My life skills in Daming Liver

Chapter 151 Mathematics, mechanics and navigation

As the ship gradually entered the open sea, the wind and waves became stronger day by day, and the ship gradually became bumpy.

Su Ze stopped vomiting completely. He stood on the deck to measure the wind direction for a while, and the hydrological indicators for half the time, writing and drawing in the logbook with a reed pen.

When the hydrological situation was almost recorded and the sky was almost dark, Su Ze started to play with the telescope and looked at the stars again.

Lin Mojun watched Su Ze record something while looking at the stars, and asked curiously:

"Mr. Su, what are you doing?"

Su Ze fiddled with the compass and said, "I'm trying to calculate the latitude and longitude."

Lin Mojun asked suspiciously, "Latitude and longitude?"

Su Ze recorded the data he had measured, and said to Lin Mojun, "Baihu, how do you determine your position and find the way back when you are at sea?"

Lin Mojun said: "Record the speed and direction of the voyage, and then use the islands on the sea and the foreign objects on the coast as the ruler, and you can return naturally."

Sure enough, these days, whether in the East or the West, navigation is a matter of experience and metaphysics.

The method used by Lin Mojun is actually the "range and side position method" in the naval drills of the Ming Dynasty.

The method is also very simple, which is to roughly estimate the position of the sailing ship by determining the speed of the ship and the direction of the ship.

The method of navigation is also very simple, that is to rely on the landmarks on the shore and the islands on the sea.

Su Ze has also seen Changningwei's sea chart, which was drawn by Bai Hu of the previous generation. The positioning marks on the sea chart are written in a thick book. Lin Mojun was asked by his father to recite this sea chart since he was a child.

In fact, the western charts are not very good these days. Su Ze has seen Captain Alfonso's charts. It seems that the western charts are more refined. In fact, the principle of drawing is the same as that of Lin's charts. Estimate the position based on the sailing distance. In fact, the novice captain has no way to sail according to the chart.

This is why an experienced captain is so rare, because the navigation methods of many routes are in the minds of these captains, and they are not on the map at all.

It can be said that there is not much difference between the East and the West in the nautical surveying and mapping technology of this era.

What really widened the gap between the East and the West was the development of Western mathematics, astronomy and watchmaking after the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

A dark cloud blocked the sky, Su Ze put down the telescope and said:

"Baihu, did I tell you about the earth we are on?"

Lin Mojun nodded. Growing up by the sea, she also wondered what the whole ocean looked like, until one time Lin Mojun heard Su Ze give a lecture to Lin Liangjun and the others, saying that the whole world is a ball when the sky is round. .

Although it sounds absurd, Lin Mojun, who has been sailing at sea for a long time, consciously thinks that Su Ze is right.

Some time ago, Su Ze was preparing to open a sailing school. Lin Mojun also communicated with Captain Alfonso. After reading Captain Alfonso's world chart, he realized for the first time that the whole world is so huge.

Su Ze continued: "The world is vast. If you are sailing in the ocean, it is difficult to determine the position in the long-distance voyage by relying only on the distance and lateral method. If you want to sail in the ocean, you must have more accurate charts, and you can A method of determining the position of a ship on the ocean."

Lin Mojun nodded, and with her sailing experience, she quickly understood what Su Ze meant.

As a captain, she certainly understands the importance of charts in sailing.

Some Fujian maritime merchants offer high price rewards for sea charts. It is said that a sea chart that can reach Nanyang is worth a thousand gold.

Lin Mojun has her family's sea charts, but she thinks of her own sea charts and Captain Alfonso's exquisite world map.

Lin Mojun said worriedly again: "I heard from Captain Alfonso that Franchi where he is located is just a tiny country, but they are able to sail thousands of miles to come to my Daming. Doesn't it mean that these Xiyi people have already mastered it?" The secret to ocean voyage?"

Su Ze shook his head and said: "Back then, Zheng He, the great eunuch in Chengzu's year, was also able to sail to the Western Seas. In fact, Zheng Gong's method of sailing to the Southern Seas is the same as the way Western Yi came to Daming today. He traveled along the coastline, not a real ocean voyage. "

The current Eastern route is to bypass Africa, and then sail eastward along the ports in the Indian Ocean, sailing along the coastline the entire way.

In fact, Western countries in this era only mastered the method of measuring latitude, and the real solution to the problem of measuring longitude would have to wait until the eighteenth century.

Lin Mojun felt a little more at ease when she heard that Xiyi hadn't solved the problem.

Communicating with Captain Alfonso these days, Lin Mojun also felt a deep sense of worry.

Now that the Western Yi countries have entered the era of frantic exploration of the ocean, she heard that the Kingdom of Spain has a fleet composed of hundreds of sea ships, and the shock in her heart can be imagined.

It's just a group of Japanese pirates that have already made the southeast sea of ​​Daming restless. What if the Xiyi fleet comes to Ming?

For the first time, Lin Mojun had doubts about Daming being the center of the world.

I also heard that the main ships of Xiyi are now equipped with a large number of artillery. Reminiscent of King Lu's artillery tactics in attacking the Southeast Sea Guard, Lin Mojun once again felt the gap in technology.

Su Ze mentioned Yuanhang's positioning and chart technology again, and Lin Mojun asked, "Does Mr. Su have a solution to this problem?"

At this time, the dark clouds in the sky cleared, and Su Ze pointed to the Big Dipper in the sky and said; "I told Lin Liangjun how to measure the acres of fields. In fact, it can also be placed on the whole earth. Taking the rotation of the earth as the axis, divide the spherical surface into If you want to determine the position of the ship on the earth, you only need to know the two data of longitude and latitude."

"And to survey and draw accurate sea charts, you only need to survey and map the accuracy and latitude of the port."

Lin Mojun was almost dizzy, but the concept of latitude and longitude is not difficult to understand, so she reluctantly nodded.

At this time, the dark clouds cleared, and Su Ze pointed to the Big Dipper in the sky and said: "Latitude is not difficult to measure. The position of the Big Dipper relative to the earth is constant. As long as the angle of the Big Dipper is measured, the latitude can be determined."

Lin Mojun looked at the Big Dipper, and the Big Dipper was also used by Daming's Triton to determine the orientation. Although she didn't know the elevation angle, Lin Mojun still understood the saying that the Dipper was constant.

"What about the longitude?"

Su Ze said, "I have two methods."

Lin Mojun was stunned for a moment. She had heard Captain Alfonso said that the royal family of Franchi once issued gold as high as a human to offer rewards for longitude in the ocean. Su Ze actually said two ways at once. method?

Su Ze said: "One is the sky clock method, and the other is the clock method."

"Actually, there are two methods. In the end, it is actually one method. To determine the location, you must first determine the time. Do you know the time difference?"

Lin Mojun shook her head.

Su Ze said: "The sky is round, the sun, the moon, and the stars rise, in fact, they originate from the rotation of the earth."

Su Ze popularized astronomy knowledge to Lin Mojun. After explaining the time difference, Su Ze said:

"Actually, the problem of longitude is a matter of time. For example, I use the time of Changningwei as the standard time. If I sail to Nanyang and know the time difference between Nanyang and Changningwei's standard time, I can know the longitude."

Lin Mojun had completely burned out the CPU, and she couldn't keep up with Su Ze's train of thought.

Su Ze did not intend to discuss this astronomy and mathematics problem in detail, but simply said:

"My two methods, one is the celestial clock method, which is to use the movement of celestial bodies as the clock, and determine the time difference through the position of the stars."

"One is the clock method, which is to make an accurate clock when sailing to the sea, and then determine the time difference according to the time in the middle of the day after sailing to a place."

On the timeline before Su Ze crossed, there was a fierce competition between the sky clock method and the clock method, and it was not until the modern accurate navigation clock appeared that the winner was finally decided.

The sky clock method requires the captain to have superb astronomy and mathematics ability in order to accurately measure the longitude.

The clock method, because of its high cost, discouraged ordinary captains. It was not until the development of clock technology in the 19th century that the price of nautical clocks came down and could be used on ordinary merchant ships.

After talking about this, Su Ze found that Lin Mojun had completely fainted.

Su Ze sighed. From the measurement of latitude and longitude, it can be seen that the backwardness of modern Eastern and Western technology is not the backwardness of a certain craft or weapon.

In fact, in the late Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty was able to manufacture red cannons by itself, and the quality of cannons cast in some places was no worse than imported ones.

The fleet of the late Ming Dynasty was also able to trade in the Indian Ocean, and it seems that it is not far behind.

But in fact the biggest lag is in scientific thinking and quantitative analysis.

It was true that artillery could be cast in the late Ming Dynasty, but the generals of the Ming Dynasty at that time praised the "double filling method", believing that the more gunpowder filled, the more powerful it would be.

But in fact, there is a mathematical relationship between the amount of gunpowder loaded and the length and width of the barrel. It does not mean that more gunpowder is loaded with greater power.

The development of artillery science in the West has begun to study the proportional relationship between the diameter of the gun body and the length of the barrel, and how to make a more powerful and longer range artillery from the principle.

The backwardness of modern times is not the lack of certain weapons, the lack of certain factories, these technical things.

The Ming Dynasty did not lack captains capable of long voyages, but lacked astronomers like Galileo and Maskelyne, and watchmakers like Harrison.

The development of real nautical technology is not only the development of shipbuilding, but also the technology of astronomy, mathematics, physics, engineering, surveying, cartography and other disciplines.

A captain who has been trained by word of mouth and relying on various experiences and secrets is not as good as a group of captains who can systematically train and master professional skills.

Similarly, a cannon-casting craftsman who can manufacture an excellent cannon is not as good as a cannon-casting workshop that can standardize the production of cannons.

The crescent moon was curved, and Su Ze looked at Dou Xing in the distance. In this era, whether it is liberal arts or science, there is not much difference between Daming and the West.

But the enlightenment of thought and technological explosion in the next two hundred years were completely missed by the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Temporarily suppress these thoughts, let's deal with the Japanese pirates in front of us.

Nothing to say all night.

A day later, Su Ze secretly took a telescope and saw a small island in the distance.

The small island was in the shape of a crescent moon. Su Ze handed the telescope to Lin Mojun, and she quickly determined that it was Dong'ao Island.

"This is Dong'ao Island. When I was a child, I went to this island with my father. At that time, my father said that as long as two hundred people are stationed on Dong'ao Island and a tower is built, the Japanese pirates can be kept out of the sea. It's a pity that my father wrote a letter." At that time, the Haidao Yamen did not respond to the Shangguan."

Su Ze observed Dongao Island with a telescope, and it turned out that this island is a very good natural port.

There are mountains from both ends of the crescent to the back of the crescent, and reefs can be seen around, which means that it is impossible to land from other places on the island, and only need to defend the port to ensure the safety of the island.

It can be seen that the sea water near the beach is obviously lighter, which shows that Crescent Bay is a lagoon.

The lagoon is much smaller than the wind and waves of ordinary seaports, and it is a natural and good port.

There is also a mountain spring left on the mountain, and Su Ze even saw some vegetable fields on the island. The dense forests indicate that the soil of this island is fertile, and it can be used as a military station to support soldiers.

Su Ze is almost drooling, such an island is simply too perfect!

Through the binoculars, Su Ze saw King Lu's ship docked in the port.

There are also various types of Japanese pirate ships. Su Ze saw the Guangchuan, Fuchuan, and sand boats of the Ming Dynasty, as well as some flat-bottomed fishing boats. Su Ze even saw a huge "centipede boat".

After Lin Mojun saw the centipede ship, she immediately said, "This is the flagship of the King Lu, the centipede ship!"

Su Ze didn't expect to see such a galley in East Asia.

A galley, in addition to using sail power, also relies on manpower to row the oars to drive the ship.

Because the long paddles on both sides look like centipedes, they are also called centipede boats.

There have been galleys in China for a long time, but they are generally small boats sailing on inland rivers.

The style of this boat is obviously not Chinese. As expected, Lin Mojun said: "I heard that this boat was built by a shipbuilder from Xiyi. There are sixteen pairs of oars on each side, and the oars were all plundered by King Lu. slave."

"I heard that the King Deer plundered the village, all the women were raped and humiliated by his subordinates, all the old people and children were killed, and the youngest and strongest were caught and fucked on the Centipede."

"It is said that King Lu promised that as long as he fucks for thirty days, he will be free, but very few people can survive thirty days, and even those who survive are basically useless."

"Why?"

"These oarsmen are all tied up in the oars cabin by iron chains and ropes. They are not allowed to leave even if they eat, drink, or scatter. The oars cabin can only accommodate one person. It is torture to stay in the sweltering heat in summer."

"It takes a lot of strength to paddle such a boat. It is said that there are Japanese supervisors on the boat. If they do not paddle well, they will be killed and replaced with new slaves from the bottom warehouse."

Su Ze clenched his fists and said, "This beast!"

Near the edge of the lagoon, the Crookedfoot fleet stopped, and two flat-bottomed Japanese pirate fishing boats approached the fleet.

And Su Ze observed the pier with a telescope, and he saw the warehouse where gunpowder was piled up.

Third watch, ask for a ticket

This paragraph has to be written, about the navigation technology route

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