The Rise of the European Emperor

After testing, Marin found that by pouring cement directly into the bowls on both sides, the resulting cement balls did not seem to be compact enough. So, Marin and the craftsmen worked hard to improve the manufacturing method of cement ball cannonballs.

Specifically, first, people use the means of kneading dough to knead a cement ball that is larger than the specified cannonball with cement, and try to compact it. Then, put into the wooden bowl halves again and press hard again to press out the excess cement. In this way, after two compressions, the structure of the cement ball projectile is very compact. Remove the bowl after a while (because it is compacted, you don't need to remove the bowl after an hour, but can be removed quickly), the cement ball is dried or air-dried, and the obtained cement ball cannonball , and the stone ball cannonball is not much different.

This way of pouring cement balls to make cannonballs is not too simple. After experiments, Marin found that as long as a wooden bowl for the seat mold is provided, any construction worker can produce hundreds of cement balls a day. The cost is low and the process is simple... Unlike casting cast-iron balls, an iron factory is required. and a large number of craftsmen. Moreover, because molten iron can scald people, pouring cast-iron balls is also very dangerous. Accidentally, molten iron splashed on people...

For the production of cement ball shells, any construction worker can open the cement bag, mix the cement, take out the wooden bowl of the mold, and then start mass production of cement ball shells. The cost is low, and the production is convenient and fast... No special site is required. Just find a place in the wild, mix a pile of cement, and you can produce artillery shells... Oh my god, it sounds terrible...

In order to make the shells stronger, Marin also asked people to add tough thatch to the cement balls when kneading the cement balls, as the "bones" of the cement concrete. Not as strong as reinforced concrete, but much better than nothing...

...

While Marin and a group of craftsmen were developing cement balls, the North American colony, Governor Albert of the North American Twin Islands, was directing the immigrants to start a vigorous spring ploughing in the North American colony.

Because of the experience of almost dying from an arrow last time, the young Albert suddenly matured a lot. After recovering from the injury, Albert has changed as a person, the whole person has become more calm and more careful...

In the past, Albert saw his brother Marin wearing plate armor every time he went out, and also laughed at Marin for being timid. However, after the experience of almost dying last time, Albert finally understood what Marin was doing. If he wore chest plate armor last time, then the inferior earth bow and arrow of that native would not have caused him any harm at all.

Albert didn't know that Marin was beaten to death by bricks in his previous life. As someone who has already died once, he naturally cherishes his life and is more careful. Therefore, every time he goes out, Marin wears a chest plate and a helmet. In addition, there are also a group of strong men around, blocking guns and arrows for him at any time...

Although I don't know Marin's true thoughts, after what happened last time, Albert also began to sacrifice his life...

Before, Albert, who preferred the civil service style, usually wore silk robes and looked more like a civil servant. But after what happened last time, Albert began to pay attention to his own safety. After all, if you have suffered a loss once and you will not change it, then you are stupid.

Now, when Albert went out to inspect the spring ploughing, although he was still wearing a silk robe outside, he was wearing a steel vest inside. In addition, although the hat on the head is also in the style of a civil servant, the inside of the hat is also padded with steel sheets, high carbon steel steel sheets...

It is worth mentioning that this year's spring ploughing on the North American Twin Islands has shifted its focus to Manhattan Island, which was bought from the Delaware...

Although the combined area of ​​Amerigo and Columbus is larger than Manhattan,

However, the freshwater resources of the two small islands are far less than Manhattan Island.

Why? Because Manhattan Island is a long island in the middle of the Hudson River. Although they are also surrounded by water, Amerigo Island and Columbus Island are surrounded by sea water. Agriculture on the island relies on the small rivers that give priority to freshwater resources on the island.

Manhattan Island is also surrounded by water, but it is surrounded by fresh water, which is very convenient for planting.

Therefore, Albert directly moved the Governor's Mansion to Manhattan Island, and cultivated on Manhattan Island on a large scale, intending to turn the 59-square-kilometer Manhattan Island into an agricultural island.

In this day and age, irrigated land along the river is a treasure in Europe. Because, a large waterwheel is installed by the river, and irrigation is not manpower, which is very convenient. In Europe, irrigated land beside big rivers is generally used to grow valuable wheat. Rye is grown only on land that does not depend on the banks of the great river. After all, the price difference between wheat and rye is several times larger.

Manhattan Island is a long island in the mouth of the Hudson River. The whole island is flat and easy to obtain water, which is very suitable for irrigation. Therefore, Albert simply built more than a dozen large waterwheels by the river on the island, using natural water power to irrigate.

For safety, Albert also built a small castle in the center of Manhattan Island as the Governor's Palace. In addition, five bunkers were built around Manhattan Island to guard against Indian attacks.

Under the protection of five bunkers, the farmers on the island began to work hard...

The farmers on the island were all brought by Albert from Cape Breton Island. Before, Marin transported tens of thousands of English refugees to Cape Breton Island. Albert felt it was too wasteful, so he asked Garland to ask for thousands of people to come. As it happened, Cape Breton Island didn't need so much labor, so Garland sent thousands of immigrants to Albert.

It is absolutely enough for a few thousand people to develop an island of only 59 square kilometers. It just so happened that Marin delivered a lot of cattle imported from Crimea to Albert. With sufficient manpower and cattle, Albert started to develop Manhattan Island directly. In this regard, Marin also agreed. After all, when Manhattan Island is developed, the Grand Duchy of the North Sea can truly have a foothold on the North American continent. The previous Cape Breton Island, the North American Twin Islands and Newfoundland Island were all suspended overseas. Only by establishing a firm foothold on Manhattan Island can you be considered to have reached the North American continent.

Because the labor force and cattle are abundant, and the long-shaped Manhattan Island is very rich in fresh water resources. So, Albert made a straightforward decision - to grow wheat on a large scale on Manhattan Island.

Wheat is a high-value agricultural product. A pound of wheat can be sold for 5 pfennigs in Germany and 1 shilling in Spain. It is a proper "luxury" in the grain world and is the favorite of the nobles. After all, white bread made of fluffy wheat flour is a symbol of nobility. Among them, the most excellent Queen's bread with honey, cream and spices was only enjoyed by the great nobles...

Albert is very economical. He knows that if all wheat is grown on Manhattan Island, when the wheat is harvested, it will be much more expensive to ship the wheat to Europe than to sell rye.

Of course, limited by age and knowledge, Albert still doesn't know how to keep a low profile and hide. Unlike Marlin, who is more cautious, even if there are many, many rye, he dare not open it up to sell. Otherwise, they will definitely be beaten in groups, and then forced to hand over the secrets of high agricultural yields.

Fortunately, Manhattan Island is not big, and it looks like 10,000 acres of arable land when it is developed (it can't be all arable land, as well as the area of ​​buildings, ditches, and roads). That is 60,000 mu. Even if all wheat is grown and the yield is high, it will be 30 million pounds of wheat. This kind of quantity, even if it is put into the European market, it will not turn out too much waves, and it is not easy to attract attention. Unlike Marin's rye, which can easily weigh more than a billion pounds, if it is put into the market on a large scale, it is estimated that the price of rye can be suppressed by half. But if that's the case, Marin probably won't be far from being beaten up by the whole of Europe...

But in any case, the value that can be created from 60,000 mu of wheat land is indeed quite high. At 5 pfennig per pound, 30 million pounds of wheat can be exchanged for 150 million pfennig, which is 2.5 million gold coins, which is very scary. Because this is higher than the annual fiscal revenue of the Republic of Venice, and more than double the annual fiscal revenue of France...