Chapter 302: The First Generation of Explosives

After Le Goff agreed to apply for an $800,000 loan from the Bank of France for the California government, Gibson was still unwilling to see the relationship between France and California getting closer and closer, and the relationship between France and England becoming more and more distant.

Judging from the current development trend, California is a market with great potential.

In the end, Gibson also made a concession and said that he could also provide a $1 million loan to the California government from Barings Bank, provided that Liang Yao could also sell him 600 barrels of kerosene at half the market price.

The current production cost of kerosene is 4 cents per liter, and the market price in California is 20 cents per liter.

Liang Yao still has a lot of profit margin from selling kerosene at 10 cents a liter, not to mention the increasing maturity of crude oil mining technology, the advancement of kerosene refining technology, and the increase in production. The production cost of kerosene can be further reduced.

Liang Yao reluctantly agreed to Gibson's request, saying that for the sake of the friendship between Britain and the United States, he was willing to suffer some losses and lose some money to sell 600 barrels of kerosene to Gibson at a low price to thank Barings Bank for providing it to the California government. Support and help.

Of course, Gibson, who is the official Union Jack of Old London, knows in his heart that this is just a deceptive plan. If there is friendship between Britain and the United States, sows can climb trees.

The relationship between Britain and the United States in the 19th century was far less harmonious than that in the 20th century. Although the United States has been independent for 70 years, Britain still holds a grudge against the independence of its former North American colonies.

Although he thought so in his heart, on the surface Gibson still readily accepted Liang Yao's remarks. After all, no one would have trouble with money.

At present, the supply of kerosene exceeds the demand. As long as he gets these 600 barrels of low-priced kerosene, he can make a lot of money no matter what. Friendship belongs to the country, and money belongs to oneself. The astute Gibson figured this out clearly.

If he can make more money from the friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States, Gibson would not mind making a contribution to the friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States.

Although he is a banker, in the final analysis he is just a senior wage earner at Barings Bank.

Following the completion of the California Railway (San Francisco-Los Angeles), the largest railway project in California: the railway from the state capital Sacramento to Reno and Carson in Nevada is also about to be completed.

The report submitted by the California Railway Company to Liang Yao was that the railway would be fully open to traffic around February 15, 1853, that is, one month later.

After the railway is fully opened to traffic, it means that California and Western Nevada will be connected. Gold prospectors and immigrants can enter the Nevada area more easily and conveniently. Daily supplies from San Francisco and Sacramento can also be transported to California through this railway. Novo Carson.

Before this, all kinds of materials that wanted to enter Nevada could only be transported into the Nevada area by the most primitive method of transportation, that is, people carrying horses and camels.

Due to inconvenient transportation and high transportation costs, prices in Nevada have always remained high.

The opening of the entire Nevada Railway is great news for people living in Nevada, as their cost of living will be greatly reduced.

Of course, Nevada products such as gold, coal, and iron ore can also be imported to Sacramento and San Francisco via rail.

The transportation trunk line constructed by Liang Yao in California has been initially completed. California's industrialization is at least guaranteed in terms of transportation.

The length of the railway from Sacramento to Reno and Carson in Nevada is only 260 kilometers, which is only a little more than one-third of the California Railway, but the time it takes is almost the same as the California Railway. The most important reason is that it leaves the Central Valley. To the east, the terrain becomes steeper.

200 kilometers of this 260-kilometer-long railway pass through mountainous areas, and most sections of the California Railway are built along the Central Valley, with very flat terrain. The engineering difficulty of the two is not the same.

In fact, the railroad from Sacramento to Reno and Carson was originally planned to be completed at the end of April 1853. The reason why it was completed more than two months in advance was because the California Railroad Company boldly used the newly invented liquid explosive. Railway workers We prefer to call it explosive oil.

To put it bluntly, it is nitroglycerin explosive.

The village of Auburn, northeast of Sacramento, lies at the juncture of the Central Valley and the mountains.

This was originally an uninhabited and barren land. With the construction of the railway line from Sacramento to Reno and Carson in Nevada, some new small villages appeared along the railway line.

This is the area specially designated by Liang Yao for Nobel's experiments. Nobel's experiments are too dangerous and are not suitable for the laboratory to be placed in densely populated places such as San Francisco and Sacramento. Liang Yao could only designate an inaccessible area for Nobel to conduct experiments.

Fortunately, people engaged in scientific research can generally endure loneliness. It is far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. After the railway between Auburn Village and Sacramento, the transportation is more convenient, and the experimental materials required for Nobel can also be transported here very conveniently.

Therefore, Nobel was very satisfied with this experimental site. Since arriving at this experimental site, Nobel has almost never been out of this place.

Liang Yao even asked the telegraph office to set up a special telegraph room in Nobel's laboratory, and the telegraph route was established. If there was any need, Nobel only had to go to the telegraph room to send a telegram. It is very convenient whether it is life or work.

This was paradise for Nobel.

Accompanied by a deafening loud noise, Liang Yao's eardrums were almost shattered.

The explosives buried halfway up the mountain blew a big hole in the mountain, and the broken rocks kept rolling down from the mountain.

"A small amount of ordinary gunpowder can cause nitroglycerin to explode violently. No matter how pure the gunpowder is, it is not as powerful as nitroglycerin." Nobel introduced this dangerous explosive to Liang Yao.

"With it, mining and road construction can be done with half the effort." Liang Yao sighed.

Of course, this more powerful high explosive can also be used in war, but Liang Yao didn't need to mention war in front of Nobel now.

"You only see the good side of it. This explosive is too dangerous and the risks are difficult to control. From production to transportation, storage, and use, any link, if you are not careful, will cause uncontrollable explosions and cause tragedies.

This explosive has only been used for two months, and 16 railway workers have died in accidental explosions. Given that this explosive is not yet mature and there are too many risks in using it, I do not recommend that this explosive be put into use at present."

Nobel's voice was a little choked, and his face was full of self-blame.

"Perhaps, I shouldn't bring this thing into the world."

After the introduction of nitroglycerin explosives in history, the place with the largest sales volume was California, USA. Due to many serious explosion accidents of liquid nitroglycerin during long-distance transportation and use.

In order to solve this problem, Nobel personally rushed to California and tried to manufacture it on the spot to avoid the dangers brought by long-distance transportation. Later, he eliminated interference from all sides and concentrated on studying the safe transportation method of nitroglycerin. Finally, two relatively safer solid explosives made of diatomaceous earth and nitroglycerin were developed, namely No. 1 dynamite and No. 2 dynamite. The emergence of solid explosives makes the large-scale industrial application of explosives possible.

The only drawback is that compared with liquid nitroglycerin explosives, solid diatom dynamite is slightly inferior in power, only three-quarters of liquid explosives.

But safety is only relative. When diatom dynamite is damp or pressurized, there is still a risk of nitroglycerin seeping out.

Therefore, Nobel continued to experiment and develop a new type of explosive that has the explosive power of nitroglycerin and the safety performance of dynamite.

Hard work pays off. After countless failures, in 1875, hard cavity dynamite and soft and highly plastic colloid dynamite were introduced one after another.

This type of explosive has high explosive power and is relatively cheap. It has greater explosive power than pure nitroglycerin, but has greater stability. It will not explode when ignited and will not get damp when soaked in water.

It can be said that after the advent of nitroglycerin explosives, Nobel has been making tireless efforts to develop safer explosives, indirectly saving countless lives.

If conditions permit, cavity dynamite and colloid dynamite are naturally the best choices, but with the current chemical level in California that is almost zero, it is impossible to produce the raw material dynamite required for colloid dynamite.

Even if a little sample can be produced in the laboratory, it is difficult to achieve mass production.

What Liang Yao needs now is explosives that can be mass-produced and put into use immediately, even if the explosives are not so safe, it is better than nothing.

Of course, Liang Yao did not intend to sit and wait for death. Although liquid nitroglycerin can be used, it is too unsafe.

Now the whole country of America is building and laying railways. There is still a big market for high-powered explosives. If you want to sell explosives to the eastern and central regions thousands of miles away, transportation safety is indeed a problem that must be considered.

Although gelatinous explosives cannot be made in a short time, diatomaceous earth explosives can still be tried.

America, this Feng Shui treasure land, has almost all kinds of mines. California has the world's largest marine diatomaceous earth deposit, and there is no shortage of materials for making diatomaceous earth explosives.

Moreover, once diatomaceous earth explosives are made, Nobel's development of the detonator of diatomaceous earth explosives: detonators, is just a matter of course.

Diatomaceous earth explosives must be made anyway!

As Liang Yao was thinking, Nobel's mind flashed with the image of the oil explosion. The flames that shot up into the sky, the flying limbs and arms, and the charred body became Nobel's lingering nightmares in the past few months.

His emotions quickly lost control, and his faith began to waver.

His original intention of developing explosives was to improve the efficiency of mining and road construction. Now the new explosives have indeed improved the efficiency of mining and road construction, but the accidents that followed have also taken more lives.

Is it all worth it?

Nobel tortured himself over and over again, and his body trembled involuntarily.

Liang Yao noticed Nobel's abnormal demeanor and asked with concern: "Are you feeling unwell?"

"I feel unwell, sir. This kind of explosive is too dangerous. Let's give up producing this kind of explosive." After hesitating for a long time, Nobel finally expressed his thoughts.

Although he knew that he shouldn't say such discouraging words to his sponsors.

Liang Yao is not as compassionate as Nobel. Liang Yao's original intention of funding Nobel to develop nitroglycerin explosives was for military use, to put it bluntly, to kill people, and to kill people more efficiently.

In Liang Yao's eyes, the function of explosives in mining and road construction is not even as important as killing people.

Therefore, when he first witnessed the explosion of nitroglycerin, Liang Yao was more happy.

The progress of human civilization is built on a pile of corpses, and someone must pay the price for the progress of civilization.

"Since we have chosen a road full of thorns, we will inevitably be hurt by the thorns." Liang Yao put his hands on Nobel's shoulders and said sincerely.

"Even without the use of explosives, there are many railway workers who have accidentally fallen and died while building railways in mountainous areas. I think you also know this. The explosive you invented shortened the construction period of the Nevada Railway by two full months, and you also saved many railway workers. , but you can’t see these.”

Liang Yao now wants money, power, and fame.

There are many paths he can choose. He can also choose to live a comfortable life like the slave owners in the South, waiting to die.

But the result is that after the Civil War breaks out, California, like the slave owners of the Confederacy, will find that their state cannot even make decent guns, and the Yankees will continue to attack their own doorstep without anyone to take advantage of them. One can only place hope on international assistance outside the blockade.

After listening to Liang Yao's words, Nobel's mood calmed down a little, and his mood gradually stabilized.

"Sir, after I improve the explosive and make it safer, can I then mass-produce it and put it into use?" Nobel raised his head and asked.

"Let's wait until the railway in Nevada is completed." Liang Yao said while supporting Nobel's swaying body.

"Liquids are unstable. Have you ever thought about making nitroglycerin into a solid form? If this powerful explosive can exist in a solid form, I think it will be more stable and much safer."

"Let nitroglycerin exist in a solid form?" Nobel seriously recalled some past experiments in the laboratory, and then shook his head helplessly, "I once had this idea and put it into practice. It has been practiced, but I have tried many methods in the laboratory and cannot turn nitroglycerin into a solid.”

"Kony, bring a piece of cloth and a pot of water." Liang Yao called to Kony beside him.

Soon, Kony, who looked puzzled, brought Liang Yao a piece of cotton cloth and a pot of water. Kony didn't know what Liang Yao wanted to do with the cloth and water. Was it to wash his face? But then I thought it was wrong, and the boss didn't seem to be a mysophobic person.

Liang Yao took the cotton cloth from Kony's hand, then poured water on the cotton cloth, grabbed a ball of wet cotton cloth and said to Nobel: "What if nitroglycerin is adsorbed on a certain solid?"

Nobel slapped his forehead, suddenly enlightened, and said excitedly: "This is a very good idea! I will try this aspect and find some materials with strong water absorption. Just adsorb nitroglycerin on the solid and explode. The power will inevitably decrease."

"For safety and life, it is worth sacrificing some power." Liang Yao said.

"I understand! I understand! You wait for me, I will find materials for experiments as soon as possible and come up with a finished product that satisfies you!" Nobel's expression was very excited.

"I will also look for some materials for you to experiment on." Liang Yao nodded with a smile, patted Nobel on the shoulder, and said with great concern, "Your experiment is very dangerous, so be sure to pay attention to safety! If you are missing something, just get it." Telegram it to me!"