Chapter 37: Inspecting the Shipyard

Chapter 37: Inspecting the Shipyard

TL: Etude

After the public trial, Paul Grayman did not immediately return to Lakeheart Town. There were still many matters to settle, so he decided to stay a few more days in Port Fran.

For instance, in administrative matters, the old mayor, due to health reasons, clearly couldnt continue in his position.Read latest chapters at novelhall.com Only

Traditionally, it was customary to gather locally respected individuals to elect a new mayor from among the locals, a common practice in the northern territories. The lords were quite content to delegate such minor powers to the locals, as long as they could collect sufficient taxes and conscript enough labor and military service.

Conversely, this also allowed them to shirk some of their responsibilities and obligations when local issues arose.

However, Paul did not plan to continue this tradition. He wanted to appoint his own candidates. The power to appoint and dismiss officials within his domain had to be firmly in his hands. Only then could his will be effectively implemented, paving the way for a series of planned reforms.

Of course, considering the old mayors wealth of experience, Paul still offered him an advisory role, with a salary paid by him, accounted for in the lords estates financial expenses.

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

To his pleasant surprise, Port Fran actually had a small shipyard, and it was even a property of his family. Upon learning of the shipyards existence, he, along with officers like Schroeder and Bryce, promptly came to visit.

After the public trial, the shipyard resumed operations. Paul and his party stood near the docks, watching the craftsmen busily at work, while the person in charge of the shipyard cautiously accompanied these influential figures.

Do we only build this type of ship here? Paul asked, frowning. To him, the ships at the docks and drydock seemed similar to the Nordic Viking longships of Earths medieval period, with a single mast, a main lateral sail, and also a hard sail, with wind serving only as auxiliary power, and most of the propulsion coming from oarsmen on the ship.

Yes, my lord, currently we only build this type of ship here, replied the shipyard manager, Rubin, respectfully.

It seemed the young count was not quite satisfied.

Indeed, Paul was not very satisfied. In his view, even if they couldnt build steam-powered ironclads right now, they should at least be able to build sail warships like the HMS Victory of the British Royal Navy instead of these single-masted oar-and-sail ships that seemed like toys to him.

Rubin, flattered by the lords praise, bashfully responded, Oh, my lord is too kind.

Paul immediately rewarded him with ten silver coins, leaving Rubin almost in disbelief at his good fortune for what was merely a hobby.

Whats the largest ship youve ever built here?

The largest was nearly 30 meters long with a load capacity of 70 tons.

How long does it take to build a ship?

It varies. Assuming we have the primary materials readily available, small ships can be completed within a month if rushed. Large ships, if urgently needed, can be done within a quarter, but if its a large ship where quality and durability are paramount, the keel and ribs need to be laid out and left to naturally dry on the dock for a year before continuing with the internal and external setup of the ship. The subsequent construction also has to be methodically slow, which takes a much longer time.

How long have you been working at this shipyard?

Ive been helping out here since I was a child, following in my fathers footsteps, for nearly 20 years now.

This place must have been frequently visited by pirates, right? Have they ever troubled you?

Pirates also need to build and repair ships. They havent troubled us much, and they even pay some money, since they still need to buy materials and tools for shipbuilding. Sometimes they even bring the materials themselves, though we know better than to ask where they come from.

Everyone observed the exchange between Paul and Rubin, thinking, It seems the count is determined to develop the navy, and Rubin is likely to be heavily relied upon.

After inspecting the shipyard, Paul bid farewell to Rubin, preparing to lead his men back to their temporary base at the town centers church. Before leaving, he patted Rubin on the shoulder, encouraging him, Keep up the good work, this shipyard will be of great use to me.

Although a half-grown boy patting a middle-aged man on the shoulder might have seemed amusing to others, Rubin was moved to tears, swearing to meet the counts expectations.

Finally, Paul instructed Rubin to measure ship sizes by the weight of seawater they displaced after launching. He preferred the concept of displacement. As for the calculations, he left that to the shipyard manager.