"How much does this mortar weigh, and is it easy to transport?"

"This cannon weighs about fifty-seven kilograms, it can be carried by war horses and wagons, and it can also be disassembled if necessary, and carried by the soldiers separately, according to our assumptions, a mortar is equipped with five fighters, three people carry the barrel, bracket and base respectively, and the other two carry shells, we have conducted several exercises, they can easily carry one gun, and thirty shells cross the country."

Zhang Tinglan nodded, obviously he was still very satisfied with this mortar, and checked the slightly rough gun body, the gap between the manufacturing process and the great powers is still not lower, but it can already meet the needs, the weapon competition is performance, as long as it is easy to use, as for whether it looks good or not, it is secondary.

"The cannon is very good, but I have a suggestion, which is to enlarge the muzzle of the cannon by one or two millimeters, and strive to make it compatible with shells with slightly smaller calibers!"

Xiong Mengyuan on the side was the main designer of this artillery, and when he heard Zhang Tinglan's words, he suddenly felt confused, and he couldn't turn around.

"Mortars are also the new weapons of the great powers, there are many types, but according to my observation, the caliber will gradually tend to be unified, 80 mm will become a mainstream caliber, we can do 82 mm, we can be compatible with 80 and 81 mm caliber, on the battlefield, we have captured other people's ammunition, we can also use it, and others have captured our ammunition, but there is no way to use it, isn't this a good thing?"

As soon as he heard this, Xiong Mengyuan also came to his senses, and hurriedly smiled: "No wonder they are all seventy-five mm mountain artillery, the Russians want to make seventy-six mm, it turns out that they are also playing this abacus!" ”

After Xiong Mengyuan thought it through, he nodded without hesitation and agreed, it has not been officially put into production yet, and there is no problem at all to transform it. Hurriedly asked several designers to write down Zhang Tinglan's opinion.

"Lao Xiong, I have prepared a lot of equipment for this kind of mortar, a regiment should be equipped with a mortar company, each company is temporarily equipped with six, and it will be increased in the future, all in all, mortars will become one of the most important equipment of our army. Now that a task has fallen to you, are you sure that enough mortars will be produced? ”

"Don't worry, you can get the job done!" Xiong Mengyuan patted his chest and said: "Mortars don't need too haode materials, ordinary steel can." Cannonball cast iron can be manufactured, we have introduced cast iron black heart toughening treatment jishu to the United States, we can also use general pig iron, and we also have two main sources of steel, one is Benxihu Coal and Iron Company. There is also scrap steel on the Middle East Road, which is enough to produce weapons for the time being! ”

The benefits of retaking control of the Benxihu Coal and Iron Company are now apparent. It turned out that Kihachiro Okura covered the sky with one hand. He relied on greedy Mo's profits, and then sent low-cost steel to the Japanese military, and now after Mukden has a controlling stake, he has corrected this, and just by restoring the normal market price, he has regained hundreds of thousands of profits. And the Japanese have not yet been able to object.

Another advantage is that after some bargaining, the steel mill was granted the right to sell steel for its own use on the premise of ensuring the supply of steel to Japan, and through the adjustment of labor relations. The enthusiasm of the workers increased, and the output also increased, so that the excess production could be sent to the Fengjun army for use in the arsenal, and of course other factories would also benefit from it.

Of course, before their own steel plant was officially put into operation, it was necessary to ensure that the steel source was extensive, and the Middle East Road became the most haode choice, after years of operation, a large number of waste cars and wheels and carriages have accumulated on the railway, and there are not an amazing number of rails, which are all out-and-out good steel, Zhang Tinglan has already bought Horvat, and all of them are treated as scrap to Fengjun.

"However, as we produce more and more things, the consumption of steel is also increasing, and we must have our own steel mill to provide a stable source, otherwise it will definitely not be able to sustain it for a long time!"

"Well, don't worry about this, didn't we get a set of steel plant equipment from Russia, it's already on the way, and I also asked Mr. Kwong Rongguang to inspect the situation in Anshan, as long as the equipment arrives, we will immediately build a steel plant in Anshan and put it into production as soon as possible!"

Xiong Mengyuan also said excitedly: "I read the introduction of that set of equipment, Wang Tieshan is really attentive, that set of equipment is made in France, and the level of jishu is very high, almost surpassing the most advanced steel mills in Japan." Moreover, the area designed to be used is the same variety as our Anshan iron ore, and the taste is similar, which means that as long as the equipment is shipped, we can quickly establish our own factory with reference to the original factory in Russia! ”

A steel mill can not be established casually, at this stage must be built in the area close to the raw material production area, the best coal and iron are all available, the most suitable location in the northeast is Anshan Benxi and other places, the Japanese seized Benxi, Zhang Tinglan can never let go of Anshan.

And also to consider the type of iron ore, and then determine the equipment, take the Hanyang Iron Works established by Zhang Zhidong as an example, the first site selection is a failure, and then the ore is not tested in advance, Zuihou equipment is installed, the result is not able to produce, a lot of money is wasted, the so-called first male factory in Asia, in fact, full of bitter tears, Zhang Zhidong can be regarded as a relatively new official in the Manchu Qing Dynasty, but it is still a pile of paste.

"Old Xiong, hearing you say this, I found that we can't just get the main equipment back, and we can't let go of the supporting equipment at all."

"Dare to love! It's best to get the design drawings of the factory, and pack them all up and pull them to Fengtian, we are equivalent to a whole relocation of the factory, which will save a lot of cost and time, but I am afraid it is a little difficult to do this! ”

"How many difficulties must be done, I gave Wang Tieshan a death order, no matter what factory is moved in the future, we must get all the supporting things as much as possible."

"That's right!" Xiong Mengyuan nodded excitedly: "Don't look at the overall Jishu backwardness in Russia, but many Russian factories are built with the help of the French, Jishu level can throw out the Japanese a street, after all, everyone is white, and they have to deal with Germany together, all France has come up with a lot of good things, steel plants, power plants, metallurgical plants, machinery and equipment factories Jishu are all very advanced, we don't ask how much we can get, but everything must get a representative factory, and then let's make good use of it, Cultivate your own talents and workers! ”

"Don't worry, I'll do my best in this matter, no matter how much it costs, I'm going to get the factory over, and I'm going to kidnap a batch of Jishu personnel. This winter, we will make all kinds of preparations, stock up on the materials we need, and when the spring of the next year begins, we will work hard and set up all the factories. ”

Chen Qiming was also on the side, and when he heard this, he also showed a happy smile on his face, just like a three-year-old child.

"It's a pleasure to follow Mr. Zhang, more than a year, we have such a big stall, some old people from the Fengtian Mint Bureau told us, this is also your vigorous and resolute, change to the Manchu Qing Dynasty, this time can not even come up with a plan!"

"Don't say it's the Manchu Dynasty, even Beiyang is also this virtue!" Xiong Mengyuan said: "Since Lao Yuan took power, Beiyang has not done any decent heavy industry, or the old capital of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the huge China, only our three eastern provinces have a little hope of industrialization!" ”

The more they talked, the happier they became, and after looking at the large mortar, they turned their attention to the small mortar, which was only 50 mm in caliber, weighed 7 kilograms, and could fire 1.5 kilogram shells, with a range of 500 meters.

This weight is definitely light, a soldier can easily transport it, seeing this thing, Zhang Tinglan couldn't help but think of the Japanese grenadier, and it is also one of the few weapons that Zhang Tinglan understands in detail, that little thing is lighter than this mortar designed by Feng Jun, but it has not been developed yet.

Since the Japanese didn't develop it, they simply grabbed it, didn't it become our first initiative, although it is not good to steal other people's ideas, but borrowing the ideas of the Japanese, Zhang Tinglan does not have any psychological burden.

Zhang Tinglan asked for a pen and paper, simply drew a sketch of the grenadier canister, and then said to Xiong Mengyuan: "Look at it, if the mortar is changed to this shape, I estimate that the cost can be greatly reduced, and it can also fire grenades, but the range will be shortened a lot." ”

Xiong Mengyuan looked at it, and then said: "Mr. Zhang, although this thing looks light, but without a stand, the accuracy cannot be guaranteed, you must be a veteran to be very haode to operate, and it is best to add a sight, you have to give us a little time." ”

"Well, you guys are responsible for stepping up production now, I still have to find a way to get you silver, and if you want to move as a whole, the funds you need to spend will be doubled!"

Zhang Tinglan tossed a lot of things, each of which was a huge investment, and others couldn't do it at all, he relied on the banking system to be supported from behind, and he acted with two hands, Fengtian Bank was a hand on Zhang Tinglan's face, and a hand behind him was Daosheng Bank.

Fred, the Jew, had been working closely with Zhang Tinglan, and now, as the situation in Russia became clearer and clearer, the revolution would break out sooner or later, and the actions they had been arranging were about to be launched.

"Old friend, we discussed the collapse of Daosheng Bank at the beginning, I think the opportunity has come now, do you really feel at ease to work for others for the rest of your life, don't you want to turn around and kill Daosheng Bank and become an independent banking giant?"

"Zhang, I have to admire your vision, more than a year ago, you Yujian Russia today, I have obtained secret information from the Russian side, this huge country has indeed reached the moment of zuihou, we must act!"

"That's right, I need you to move the top management of the Daosheng Bank, make huge loans to Russia, and then get this money into your own pocket!" (To be continued......)