Nan Ming Sun Never Sets

Chapter 388 Export Weapons
The Dutch themselves actually guessed this situation, and they were very helpless about it.Before, they considered wooing the Manchu Qing to deal with Ming, but now Ming is the undisputed overlord of East Asia, and with the deepening of understanding, the Netherlands has a deep understanding of Ming's military strength, and understands that the weapon technology mastered by Ming is far away. than in Europe.This is also what people in Europe have been busy doing in Ming Dynasty recently, trying every means to get weapons or technology from Ming Dynasty.

Hasholt shook the wine glass in his hand, and did not agree with the danger of Dutch India or Sri Lanka.Their intelligence is not strong enough to grasp the movements of the Ming Navy, so it is useless to say it.

"Mr. Minister Tavares, I heard that Portugal is discussing with the Ming Dynasty Southern Ordnance Industry Group to purchase weapons produced by the Ming Dynasty. Is this true?"

The Portuguese envoy's expression changed slightly, and he said, "I have nothing to say about this."

Portugal is considered a second-rate country in Europe. Although it used to be a great colonial empire, it is still far behind countries like Spain and France.The key factor for Portugal to be able to play well in East Asia is that they are relatively timid and belong to Ming's European younger brother.Many businesses in Portugal were given to them by Daming, including Timor Island. In exchange, Portugal maintained the East Asian trade order established by Ming, lived on Daming's breath, handed over Macau, and often ran errands for Daming.

Therefore, Portugal is regarded as the European country with the best relationship with Ming Dynasty, and has the closest relationship.

Harvey said: "Mr. Minister, these things are not secrets. We all have reliable channels to get this information. What we want to know more is, are the weapons obtained by Portugal the current equipment of Ming Dynasty?"

The French also asked a question: "Did Ming only sell related weapons and equipment to Portugal? Does Portugal intend to sell them again?"

Tavares originally came to the salon for entertainment, but the news that he had contacted the head of the Southern Ordnance Industry Group spread like wildfire.He now suspects that the Ming people took the initiative to leak the news to diplomats from other European countries, but in fact, it was the Portuguese employed by the Portuguese embassy who actually sold the news.

Tavares really wanted to tell all the European countries that only the Portuguese could obtain Ming's equipment, so that Portugal could build a small but capable army, thereby improving its status in Europe.But Tavares asked the person in charge of the Southern Ordnance Industry, and the other party replied that Daming would issue arms export licenses to any country that had passed its own review, which meant that Daming would also export to other countries.

Tavares didn't have a lot of money, so he could only step up borrowing from Portuguese businessmen in China and notify the country to raise funds. After all, Ming's equipment was not cheap. The price of a single M1 paper-shell rifle is as high as 15 taels, while the price of the bronze smoothbore guns sold by Daming is as high as hundreds of taels.You must know that the price of a flintlock gun made by Europeans during this period was basically two or three pounds. The rifle of Ming Dynasty cost 15 taels, which is more than twice the price of a European weapon.

Tavares had no choice. He had to take this opportunity to purchase a batch of Ming's ordnance and send it back to China for related imitations.

"Gentlemen, think about it with your witty heads. Daming will not sell us the most powerful weapons. We have probably all heard of the kind of heavy machine guns that can fire dozens of bullets a minute, and Very powerful grenades, and very accurate artillery that can hit one or two thousand yards, these things are the housekeeping items of the Ming army, and the weapons that can be sold are bound to be despised by them themselves."

The Frenchman Bassogo once served in the French Army. He said: "I have seen the rifle of the Ming Army. I have to say that although it is exquisite, it is not difficult to imitate. As long as you can get a sample, I believe Skilled craftsmen in our European countries will definitely be able to make them. This is only a matter of cost. As for the powerful weapons you mentioned, it is true that no one intends to sell them, and I have doubts about whether they are even that powerful. But There is no doubt that even the rifles of the Ming army, its rate of fire and accuracy on the European battlefield are enough to trigger a military revolution."

The Dutch said, fearing that the world would not be chaotic: "Yes, gentlemen. This country has mastered amazing military technology and has a standing army of hundreds of thousands. It is terrible. They may continue to conquer westward, just like Alexander or Genghis Khan, in the end Europe, the land favored by God, will be completely trampled by these Orientals."

Harvey laughed at Hasholt and said: "The people who are at war with Ming Dynasty are the Netherlands, not other countries, and we all know that the Chinese dynasties basically did not expand outward, they are too Satisfied with their own land, it is difficult to develop outward.”

"That was a thing of the past. Look at the current Ming Dynasty. Almost all of Southeast Asia has become its colony. Its expansion speed may be the only one seen in human history." Hasholt retorted.

The scene in the salon is almost a microcosm of the national contradictions in Europe, and the conflicts and conflicts among various countries are reflected in the far east.However, although the hypocritical Europeans will talk sarcastic remarks and quarrel in the salon, they still have a certain amount of clique behind their backs.

How to face Daming and deal with the relationship with this Eastern Empire is their common topic.

They are afraid of this country, and at the same time want to get benefits from it at all costs.

Tavares and other European countries that came into contact with different military companies in the Ming Dynasty did not count Ming people. It would be almost unprofitable to produce two M15 rifles in 1 Ming Dynasty in Europe.In Daming, there are all kinds of machinery, steam power and skilled workers who have been trained. They have scientific management methods, assembly line operations, and the industrial chain established by Daming to support them. The cost of producing a rifle is very low. , even less than 1 tael.But if European workers go to produce, the cost alone may reach seventy-eight taels. Da Ming deliberately did not let the price of weapons be too high, below the cost price they calculated for European workers. Great perseverance to maintain the military industry, otherwise it will be an embarrassing situation of "buying is worse than making".

(End of this chapter)