Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 360 The idea of ​​an underwater tunnel

The strong winds and heavy rain raged for two days before they left Cagayan and continued northward. King Zheng Guohui of Chu also officially began his inspection trip.

In these two days
He met with many officials individually, which was the usual practice of King Zheng Guohui of Chu. He was not a monarch who liked to be blinded and preferred to take some time to get to know the officials of the kingdom.

By meeting with local officials, we can understand the regional situation from different perspectives, understand the reputation and reputation of local officials, and also give local officials the opportunity to report to the higher authorities.

For example, Cagayan Province Co-Governor Guo Luming made a very good suggestion;
This person learned from the newspaper that the world's first riverbed tunnel had been built under the Thames, using the shield method. It's easy to understand what this means.

Guo Luming thought of building a strait tunnel to connect Cebu Island in the north with the Hainan Islands further north, allowing trains to pass through and allowing access by land.

This proposal surprised King Zheng Guohui of Chu. It was indeed something he had not expected. He praised Guo Luming a few words, which made Guo Luming so happy that he was at a loss as to what to do.

Even in the future

There is no undersea tunnel built in the Hainan Islands, but this does not mean that it is not feasible.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu was well aware of the geographical conditions of the four mainland islands. After a little thought, he knew that this undersea tunnel was very feasible.

From San Francisco, the northernmost tip of the Hainan Islands, to Liloan, the southernmost tip of Cebu Island, there is only a strait about 22.5 kilometers wide in between.

If an undersea tunnel is built, the Tongzhou Islands can be connected to the Cebu Islands, making the movement of people and goods very convenient.

There is a strait of only 18.8 kilometers between Lavezares, the northernmost island of Cebu, and Bran, the southernmost island of Hainan.

If a strait tunnel is built to connect the north and the south, then people can travel from Manila in the north to Davao Province and Zamboanga in the south by train or by land, which is also of great military significance.

The total length of these two channel tunnels is 41.3 kilometers, which is much shorter than the later Channel Tunnel between England and France.

The Channel Tunnel between England and France is 51 kilometers long and consists of three parallel tunnels with a total length of 153 kilometers. It is much larger in terms of both engineering volume and construction difficulty.

The entire Hainan Islands is like a broken bottle. If these two submarine tunnels can be built, it would be like gluing the broken bottle together, and the resources of the entire archipelago can be more effectively integrated. There are really many benefits!

As for later generations, why was no undersea tunnel ever built here?
The biggest reason, besides lack of money, is still lack of money.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu was very concerned about this matter and planned to go back and ask experts to conduct research to verify the geological structure of the two straits and the feasibility of related projects.

when necessary

We can hire famous French engineering experts to conduct research at a high price. In today's world, French engineers are the most outstanding and imaginative.

French engineers dug the Suez Canal, pioneered the idea of ​​a tunnel between England and France, built the Eiffel Tower, and proposed many incredible engineering ideas.

In 1865, French engineer Édouard de Laboulaye suggested that a great statue representing freedom be presented to the United States on the 100th anniversary of its founding. This is the Statue of Liberty.

French engineers are among the best in the world today in terms of both creativity and ability.

The undersea tunnel is no small matter, and it is not the fault of King Zheng Guohui of Chu that he does not trust the Chinese. Many Chinese students are now studying in overseas institutions. Some are sent to the United States, some to the United Kingdom and France, and some are sent to Germany. Most of them are in the study period.

For engineering construction
The lack of core knowledge in physics, geography, geometry, mathematics, etc. and, most critically, the lack of experience in implementing large-scale projects are unavoidable flaws.

Perhaps the State of Chu could, through several major projects, train a group of Chinese engineers through foreign experts, which might be a better training path.

Just like the current factory machinery and equipment, many of them are already operated by Chinese technicians, and under the guidance of foreign experts, they can build iron-hulled cargo ships of about 5000 tons. This is the most significant progress.

As the carriage moved forward, there were one- to two-story houses on both sides of the road, mostly built of bricks, stones, and concrete, but there were fewer wooden houses.

The South China Sea Islands are a region frequently visited by typhoons, experiencing more than 20 typhoons every year, and are a region with relatively severe typhoon disasters.

Therefore, although the Chu State had vast forests, houses were still mainly built with bricks and stones. Such houses were relatively sturdy and could withstand typhoons.

As the carriage traveled through the city, trees blown down by the typhoon, overturned sheds and scattered items could be seen everywhere, and people were being organized to clean up on the streets.

At the street level, nobles and gentry from all prefectures and counties came forward to lead everyone to tidy up the streets, distribute relief food, and help those who suffered from the storm.
By doing these good deeds, whether they are nobles, knights or squires, they can win prestige among the people and receive rewards from the government.

For ordinary disasters, the streets in the city will spontaneously organize recovery, such as repairing potholes, keeping the streets clean, prohibiting urination and defecation in public, maintaining green areas, etc.

In rural areas, the village chief and gentry took the lead in organizing villagers to clear fallen trees and branches, restore road access, and rescue villagers affected by the wind disaster.

If a major disaster occurs and the prefecture and county are unable to cope with it, they will report it to the higher authorities and request assistance from the Governor-General's District. The highest level they can report is to the Prime Minister's Cabinet Office.

The typhoon disaster this time seems to have little impact, with the highest wind speed reaching level 10. It is estimated that it is not the center of the typhoon, but is affected by the edge of the storm.

After the typhoon, cargo ships that had been hiding from the typhoon left the port and set sail. Many ships bought firecrackers before setting off and set them off at the dock, making crackling sounds.

Successfully predicting a typhoon's passage saved those who made their living at sea from a catastrophe. Such a favor is nothing short of a rebirth.

The weather forecast was successful once, twice, and three times. After more than two months of trial operation, the weather information published in the Manila World Journal could be verified one or two days later.

Such efficacy immediately aroused heated discussion among social groups, especially those companies and shops engaged in shipping and horse racing businesses, which immediately paid close attention to the newly established Royal Meteorological Observatory.

The enthusiasm this caused in society far exceeded the imagination of King Zheng Guohui of Chu.

The five major domestic shipping companies took the lead and scrambled to donate to the Royal Meteorological Observatory, even causing a big fight over this.

No one is stupid. This is a good thing to save your life at sea.

The cost of just 30,000 to 40,000 silver dollars a year, as if no one can afford it?
Finally, Prime Minister Li Hezhang stepped in and had the five major shipping companies collectively sponsor the weather forecast column in Manila's World Journal, naming it "Five Major Shipping Weather Forecast."

The five major shipping companies donated a total of 5 silver dollars each year, 1 silver dollars each, and this was done year after year.

The Manila World Journal also received a total of 2000 silver dollars in donations each year, and reported on some new things in shipping under the "Five Major Ships and Space Weather Forecast" column.

The boat people at the coastal docks of various prefectures and counties were even more simple. They bought incense, candles and straw paper to worship, causing the weather station on the mountain to be filled with smoke all day long.

In the end, there was no choice but to let the local boat people fund the construction of a Mazu temple nearby, so that they could just worship at the temple from now on.

Given the level of superstition among people today, it is impossible to explain why the weather forecast is so accurate.
As soon as the report appeared in the newspaper, the typhoon arrived on time a day or two later, as if it had arrived right at our doorstep.

It can solve the big problem of weather forecasting for maritime shipping, and the biggest worry of people going out to sea will be resolved.

This is extremely beneficial to the development of offshore fishing industry. Nowadays, fishermen who own fishing boats always check the weather forecast before going out to sea.

If the weather forecast predicts a typhoon, I will stay at home for a few days to rest, weave fishing nets, dry fish, and organize the fishing boats, and wait until the typhoon is over before going out to sea.

Weather forecast plays an even more important role in agriculture. With the weather forecast, villages and towns will prepare early for harvesting and planting, and they don’t have to go out to turn over and dry the crops even in rainy weather. That is really a great benefit.

After leaving the city, the carriage drove on the road in the suburbs.

walked for a while
King Zheng Guohui of Chu ordered them to stop. This was a place beside a small river, and there was a sturdy bridge that spanned the clear river more than 30 meters wide, connecting the two banks.

There are still some potholes and water accumulation on the road, and there are quite a few spots at a glance.

But the overall condition of the road was quite good. King Zheng Guohui of Chu got off the carriage and stepped on it hard, and found that the foundation of the road was quite solid.

The prefect Cao Yuxiu explained in detail.
These roads are built strictly in accordance with road construction regulations, and are constructed with rammed earth layer, lime layer, fly ash layer, gravel layer, fly ash layer, and rammed loess layer.

Standard drainage ditches were dug on both sides of the road, milestones were erected every kilometer, trees were planted on both sides of the road, and horse-drawn carts carrying loess were used for maintenance every week.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu nodded and turned to look at the vast fields.

The autumn rice in the fields has been completely harvested, and the gaps in the ridges have all been closed. The heavy rain brought by the typhoon has filled the ridges with water, and the ridges look sparkling from a distance.

This is the most vivid example of turning disaster into advantage. If the rice fields that have been harvested first have been burned, the soil has been turned over, and the fields have been leveled, they will now be full of water and late-season rice can be planted soon.

How much effort can be saved if time is managed well?

King Zheng Guohui of Chu walked to the stone bridge again, and listened with interest to the introduction of the prefect Cao Yuxiu.

The stone bridge is 38 meters long and was built by 11 Chinese craftsmen and 162 indigenous convicts in one and a half months.

The entire bridge is built of large stones, with a circular arch spanning the entire bridge. There are two small circular arches on the left and right sides of the large arch to share the gravity.

When building

A wooden bridge is built underneath, and then an arch shape is built with wood as thick as an arm, and thin boards are laid on the surface to form a stable semicircular frame.

Then they used stone blocks to build the walls and used cement mixed with glutinous rice paste to fill the joints, thus forming a circular stone arch spanning the two sides of the river. This method is simple and solid and can be used for a long time.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu even walked to the side of the bridge and tried to dig at the concrete in the cracks of the stones. After trying several times without success, he nodded in satisfaction.

At this time, behind him, the prefect Cao Yuxiu had his mouth wide open in shock, as did the co-prefect Guo Luming, as well as a group of officials from Cagayan Province.

All officials of the Chu State knew that the King of Chu's inspection could never be faked, and any detail would be discovered. To say that he had a sharp eye would be an understatement.

With this kind of behavior, who would dare to cheat under the nose of the King of Chu?
Later, the prefect Cao Yuxiu said to his friend:
"When His Majesty extended his hand, my heart skipped a beat, afraid he would knock a piece of plaster off. Fortunately, God bless me, and I finally got through this."

(End of this chapter)