The heavy hammer fell freely from twenty feet high, hitting the sample, making a roar; then slowly rose, stopped at the same height, fell, and hit again. New.m technicians launched the sample and began some measurement and inspection.

Chen Wenqiang sat in the office on the second floor, looking at the busy workers in the workshop through the glass, and gently tapped his fingers on a chemical analysis report, thinking about something.

According to the experimental analysis of Qiangzhuo Chemical Laboratory and German experts, Daye iron ore contains 60% to 65% iron, which is a good ore, but has a high phosphorus content (>0.1%); coke has a good quality; because the phosphorus content in the steel is high, exceeding the allowable phosphorus content of the rails, the steel has high phosphorus content, so brittle cracking occurs.

Theoretically, this is why the rails made by Hanyang Iron Factory are prone to brittle cracks, are boycotted by users, have poor sales, and have long-term losses. In fact, Chen Wenqiang still needs to verify whether this is the case. Therefore, he sent someone to buy iron ore and coke from Hanyang Iron Factory, and use the iron smelting plant in Yazhou to conduct actual tests by experts.

From Cen Chunxuan's telegram, he learned that the matter of taking over Hanyang Iron Factory has been almost certain. As long as Chen Wenqiang has indeed found the reason for the poor quality and has a way to improve it, he can stand up and put forward his own conditions.

First, merge Hanyang Iron Plant (including Daye Iron Mine) and Pingxiang Coal Mine to establish a Steel and Coal Joint Company;

Second, the joint company must invest 2 million for pure commercial offices. Chen Wenqiang invested 2 million yuan and recruited 3 million yuan in commercial shares to negotiate equipment and expand the factory, making it a "High East Asia Factory";

Third, the joint smelting company guarantees profits within one year, and the annual output shall not be less than 15,000 tons when the production was stopped in 1903. Calculated from the date of profit, 30% of the profits will be paid to the court for a total of twenty years, which is considered to be the repayment of the investments of the Hanyang Iron Plant, Daye Iron Mine and Pingxiang Coal Mine in advance;

…………

The courage to put forward these conditions is a judgment that Chen Wenqiang and Zhang Jian and other constitutional business people have been constantly discussing and jointly drawn.

Who is Sheng Xuanhuai? When it comes to being an official, he is the highest in his life; when it comes to virtue, his corruption problem has always been an indescribable confusion. Everyone knows that he has many flowers, but everyone cannot do without him, including the highest power Cixi.

The reason is very simple. The railways, ships, and telegrams run by Sheng Xuanhuai were all basic industries at that time, and they were among the few major industries that could make money among official enterprises. One is very important and the other can make money. Sheng Xuanhuai took all these into his own hands, and his importance was self-evident.

However, the premise that Sheng Xuanhuai could not give up was that no one could replace him. During the Boxer Incident, he had extensive contacts, realized mutual protection in the southeast, and ignored the court. Cixi still remembered this account. However, many of the businesses managed by Sheng Xuanhuai at that time, such as telegraph, mining, customs, railways, etc., were the main income of the Qing court, so he was reluctant to do so, but instead praised him for protecting the peace in the Yangtze River Basin.

Chen Wenqiang emerged in a few years, and both fame and achievements came from behind, as if he had been suppressed by Sheng Xuanhuai. On the contrary, Sheng Xuanhuai's career had been taken away by Yuan Shikai. Now there is only one Hanyang Iron Factory left in his hand, and the chance of revenge for the court has come.

In addition, the reason why Sheng Xuanhuai was not completely hollowed out before was because the governor of Huguang, Zhang Zhidong, was protecting him forever. Wuhan was Zhang Zhidong's sphere of influence, so he certainly did not want Yuan Shikai to get involved. But if it were Cen Chunxuan, the anti-Yuan faction and Chen Wenqiang, the constitutional rookie, came to take over, Zhang Zhidong's attitude was a little different.

Zhang Zhidong did not like Sheng Xuanhuai because he had always criticized Sheng's personal morality, but he had to use him. The Hubei iron political situation created by Zhang Zhidong back then. The economic expenses of public banking were 6 million taels but ineffective, and the department was responsible for it. When Zhang Zheng was at a loss, when Sheng Xuanhuai came to Hubei, the two reached a deal. Sheng Xuanhuai helped Zhang Zhidong take over the mess of the Hanyang Iron Factory. Zhang Zhidong helped him settle the impeachment matter and recommended him as the Minister of the Supervisor of the Luhan Railway. It can be said that Zhang Zhidong exchanged his political advantages for an economic weight.

At this time, Zhang Zhidong had a crush on Sheng Xuanhuai's money and used Sheng to help him solve the troubles of Hanyang Iron Factory. Now, Sheng Xuanhuai's power has been reduced. Hanyang Iron Factory has not improved, Yuan Shikai pressed step by step, and the court's intention to settle accounts after the autumn is also revealed. After weighing the trade-offs, it is more beneficial to take over by a third party force than Sheng Xuanhuai, who has been criticized by outsiders for harming the public and benefiting private.

In short, it would be surprising if Chen Wenqiang could really bring back the Hanyang Iron Factory in a short period of time. And Chen Wenqiang's promise, strong funds, and generous sharing would undoubtedly make the court moved.

"Mr. Chen, this is the test result just now." Lu Bai, the German chief engineer hired by Yazhou Iron Smelting Plant, walked into the office with a form and handed it to Chen Wenqiang. "After two impacts, there were no cracks in the rails, and the permanent deformation of the rails should not exceed four inches each time they fell."

"Is this a complete qualified?" Chen Wenqiang asked with a brief glance on the form.

"Yes, judging from the various test indicators, the quality of the rails is of high quality." Lu Bai nodded with certainty, and a hint of pride flashed across his face.

If the problem of poor product quality of Hanyang Iron Factory is solved, Chen Wenqiang will be 70% sure if he takes over Hanyang Iron Factory. After taking over, he will purchase equipment and expand the factory. Chen Wenqiang has verbally promised that if this task can be completed, all the required machinery and equipment may be ordered from Krupp Company, and Krupp Company will be responsible for installation and commissioning.

According to the preliminary expansion plan, a 250-ton iron-making blast furnace, a 150-ton iron mixing furnace, four 30-ton Martin converter, a primary rolling mill, a steel plate rolling mill, and other auxiliary facilities, totaling no less than 3 million yuan. It is a big business for Krupp Company. As the general consultant of Krupp Company, Lu Bo is determined to win this and is already in sight.

"Very good." Chen Wenqiang let out a long sigh, pondered for a moment, and said slowly: "The products of Yazhou Iron Factory are mainly supplied to Huangpu Shipyard, which is for shipbuilding and shipbuilding; Hanyang Iron Factory mainly produces rails and parts required for railways, which is planned. However, the expansion of Yazhou Iron Factory must be accelerated, and the output must not only meet the use of shipbuilding, but also meet the use of guns and cannons. Because I want to expand in the heavy industry and military industry, I will squeeze out or acquire the Jinling Manufacturing Bureau and Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau within five years to form a domestic monopoly."

"What an ambitious plan." Lu Bai did not understand what Chen Wenqiang said, but just complimented him along the way.

"If you want to form a monopoly, you must have great advantages in quality and cost." Chen Wenqiang smiled faintly and continued: "Which gun-making and cannon-making Krupp is world-famous and advanced in technology. I am looking forward to in-depth cooperation with your company. I wonder if your company has this intention?"

Lu Bai pondered for a moment and said tentatively: "About military manufacturing, Krupp has always cooperated with your country's officials. If it is with your company."

"I represent the official." Chen Wenqiang said slowly, "During the Gengzi Incident, the north fought fiercely, but there was a mutual protection agreement in the southeast. Being outside the war, I represent the official of one or several provinces in the south, not the court in Beijing. Do you know the matter of organizing the new army? The court spent all its money in the six towns of Beiyang, while the new army in the south had to recruit their own arms. Therefore, they entrusted me as an agent to be responsible for the production and manufacturing of arms in order to form a new army. But this matter is not easy to be made public. They are afraid that the court will know that the weapons they manufactured will be called by the court, and even the factories will be controlled by the court. This is the situation in China. You may not understand it very much, but as long as you know that cooperation is also official, it is enough."

"The conflict between the local government and the central government?" Lu Bai thought he was smart and knew more about China's power structure and situation. He nodded with a smile and said, "I understand, very well. In this way, there will be no problem, it just needs to be kept confidential, right?"

"That's right." Chen Wenqiang fooled the clever foreign devil and smiled: "Build it himself, but he said to the court that he bought it from outside, which is a small trick. The reason why he chose Yazhou is also because he needs to keep it confidential."

"If it is manufactured by your company, the quality and cost are guaranteed, and it will definitely be more competitive than the companies officially run by your country. Therefore, I believe that our company is willing to cooperate in depth with you." Lu Bo has been in China for quite a while and has worked in several official factories and is deeply aware of the shortcomings.

The Westernization Movement has been in operation for many years, but the products are indeed not satisfactory. The cost is high and the quality is low. It is even more expensive to make it yourself than to purchase it from outside. What is the reason?

First, purchases are rebates. It is natural for Chinese businessmen to give officials kickbacks since ancient times, so there is no need to mention them again. Foreign merchants have had several dealings with Chinese officials and have followed the customs. For example, Krupp, shortly after entering China, learned to set a special proportion of the contract funds to send kickbacks.

Second, the labor costs are high. The salary of foreigners who come to China to work is much higher than that of working in their own country, which is easy to understand. If China has no technical backbone, can we not seek foreigners? The problem is that many related Chinese people try to squeeze into these "rich" Westernization units. For example, the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau initially had only 40 officials in charge. In just ten years, this number doubled, and eighty officials were asked to get the money.

Chen Wenqiang also saw this clearly. The reason why he wanted to change Hanyang Iron Factory into a commercial office was indeed because he was worried that "official supervision of commercial office" would become a huge obstacle to Hanyang Iron Factory's profitability.

"The sincerity of our two sides for cooperation is beyond doubt." Chen Wenqiang smiled sly and said, "If I take over Hanyang Iron Factory, I hope to have a comprehensive cooperation negotiation with your company and resolve all matters in a package."

Lu Bai understood, smiled reluctantly, but admired Chen Wenqiang's cleverness in his heart. Obviously, if Krupp wants to get a large order for the expansion of Hanyang Iron Factory or even invest in shares, he must make appropriate concessions and discounts in other cooperation, such as gun drawings, production and manufacturing technology, etc. But on the other hand, related manufacturing equipment, such as lathes, milling machines, hull beds, etc., and related supporting facilities, not all have to be purchased from Krupp, but also hire German technicians. For Krupp, it is also a considerable income.

"I think Mr. Chen wants to buy a warship and give it to the Guangdong Navy, which should be." Lu Bo did not say the word bribe directly, but the expression on his face meant this, "Is it an exchange of official interests? In the future, a large number of orders for weapons and ammunition will make Mr. Chen rich."

The foreign devils also learned this, which shows that Chinese society and the unspoken rules are really a big dyeing vat. Chen Wenqiang sighed in his heart, but nodded at Lu Bai with a smile and said, "This is why the ships purchased cannot be too good. The largest and best warship of the Beiyang Navy in the court should be the "Hairong". The displacement is less than 3,000 tons, so the local navy is naturally not good enough. But I don't want it to be too old. It costs too much to build a new ship. So."

As a major maritime weapon system, the development and growth of submarines was not due to a large-scale naval battle. Since the advent of submarines, for a long time, the navies of various countries have insufficient understanding of their role and status in wars and have only used it as an auxiliary force on the nearshore. Until the beginning of the 20th century, major naval powers such as Britain and the United States still believed that submarines were just a sneak attack weapon for weak countries.

However, Germany and Russia unintentionally realized that submarines might become a practical weapon, and have gradually been invested in research and development and construction of submarines.

Russia built a submarine with a surface displacement of 60 tons and two torpedoes in 1901. In 1903, after the first Dolphin type submarine was launched, six more "Dolphin" improved submarines were built. After the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, Russia purchased a "German" submarine from Germany, and six boats of the Holland and Lake submarines from the United States, and used them for actual combat.

Just after the completion of the German submarine ordered by Russia, German Navy Minister Tibitz decided that the German Navy would also need to equip a large number of submarines and invest in the research and development and manufacturing of the German improved submarine, which is the famous U-type submarine.

During the two world wars in history, German submarines had a great record and were known as "sea wolf" in the military history. Chen Wenqiang naturally knew about these. Although the current submarines have insufficient performance due to their manufacturing technology, their performance is not perfect and have many defects, their potential power and development prospects still made Chen Wenqiang determined to order submarines from Germany.

Whether it is to continue ordering in the future, researching and building by yourself, or training crew members as a coach boat, it is very necessary. In the initial development stage of anything, especially science and technology, learning and mastering is always not difficult, and it is much easier than catching up in the future.
Chapter completed!