Chapter 200: The Power of Industry

"$500,000 is just the cost of the ship. The interior decoration is more than $500,000, and there are also crew members on board.

From the captain to the ordinary crew, the stoker, and the coal carrier, they are all elites carefully selected by me. They are the best steamship crew members in America." Vanderbilt said complacently.

"My old friend, I remember when the keel of the Polaris was just being laid, you told me that you would take a long vacation when the Polaris was completed?"

Vanderbilt asked.

"Are you planning to travel to Europe on the Polaris?"

"There is such a plan. A large yacht from America, with the American Stars and Stripes on the ship, and the American crew and wealthy people on the ship parading in places like the English Channel and the Baltic Sea, it's exciting to think about it."

When it comes to vacations and travel, Vanderbilt's eyes sparkle, and he is full of expectations for the trip to Europe.

"It's really exciting." Liang Yao said.

"But plans can't keep up with changes. I think you don't have time to go to Europe to show off your wealth before your railway company completes the acquisition and restructuring."

"As you said, I have postponed my travel plans and temporarily delayed my vacation."

Vanderbilt shrugged helplessly.

"If I didn't want to enter the railway industry, I would have taken the Polaris to London to visit the London World Expo to see the world."

"I have also heard about the London World Expo. I heard that the British used steel and glass to build a dreamy crystal palace. This kind of palace only appeared in fairy tales! Now it has become a reality!" said Vanderbilt.

"It is the power of industry. Industry has turned fairy tales into reality." Liang Yao said.

"4,500 tons of steel, 300,000 pieces of glass, 9 months of construction time, only a first-class industrial power with a complete industrial system and strong organizational mobilization capabilities can afford to build the Crystal Palace to host the World Expo.

The Polaris under our feet is also the crystallization of industry, and industry is changing the world."

In the mid-19th century, the national strength of the British Empire was at its peak, and it was a well-deserved world hegemon. The operating efficiency of the British Empire's national machinery during this period was still unquestionable.

In terms of showing off its national strength to the outside world, not only Britain, but all the rising powers after Britain are very efficient in showing off their national strength.

What was the concept of 4,500 tons of steel in the mid-19th century? It was equivalent to the steel production of the United States in half a year in 1850.

"My old friend, the World Expo will last for 23 weeks, and we still have enough time to go to London to participate in the exhibition. Britain has sent invitations to civilized countries to participate in the World Expo.

America has also received an invitation from London, which at least shows that Britain still recognizes that we are a civilized country." Theodore said.

"It is an indisputable fact that America is a civilized country, and it does not need Britain's recognition." Vanderbilt said with his chest puffed out.

"One day, America will also be able to host the World Expo."

"Why didn't Britain invite the Qing Dynasty to such a grand event? Is my great Qing Dynasty still a barbarian?"

Zeng Jinsong was very unhappy and complained in official language.

The British Empire sent invitations to civilized countries to participate in the World Expo. America received it, but the Qing Dynasty did not, which means that Britain regarded the Qing Dynasty as a barbarian country.

This is something Zeng Jinsong, who has accepted the idea that the Qing Dynasty is the Celestial Empire and all the four directions are barbarians since childhood, can never tolerate.

"The court avoids dealing with foreigners. Even if Britain sends an invitation letter to the Qing Dynasty, will the court be willing to send people? Even if the court is willing to send people, are there any ministers willing to go?"

Pan Zhengwei asked Zeng Jinsong two questions worth pondering.

Pan Zhengwei is still clear about the concept of 4,500 tons of steel.

Steel mills in California can only produce about 20 tons of steel every month even if they work hard every month.

After seeing how Liang Yao trained soldiers in California and visiting some factories in New York, Pan Zhengwei's ideas have changed.

He no longer believes that the Qing Dynasty lost to the British in the war 11 years ago because the man in the Forbidden City sympathized with the people, stopped fighting temporarily, and was unwilling to continue fighting with the British to avoid wasting money and labor.

This is just a way for the court to give itself a step down for dignity.

The actual situation is that the Qing Dynasty really can't beat Britain. The Eight Banners soldiers that the Qing Dynasty is proud of need to be trained from a young age to master the riding and shooting skills and form combat effectiveness.

The infantry of the California Infantry Regiment trained by Liang Yao in California only needed a few months to form combat effectiveness. Not to mention Britain, which had a more sound military system.

Elvis, who was hired by Liang Yao, was previously an officer of the British Empire Army.

Elvis trained soldiers as efficiently as commodities that could be mass-produced in factories.

These cheap infantrymen only needed to pull the trigger of a rifle to shoot a bullet worth less than 2 cents from the barrel to destroy the well-trained Eight Banners soldiers.

The range and accuracy of the Qing Dynasty's bows and matchlocks were far inferior to the new rifles, and the gap was even greater for artillery.

What's more, the Eight Banners soldiers of the Qing Dynasty had long been rotten, and the Green Camp was also rotten.

The Qing Dynasty was no longer a question of whether it was willing to fight Britain, but that it really couldn't beat them.

They have more steel, stronger ships, sharper cannons, more professional officers, and more professional soldiers. How can we fight with them?

If this continues, the Qing Dynasty will sooner or later become a piece of fish that can be slaughtered on the chopping board of the European powers and even the United States.

"Whether he invites the Qing Dynasty or not, and whether the Qing Dynasty is willing to send people there are two different things." Zeng Jin still defended himself.

"I will write to high-ranking officials in the DPRK and tell them what I saw in the United States." Pan Zhengwei ignored Zeng Jinsong's excuse and said reluctantly.

"It's useless. You can never wake up a person who is pretending to sleep. If the Qing Dynasty was willing to wake up, it would have woken up more than fifty years ago. There is no need to wait until today." Liang Yao said.

He knew very well the virtues of the Qing Dynasty, which was cruel at home and forbearing at the outside.

"My old friend, the trip to Europe can only be put on hold for the time being, but we can take a short trip, such as from New York to Baltimore. We can also take this opportunity to test the Polaris. sailing ability and the quality of the crew.”

Jeremiah suggested.

"That's a good, good idea."

The Polar Star had ample fuel and supplies, and Vanderbilt readily agreed and ordered the crew to blow the whistle and set off.

Liang Yao walked out of the cabin and came to the deck.

There were still excited people waving to the Polar Star on the pier, but Liang Yao was not interested in these.

His attention was focused on the Polaris' power system.

Vanderbilt transferred all his shipbuilding technology and shipyards to him, and he wanted to know what level of shipbuilding technology Vanderbilt had mastered.

The power system of the Polaris is two huge walking beam steam engines with a piston stroke of 3 meters. There are 4 huge boilers, each with a diameter of 3 meters.

Two huge walking beam steam engines provide powerful power to the paddle wheels on both sides.

In an era when steamships were not yet popular, the Polaris was undoubtedly very advanced, at least in the United States, and there was no opponent that could compete with the Polaris.

But looking around the world, the Polaris can only be said to be one of the best in terms of luxury. Some of the technologies used on the ship are not actually the most advanced.

For example, there are two huge paddle wheels on the boat string.

Compared to paddle steamers, Liang Yao prefers hidden steamships, which are steam ships driven by propellers.

History has proven that concealed ships are the development direction of future ships, especially large ships.

He didn't want to stick to the direction of the paddle steamer and go all the way to darkness.

"Mr. Jeremiah, I heard that you and Vanderbilt designed and built the Polaris?"

Vanderbilt was on the verge of success, and Liang Yao did not want to cause trouble to Vanderbilt by raising the technical issues of the Polaris in front of Vanderbilt.

Jeremiah is one of the top shipbuilding experts in the United States and is deeply involved in shipbuilding technology.

Jeremiah may not be as skilled as Vanderbilt in sailing ships, but he is more expert than Vanderbilt in shipbuilding.

Asking Jeremiah would be better than asking Vanderbilt, who is currently a bit drifting.

"Yes, Mr. Liang, do you have any questions?"

Jeremiah asked, grabbing a bottle of rum in his hand and taking a sip from his mouth.

"How much do you know about propeller ships, also known as hidden ships?" Liang Yao asked Jeremiah.

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