Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1021

1021. The Name of Kindling is the Arms Race (14)

Hiding these thoughts, Hyang continued,

“Isn’t the mission of these ships to eliminate enemies through hit-and-run tactics? With self-propelled explosive ammunition—torpedoes—added, I believe the firepower will be sufficient.”

“Still, it feels a bit lacking.”

“The Emperor’s design is the foundation.”

“My design had more cannons than that…”

Hyun, still full of regret as he muttered, soon accepted reality.

“One cannot be satisfied from the first try. If we gradually improve from this ship, won’t we achieve good results?”

“That would be the best.”

Shortly after, the launching ceremony began. Hyun read a prayer wishing for a safe launch and successful voyage, and the ceremony reached its climax as the test ship safely floated on the sea. After the ceremony, Hyun addressed the gathered officials.

“I would like to hold a grand feast, but due to the importance of the matter and the many watchful eyes and ears, I regret that I cannot. Instead, I will provide bonuses and vacations to compensate.”

“Your Imperial Majesty’s grace is boundless!”

The shouts of gratitude were louder and more resonant than ever before. Those nearby whispered among themselves at the clamor.

“Their voices are quite loud, aren’t they?”

“It’s a bonus and a vacation; wouldn’t you be the same?”

“Ah…”

* * *

The test ship, named ‘Seal (海豹, Sea Leopard),’ soon began various test voyages. Naval commanders observing the Seal’s trials couldn’t hide their expressions of disappointment.

“It’s certainly swift… but if it could carry just a few more cannons, it would be perfect…”

“The rapid-fire cannons are powerful, but ten feels too few.”

“To be precise, it’s five. They’re paired in twos.”

Whenever they heard these evaluations from naval commanders, the faces of the artillery and ship personnel flushed with anger.

“What kind of cannons are those rapid-fire cannons!”

“Perfect? That’s just gilding the lily (畵蛇添足, adding feet to a snake)!”

* * *

The rapid-fire cannons mounted on the Seal were prototypes of the Empire’s fourth-generation artillery. The gun barrels, made from more advanced steel, wrought iron, and composite materials like steel cables, could withstand greater pressure. The breechblock was also improved, making it easier to open and close.

Moreover, the recoil system, which had begun to be applied from the third generation, evolved into a second-generation recoil system, thanks to the lubricant derived from chicle [a natural gum] and the oil refining process. The sealing plate (gasket) using chicle and copper showed better airtightness than when only copper plates were used. The lubricant was also more resistant to high temperatures than the castor oil powder previously used.

With these improvements to the cannons and recoil system, the new rapid-fire cannons could fire 3-inch (approximately 10cm) shells farther and faster. However, what truly made this new artillery rapid-fire was the rotating turret on which the cannons were mounted.

Inside the turret, armored with 2-inch (approximately 6cm) thick steel plates on the roof and all sides, was an elevator that supplied shells and powder charges. This elevator was connected to the ammunition depot below the turret. With powder charges and shells supplied through the elevator from the heavily protected magazine, which served as both a firewall and armor plate, the gunners in the turret could fire rapidly.

Of course, there were problems here as well. First, like the third generation, the integrated shells, combining brass casings and projectiles, were quite heavy. Therefore, the new artillery separated the powder charge and the projectile. Also, the powder charge section, except for the base plate containing the primer, was filled with powder wrapped in a thick oil paper cylinder. This was a tearful effort to reduce weight and save every penny to escape the pressure from the Ministry of Finance.

Next was the elevator. The elevator’s power source was human. Although efficiency was increased using pulleys, there were clear limitations as long as the power source was human. Despite these limitations, the new rapid-fire cannons were remarkably powerful.

They boasted similar power and range to the 4-inch (approximately 12cm) third-generation artillery mounted on the second deck of the Challenger-class battleships and the side gun ports of the Assault Turtle Ships, and they were superior to the same caliber third-generation artillery mounted on the Sea Eagle-class ships. Finally, they completely overwhelmed the second-generation naval guns that France had acquired from Corsica, successfully replicated, and were now being transferred to other countries on the Sea Eagle-class battleships.

The Seal’s hull was also formidable. Although thinner than the armor plates of the Assault Turtle Ships, it boasted considerable defensive power using improved steel armor plates. The engine was the same. The steam multi-wing engine—steam turbine—that used light oil (經油) [a type of refined petroleum] as fuel was smaller than the existing engines that used coal, but its output was slightly stronger.

The combination of a slightly smaller hull than the Sea Eagle-class and a more powerful engine gave it maneuverability that overwhelmed the Sea Eagle-class. Another advantage gained from using light oil as fuel was a longer cruising range and all-weather capability than the Sea Eagle.

Considering all these performances, the Seal completely overwhelmed the Sea Eagle-class. It could move faster than the Sea Eagle, which was known for its speed, and pound the Sea Eagle from a greater distance.

And if done well, it could even compete with the Challenger-class. That’s why the commanders of the Imperial Navy couldn’t hide their disappointment.

“It would have been nice to have about ten more cannons…”

Hearing the complaints of the Imperial Navy, Hyun clicked his tongue and replied.

“Tsk. I understand the generals’ disappointment, but adding more cannons would require redesigning the engine and hull from scratch. This is overkill (過猶不及) [going too far; excess].”

And Hyang answered more directly.

“A Pacific Saury (貢漁, Kkongchi) [a small, slender fish] must be like a Pacific Saury, and a Largehead hairtail (裙帶漁, Galchi) [a long, ribbon-like fish] must be like a Largehead hairtail. Now you’re trying to turn a Pacific Saury into a Largehead hairtail; do you think that makes sense! Are you suggesting we make the Seal’s armor paper-thin just to add a few more cannons!”

Starting with the Challenger-class and Sea Eagle-class, Hyang actively applied the concept of ‘Vital Part (集中防護區域, Concentrated Protection Zone) [localized armor]’ when building the Imperial Navy’s ships. And this method of Hyang’s was passed on to the Imperial Navy’s designers and Hyun.

In their view, the Imperial Navy commanders’ grumbling was undermining the Seal’s advantages.

When even Hyang stepped in to say something, the Imperial Navy commanders’ mouths were firmly shut. Seeing those naval commanders, Hyun added.

“The Seal-class’s insufficient firepower will be compensated by self-propelled explosive ammunition. Therefore, generals, put your worries aside.”

“We obey your command!”

Even though they said that, the naval commanders’ complaints continued in private.

“That self-propelled explosive ammunition is an even bigger problem…”

Self-propelled explosive ammunition, which Leonardo da Vinci had begun developing, was still a long way from being a viable weapon. The biggest obstacle for self-propelled explosive ammunition was the propulsion system. Leonardo’s prototype self-propelled explosive ammunition used a method of burning gunpowder to gain propulsion, like Singijeon rockets [Korean rockets]. In other words, it was a method of firing an enhanced Singijeon rocket, not into the sky, but underwater.

The part that the Imperial Navy commanders disliked about self-propelled explosive ammunition was precisely this part. Starting with Hyang, many of the Empire’s researchers and artisans were working to create increasingly safe gunpowder, but gunpowder was still a dangerous substance. Therefore, the launchpads for enhanced Singijeon rockets were spaced very far apart. However, the problem was that self-propelled explosive ammunition had to be mounted on ships, which were narrower than land.

“The problem is that even the slightest issue here will lead directly to sinking.”

Due to this unresolved issue, naval commanders couldn’t let go of their attachment to mounting ‘many, more, very many, powerful, more powerful, very powerful’ cannons.

In this situation, a way to solve the problem of self-propelled explosive ammunition was discovered. No, an event occurred that would once again propel the Empire’s science and technology forward.

* * *

After continuous improvements and refinements through numerous test voyages and mock drills, the ‘Seal-class destroyer’ began to be mass-produced. It was not the ‘first ironclad,’ but the Seal was the ‘first mass-produced iron warship.’

To ensure the smooth construction of the Seal, a large amount of steel was needed, and the steel mills in Honji, Bukji, and Shinji repeatedly pondered how to increase production further.

“Simply using more iron ore and coal is not reasonable.”

“There must be a new way to increase efficiency.”

While steel mills and research institutes were pondering this problem, urgent news was delivered to Hyun and Hyang.

“A new challenge has been submitted!”

At the report from Crown Prince Woo, Hyun and Hyang smiled and exchanged words.

“We’ve been getting a lot more challenges lately, haven’t we?”

“That’s right. So, what’s the grade?”

At Hyun’s question, Woo replied with a bright face.

“Woogong Yisan [a high academic achievement], Superior-Superior-Superior!”

At the news that the solution to a problem that could be considered the highest level of difficulty had been found, Hyang and Hyun jumped up from their seats and reached out their hands.

“The report!”

“Here it is!”

Hyang and Hyun received the report and began to read it intently. Hyang’s face brightened like never before as he confirmed the contents.

‘Finally!’

-Regarding Gases that Promote Combustion (燃燒) and Oxidation (酸化)-

It was the discovery of oxygen.

Hyun, confirming the contents of the document, turned to Hyang with a bright face.

“Woogong Yisan, Superior-Superior-Superior, has been solved… It seems that the ‘war of attrition’ that the Grand Emperor spoke of is finally bearing fruit.”

“It seems so.”

* * *

The first research institute Hyang established was the Industry-Academia Research Institute.

“The Industry-Academia Research Institute alone is not enough. I can’t be involved in every experiment.”

Therefore, Hyang established more and more research institutes. However, there were too few talented people in Joseon at the time, and eventually, he had to invite scholars from Europe. But the results were still sluggish, and eventually, Hyang made a decision.

“I’m going to die of frustration, not old age! Then it’s a war of attrition! We’ll buy time with quantity!”

At the end of the decision, Hyang began to recruit external talents more actively, and soon, scholars from Europe and the Middle East began to swarm the research institutes. Seeing this situation, Hyang muttered with a confident expression.

‘This is the beauty of pay to win.’

Hyang’s pay to win was not limited to recruiting talent. With various financial support and rewards as bait, he made talented and motivated young international students and imperial citizens researchers at the research institutes. These young people who entered as researchers were taught by scholars and conducted research together.

However, before long, the researchers called themselves ‘Hakno (學奴, Study Slave)’ or ‘Hakbi (學婢, Study Servant).’ [self-deprecating terms for research assistants]

“Our situation is no different from that of slaves…”

This was because all the processes—preparing and conducting the various experiments conducted by the scholars who taught them, collecting results, and organizing the collected results so that their teachers could analyze them—were their responsibility. However, they were able to endure the difficult times because of the various support and rewards provided by the Imperial Family, and the honor and economic benefits that came when the results of those experiments were registered as intellectual property.