Chapter 2638
When Shi Chengwu saw Zhu Zian taking the initiative to report, he asked him if he had visited the arranged residence.
Zhu Zian quickly responded: "I've already gone to see it. The place is very nice. Thank you for your concern!"
Although the cabin was small and only shared a room for two people, it was still a separate cabin and had a porthole for ventilation and lighting. It was much more comfortable than the sailor bunk Zhu Zian had slept in before. He also knew that now was the time to work hard for performance, and the conditions on this warship did not allow him to be too particular.
Shi Chengwu's concern was over, and he didn't ask any more questions. He even let Zhu Zian observe the operations of the command center on the bridge and record the fleet's movements.
This kind of record is mainly used as a record of the fleet's itinerary, and it does not need to be as detailed as a voyage diary. If nothing major happens, just jot down roughly where you start from, where you go, and the distance you travel every day. This basic information is enough. So for Zhu Zian, this paperwork was actually extremely easy, at least during the voyage.
Zhu Zian was already full of curiosity about the command and operation of the Haihan Navy Fleet, and was worried that his identity would be sensitive and would cause many inconveniences on the ship. He originally wanted to ask Shi Chengwu for instructions and then go back to the cabin and stay there honestly, but since Shi Chengwu gave in He observed the operations of the command center on the bridge, which just met his wish, and Dang even agreed without hesitation.
Although the hull of the Glory-class battleship still retains masts and sails, its appearance has begun to show obvious differences from the sail battleships of this era. Only one mainmast is retained at the front and rear of the hull, and the space between the two mainmasts is On the central axis of the hull are three chimneys arranged with steam power systems.
The foremast is not directly stuck on the deck like the sailboats of the past. Its foundation is a three-story bridge building. The mast and the bridge are integrated into one, and its appearance is unforgettable.
The command post located on the bridge also has a better observation view, and can observe the sea conditions in all directions through the glass windows surrounding the entire bridge.
This was not the first time that Zhu Zian saw glass windows. He had seen this kind of expensive building material in Dengzhou, Jinzhou, and Hangzhou, but before that he had never thought that this thing could be installed on the battlefield. On the ship, it can be protected from wind and rain while still maintaining continuous observation of the outside world. It is indeed an excellent configuration for the functions of a warship.
The microphone installed at the command post can quickly convey the commander's orders to various departments on the ship. After receiving the order, the signalman on the flagship will convey the order to other ships in the fleet in the form of semaphores or light signals.
Of course, there is also a radio station deployed on the flagship, but only some large warships in the entire fleet are equipped with this advanced communication equipment, and it is basically only used during combat missions, not as frequently as semaphore signals.
In the center of the headquarters are several large square tables, covered with several-foot-long charts and maps. Two or three officers stood at each table, holding pencils and rulers to draw the fleet's position and route on the map. In addition, there were several people standing by the portholes, holding telescopes or using sextants and other instruments to observe the surrounding sea conditions.
"The officers you see are all self-trained operational staff officers of the East China Sea Fleet. Simply put, their task is to confirm the fleet's position and heading during the voyage to ensure that the fleet does not lose its way at sea." Shi Chengwu He briefly explained the functions of the headquarters to Zhu Zian.
Of course, this is only a function during normal navigation. Without Shi Chengwu's explanation, Zhu Zian could imagine that this place would be a completely different busy scene during wartime. Zhu Zian looked out the porthole and could see warships on the nearby sea. There were about a dozen ships within sight. He knew that this was not all members of the entire combined fleet. There was a large supply fleet a little further behind, carrying various supplies and immigrants.
To keep such a huge fleet moving in unison at sea, just thinking about it will tell you that it is no easy task. Of course, such command and operation capabilities are not achieved overnight. They must be practiced at sea for a long time. have.
But with such a large fleet, the cost of a single sea voyage would be astonishingly high. Even with Haihan's financial resources, it would not be possible to arrange it all the time. As for other countries that want to follow suit, they have no way of starting. They simply cannot organize a fleet of this size.
Zhu Zian couldn't help but think to himself that no matter who it was, seeing such an enemy armed fleet appearing in front of him, it would be difficult for him to think of confrontation again. From this perspective, whether it was the Ming Dynasty, the Manchu Qing Dynasty, or small countries like Korea and Japan, they should have similar feelings when facing the Haihan Navy.
But his knowledge of navigation and military affairs was really limited. Even if Shi Chengwu told him what these people were doing, he still couldn't understand the rules at all.
Zhu Zian said: "When I met Marshal Chen in the north, he once told me that the Ming literati were poor for ten years, and the knowledge they learned in Haihan was just the basics. I did not agree with Marshal Chen's views at that time. , but now that I have been in Haihan for a while, I feel more and more that what he said makes sense and is indeed short-sighted.”
Shi Chengwu said: "Why did Zian suddenly sigh like this?"
Zhu Zian said: "Just like this boat, inside and outside, up and down, even if you can see it, you still don't understand how it is designed and built, and how to control it to travel on the sea. These things, written by sages, It is definitely not there, even if you read the Four Books and Five Classics for a hundred years, it will be useless.”
Shi Chengwu said: "The knowledge left by our ancestors teaches how to behave in the world and is pragmatic. However, our country of Haihan advocates science and pragmatism. You are right. Even if you can memorize the Four Books and Five Classics backwards, you will not be able to create something like this. A big ship, but if you can read and write and have a cultural foundation, if you want to learn shipbuilding and navigation, you can get twice the result with half the effort.”
“Our country holds rural examinations in the Donghai Region, and invites civilian scholars to participate. It is not that whoever writes well can become a high official. It is just used as a selection method to select those who are quick in writing and intelligent, and then Training, and then assign them to appropriate positions based on the results.”
"Zian, you are the Jie Yuan of this rural examination. I should arrange a good job for you based on your emotions and reasons. But how to arrange it depends on your performance. No matter which field you are interested in, as long as you are willing If you want to learn, we are willing to teach. Even if you want to join the army, we are welcome.”
(End of chapter)