Greece’s Roman Road

At the appeal of Prime Minister Terry Kupis, King George decided to convene a special military conference on the progress of new rifle technology in Europe.

On the outskirts of Athens, on the empty shooting range, two soldiers wore earplugs and did not aim at the gun target in front of them.

I saw one of the soldiers, every time he fired a shot, the surrounding white smoke floated out of the gun body, and he kept pulling the gun bolt, "popping" three shots in a row, and the surrounding was already filled with smoke.

In order to aim at the target, the soldier can only wait for the smoke to dissipate, and then shoot again, and so on, only to complete the task of shooting the target ten times.

The other soldier continued to fire ten times without any smoke, and hit the target continuously.

A group led by King George and Prince Constantine stood behind the two soldiers and carefully observed the two soldiers who were shooting.

"Is this a rifle that uses smokeless powder? It fired ten shots in a row, but no smoke blocked the view?" George I asked in surprise.

Even George I, who had little military experience, could see the difference in the design scenarios of the two soldiers.

The rifles in the hands of the two soldiers, with smoke emitting, are the Chassibo rifles commonly equipped in the Greek army now, using black powder.

The other soldier fired ten shots in a row. There was no unusual rifle, but it had a lot of origin.

It is the first rifle in the world that uses smokeless powder, the French Lebel rifle.

After the design demonstration, the director of the Military Technology Office, Chai Yimis said: "Your Majesty, the Lebel rifle using smokeless powder does have an overwhelming advantage over the Chasebo rifle we are currently equipped with. These technical indicators are not at the same level at all”

King George I was silent.

"I heard that the Turks have applied to the German government for the purchase of the 1888 Committee rifle newly developed by the German company Loy. It is said that smokeless powder is also used." After the performance of the pyrotechnic powder, he said solemnly.

"The relationship between the Germans and the Turks is very hot. In recent years, there have been more and more German goods in Turkey. The German military advisers sent by the German General Staff to Ottoman Turkey help the Ottoman Sultan train the new army. Therefore, the application of Ottoman Turkey should be will be allowed by Germany"

"Once such advanced rifles are equipped with Turkish troops in Epirus and Macedonia, the Greek army will be at a huge disadvantage, and we will be very passive," Emanuel said in a heavy tone.

In Epirus and Macedonia in northern Greece, the Turks deployed more than 100,000 troops to confront the Greek army on the Turkish-Greek border.

The Greek army has less than 50,000 people and is in a weak position. If even the rifle is behind, then once the two sides clash, the Greek army has almost no chance of winning.

"Does this smokeless powder have any other advantages besides the fact that it will not emit smoke to block the view?" King George asked Chaimiis, the director of the Military Technical Office.

Although he did not know much about military affairs, George I understood that it was an expensive thing to replace standard rifles in large quantities for the army.

Prime Minister Trikupis has recently been carrying out large-scale infrastructure construction. In a country like Greece, which is full of mountains and hills, the cost of such infrastructure construction can be imagined.

Moreover, these funds were also borrowed from Britain and France.

If there is a large-scale replacement of guns for the army now, the financial pressure on the Greek government can be imagined.

"The combustion calorific value of smokeless gunpowder is high, and the same weight of gunpowder, smokeless gunpowder will release greater energy"

"That is to say, for rifles using smokeless powder, the warhead can be completely miniaturized."

"Rifles using black powder require large-caliber bullets in order to ensure the muzzle velocity and lethality of the bullet. In the case of smokeless gunpowder, even a smaller warhead can ensure sufficient lethality and muzzle velocity."

Having said that, Chaemies waved to the two soldiers who were standing upright after shooting, and handed them two rifles.

"Your Majesty, this is a Chasebo rifle with a caliber of 11mm, and this is a Lebel rifle with a caliber of 8mm"

As Chaimiis explained, he showed two different rifles to King George I and others.

Having said that, he took out a bullet from each of the two soldiers' bullet pouches, held them in their left and right hands, and showed them to everyone.

"This is a 11mm caliber bullet for the Shasaibo rifle, and the weight is 30 grams." Chaimiis raised the apparently one-size bullet in his left hand.

"This is the 8mm caliber bullet used by the Lebel rifle, and the weight is 17 grams," Chaimiis said while holding up another bullet.

Hearing that the difference between the two bullets almost doubled, the surrounding people whispered to each other.

8mm bullets are lighter in weight. After the outbreak of the war, when transporting logistical supplies, the same number of bullets, small-caliber bullets using smokeless powder, have obvious advantages.

Not to mention other materials saved by each bullet, such as brass, although the weight is not worth mentioning individually, but in the cumulative amount of several million, the weight of copper saved is considerable.

In the case of lighter weight, the soldier's bullet bag can also carry a larger number of bullets, and in the case of carrying the same amount, carrying lighter small-caliber bullets ~www.wuxiax.com~ can save soldiers' physical strength.

There is no doubt that rifles using small-caliber bullets and smokeless powder have an advantage in all indicators.

"It is blunt to say that smokeless gunpowder will trigger a revolution in rifle design," Chaimiis said solemnly.

"Your Majesty, in any case, our Greek Army should respond," Metaxas said.

As a representative of front-line officers, Metaxas was also invited to this military conference.

"Otherwise, the Turkish army, armed with German committee rifles, would have an overwhelming advantage over us."

"Although the government's finances are very tight, but the situation is so severe, it is really necessary to do something." Trikupis sighed in his heart and said calmly on his face.

The current debt of the Greek government has reached 600 million drachmas. In recent years, after paying the necessary expenses and military expenses of the army, the remaining money will generally be used to repay the interest on the loan.

There is hardly any money left after this.

"Constantine, what's your opinion?" George I turned to look at Constantine and said.

"Even with the current financial difficulties of the government, since the military's situation is so severe, it really cannot sit idly by."

According to Constantine's estimates, with the development of industrial areas and the development of colonies, the financial pressure on the government should ease in the next few years.

"Speaking of smokeless gunpowder, there really is an opportunity right now. Mr. Nobel, who was previously engaged in the research and development of smokeless gunpowder and lives in France, has successfully developed a patent for smokeless gunpowder, but he is facing the dilemma of no one taking over."

"If Your Majesty is interested, you can inform the ambassador in Paris and help contact this person," Constantine said.

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