Chapter 144 Airplane in 1884
George hopes that the Russian Empire will pay attention to Japan from top to bottom.
But at least for now, the effect is not obvious.
Today's Japan is too weak for the Russian Empire.
In 1868, Meiji defeated the Tokugawa Shogunate and began the Meiji Restoration.
Meiji was ambitious and sent large-scale missions to Europe and the United States, imitating European and American countries and establishing a number of state-owned enterprises focusing on military industry, mining, railways, and shipping.
The original intention of Meiji was good, but Japan's national power was weak and most of the resources needed to develop modern industry needed to be imported. The Japanese government could not afford it. Therefore, in 1881, the Japanese government had to make government-run enterprises cheap Sold to privileged businessmen, embarking on the path of capitalism with Japanese characteristics.
Currently in Japan, there are steel plants, but they have no output, and there are also arsenals. Also because of the lack of raw materials, they are actually just assembly plants. The ships needed by shipping companies are imported from abroad. Although there are railway companies , but even sleepers cannot be produced by themselves.
Meiji was very frustrated. After more than ten years of reform, apart from some achievements in the textile industry, Japan had made no achievements in other areas.
Japan’s textile industry is also based on the oppression of workers. The power of the textile machine is not even a steam engine, but human power or water power.
As we all know, most of the workers in textile factories are women.
The start-up funds for the Meiji Restoration came from the Japanese government organizing Japanese women to go to Southeast Asia to sell whatever they wanted.
So Japan’s reform was completely based on the oppression of women and had a difficult start.
Such a Japan does not deserve the respect of the Russian Empire.
"George, you are too worried. Even in the next century, Japan is not worthy of being Russia's opponent." Korff looked down upon Japan at all and dismissed George's reminder.
"The biggest bottleneck limiting Japan's development is resources. Once Japan has resources, Japan's development speed will shock the world." Although George does not like Japan, he has to admit that looking at Japan's rise is a complete breakthrough. Super cool article from Skyrim.
Japan really took off after the Sino-Japanese War.
After the Russo-Japanese War, Japan already had the qualifications to be on an equal footing with Russia.
"So what, where should Japan get resources?" Korff didn't think Japan had a chance.
Theoretically, Japan really has no chance.
But who allowed Japan to have an even more unbearable Qing Empire next to it?
All the resources Japan needs to develop its industry can be obtained through the Qing Empire.
Even the funds needed to further improve the industrial level were provided by the Qing Empire.
What George can do now is extremely limited.
Although Japan is weak in national power, at least it has people in the country.
There are no people in Vladivostok, it is worse than Japan.
The Siberian fleet is very efficient and delivers the first batch of workers to Vladivostok before Christmas.
No matter where the people were obtained, Mikhail would pay them per head. He would first place them in the farm to recuperate, and then go into the mountains after spring.
It’s impossible without recuperation. In Mikhail’s words, these workers can be knocked down by a gust of wind. If they are asked to work now, they will all die of exhaustion within three days.
Although the unrest in Goryeo subsided, the aftermath intensified. The Japanese government forced Goryeo to pay compensation for the burning of the Japanese embassy and the killing of Japanese people.
Although no one was killed in Russia, the Russian embassy was also burned down and it also demanded compensation from the Goryeo government.
This matter cannot be decided in a day or two, and George has nothing to do with it. The end of the year is coming soon. Ekaterina took a year-end inventory and found that the funds lying in the account alone had reached 5 million rubles. , this is really an unexpected surprise.
George earns more and spends more. In Vladivostok alone, he spent more than 5 million rubles this year.
Ekaterina also bought houses, machines, and ships all over the world. She had already spent money very hard, but she didn’t expect that she still couldn’t keep up with the speed of making money.
"The Tsar doesn't make money as fast as we do." Ekaterina was proud, she knew the Tsar.
Although the tsar owned a lot of land, he did not do business and could not compete with the people for profit. Naturally, he did not make money as fast as George.
George's business is increasing now, from champagne at the beginning to cosmetics now, all of which are huge profit industries.
Even the timber and coal in Vladivostok began to help George make money, which George did not expect.
George originally thought that Vladivostok would have to wait ten or eight years before it could generate profits.
I didn’t expect to see the money back now, it was a complete surprise.
I can only say that the money in this era is too good to make——
Of course, only George is qualified to say this.
"Wrap a big red envelope for each of the uncles!" George was generous and never stingy with his own people.
It can be said that all this money was earned by George's uncles. George only provided creative ideas. The uncles were like mules, driven around the world by Ekaterina. The third uncle Thierry is still I am helping George purchase machinery and equipment in the United States.
George didn't want to reach the sky in one step. Industrial production must be gradual. Cannons will not grow in the field overnight. George's ability is limited now, so he should start from the civilian field to complete primitive accumulation.
The most important task next year is undoubtedly the steel plant.
But the shotgun cannot be ignored. Thierry is helping George purchase the machines needed to produce shotguns and bullets in the United States. Gunpowder is also very important. It is used in mining and road construction. Smokeless gunpowder can be put away. , this is still too sensitive. Civilian shotguns don’t have so much to pay attention to. It doesn’t matter if the bullets are made of paper shells, as long as they are usable.
The production of shotguns is not difficult either.
The Obukhov Steel Plant was built in 1864 and began producing 305 mm large-caliber naval guns for the navy in 1872. In 1886, the Obukhov Steel Plant also received an order for two aircraft engines.
When it comes to airplanes, people only remember the Wright brothers.
Who knows that Russian Navy Rear Admiral Alexander Fedorovich Mozaisky began researching aircraft in 1856.
Mozhajsky's research did not go well. His first public performance in 1876 ended in failure.
In 1882, Mozhaysky developed an aircraft with a wingspan of 12.2 meters, equipped with two 21.1 kilowatt (30 horsepower) British steam engines, and a total weight of 943 kilograms. It was flown by Golubev Driving, on the training ground on the outskirts of Petersburg, slide down a guide rail set on a slope and try to fly.
The aircraft only jumped a few times on the way and did not continue to leave the ground, so the test flight was not recognized.
Mozajsky made a mistake. His plane was too heavy. With the current power, it would be difficult to fly.
The Wright Brothers’ first airplane only weighed 275 kilograms and flew only 36 meters.
If Mozajsky had focused on reducing weight, the Wright brothers would not be known as the fathers of flight.
George has spent most of the past few years either in the Oak Corps or in the Oak Park, living in seclusion, so he didn't know that someone in Russia was actually researching aircraft.
It was Korff who told George this news.
"Aircraft? Plane?" George's first reaction was disbelief.
The United States in the 21st century is so powerful that everything in modern life was invented by Americans. Before the emergence of the United States, humans lived in a barbaric era, and clothes were made of tree leaves.
Not to mention the Russian Empire, the Soviets are promoted by Americans as a typical example of a full-time polar circle, completely unworthy of existing in human society.
Now George has made a new discovery.
At least before the Wright brothers, someone had already begun to study airplanes.
And it’s not even a day or two in advance.
The Wright brothers’ plane flew in 1903. Now the elder brother of the Wright brothers is only 17 years old, not yet an adult.
“I don’t know what the thing Alexander is researching should be called, but it does seem like he can fly. Alexander is very confident——” Korv regarded Mozhaisky’s research on aircraft as a Tell George anecdotes.
It was the end of the year, and the dividends had to be paid to the uncles, and the relationship needed to be consolidated. George gave Korf a dog, and Korf was very happy.
Not a watchdog, but a dog made of gold, weighing 10 kilograms.
There is a gold mine in Vladivostok. 10 kilograms of gold sounds like a lot, but in fact it is not much money. It is only Korf's year's salary.
This is not a bribe, just a gift between friends.
What Korff can give back to George is of course friendship.
"It's not that it looks like he can fly, but he can actually fly. Does Alexander live in St. Petersburg?" George couldn't wait to go back to St. Petersburg now.
Speaking of airplanes.
It seems that Karl Benz invented the automobile just a few years ago.
George suddenly realized a problem. He seemed to have wasted a lot of time in St. Petersburg in the past few years.
Compared with the military, George pays more attention to the progress of human science and technology.
Mozhajsky's steam engine, although not powerful enough, can still reach 30 horsepower. In addition to being used to power aircraft, it can also do many things.
Carl Benz only invented the car. George didn’t know who invented the internal combustion engine used in the car.
But that's okay.
Most of the inventors in this era work alone and start research in a certain area purely because of their hobbies.
Research supported only by hobbies cannot last for too long, and funding is the biggest problem.
When George was studying heavy machine guns, due to lack of reference, he could only let Igor's master and apprentice rub them by hand. Each heavy machine gun was expensive and beyond the reach of ordinary people.
The same goes for airplanes. In addition to financial support, Mozhayski also needs someone to point him in the direction and tell him what a real airplane looks like, so that Mozhayski will not take detours and It will not be unknown to the outside world.
George didn't know how airplanes were made.
But George knew that in the era of insufficient power, the lighter the aircraft, the better. Let the aircraft fly first, and then talk about other things.
"Here, Alexander is a naval officer. Where would he live if he doesn't live in St. Petersburg?" Korv's inference is too reluctant. Russian naval officers may also live in Odessa, where the Black Sea Fleet is based.
George went to Mikhail and asked Mikhail to send people to Germany to find Karl Benz and send money to Karl Benz.
(End of this chapter)