At present, the scale of the Southeast Iron and Steel Plant is not large, and it is basically still the steel and coal industry under the original subsidiary of the Fuzhou Arsenal, and the real large-scale expansion of production will have to wait for the arrival of machinery and equipment and technicians from the United States.

"According to the current scale, after our iron and steel plant accepted the original coal and iron industry of Fuzhou Arsenal, we have successively integrated some other small coal and iron mines in Fujian Province, and there is no problem in supplying ordinary steel required by Fuzhou Arsenal!" Shi Xing, the new director of the Southeast Iron and Steel Plant, introduced to Chen Jingyun: "After the American equipment and technicians arrive, we will further expand the scale, not only to meet the ordinary steel needs of the Fuzhou Arsenal, but also to provide shipbuilding steel to the Mawei Shipyard, and even to produce special steel to meet various needs." ”

Shi Xing spoke with expectation, anticipation of the smoke of steel. As one of the children studying abroad, he studied geology and prospecting in the United States, but after returning to China, he became a technician in the Mawei Shipyard Iron and Steel Plant because of various coincidences, and slowly rose up after doing so many years, and finally became the director of the steel department in the Fuzhou Arsenal.

Chen Jingyun nodded: "Not bad!" Fuzhou Arsenal was able to maintain smooth production, and the credit of the steel plant is not small! Now the production task of Fuzhou Arsenal is getting heavier and heavier, and the production of your steel plant is getting heavier and heavier, I hope you can continue to work hard, play the spirit of not being afraid of tiredness and hardship, ensure the smooth expansion of steel plants, and contribute to the rise of China's heavy industry! ”

After saying that, he said aloud to everyone: "If a country wants to rise, it is not enough to rely only on the people's hard work and cultivation in the fields, and it is not enough to rely only on the bravery of the soldiers. Behind the rise of a country is a strong industrial system. And what is the core of a country's industrial system, that is, steel. The steel industry is the cornerstone of a country, when our steel output can be compared with the powers, then when will we be able to achieve the same international status as the powers! ”

A country's steel production in the first year is basically a representation of the country's national strength and war potential. At present, China's domestic steel production is very small, the largest is the Hanyang Iron Works under Han Yeping, which produces about 80,000 tons of pig iron, 40,000 tons of steel, and more than 20,000 tons of rails every year, and this output accounts for 90% of China's steel production on the eve of Xinhai.

After Xinhai, other places remained like this, Hanyang Iron Works did not change much, but Fuzhou increased its investment in Fuzhou Arsenal, Fuzhou Arsenal in order to meet its own steel demand, the subordinate steel and coal sector made large-scale investment, but the subordinate are some small iron ore and small coal mines, together the output is not large, the output of iron ore in a year is less than 100,000 tons, and the output of Hanyeping iron ore in the same period is as high as 670,000 tons, except for part of its own use, most of it is sold to the "this, supply" Ben's iron and steel enterprises.

It is worth mentioning that because iron ore mining in Fujian Province is not easy and the cost is high, more than half of the iron ore and coal mines in Fuzhou Arsenal in the past year are purchased from other provinces, and the iron ore is mainly purchased from Han Yeping, and the coal part is also Han Yeping, and some are other coal mining enterprises in the north.

After the development of this year, the steel department under the Fuzhou Arsenal, that is, the current Southeast Iron and Steel Plant, although it can not be compared with Han Yeping, but the output is not small, the output of pig iron has been more than 50,000 tons, and then the output of steel is slightly higher is 30,000 tons, according to rough statistics, the current steel output in Fuzhou has accounted for about 40% of China.

After the large-scale expansion, this proportion will continue to climb.

However, even the pig iron of Hanyeping and Southeast Iron and Steel together is only 130,000 tons, 70,000 tons of steel, and 20,000 tons of rails. At the same time, the output of pig iron and steel in Yawata alone was more than 200,000 tons, more than 200,000 tons of steel, and more than 300,000 tons of ingots.

However, if we look at the steel production of Britain and the United States and other powers during the same period, then it is not enough to say, "The steel production of the United States is more than 30 million tons a year, Germany's is 17 million tons, and Britain's is 7 million tons, which is basically impossible to compare."

Generally speaking, China's steel production is now not to be compared with Britain and the United States, but it is still possible to compare with the United Kingdom, if there is a stable political environment, political leaders are willing to invest heavily, steel production will not catch up with the "Ben will not take a few years."

For example, the current Southeast Iron and Steel, Chen Jingyun spent a lot of effort in it, and after millions of dollars were smashed, he didn't believe that he couldn't get a large steel company.

"According to the prior design standards, after the arrival of all kinds of machinery and equipment and American technicians, the output of the steel plant expansion can be completely comparable to Yawata Steel, and as long as there are enough coal mines and iron ore support, the pig iron output of our steel plant can reach 300,000 tons, and the steel output can also reach the level of 200,000 tons." When he said this, Shi Xing's eyes were already full of stars.

"I want to build the largest steel mill in China!" This was what Chen Jingyun said to him at the beginning, and now, it seems that this dream is about to come true in his hands.

In fact, even after the expansion, the steel output of the southeast is only hundreds of thousands of tons, and a large part of the output has to be used to support various military production such as the Fuzhou Arsenal. However, even if the output is lower, it doesn't matter, this is mainly because the two provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang under Chen Jingyun do not have such a large demand for steel, and he is not interested in building railways or anything now, the biggest demand for steel production is military production, which is enough to make a steel plant with an output of hundreds of thousands of tons.

The most important thing here is to plant a seed, and when the Southeast Iron and Steel Plant develops steadily, the large number of skilled workers trained and the technology developed can be used as the cornerstone of China's steel industry in the future.

After attending the opening ceremony, Chen Jingyun and a group of military and political dignitaries visited the newly built plant of the Southeast Iron and Steel Plant, and on the way, they had to do some pro-people actions, such as talking with the workers' representatives and taking a few photos.

In the afternoon, the Southeast Iron and Steel Plant was almost there, and Chen Jingyun went to the Fuzhou Arsenal again, mainly because the Southeast Iron and Steel Plant was near the Fuzhou Arsenal, and the Southeast Iron and Steel Plant was originally split from the Fuzhou Arsenal, so it was naturally impossible to move too far away.

Today, due to the tight schedule, Chen Jingyun didn't plan to go to the factory under the arsenal, that is, it would be almost the same to simply listen to the rewards of Tang Huikang and others.

Speaking of which, Chen Jingyun is still very diligent when he comes to the Fuzhou Arsenal, and basically he will come every one or two months, sometimes to see the test-firing demonstration of new weapons, and sometimes to learn about the situation of the Fuzhou Arsenal. The Fuzhou Arsenal is related to the life and death of more than 100,000 people in the National Army, and bullets, guns, and shells all need to be provided by the Fuzhou Arsenal, and it is natural that Chen Jingyun attaches so much importance to it.

Chen Jingyun looked at the report in his hand, and nodded while reading it: "Very good, the output of bullets and shells has increased a lot this month, and the output of rifles and pistols has also increased slightly!" ”

Tang Huikang listened to Lian claimed: "The procurement orders of the equipment department and the logistics department are coming in batches, and the time is very tight, so I don't know how many ways to increase production!" ”

Chen Jingyun said with a smile: "Isn't this a capable person who works hard!" ”

"The production of light and heavy machine guns is also okay, but why hasn't the production of mortars increased, and it seems to have decreased a little this month?" Chen Jingyun was a little puzzled and immediately asked.

Tang Huikang replied: "This is mainly because we have improved the production technology and adjusted the production line this month, and now it is still in the run-in period, and the output will be greatly increased after next month." ”

Hearing Tang Huikang's explanation, Chen Jingyun didn't plan to continue to ask, he didn't need to know so much about the details of these productions, he just needed to know that the arsenal could come up with enough weapons and equipment in the end, as for how to do it, it was Tang Huikang's own business, if he couldn't do it, then Chen Jingyun would have to change someone who could do it to manage the Fuzhou Arsenal.

Seeing that Chen Jingyun closed the report, Tang Huikang took two steps forward: "Governor, since you are here today, do you want to go and see our artillery test firing?" ”

"The artillery came out?" Chen Jingyun was a little surprised, the development of artillery in the Fuzhou Arsenal has not been very smooth, because of the relationship between the steel and the problem of the barrel has not been solved, several have been trial-produced, but accidents have occurred in the two test firings before and after, which has caused Chen Jingyun to be greatly hit, the Fuzhou Arsenal has not been able to come up with qualified artillery, and Chen Jingyun has no choice but to continue to purchase, for example, the purchase of two regiments of 75 artillery from the United States is the reason.

The problem of this artillery has not been solved, and after a long time, Chen Jingyun did not have much hope, and only thought that after a while, the machinery and equipment and technicians assisted by the United States will be able to build this artillery.

But I didn't expect Tang Huikang to talk about this problem now.

Tang Huikang said: "Half a month ago, we improved some processes, re-produced two cannons, and the test firing went smoothly and there were no accidents such as explosions. ”

When Chen Jingyun heard this, his interest also came, and he immediately said: "Then go and have a look!" ”