321: Chapter 321 Launching of the Steamship

Xu Fu said, "The ironship's ability to withstand wind and waves has been greatly enhanced; perhaps it can travel in a straight line."

"If we calculate based on sailing 240 kilometers in 32 hours, the 1,100-kilometer journey from Cixi Port to the Shimane Tribe will only take six or seven days to arrive."

"This will greatly reduce the travel time from Great Qin to Japan."

"Not bad."

Zhao Fusu nodded in agreement.

Shortening the travel time from Great Qin to Japan would also allow for better control over Japan.

If a war were to break out in Japan, reinforcements could be sent at the fastest speed, delivering bullets and artillery shells.

The silver mines in the Shimane Region were too important to him; he could not afford any losses!

A dry dock means a dock without water, used during the main assembly and construction of the steam ironship.

When the steam ironship needs to be launched, water is pumped into the dry dock to make the ship float. Eventually, it detaches from the tracks inside the dock and is towed out by tugboats.

By launching from a dry dock, the steam ironship floats up steadily relying on buoyancy, completely avoiding the bow pressure, sliding impact, and rollover risks of gravity-based launching, resulting in almost no damage to the hull structure, especially the bow and keel.

Zhao Fusu watched as more and more water was poured into the dock, and the steam ironship gradually floated up as the water level rose, finally detaching from the tracks within the dock.

"Heave!"

"Heave!"

"Heave!"

...

Bare-chested men shouted in unison.

Several human-powered rowing tugboats, together with the trackers on the shore, exerted their strength to slowly tow the steam ironship out of the dock.

After the steam ironship entered the deep-water area of the Wei River, the ignition work for the ship began.

Just like starting a steam train, starting up a steam ironship also required a long period of preparation.

Zhao Fusu stood by the riverbank, gazing at the steam ironship in the middle of the Wei River.

Whether it was Zhao Fusu, Xu Fu, Zhongli Wei, Ouyang Feng, or the shipbuilding craftsmen, they were all waiting patiently for the steam ironship to start.

Zhao Fusu clenched his fists, his heart filled with tension.

How was the steam ironship's watertightness?

Could the steam ironship's boiler withstand the pressure?

How would the steam ironship navigate under complex water conditions?

These were all things Zhao Fusu was worried about.

If the steam ironship's watertightness was insufficient, and water entered through the bottom or the walls, there was a high possibility of sinking even if isolation compartments were installed.

The steam ironship's boiler was even more critical.

During sea trials, the aircraft carrier of "Third Brother" had its boiler explode more than once because it couldn't withstand the pressure, causing the carrier to catch fire.

Therefore, Zhao Fusu was very afraid that the steam ironship's boiler would explode.

If the explosion was severe, it could cause the steam ironship to sink.

Then the stokers responsible for firing the boiler would be in mortal danger.

The steam ironship, built with a massive investment, would also sink into the Wei River, and the loss would be enormous!

Calm down!

Calm down!

Zhao Fusu tried to force himself to calm down.

But he couldn't do it!

Thick black smoke billowed from the chimney of the steam ironship in the middle of the Wei River.

"Woo-woo, woo-woo!"

A loud whistle sounded from the steam ironship, the sound carrying extremely far.

Zhao Fusu raised his wrist and looked at the mechanical watch he had obtained through checking in.

More than three hours had passed.

After such a long preparation, Zhao Fusu estimated that the pressure required for the steam ironship was already sufficient.

"Woo-woo, woo-woo!"

The distant sound of the whistle echoed from the steam ironship once more.