Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World
Chapter 37: Inspecting the Shipyard

TL: Etude

After the public trial, Paul Grayman did not immediately return to Lakeheart Town. There were still many matters to settle, so he decided to stay a few more days in Port Fran.

For instance, in administrative matters, the old mayor, due to health reasons, clearly couldn’t continue in his position.

Traditionally, it was customary to gather locally respected individuals to elect a new mayor from among the locals, a common practice in the northern territories. The lords were quite content to delegate such minor powers to the locals, as long as they could collect sufficient taxes and conscript enough labor and military service.

Conversely, this also allowed them to shirk some of their responsibilities and obligations when local issues arose.

However, Paul did not plan to continue this tradition. He wanted to appoint his own candidates. The power to appoint and dismiss officials within his domain had to be firmly in his hands. Only then could his will be effectively implemented, paving the way for a series of planned reforms.

Of course, considering the old mayor’s wealth of experience, Paul still offered him an advisory role, with a salary paid by him, accounted for in the lord’s estate’s financial expenses.

Thus, he wrote to Steward Ford, instructing him to immediately send two experienced and trustworthy individuals to Port Fran to serve as the mayor and deputy mayor.

To his pleasant surprise, Port Fran actually had a small shipyard, and it was even a property of his family. Upon learning of the shipyard’s existence, he, along with officers like Schroeder and Bryce, promptly came to visit.

After the public trial, the shipyard resumed operations. Paul and his party stood near the docks, watching the craftsmen busily at work, while the person in charge of the shipyard cautiously accompanied these influential figures.

“Do we only build this type of ship here?” Paul asked, frowning. To him, the ships at the docks and drydock seemed similar to the Nordic Viking longships of Earth’s medieval period, with a single mast, a main lateral sail, and also a hard sail, with wind serving only as auxiliary power, and most of the propulsion coming from oarsmen on the ship.

“Yes, my lord, currently we only build this type of ship here,” replied the shipyard manager, Rubin, respectfully.

It seemed the young count was not quite satisfied.

Indeed, Paul was not very satisfied. In his view, even if they couldn’t build steam-powered ironclads right now, they should at least be able to build sail warships like the HMS Victory of the British Royal Navy instead of these single-masted oar-and-sail ships that seemed like toys to him.

“This won’t do! The navy we are going to form cannot go to sea in such ships,” he said, shaking his head.

The surrounding officers, who were like ducks out of water, were puzzled: “My lord, aren’t all ships built like this?”

“We need larger ships with more sails, capable of enduring long voyages and crossing oceans, not ones that need to return to port for supplies after less than a week at sea,” he explained.

He turned to Rubin and asked, “Is this the standard design used worldwide?”

Rubin pondered before answering: “I can’t speak for the whole world, but as far as I know, it’s pretty much the same everywhere. There might be differences in details, but the structure is similar. Some larger ships have two to three masts.”

“Are these hard sails used universally?”

“Some regions use soft sails, like in Horn Bay, for example.”

“What are the advantages and disadvantages of these two types of sails?”

“Generally speaking, hard sails require fewer people to operate and can catch wind from all directions, adapting to changing winds and complex maritime areas. However, they utilize the tailwind less efficiently and are slower, not suited for long sea voyages. On the other hand, soft sails are lighter, allowing for taller masts and larger sail area exposed to the wind, suitable for long-distance travel. But they are complex to operate, tedious and dangerous to stow, and require a higher skill level from the sailors.”

Rubin paused briefly before continuing, “Our region on the northwest coast doesn’t have very frequent maritime transportation, and we usually sail along the coastline, where we can land anytime for supplies. Hence, the popularity of these hard sails, which are easier to operate. The southern nations, like the Horn Bay Alliance, have more developed maritime trade and advanced shipbuilding technology, so they generally use soft sails and build larger ships.”

“Horn Bay Alliance, huh… I understand,” Paul thought of the unlucky nobleman captured by pirates, who was from the Horn Bay Alliance.

Suddenly remembering something, Rubin excused himself, “Please wait a moment, my lord.” He then hurried back to his office, returning quickly with a thick volume in his arms.

He handed the book to Paul with both hands: “This is a compilation of various types of ships I’ve gathered since starting my career. Since the count is so interested in ships, perhaps you’ll find it useful.”

Paul took the book, flipping through it briefly. It was rich in information, with illustrations and text documenting every type of ship the shipyard manager had encountered in his career, including details like load capacity, draft, crew size and composition, range, materials used, and more.

“Remarkable!” Paul genuinely admired Rubin’s work, recognizing his talent.

Rubin, flattered by the lord’s praise, bashfully responded, “Oh, my lord is too kind.”

Paul immediately rewarded him with ten silver coins, leaving Rubin almost in disbelief at his good fortune for what was merely a hobby.

“What’s the largest ship you’ve ever built here?”

“The largest was nearly 30 meters long with a load capacity of 70 tons.”

“How long does it take to build a ship?”

“It varies. Assuming we have the primary materials readily available, small ships can be completed within a month if rushed. Large ships, if urgently needed, can be done within a quarter, but if it’s a large ship where quality and durability are paramount, the keel and ribs need to be laid out and left to naturally dry on the dock for a year before continuing with the internal and external setup of the ship. The subsequent construction also has to be methodically slow, which takes a much longer time.”

“How long have you been working at this shipyard?”

“I’ve been helping out here since I was a child, following in my father’s footsteps, for nearly 20 years now.”

“This place must have been frequently ‘visited’ by pirates, right? Have they ever troubled you?”

“Pirates also need to build and repair ships. They haven’t troubled us much, and they even pay some money, since they still need to buy materials and tools for shipbuilding. Sometimes they even bring the materials themselves, though we know better than to ask where they come from.”

…

Everyone observed the exchange between Paul and Rubin, thinking, “It seems the count is determined to develop the navy, and Rubin is likely to be heavily relied upon.”

After inspecting the shipyard, Paul bid farewell to Rubin, preparing to lead his men back to their temporary base at the town center’s church. Before leaving, he patted Rubin on the shoulder, encouraging him, “Keep up the good work, this shipyard will be of great use to me.”

Although a half-grown boy patting a middle-aged man on the shoulder might have seemed amusing to others, Rubin was moved to tears, swearing to meet the count’s expectations. Sᴇaʀᴄh the Nʘvᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Finally, Paul instructed Rubin to measure ship sizes by the weight of seawater they displaced after launching. He preferred the concept of displacement. As for the calculations, he left that to the shipyard manager.

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