Inspection of the Shipyard

Translator: Cinder Translations

...

After the public trial, Paul Gleeman did not immediately return to Alden Town. There were many matters that needed to be settled, so he decided to stay in Frand Port for a few more days.

For instance, on the administrative front, the former mayor was clearly unable to continue in his position due to health reasons.

According to tradition, local dignitaries should be convened again to elect a new mayor from among themselves. This was a common practice in the northern territories, where lords were often willing to delegate some of their perceived minor powers to the locals as long as they could collect sufficient taxes and conscript enough labor and military personnel. Conversely, when something went wrong locally, they could use this as an excuse to evade their responsibilities and obligations.

However, Paul did not intend to continue this tradition. He wanted to appoint candidates himself, firmly holding the power of appointment and dismissal of various officials within his domain. Only then could his will be effectively implemented, paving the way for the anticipated series of reforms.

Of course, given the former mayor's extensive experience, Paul still retained him as an advisor, with his salary paid from the Lord's Manor's financial expenses.

So he wrote to Steward Ford, instructing him to immediately send two experienced and trustworthy individuals to Frand Port to serve as mayor and deputy mayor.

To his surprise and delight, Frand Port had a small shipyard, which happened to be owned by his own family. Upon learning of the existence of this shipyard, he led a group of officers including Schroder and Bryce to visit.

After the public trial, the shipyard resumed operations. Paul and the others stood near the docks, observing the craftsmen busy at work. The head of the shipyard, with great care, accompanied these dignitaries.

"Do we only build this type of ship here?" Paul asked with a furrowed brow. To him, the ships in the dockyards resembled medieval Norse longships on Earth—single-masted, with a main square sail, and using square rigging where wind power was supplemented by rowers.

The shipyard head, Rubin, answered respectfully, "Yes, my lord. Currently, our shipyard only builds this type of ship."

Young Count Paul seemed somewhat dissatisfied.

Indeed, Paul was not pleased. In his mind, even if they couldn't currently build steam-powered ironclads, they should at least be capable of constructing sailing battleships like the HMS Victory of the British Royal Navy. To him, these single-masted oar-sailed ships seemed like toys.

TL Note: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Victory

Shaking his head, he said, "This won't do! The navy we're planning cannot sail to battle aboard such ships."

The bewildered officers around him asked, "My lord, aren't ships supposed to look like this?"

"We need larger hulls, more sails on our warships, greater endurance, capable of crossing oceans, not needing to return to port for resupply in less than a week."

Turning to Rubin, the shipyard head, he asked, "Does everyone in the world use similar ships?"

Rubin thought for a moment before replying, "I dare not speak for the entire world, but as far as I know, in most places I'm familiar with, the basic structure is similar. There may be variations in details, but fundamentally, they are alike. Some larger ships may have two or three masts."

"Do they all use these hard sails?" Paul inquired further.

"There are also those who use soft sails, such as in the Angle Bay where it's quite popular."

"What are the advantages and disadvantages of these two types of sails?"

"Generally speaking, hard sails require fewer crew members to operate, can sail well against variable winds and through complex seas, but they are less efficient with favorable winds, resulting in slower speeds and not suitable for long-distance voyages. Soft sails are lighter, allowing for taller masts which increase sail area, suitable for long-distance voyages, but they are more complex to operate and stow, both cumbersome and hazardous, requiring higher skill from sailors."

Rubin paused briefly before continuing, "In our Northern coast region, maritime transportation isn't very frequent, and ships generally sail along the coastline, able to replenish supplies at any time, so convenient hard sails are popular here. In the southern countries like the Angle Bay Alliance, their maritime trade is more developed, and shipbuilding technology is more advanced than ours, hence the widespread use of soft sails and larger ship hulls."

"The Angle Bay Alliance... I see." Paul recalled the unfortunate young nobleman who had been captured by pirates. Wasn't he a member of the Angle Bay Alliance?

Rubin suddenly remembered something and apologized, "My lord, please wait a moment." He hurried back to his office and returned swiftly, clutching a thick tome under his arm.

He handed the book over, saying, "This is a compilation of various types of ships that I've been gathering since I started in this field. Since the Earl is so interested in ships, perhaps you'll find it enlightening."

Paul took it and flipped through several pages. The book was richly illustrated, documenting every type of ship the shipyard head had encountered, with detailed information including carrying capacity, draft depth, crew size and composition, range, and materials used.

"Remarkable!" Paul sincerely exclaimed. Rubin truly was a talented individual.

Praised by the lord, Rubin felt a bit shy. "Hehe, my lord, you're too kind."

Paul immediately announced a reward of ten silver coins for him. Rubin could hardly believe his ears; his minor hobby had unexpectedly brought him a small fortune.

"How large is the largest ship you've built here?"

"The largest was nearly 30 meters in length, with a carrying capacity of 70 tons."

"How long does it take to build a ship?"

"The construction period varies depending on the type of ship. For small ships, assuming main materials are readily available, they can be completed within a month with rushed work. For larger ships, if urgently needed, it might take about a quarter, but for those sturdy and durable large ships that have stringent quality requirements, after the keel and ribs are constructed, they need to air-dry naturally on the slipway for a year before continuing with internal and external fittings. Subsequent construction progresses slowly and methodically, requiring a longer time."

"How many years have you worked at this shipyard?"

"I've been helping out here since I was a child, under my father's guidance. It's been nearly 20 years now."

"I suppose this place gets 'visited' by pirates quite often. Do they give you any trouble?"

"Pirates also need shipbuilding and repair services. They haven't really caused us trouble, and sometimes they even pay some money. After all, they still need to purchase shipbuilding materials, tools, and so on. Sometimes they bring ready-made goods, as for how they acquire them, you understand."

...

Watching Paul and Rubin's interaction, the onlookers murmured to themselves, "It looks like the Count is determined to develop the navy. Rubin is probably going to be heavily relied upon."

After touring the shipyard, Paul bid farewell to Rubin, preparing to lead everyone back to the temporary residence at the central church in town. Before leaving, he patted Rubin on the shoulder, encouraging him, "Keep up the good work. This shipyard will be of great use to me."

While the gesture of a teenager patting a middle-aged man might seem somewhat comical to others, it still moved the shipyard manager to tears, as he swore solemnly to live up to the Count's expectations.

Finally, Paul instructed Rubin to measure the size of the ship by displacement after it was launched. He preferred using displacement as a concept, but how to calculate it would be up to the shipyard manager himself.

(End of Chapter)