According to Xu Shiyang's own observations, the iron cannon wall is much thinner than the copper cannon, and the caliber is one circle smaller than the copper cannon (the weight of the projectile is 1 kg smaller than that of the copper cannon), although the barrel is longer, but the overall weight is still much lighter.

Moreover, this iron cannon did not need a gun carriage (of course, there was a better one) and could be used directly on a separate bogie, which was an advantage that copper field guns did not have.

And that's not all.

"We have only built five sub-cannons, and we test-fired them once a year ago, and the first three cannons only took a total of one minute (one minute in ancient China and 30 seconds)."

Tang Long introduced:

"It's just that the wall of the cannon is too thin, and the barrel of the cannon will not be hot after the third cannon, so you can only stop and dissipate the heat first."

"It only takes a minute for three cannons?" Xu Er said: "In this case, it's not far from the wooden cannon." ”

In any case, metal artillery always comprehensively surpassed wooden artillery as a temporary measure. The Furlong machine has a very serious air leakage problem, and the structural strength is lower than that of normal field guns, but these two data are still much stronger than wooden cannons, so the power and range are stronger than wooden cannons, because it is a rear-loading gun, the rate of fire can also be close to that of a wooden cannon that can be thrown after a shot.

Not to mention efficiency.

"With it, we can ditch those damn wooden cannons." Xu Shiyang said happily: "There are so many good woods, after a shot, they can only be burned as firewood, it's a pity." ”

"Can this cannon be cast on a large scale?" Xu Da asked.

Tang Long replied: "Yes, actually, I think this cannon is easier to build than the arquebus barrel." ”

"How much can be made?" Gongsun Sheng asked.

"We already have a model, and with enough materials and manpower, we can build two doors a month." "If you increase the number of people, the speed can be accelerated," Tang said. ”

"Two?"

Gongsun Sheng pinched his fingers and calculated, the current gunpowder production is barely enough, but if the production is not stopped all the time, within a year or two, the growth of gunpowder production may not be able to keep up with the growth of gunpowder weapons.

"Cast as fast as possible, manpower and materials, I'll figure it out."

Xu Shiyang didn't have as many ideas as Gongsun Sheng, he urgently needed a large number of artillery to arm the artillery of the new army - according to the assumption, each infantry battalion of the new army should be equipped with at least 6 artillery pieces, and if you add the naval guns required by the Xu family's fleet, the number of cannons is around 60!

If a wooden cannon is used instead, because a wooden cannon can only fire once, the artillery live-fire training can always be carried out effectively, which is a problem for Xu Shiyang.

60 cannons is not an easy number for the Xu family to fill, and it must be improved from now on.

"Yes!" With Xu Shiyang's approval, Tang Long hurriedly agreed.

He could see that Xu Shiyang was eager to carry out the work of replacing the wooden cannon with an iron cannon, so speeding up production would be his most important task in the next stage.

"Tang Long, you have worked hard and done a good job, whether you go to the battlefield or continue to work in the arsenal, your future is bright!" Xu Shiyang promised: "I am here to give you a letter of approval, if you can use the existing manpower and increase the production of artillery, I will promote you to an officer within a year!" ”

"Yes! Rest assured, Lieutenant Colonel! I can do it! Tang Long exclaimed excitedly.

"Hmmm! I believe in you! Just one more point, you have to guarantee the quality of the cannon! Artillery of poor quality is not allowed to be delivered to the troops! ”

"There are inscriptions on the cannons, if anyone delivers the unqualified cannon, I can directly trace the individual!" Tang Long lined up his chest and promised: "I will never let unqualified artillery flow into the army and harm our brothers in the new army!" ”

……

"This Tang Long has done a good job, and it can be seen that he has truly regarded himself as a member of the Xu family."

After coming out of the workshop, Xu Shiyang said to Gongsun Sheng:

"Give everyone in the artillery workshop an extra amount of Liuhe grain every day, which counts as a reward. Tell them that if they do a good job, they will be rewarded in the future! ”

"Yes." Gongsun Sheng first agreed, and then said: "But San Lang, if it is two cannons a month, plus muskets, we have to make 10,000 enemies, and our gunpowder production can't keep up." ”

"You've always been in charge of gunpowder before, what's the difficulty in increasing production?"

"It's hard to get stuck everywhere."

Gongsun Sheng is Xu Shiyang's confidant, he can say it directly, and there is no need to shy away from anything at all.

"The biggest problem is the material, charcoal is good to say, nitrate and sulfur are not enough, far worse." Gongsun Sheng said embarrassedly: "There are still manpower, now I have taken over the Zhenyuan camp, the gunpowder workshop has been transferred to my eldest apprentice Fan Rui, his skills are okay, but other newly recruited apprentices can only learn little by little, after all, this gunpowder is not an ordinary thing, and if you are not careful, it will be a big ......." ”

"Manpower, that's what I think." Xu Shiyang replied: "First increase the recruitment efforts, and tell me directly who you think is suitable in the fifth tun system." If the other Dock Castles have the right talent, I can think of a way. Also, if you can't do it, you can also recruit young female workers, women are more delicate, and now no one is competing with you for this labor. ”

"Women as craftsmen?" Gongsun Sheng exclaimed in surprise: "How can this be done? ”

"There's nothing that can't be done, it's just that the men's and women's workshops are separated, and if you dare to make shameless things, you can cut people, and you're not afraid of them causing trouble! In terms of production, it is still the same, each person is only responsible for one process, and finally all kinds of semi-finished products are gathered and handed over to skilled hands. ”

Xu Shiyang said unceremoniously:

"The new army has expanded like this, and I am now lacking everything, lacking qualified non-commissioned officers, lacking technical arms, lacking professional personnel, and even lacking qualified soldiers! But there is no way, we are such a foundation, and if we don't do our best, the gap will only get bigger and bigger! ”

"Okay......, okay, then I'll ask Fan Rui to recruit some women to try."

"You go too, I never said that the gunpowder workshop was handed over to Fan Rui, you are still the director of the gunpowder workshop, you have to take time to go over there often!"

"Yes."

Gongsun Sheng didn't know what to say.

In fact, for him, the more work at hand, the better, which at least proves that he has a solid position, but this work is inevitably too much, and he will definitely be busy for a period of time in the future, right?

"So, raw materials?"

"I'm not in a hurry now, I've already asked all the dock forts of the family to build public toilets through the head of the family, so that I should be able to withstand it for a while, and when the Fan family is cleaned up and then annexed the homeless group in Wulian Mountain, I will go to Jiangnan with Xu Shiliu."

Xu Shiyang thought for a while and said:

"If my trip goes well and I have a relationship with the main battle faction in Jiangnan, ...... Jiangnan has everything, at least there is no problem in meeting our current needs."

Xu Shiyang felt that the task of his trip to Jiangnan might be very heavy: he had to get in touch with the main battle faction; It is necessary to publicize the achievements of the Xu family's resistance to tension; Xu Shiliu must be allowed to enter the school smoothly; You have to solicit sponsorship in various ways; You have to build a real trade network and so on.

It's too busy.