Chapter 432 The Correct Path for Ship Development
When the steamship returned to the Keelung Harbor shipyard, all the young technicians were ashen-faced.
Qin Mo's mouth was like a crow's today; when the storm came, the boiler, as expected, began to creak and groan due to insufficient support.
“I’ve calculated it…there’s no problem…” Seaman said, trembling.
"Have you calculated how much force those tens of tons of water would have when they're shaken? I can't even calculate it, so what are you calculating, you idiot!"
Qin Mo started cursing at Ximan, and then she and Allen ran around the boiler like firefighters. Whenever the boiler showed any obvious signs of tilting, the two of them would transform into jacks, using all their skills to keep it stable.
Meanwhile, Seaman held two large iron plates and kept stepping on them to prevent the pressure of several tons from cracking the thick wooden planks at the bottom of the boat.
Because the storm caused violent fluctuations in the hull, the propeller vibration intensified, and the stern shaft oil seal, which had not undergone long-term testing, began to leak water continuously. Fortunately, thanks to Qin Mo's insistence, the water pump was improved, which saved everyone from the hardship of carrying water in buckets.
When the ship finally docked at its berth, swaying precariously in the storm, everyone collapsed to the ground in relief, and it took a long time for their faces to return to normal.
"Actually, the result this time is not bad! Although it is not perfect, the steam engine was running from beginning to end, and your hard work over the past few months has been very fruitful."
A group of dejected tech guys were somewhat bewildered by Qin Mo's sudden affirmation. Was this still the same prince who had spewed out a gale-force wind just moments before?
Have you ever seen a ship that can sail freely in a storm?
"Never seen one like it before! This ship is worthy of being recorded in history, and everyone here will be a figure who leaves their mark on history books. I congratulate you all!"
Qin Mo bowed to everyone, then helped everyone up one by one, whether they were technical experts or stokers and boatmen, he patted their chests and shoulders.
“Your Highness…we…” Ximan was already clumsy with words, and now she choked up and stammered.
"I am willing to die for Your Highness..."
"I am willing to die for Your Highness..."
“Death? I can’t bear to part with you. You are the precious darlings of the high official, and what is the high official? It’s not only your home, but also my territory! I’m counting on it to make my fortune!”
The group of tech guys were amused by Qin Mo's humor and teasing. They were all high-ranking officials, and their families had all made their fortunes through their connections with these officials. It could be said that their dedication to Qin Mo was also a way of working hard for themselves and their families.
"Alright, everyone's tired today. Tomorrow I'll host a banquet at the Prince's residence, firstly to help everyone calm down, and secondly so we can discuss how to proceed from here!"
Qin Mo hadn't learned any leadership skills in her previous life, but she had seen countless leaders from kindergarten through middle school, university, and work, giving her a wealth of role models. Now, she sincerely comforted Ximan and the others, and the effect was absolutely fantastic. A group of young technical backbones were all moved to tears, brimming with loyalty.
The next day, after having dinner at Prince Heng's Mansion, Qin Mo took them to his studio, and these loyal engineers were once again driven crazy by Qin Mo's persuasion.
"This is a model of a steamship I designed. Of course, it's just a model; the actual construction layout will require you to implement it step by step."
"In the short term, hybrid power, such as steam sailing ships, will remain our research direction. In the future, we will gradually shift to all-steam power."
Qin Mo's studio was very large, and the ship models inside were naturally quite large as well. Everyone was immediately captivated when they saw the several steam-powered sailboat models that Qin Mo had made.
The long hull, the tall masts at the bow and stern, the towering funnel in the center of the hull, and the layout and weight distribution of various boilers, steam engines, and other equipment were all very reasonable. Compared to Qin Mo's design, the steam-powered sailing ship that Ximan and his team used for sea trials the day before yesterday was simply garbage.
"Sieman, what do you think are the challenges we need to overcome in converting our ships from sail power to all-steam power?"
"Your Highness, why must we completely eliminate the sails? I calculated it yesterday. If we use steam to propel our ships, we simply cannot sail far. High-powered steam engines consume coal too quickly, and they will have to constantly dock to refuel."
“Your Highness, I think your steam-powered sailing ship design is excellent. All we need to do is build a brand new steam engine, which will be used to propel the ship when the wind direction is changing or when there is no wind. The rest of the time we can still use the wind. This way we will have unlimited range, and we can even sail directly to Cape Town without any problem.”
While everyone else was being misled by Qin Mo, Ximan did not blindly follow Qin Mo's line of thinking.
He raised his questions very rationally. It must be said that Ximan is indeed a talent for research. Even though Qin Mo's image in certain aspects of mechanics has almost been deified, he still dared to raise his own doubts instead of blindly following Qin Mo's orders.
“Sieman, it’s good that you can consider the range of steamships, but haven’t you thought of a solution?”
Ximan frowned. He knew that Qin Mo must have his reasons for saying that. So how could they solve the problem of carrying steam engine fuel?
"Your Highness, do you mean... to build an even bigger ship?"
"Syman, I have to say you're a true genius!" Qin Mo was telling the truth. If he hadn't been cheating, he really wouldn't have been able to keep up with the brilliant Syman.
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