As expected, at fifty percent of the charge, all three prototypes were fine. www.biquge.info So a group of gunners went up to clear their chambers and prepare for the test of 80 percent charge.

At this time, Lando's face began to become grim.

"Mr. Lando, are you a little worried?" Zheng Sen said.

"yes, I'm a little worried about the lightest six-pounder gun." "Although according to my estimates, this cannon should be able to withstand 100 percent of the charge, but after all, the barrel is so thin that it is impossible to say that I am not worried." ”

"Actually, if it can safely use 80 percent of the charge, then it's actually very useful, isn't it?" Zheng Sen smiled and said, "I remember that the great Majesty Gustav II's three-pounder regimental cannon was also recharged, and it was only a three-pounder cannon. ”

"If it can withstand 100 percent of the charge, then it shouldn't be too much of a problem to use the 80 percent charge for a long time." Landau frowned and said, "But I still don't recommend using a gun with reduced charge, because even a cannon with a three-quarter barrel can barely be pulled by two horses, and although this cannon is much lighter, it still needs two horses to pull and run." ”

There is some truth to this statement. Zheng Sen nodded when he heard this.

All three guns successfully passed the test of 80 percent charge, and soon it was the turn of the test of 100 percent charge. All three guns fired one round without explosions.

"Mr. Lando, it seems that our cannon has been successful." Zheng Sen smiled happily.

"No, I don't think so. Major General, do you see that the lightest guns have been deformed a little? Lando said with a frown.

"Is there one?" Zheng Sen said as he approached the cannon, took a serious look at the cannon, and then looked into the barrel from the muzzle of the cannon, and there was no crack or anything in it.

"I didn't see anything." Zheng Sen said.

"It's a little bulging here." Lando tapped his cane on a spot on the barrel, "Major General, you don't have to look hard here, I've been doing this for decades, and the magnitude of this deformation is so small that you can't see it with your eyes." But I'm different, I can see it. Nowadays this place has become a weak point. One hundred percent charge is not enough to destroy it. But each launch magnifies this weakness. I'm sure there will be two more full-charge firings, and the deformation will be enough for you, Major General, to see, that within five full-charge firing tests, the cannon will be scrapped. ”

"That's right." Zheng Sen nodded and said, "So can this deformation be measured with calipers now?" ”

"No, no, it can't be done." Lando said proudly, "The deformation is very small, and the caliper can't measure such a small deformation, which can only be measured by professional eyes." ”

Zheng Sen smiled and thought to himself: "Higher precision measuring tools, such as vernier calipers or something." ”

Zheng Sen was not from engineering in his previous life, but he has seen and played with vernier calipers. The basic principle is still known, and he feels that it is not difficult for him to draw a schematic diagram, but it is not necessarily easy to really make it, and it may require a lot of cost. For example, in order to ensure the accuracy of the measurement, the material of the caliper must be hard enough and not deformed at will. And it's better to be heated. The impact of expansion and contraction should also be as small as possible. However, these requirements will increase the difficulty of processing. Under the current conditions, this thing can only be polished by hand by the best craftsmen. The estimated cost will be very high. However, Zheng Sen felt that it was worth spending thousands of taels of silver for this. Because in the future this thing will be so useful.

Sure enough, just as Landu had expected, the lightest gun had been fired twice with a full charge, and even Zheng Sen could see how much the chamber was bulging.

"Let's go straight to the 120 percent strength charge test. That cannon doesn't have to be tested anymore. Zheng Sen pointed to the cannon that had been clearly deformed and said, "It seems that the cannon is no longer working." ”

The remaining two guns were still in good spirits, and both withstood the firing experiment of 120 percent charge. After two rounds of test firing of a 120 percent strong charge, there was no noticeable change in either gun.

"That's good, Mr. Lando!" Zheng Sen said with a smile.

"Yes, Major General, your design is very successful, very successful. I'm now very much looking forward to the time when the design of the whole forg, and then the bore, which you talked about, will be able to be realized. I don't know what level the cannon can reach with those things. Maybe by then, it will no longer be a dream for the Army to fight with a 12-pounder gun. ”

"Let's conduct a destructive experiment with a 150 percent charge. As long as the cannon doesn't explode immediately, it should work. Zheng Sen said.

"Generally speaking, it does." Lando replied.

"So, teacher, why can't we just test it with a 150 percent charge at the beginning, so that it solves the problem in one go?" An apprentice asked in long-awaited Latin.

"Ah, Tom, because then you don't know the limits of this cannon. You think if it's 150 percent, it's all blown up. How do you know if they're going to work reliably 120 percent of the time? Lando replied.

"And any experiment is a valuable accumulation of data, and with these accumulations, we will be able to avoid detours in the future." Zheng Sen also added.

The last 150 percent experiment was also very good, as the cannon with a one-third of the barrel thickness had been significantly deformed, but at least it did not explode immediately, while the other cannon with a thicker barrel did not show any visible deformation at all.

"Very nice. Well, Mr. Lando, I think you can get your winnings now. Zheng Sen said.

……

However, Zheng Sen was not happy for long, because soon there was bad news from Jeju Island: the Manchus no longer bought Fu. Longevity. anointed, and even, they began a large-scale search of Fu in the Eight Banners and Wrapping. Longevity. Anointing, all blessed. Longevity. The ointment was confiscated. In addition to this, Huang Taiji also whipped the sucking blessing. Longevity. Addicted to the anointing, Duoduo and Hauge ordered all the smoking guns to be confiscated and piled up at the gate of Shenyang, and they were set on fire. (Later in the history of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, this was called "Shenyang Selling Tobacco.") Huang Taiji issued an edict and called it a blessing for sucking. Longevity. The ointment is to suck the demon, and it is ordered: "If there is no prescription from the doctor and suck the blessing. Longevity. Cast one, cut it off; If there is a blessing outside the hospital. Longevity. Cast one, cut it off; If you have to carry it privately, collect it. Longevity. Anoint one or two, whip forty, and eight two, and cut them off. ”

So Fu. Longevity. It was at this time that Yuri, the plastering vendor, received a new order.

……

"Brother Yuri, you can't please you now. Now your blessings are being forbidden. Longevity. What about the anointment. Amba said, "A few days ago, the Great Khan was also blessed because of his master. Longevity. The anointing thing whipped him severely. Even I was beaten up. ”

"Amba, you know, it's not my fault, isn't it. I have told you a long time ago that it is three parts poison of medicine, and three parts of poison of medicine. But which of you listens to me. And I'm not blessed now. Longevity. The paste can be sold to you, but you have bought too much and sold out of stock. Blessings on the market today. Longevity. The price of the ointment is much higher than what I sold to you, and if you are willing to give it back to me, I will make more money when it changes hands." Yuri muttered.

"The Great Khan put all the blessings. Longevity. The ointment was put away, but the cigarette guns were burned, after all, this medicine can really save lives sometimes. Amba said, "Brother Yuri, what are you here for?" ”

"Cannon! Cannons, of course. Why, you don't even need a cannon now? Yuri said.

"How is that possible?" Antigua said, "Life can be dispensed without, but artillery is absolutely indispensable." You brought cannons with you on board? ”

"Yes, twenty-four pounders of siege guns, and two on board, each twelve thousand taels of silver. If you can't get the money, well, the goods are fine, and by the way, you're not blessed now. Longevity. Is it anointed? With blessings. Longevity. Pay for the anointing, just for the price I sell it to you. Yuri said.

"Hey, I said brother, you're not authentic. Last time, it was said that it was 7,000 taels and one door, and it was said that there were 10 doors. Why are there only two doors now, and they still ask for this price? Antigua stood up suddenly.

"Brother Antigua and Barbuda, don't worry, don't worry, sit down and talk." Yuri said, "I don't want to do that, brother. But now the sea route is not easy to walk! To pass through Fujian by sea, the sailors of the Ming Kingdom don't know if they have gotten any rumors recently, and they have been very strict. I guess it's the wind from the Dutch on those dog days. It took a lot of effort for me to bring these two cannons. If you don't believe me, I'll find out when I take you to the boat to see you. Just paying the Zheng family money for the road and paying bribes cost me more than 3,000 taels of silver. Moreover, if the investigation is strict, there are not many cannons hidden on the ship, and you can secretly bring two at a time. Every time you come and go, you have to prepare a boat, you have to spend money to buy a road, and once you are investigated, you have to spend money and bribe. This back and forth, do you say that my costs are going upside down. I can't trade at a loss, can I? ”

"Really?" Apparently Anticipa is a little unconvinced.

"Otherwise, this time the two cannons, you all use the blessing. Longevity. Pay me the anointing, and I will repay you seven thousand gates. Even if I lose a little, who will let us have a friendship? As for the future, if you believe it or not, I can take your people on my boat to Manila. Look at what's going on along the way. Or there is another way, you get your own boat, and I'll hire a lead for you, and then you can drive your own boat to Temasek, find a hidden place, and I'll sell it to you, and then you can ship it back yourself. How about I give you a price of five thousand taels and one door? ”

"Five Thousand Gates?" Amba's eyes widened, "Brother, with you, the cannon alone costs seven thousand taels each?" ”