvanized white iron sheet. At least, it won't be a problem for a few years.

And when Marin's men find chromite and get authentic Inconel stainless steel, that's even better. At that time, the ship will probably be able to do no major repairs for decades (mainly the main body of the ship).

After thinking of this, Marin ordered to use some of the nickel ingots and send them to the steel plant, where they would be remelted into nickel steel together with the iron ingots. It was then poured and hammered into a nickel-steel skin that was used to wrap the lower waterline of the ships of the Amerigo fleet.

Even for the iron nails, Marin decided to use nickel steel. After all, nickel steel nails are a lot cheaper than copper nails.

However, considering that he didn't have a lot of nickel in his hands, Marin decided to give up sending 500-ton warships and instead use 4 new 250-class armed merchant ships (because the nickel and steel skins consumed by 500-ton warships are more More). These new 250-class armed merchant ships still have a displacement of about 250 tons. However, the hull is thinner, with a length-to-width ratio of about 4 to 1, which is similar to the later Galen ship.

And four 250-class armed merchant ships are enough for Amerigo's expeditions. After all, Amerigo was not there to fight, but to find a route. In the vast Pacific Ocean, there were no pirates at this time, and four 250-ton armed merchant ships were enough to go sideways. Even if it encounters Japanese pirates, the artillery on the ship is not vegetarian...

Of course, in order to prevent others from mistaking him for wrapping the lower part of the hull with silver skin, Marin decided to paint the nickel-steel skin with black paint as usual to hide its brilliance. Moreover, it was announced that the bottom of the boat was wrapped with tinplate (tin-plated iron). If other countries follow suit, the price of tin is not so high. The corrosion resistance of tinplate is not as good as that of galvanized tinplate. Whoever uses it will lose to death... 8) For more wonderful novels, welcome to visit everyone's school