Chapter 201 Ginseng Iron (Second update, please give me a monthly ticket!)

Yuntai Mountain is known as Lianyun Island. Yuntai Mountain was once the scenery of Lianyun. In order to build a steel plant, it used explosives to flatten a mountain with an altitude of 100 meters to be used as the foundation of a blast furnace. At this time, Lianyungang Iron and Steel Company was still under construction. The iron-making blast furnace, hot air fan, boiler and other equipment ordered from the United States are being installed. Most of the largest 1,500 cubic iron-making blast furnace in Asia has been installed at this time. The tall and majestic iron-making blast furnace is a scene in Lianyungang.

Lianyungang Iron and Steel Company is actually a large joint enterprise including iron smelting plants, steel mills, rolling mills, cast iron, machines and other factories. Standing on Yuntai Mountain, any one will be shocked by the blast furnace standing in front of them and the red brick factory buildings lined up one after another. The roar of machines and the squirting of thick smoke from the chimney covers most of the sky. The spectacular scene is even more heartbreaking.

Not far from the blast furnace is the steelmaking process area, and below the steelmaking process area is the steel-rolling process area. The largest and highest-yield steel plant in Asia is the most advanced in the world, and the production process is also the most advanced in the world. After nearly a year of day and night, the No. 1 iron-making blast furnace has been completed by 60 yuan, and the equipment installed in the steelmaking process area has been completed by 70 yuan, while the first one is completed is the steel-rolling process area. As early as last year, the steel-rolling process area began to be used to rolled steel grade construction steel produced in Hanyang. At the end of the year, the rail workshop began to produce. With the completion of the installation of the 12-foot four-roll reversible medium-thick plate rolling mill from the US Steel Company a month ago, it means that the steel-rolling process area is completed.

There is a furnace next to the No. 1 blast furnace area that is dozens of meters high. At this time, the blast furnace was spitting red flames. The blast furnace in Lianyungang Steel Company is called the "0" test blast furnace. The 500 cubic meter blast furnace of pig iron is an old blast furnace of ten years imported from the US Steel Company, but today is the first day of the blast furnace ignition.

"...The No. 1 blast furnace technology of the Parameter No. 1 reselected the No. 0 blast furnace, with a daily output of 320 tons increased to 400 tons, which may reach 420 tons. However, the exact figures will only be possible after the furnace is ironed out before the data can be obtained."

Standing in front of the iron smelting furnace and coming with Zhang Jian and others to watch the first iron smelting furnace of Lianyun in a week, Li Zicheng was still wearing a suit and holding the blast furnace drawings to listen to Paul Radford explaining to himself. Although to the outside world, "Li Zhiyuan is an iron smelting expert", only Li Zicheng himself understood that he was just an outsider.

The air in front of the blast furnace seemed a little pungent, and the one who followed Li Zicheng bent down and picked up a piece of iron ore that might have fallen when loading the material, and handed it to Li Zicheng for a treasure.

After taking the black iron ore, Li Zicheng grinned and smiled. This time he found the treasure himself.

"Mr. Li, the ore of Huoqiu iron ore is mainly magnetite ore. It is not only good for selectivity, but also belongs to a very rare low-sulfur and low-phosphorus ore. The iron ore contains 0.0 and an average sulfur content of 0.0 to 0.24 to 0.075. It can be said to be the best iron ore in the Far East. If its iron ore grade is above 50, it can be directly entered into the furnace without magnetic separation. The average iron content of 47 makes blast furnace refining only use semi-ores of semi-ores, but after magnetic separation, the phosphorus content further lowers the bottom."

Perhaps because he was afraid that Li Zicheng would forget, Sears once again emphasized the mineral quality of Huoqiu Iron Mine.

"Mr. Sears, I know that not only the mineral quality of Huoqiu Iron Ore is the best in the country, but Lieshan's coal also has few ash contents, and the contents of phosphorus and sulfur are very low. After being refined into coke, the ash content is only 11.5%, and the phosphorus can be less than 0.065%. Iron ore and coke complement each other. The pig iron refined using both is the lowest price of low phosphorus iron with the highest market price. Well, low phosphorus iron is not only high in price but also the basic raw material for special steel..."

Li Zicheng's face was almost blooming when he spoke. The Huoqiu Iron Mine and Huaibei were not the right coal mines in Lieshan. It is really a timely help. Low-phosphorus iron is the most important military steel. The best gun steel, cannon steel, armor steel, and tool steel are all made of low-phosphorus iron, especially for cannon steel. High-quality cannon steel must use low-phosphorus iron.

World War I will break out in a few months. After the war broke out, as a necessary raw material for military production, the demand for special steel will inevitably increase sharply. Not only will the price soar, but the supply will also be very tight. Now I own a million-ton steel plant and a four billion-ton high-quality iron mine.

"Mr. Chairman, the most fundamental reason why Bethlehem Steel can survive and develop under the competition and squeeze of American Steel Company is that it can provide high-quality low-phosphorus iron and high-quality gun steel. The construction of the US Navy is inseparable from Bethlehem Steel Company, which has engaged in a naval arms race in Europe, Britain and Germany. However, the naval naval forces of the two countries have always used low-phosphorus iron smelted by Swedish charcoal. Even in Asia, the Japanese Navy also uses Swedish low-phosphorus iron. As far as the profits of steel plants are concerned, perhaps Lianyungang Steel Company produces only 1.2 million tons, but it can exchange for ordinary steel by exporting high-quality low-phosphorus iron and high-quality steel. We actually have a production capacity of 2 million tons, in terms of profits."

Paul Laford said in response. At first, he did not expect that Huoqiu Iron Mine was a high-quality, low-phosphorus, low-pyrodite. Despite the average grade, he also did not expect that Lieshan coal was also low-phosphorus coal. As an iron expert, he naturally could not understand the importance of low-phosphorus iron.

"Low phosphorus iron can make various guns and cannons for steel for light and heavy weapons, including carbon steel and tough steel for warships, high-speed steel for industrial use, tool steel, spring steel, ball steel, heat-resistant steel, engine steel, etc. Anyway, this low phosphorus iron is ginseng iron..."

"Ginseng iron?"

Zhang Jian was stunned. Looking at the iron, he couldn't figure out what the iron is like and the iron in Hanyang.

Only then did Li Zicheng notice that he was a little too excited.

"Zhiweng, this ginseng iron means that the iron is of good quality, but this is just a recommendation on the laboratory test data of the Institute of Metallurgy. The final result will be after the iron of this furnace is crafted before we can know the results."

His hand pointed at the blast furnace that was spitting flames. Although this was a rude word, Li Zicheng, who was in the smoke and fire, still seemed a little nervous. This furnace of iron was not only the first iron of Lianyungang Iron and Steel Company, but also the first furnace of Huoqiu Iron Mine. Although the mining equipment of Huoqiu Iron Mine has not been completely completed, the first batch of iron ore has been mined. Forty thousand tons of iron ore are transported to Lieshan by water, and then transported from Lieshan by railway to Lianyungang.

There may be the best iron ore and the best coal mine, but this does not mean the best low-phosphorus iron. Metallurgical technology is not developed now, and the laboratory technology is also very backward. Iron and coal are not only harmful elements, but also sulfur and phosphorus. Who knows what the iron will look like after iron is produced.

With a whistle, in front of the No. 0 iron blast furnace, workers wearing wooden clogs and asbestos clothes began to prepare for the out-of-baked iron. They held iron chisels in their hands and waited for the last moment to open the furnace.

"It will be out in ten minutes."

Heinrich, who had a Prussian beard, whispered by the iron smelting expert who had been poached from the Bethlehem Steel Company. Just like most Germans, he looked serious and looked serious.

"Ten Minutes"

Nodded and Li Zicheng turned his eyes to Sears.

No one needs to know what that gaze means.

"Preliminary test results can be obtained in two hours, and accurate results will take 48 hours."

Li Zicheng didn't say anything, but looked up at the blast furnace. This was the first iron furnace in Lianyungang.

Waiting is always awkward, and after Li Zicheng, who was a little burnt, sucked two cigarettes, he heard the bronze bell ringing, "Clang, Clang, Clang..." This is the sound of the bell coming out.

The blast furnace has been molten

After the worker opened the furnace door, the moment the furnace door opened, it boiled. The temperature of the iron, which was as high as nearly two thousand ferries, shone with dazzling light and poured down from the furnace. A scorching heat wave in the sky made everyone step back involuntarily.

At this time, Li Zicheng, Zhang Jian and others took a black glass piece from the supervisor. Instead, they followed several technicians to check the molten iron. Looking at the molten iron, they looked so carefully and even a little intoxicated. The sparks splashed on the body did not attract any attention.

The rushing iron water reflected Li Zicheng's face red, and Zhang Jian's wrinkled face red.

"This is my iron, my first furnace of iron"

Li Zicheng murmured in his heart, what does this furnace of iron mean? No one knows better than him what this means. It means that in the next four years, Liuhe, Lianyungang and even the entire China will enter a truly leapfrog development with this furnace of iron. With enough steel, Liuhe can make more machines and build the railway further, but... well, many things can be done, but they all start from here.

"In every piece of steel, there is a secret of the rise and fall of a country."

When putting down the brown glass piece in his hand, Li Zicheng suddenly expressed such a sentence from the Carnegie biographer.

Before everyone could recall the words, Li Zicheng continued to say, looking at the slowly cooling but still red.

"Steel is the backbone of industry and also the backbone of a country. Steel is a country. Without steel, there is no strong country. From today on, China has begun..."

"Don't forget that there is Han Yeping..."

Looking at the bright red iron, Zhang Jian said something at the right time. When he heard him mention Han Yeping, Li Zicheng smiled slightly, and then looked back at Zhang Jizhi.

"Hanyeping, indeed, there is such a steel mill. When I invested in Hanyeping last year, I increased my investment of 6 million yuan in Daye Mine. I don't ask how Sheng Xuanhuai expanded the iron plant, but from next year, one million tons of iron ore every year must be guaranteed."

It is not just Daye Iron Mine. At the end of last year, when the mine inspection report of Huoqiu Iron Mine came out, I began to choose two iron ores in Ma'anshan and Lujiang as supplements to the Lianyungang Iron and Steel Plant. It is a waste to use low phosphorus iron, which has high value-added high-quality iron, is used to smel ordinary steel.

"The annual mining capacity of three million tons of ore in Huoqiu Mine is enough to meet the needs of low-phosphorus iron and special steel. Therefore, the equipment of the third phase project has been re-transported to Ma'anshan. By the fourth year of the Republic of China and the first and second phases of the project will be completed, Ma'anshan can provide 6 million tons of iron ore a year. In addition, the ore provided by Daye Iron Mine can meet the planned blast furnace demand of No. 2, 3 and 4. By the sixth year of the Republic of China, No. 4 blast furnace will be put into production, Lianyungang Iron and Steel Company will be able to produce 4.5 million tons of steel, 100 iron, 150 steel, and 200 steel in a year. If this goal is achieved, it can be said... "

Before Li Zicheng could finish his words, Zhang Jian next to him said something full of longing.

"It can be said that China has achieved the first step to becoming a strong country."

Nodding his head gently, Li Zicheng didn't say anything, but Mu Xiangyue thought about it for a while, but said something.

"The Sixth World's Steel Power"

"Okay, what a world's sixth iron power, Zhiyuan, you guys..."

Zhang Jian, who had finally turned his eyes from the steel, turned around and smiled at Li Zicheng, but said nothing.

"However, Zhiyuan, it will be transported 7 million tons of iron ore a year. This is a problem. We ordered 850,000 tons of cargo ships from the United States, Japan, and Italy. However, this is a sea route, and it will squeeze out the berth and terminal transfer capacity of Lianyungang. At that time, it will probably affect the company's cargo transportation..."

When Mu Xiangyue mentioned the transportation capacity, Zhang Jian was also stunned. The transportation capacity was 7 million tons a year, which was a bit too large. Just when Zhang Jian was cheating on this transportation capacity, Li Zicheng looked at him with a smile, and then he just smiled without saying a word. Zhang Jian looked at his smile and was confused at first, but after seeing it for a long time, he came back to his senses and said.

"Zhiyuan, you guys, don't you want to hit Lao Zhang, what's my idea?"

While he was confused, Zhang Jian waved his hand again, saying that he couldn't help with this matter.

"Zhiyuan, if you want cotton cloth and cotton yarn, Lao Zhang, I have more, but this matter..."

"Zhi Weng, you really have to lead the president of Huai Bureau to come forward, otherwise it would be impossible to change someone."

Seeing Li Zicheng mentioning the president of the Huai River Guide Bureau, Zhang Jian was stunned. Why did it have anything to do with this? Last year, he called on the government to establish the Huai River Guide Bureau, and he would serve as the president. In the past year, he has continuously used his personal social reputation to propose Huai River Guide Bureau many times, calling on the government to allocate funds to guide the Huai River, and established the Jianghuai Water Conservancy Survey Bureau to actually measure the real high water system of the Huai River in Jiangsu, Anhui and other provinces, as well as the water level, flow, etc. to prepare for the Huai River guide.

But what does this Huaihei Bureau have to do with the transportation capacity of Lianyungang? Zhang Jian's surprise was expected by Li Zicheng.

"Grand Canal of Beijing and Hangzhou"

Chapter 202 The Heart of Two (please give me a monthly vote!)

"Grand Canal of Beijing and Hangzhou"

When he spit out these five words, Li Zicheng smiled and looked at Zhang Jizhi, who was standing on the other side full of surprise.

In fact, after choosing Ma'anshan Iron Mine from the beginning, Lujiang Iron Mine was the main source of the Lianyungang Iron and Steel Company, I began to think about how to solve the transportation problem of millions of tons of iron ore a year. Now the railway transportation capacity is limited, and the transshipment capacity of the terminal is also very limited. Unless you specially build a transportation terminal for the steel plant, these 7 million tons of iron ore will occupy most of the unloading capacity of Lianyungang Wharf.

Even with the increase in production capacity of Lianyungang Steel Company, the transportation of the Lieshan to Lianyungang railway will be restricted. The transportation of almost 6 million tons of coal per year will occupy railway transportation capacity. There are many such problems. Even the freshwater of Lianyungang may become a big problem in the future.

However, the Grand Canal of Beijing and Hangzhou is the fundamental solution to this series of problems.

"Zhiyuan, what you mean is to let iron ore go through the Grand Canal waterway, not the seaway, and then go from Xuzhou..."

After saying halfway, Zhang Jian opened his mouth halfway and stopped talking. He understood what Li Zicheng meant.

"Zhiweng, since the Sui Dynasty, the Jinghang Canal has been a major canal transport route in all dynasties, and has played a major role in economic and cultural exchanges between the north and the south. Since half a century ago, the opening of the national gates and sea transportation rose, and recently, with the opening of the Jinpu Railway, the role of the Jinghang Canal has gradually decreased. Now only some small wooden sailboats are sailing in the canal. It can be said that the Jinghang Canal has now fallen into a depression, which will inevitably lead to its abandonment. However, this Grand Canal is a great wealth left to us by our ancestors. If used properly, it is the golden waterway that is not inferior to the Yangtze River."

No one knows the value of the Grand Canal in later generations better than Li Zicheng. What flows through convenient water transportation is wealth. For inland areas, whether it is a road or a railway, it is far less convenient than waterways. In China a hundred years later, the Grand Canal in China is the second only to the Yangtze River in China. Although it is restricted by the narrow locks and the landing of ports, its capacity still reaches hundreds of millions of tons.

In this era, if the Grand Canal is used properly, in terms of the northern section of Jiangsu, it is far from comparable to one or several railways. It is not only its transportation potential of nearly 200 million tons per year, but most importantly its cheap transportation costs and almost no technical requirements for sailing.

"But this Beijing-Hangzhou University has nothing to do with the Huaihei Bureau..."

After Zhang Jian said this, Li Zicheng laughed loudly.

"Zhi Weng, what if he uses luck to support Huai?"

Almost as soon as he entered the office, Zhang Jian asked Li Zicheng anxiously.

"Come on, Zhiyuan, hurry up, tell me your plan."

No wonder Zhang Jian was so anxious. For him, who was located on the north bank of the Yangtze River Delta, the silted plain in the north of the Yangtze River Delta, the North Lian Jianghuai silted plains were long-standingly affected by floods, seawater backflow and typhoons. The ideal of controlling the Huai River and controlling the river took root in his heart since he was a child. At the age of 35, he went to the prime minister of Kaifeng Sun Yunjin, and happened to break the Yellow River breaking the dike in Zhengzhou and rushed into the Huai River. Later, after the Yellow River moved north, the Huai River water system was destroyed, the sea channel was blocked, and the rise of the Yellow River block blocked the main stream of the Huai River and the tributaries of the Yishu Si River, which also made the entry into the river difficult. Whenever in summer and autumn, the tailbone of the Huai River flowed across endless suffering, giving the people downstream endless suffering. Faced with such a severe reality, it was particularly urgent to open up the Huai River into the sea waterway.

It was from then on that time that he first published the "Agreement on the Draining of Huai River into the Sea". Then he wrote the "A Memorial on the Control of Huai River". The Jiangsu Provincial Advisory Bureau was established in the late Qing Dynasty, and Zhang Jian was elected as the Speaker. The first proposal passed by the Advisory Bureau was the proposal of Huai River governor proposed by Zhang Jian and others. The Jianghuai Water Conservancy Company was established under the Advisory Bureau and submitted the proposal to the Governor of Liangjiang Zhang Renjun. However, the governor did not agree with the guidance of Huai River. He did not live on both sides of the Huai River and did not experience the troubles of Huai River.

Last year, the Yuan Shikai government established the National Water Conservancy Bureau in Peking, and he served as the president, in charge of national water conservancy construction. Soon he issued the "Declaration on the Huai River Guide Plan", "Overview of the Huai River Control Plan", etc. Guiding and controlling the Huai River can be said to be Zhang Jian's dream, but whether it is a dream or a wish, the most important thing in controlling the Huai River is money. If you don't have money, you can't do anything. Before coming to Lianyungang, Zhang Jian was discussing project loans with the US Ambassador to China Rui Enshi.

"........ People living in the Huaihe River are more than 80 million. If the dredging is successful, the people's livelihood problem can be solved; since history, many disputes have been caused by the uneasy and peaceful people in the Huaihe River Basin..."

Pointing to the map, Li Zicheng drew a large circle along the middle and lower reaches of the Huai River, including the entire northern Anhui, southern Henan, northern Jiangsu and even some parts of Shandong.

"Let me say that, the emperor comes from the Huaihe River Basin. If you do not control water seriously, it will be either drought or flood every year, and no regime can be consolidated. Therefore, if China wants to be stable, it must control Huaihe. It can be said that controlling Huaihe is more important than controlling Huang. To control Huang, build a dam to ensure that the Yellow River does not break the dam. Even if it becomes more than half, the Huaihe River is different. If the Huaihe River does not enter the sea, tens of millions of people will have to flee to famine every year. This is a mess, so it is particularly urgent to open the Huaihe River to the sea waterway. It is urgent to control the Huaihe River."

At this time, Zhang Jian kept nodding. Li Zicheng's words were about to him. If the Huaihe River cannot be cured well, there will definitely be a big trouble. When he said these words, Li Zicheng felt somewhat selfish. After all, he grew up drinking the water of the Huaihe River.

"The easiest and most effective way to manage the Huai River is to lead the Huai River into the sea. As long as the Huai River enters the sea, not to mention the full amount of the sea, 70% of the Huai River can be restored to the time when it was not as good as the fish and rice town on both sides of the Huai River. Everyone knows this principle."

All understand

When nodding, Zhang Jian showed some bitterness on his face. Everyone understood this truth. The truth was very simple, just to find a way out for the flood in the Huaihe River. Even if it was a hundred years ago, people understood this truth, but the problem...
To be continued...