Chapter 379: The creation of the first land mine
Chapter 379: The creation of the first land mine
Einar, who was in his laboratory, drank some herbal liquor while working on a mechanism to create a simple mine.
To begin, he created a wooden base in which he installed a simple button which, once pressed, could work a mechanism.
Because of the dangerous nature of mercury fulminate, he only started testing it using small glass jars of water.
The system was too simple; it was placed on the ground and when the enemy pressed the button on the piece of wood, the vial with mercury fulminate would start to create a reaction that would make it explode.
Because the dynamite would be for crossbow and ballista ammunition, the mercury fulminate could only be used as an explosive.
Although it was not very powerful for the amount that each mine would have, it could create an explosion powerful enough to blow up a foot.
What would make you lose the attack power of the enemies because if something was proven in the wars, it is that it is better to hurt the enemy than to kill him.
Because when he is injured, he requires personnel to take care of him, so the pressure at the front would be less.
Einar, seeing that his small wood mine was made, decided to test it for it. He went to the firing range of the army barracks.
Once he arrived, he armed the landmine with almost 400 grams of mercury fulminate to be able to make a devastating enough explosion.
To test the mine, Einar used one of the many prisoners on the island. The slave was made to walk to the mine.
How the slave knew nothing about the danger of the mine walked slowly until he stepped on the wooden button.
At that moment, the mercury fulminate exploded so the slave’s foot was destroyed.
The slave began to scream on the ground while holding his leg, so Einar decided to end his life.
Using his revolver, he shot him in the head, ending his life, so he ordered a soldier to take him to the hospital.
Because his body would serve to train the nurses and doctors who were receiving training from Kassia.
Einar then took the plans and first went to the glass factory, where he gave directions to all the workers so that they could create the glass jars for the mines.
Later, he began to walk towards the city, where he could see all the citizens working on different projects.
Some brought wood to the workshops, others brought steel to the blacksmiths in horse-drawn carriages so that they would begin to create weapons.
There were even children who were writing down all the information that corresponded to them, although it could be hard they could sit down and have rest time.
Although Einar did not like the idea of using children, he had no choice, as there were not enough trained personnel to fill his positions.
But Einar promised himself that he would do everything possible to take care of them during the war, as they would not be fighting on the front lines.
Upon reaching Seren’s workshop, Einar opened the workshop door and could see Seren working with her husband on a kind of hollow arrow.
When Seren looked at Einar, she knew he would have brought her something related to the new weapons Einar was developing.
Einar smiled at Seren and greeted the couple before laying down the model of the landmine and the blueprints for making it.
“This weapon will be our most valuable helper to be able to hurt our enemies and create fear in their ranks.
It is a land mine; I want a specialized factory to be made to be able to manufacture this mine; it does not have to be perfect, but it has to be well built.
How is the construction of the extensions to the acid factories and the construction of the mercury fulminate factory? “
Seren looked seriously at Einar and took a notebook, which she opened. “The extensions will be ready in a week. The workers are working using the shift system.
As far as they are finished on time, the mercury fulminate factory will be ready in just two weeks.
When the construction is finished, we hope to manufacture 5 tons of mercury fulminate per day.
As we increase mercury production, that number may be higher.
Also, the emergency planting of beets began, with all the nutrients and following your numbers in 30 days, they will be ready to be harvested and made sugar.
Enough time for the glycerin factory to be ready, as is the nitroglycerin factory on the top of the mountain where the imperial palace is.
Following your construction orders to use cement and metal rebar, we hope to finish within 30 days.
Do you have any other orders to do or something to check? “
Einar just sighed and shook his head. “Not at the moment, just try to increase the production of explosive crossbow bolts as well as explosive ballista ammunition.
We have to have at least a few hundred thousand ammunition to be able to fight the invaders with all our strength.
Although now that I think about it, how is the adaptation of the boats going? “
Seren moved some pages and looked at the data in his notebook. “Of the 365 ships that we have, 60 cannot be used because they are to transport goods between the island and the colony in Greenland.
Of the rest, only 50 are fully armed and with Nordic fire launchers.
We also have the positions on those ships covered with experienced sailors.
But of the other 255, there is still a lot to do and what to train. We hope they are ready before the enemy invasion arrives. “
Einar nodded and stroked his mustache. “We have to be very careful because those ships will be our most powerful line of defense. With them, we can destroy at least more than half of the enemy fleet.
If we can kill 3,000 or 4,000 ships, we will make history and reduce the size of the enemies.
I want them to give priority to that. For my part, I will start to develop the marine iron mine.
If I can do it before the end of this month, we will have extra insurance against enemies, but that will depend on the solution to the problems posed by the design. “