Chapter 485 Ding Zijuan Ziying, what do you think?
The situation at Longjiang Shipyard is much better than that at Qingjiang Shipyard.
This was originally the shipbuilding base of the former Ming Dynasty. After the founding of the Great Zhou dynasty, the largest number of the best shipbuilding craftsmen of the Great Zhou Dynasty gathered here. However, over the years, the sea ban of the Great Zhou has caused this place to shrink day by day. Although it is much better than the Qingjiang Shipyard , but even from an outsider's perspective, Feng Ziying knows that the current Longjiang Shipyard is really in trouble.
It is said that the fists cannot leave the hands and the music cannot leave the mouth. Even though these shipbuilding craftsmen have been practicing for so many years, many of their skills have naturally become unfamiliar. If they were to start building ships right away, they would probably be a little out of their depth.
Seeing that the faces of several officials were gloomy, several officials from the Longjiang Proposal Department of the Ministry of Industry and Engineering were in uneasy moods, and Wei Guangwei was also sighing.
This situation is much better than that of Qingjiang. Although it is not pleasing to the eye, it is not something that anyone can do. This is because the Zhou Dynasty abandoned its martial arts and left it idle. In addition to creating These are tank boats with little technical content, and other ships are built piecemeal. If they are large-scale ships, I'm afraid they won't even think about it.
Back at the Guest House, Cui Jingrong summoned several people to discuss the matter.
After all, everyone knows that there is no ambiguity about shipbuilding. If it works, it works, and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t work. When asked about the people in the shipyard and the lifting department, they themselves didn’t have the confidence. It is conceivable that this started. If the maritime strategy is controlled by overseas businessmen, it will really become a distraction.
“Ziying, what do you think?”
This sentence is almost a copy of "Yuanfang, what do you think?" Cui Jingrong used this sentence most after going south to Jiangnan, and Feng Ziying and others also took it for granted.
"Mr. Cui, I don't have any opinion. Although Longjiang Shipyard is slightly better than Qingjiang Shipyard, I'm afraid it hasn't built a sea-going ship in so many years, and the technology of sea-going ships is still at the level of ten or twenty years ago. But as far as the official knows, the level of the smuggling merchants' ships has far exceeded the ships built by the Longjiang Shipyard, and news from Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian indicates that the ships from the Western Yi people are far away from the sea. The navigation ability is better than that of our large sea ships. If we can't master this technology quickly, I'm afraid that if we don't do it right, it will lead to wolves entering the house. If the Westerners and Japanese all master large sea ships Manufacturing technology, and it is said that many of their ships have artillery, so wouldn’t our coastal areas become a place where they can come and go freely?”
Feng Ziying originally didn’t have much hope for Longjiang Shipyard. They haven’t built sea-going ships for decades. What else can you expect them to do?
This is even more true after seeing Qingjiang Shipyard, but I still hold on to hope. Even if it cannot be built, at least the basic level of craftsmen and technicians cannot be too bad, right?
But now it seems that it can only be said to be better than Qingjiang Shipyard, and it is probably just wishful thinking to take on the responsibility of building ships for the future naval fleet.
Thinking about the fact that such things cannot be accomplished in a day or two or even in a year or two, Feng Ziying became anxious again.
The coastal areas of the Great Zhou Dynasty have been at peace for a long time. At least the border troops on the nine sides of the North are still a little nervous. However, on the coastal areas, both the local government and the garrison troops are still thinking about how to deal with the Japanese pirates who have landed. I have never thought about how to exterminate Japanese pirates at sea, but once the Xiyi people and even Japanese pirates applied artillery technology to warships, how could Dazhou resist?
Even though it will not be like the situation more than two hundred years later, it is unbearable to think that the Xiyi people can roam along the coast of the Zhou Dynasty.
Feng Ziying’s words made several people’s faces darken.
However, the situation of the Longjiang Shipyard is there. Wang Ziteng on the other side of Denglai is still counting on the craftsmen and technicians of the Longjiang Shipyard to come over quickly and cut down some big wood from Liaodong as soon as possible and transport it to the sea to build a naval fleet. Now It seems that this is obviously not feasible.
However, if Wang Ziteng's demands are not met, not only will the military's opposition be sure to intensify, but the dissatisfaction of the northern scholars will also increase.
Liaodong is the top priority of the nine-border garrison, and how to ensure the logistics of grain and fodder in Liaodong is the most important, even more important than Ji Liao. This was also the basis for the compromise between the northern and southern scholars.
"Ziying, from Qingjiang to Longjiang, in my opinion, apart from raising a lot of Luli, this government-run shipbuilding really does not have much benefit. I have also heard that Huai'an, Linqing and Jinling private shipyards, if they build The cost of the ship is 60% or more lower than that built by our Qingjiang Shipyard, and 40% lower than that of the Longjiang Shipyard, and the quality is even better. I wonder if it is true or not? Bo Fu, have you heard of it?"
Cui Jingrong snorted softly.
Feng Ziying pondered for a moment, "Mr. Cui, I see that there are many idlers in Qingjiang Shipyard and Longjiang Shipyard. Of course there are mediocre people among them, but most of them really have no work to do. But now that the sea is about to open, Do you think the Longjiang and Qingjiang shipyards can afford the heavy task of building sea-going ships?"
Seeing Cui Jingrong and others shaking their heads, Feng Ziying was not polite and put forward her own ideas.
"The lower official also thought that it would not work. However, the existing private shipyards in Ningbo, Quanzhou, Guangzhou and other places are capable of building sea-going ships, but the imperial shipyards are not capable of building sea-going ships. In the lower official's opinion, it is better for the imperial court to issue an order to supervise the private shipyards. Build ships for Denglai. In addition, merchants were recruited to Denglai in the name of Governor Denglai to set up a shipyard capable of building large sea ships. The court would reserve ships for a few years and provide deposits, and then draw funds from Qingjiang and Longjiang shipyards. Select some craftsmen to be sent to Denglai to supplement the shortage of shipbuilding merchants. Everything will be done in accordance with folk shipbuilding rules..."
“How can this be done?!” Wei Guangwei, Wu Liangsi, Sun Juxiang and others all objected in unison.
"Why not?" If he didn't convince these people, Feng Ziying would have nothing to do if he knew about it. He was also prepared to have a verbal war with these people.
As an official of the Ministry of Industry, Wei Guangwei pondered for a moment and then said: "Ziying, I understand your eagerness, but the craftsmen of Qingjiang Shipyard and Longjiang Shipyard are both craftsmen and affiliated with the imperial court. How can we allow those merchants to use them?" There is no such precedent, and how can this kind of shipbuilding technology be spread to other countries..."
Speaking of which, Wei Guangwei is stuck. This technology is really not worth mentioning. Feng Ziying said before that the coastal private shipbuilding technology is far better than here.
According to Feng Ziying’s idea, the current task is to support a group of shipbuilding factories. The model can be based on the method used by Japan to support industrial plutocrats in the 19th and 20th centuries, with private and government assistance, and support in terms of technology, equipment and capital, and then the state To promote it through orders, several shipyards capable of building large ocean-going ships were quickly spawned. Only in this way can we catch up in terms of time and efficiency.
In normal times, I am afraid that such a proposal would not be accepted at all, especially if the craftsmen affiliated with the Ministry of Industry are allocated to private shipyards for use, and they have to operate according to the private shipyard model, then the craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry What has become? Where does that leave the Ministry of Industry?
Feng Ziying had many other things to consider. Far from this, it was impossible for craftsmen such as Qingjiang Shipyard and Longjiang Shipyard to build a shipyard in a short time, let alone a naval fleet.
"Brother Xian Bo, there is no precedent for borrowing money to open a sea, but as long as it is beneficial to the Zhou Dynasty, we can go ahead and do it, let alone a few craftsmen?" Feng Ziying dismissed it, "As long as a shipyard that meets our requirements can be quickly built, What's the harm in asking the emperor to deregister these craftsmen as a reward for building ships that meet the needs of the naval fleet?"
Feng Ziying's radical views made Cui Jingrong frown a little. This withdrawal of registration is not a simple matter. It involves the descendants of the craftsmen. If they all withdraw their registration, who will work for the Ministry of Works in the future?
But Feng Ziying's words are not unreasonable. Time is urgent now. One of the two major tasks of this trip south is nominally to investigate who is more suitable to open the sea first among Ningbo, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou. However, the court has already decided on it. The main purpose is Examining the overall industrial scale and type of cities in the south of the Yangtze River, as well as the changes that may be brought about by the opening of sea, Linqing, Dongchang, Xuzhou, Huai'an, Yangzhou, Jinling, Songjiang, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou are all in in.
Opening up the sea is not just as simple as building ships and going to sea for trade. In her report to the cabinet Ye Xianggao, Fang Congzhe and Emperor Yonglong, Feng Ziying carefully analyzed the changes that may be brought about by opening up the sea. She also mentioned the possibility of expanding the scale of sea trade taxes. and the need for growth in the related industries required.
Because Feng Ziying deliberately avoided the potential possibility of establishing standards and rules for commercial taxation in the future, neither Ye Xianggao nor Fang Congzhe had any objections.
In fact, in Feng Ziying's view, if the industrial and commercial industries continue to expand in the future, it is inevitable to establish and modify the scope, standards and tax rate details of commercial taxes. However, there is no need to anger the gentry and merchants in Jiangnan just yet. First, let them try it. After it is sweet, slowly boil the frog in warm water.
Another major task is to establish a maritime connection between Denglai and Liaodong as soon as possible, establish a powerful naval fleet, and ensure a smooth and efficient logistics supply line in the future when the war in Liaodong becomes increasingly fierce.
The previous mission went smoothly. Although there were some potential threats, they did not become reality after all, so they progressed steadily. However, this mission in the Denglai direction is a bit troublesome.
It can be said that the situation of Qingjiang Shipyard and Longjiang Shipyard cannot support the requirements and hopes of Denglai Governor Wang Ziteng, let alone achieve that goal in a short time, which is even less realistic.
It can be said that whether it is opening up the sea or ensuring the supply line in Liaodong, it is closely related to shipbuilding, and now there is a situation in this first link, and it is a big situation.
(End of this chapter)