I Became The Crown Prince Of The Mexican Empire - Chapter 123



Only Noblemtl

The air of Mexico makes you free (2)

“It’s grown so much.”

What was once a warehouse where Eduardo and a few technicians developed weapons is now a weapons research lab staffed by dozens of college graduates and technicians.

“Haha, His Majesty has ordered me to make more than one or two things. If I’m going to develop them all, it has to be at least this much.”

“Really? Then where should we go to see the results?”

Eduardo and I walked through the Vega Defense Industries building, chatting lightly.

The thing placed in the room where we arrived was the ‘Gatling Gun’, which is considered to be the first machine gun to be successfully used in combat. Since we couldn’t just name it Gatling, an American doctor, we named it VA (Vega Ametralladora)-43, but its shape and operating principle were very similar to Gatling’s.

I wanted to make a more advanced machine gun, but I don’t know the complex operating principles of such a machine gun. The only thing I know about its appearance is this Gatling gun.

“Is this the prototype you made two years ago?”

“Yes, that’s right. We couldn’t mass-produce it because of the unit price.”

Up until now, weapons were rarely made of steel, because the cost of producing steel was too high.

All guns and cannons currently in the possession of the Mexican army are made of relatively inexpensive metals such as wrought iron and cast iron, with steel used only in special cases such as large-caliber naval guns.

I said with a snicker.

“Have you heard that the cost of producing steel has dropped dramatically?”

Eduardo also chuckled.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Steel’s high strength and durability, excellent mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and performance optimization through heat treatment are great advantages in creating better weapons.

One of the most representative examples is this machine gun. The high rate of fire and continuous use of a machine gun are difficult to withstand with metals other than steel.

The use of steel was so essential that its high manufacturing cost was pointed out as the biggest drawback of the Gatling gun throughout its history.

The Gatling gun was developed in 1861, six years after the Bessemer process was developed in England. However, it was also just beginning to spread in the United States, and unlike our country, there were no large-scale steel mills that applied the process from the beginning, so the price of steel had not yet fallen much.

“I bet it works, right?”

“Yes, would you like to take a look?”

As I nodded, the technicians took aim at a thick concrete block already riddled with holes.

“Let’s get started.”

As one technician began turning the crank handle of the VA-43, another technician loaded rounds into the ammunition feeder.

The moment the barrel loaded with ammunition rotates and arrives at the firing position.

Tata tata tata tata tata tata tata tata tang!

Even though I had covered my ears in advance, the overwhelming sound of gunfire pierced through my hands, and the thick concrete blocks began to crumble.

After pounding the concrete blocks for about 30 seconds, the machine gun stopped firing.

I glanced to the side and saw Diego with a dumbfounded expression.

“Diego, what do you think?”

Gulp-

“···It was amazing. It felt like hundreds of people were shooting guns.”

“Well, it feels like it’s actually firing hundreds of rounds per minute. Eduardo, how many rounds per minute is that exactly?”

“It’s 300 rounds per minute. The VA-45 model, which is being prepared for mass production, is expected to increase to 500 rounds per minute.”

500 rounds per minute.

The Eduardo rifle has been steadily improved, and its loading speed has become incomparably faster than that of the old muskets that took 20 to 30 seconds to load once, but it is still a bolt-action structure that fires single shots. Even a skilled shooter can fire 10 to 15 rounds per minute, but a single machine gun can fire 50 times that amount.

Unlike single-shot rifles that aim every time you fire, automatic weapons allow you to adjust your aim as you fire, allowing you to wipe out your enemies.

The power was so overwhelming that it tore through the line infantry that had maintained strict ranks even in front of cannons, thus causing the line infantry to disappear into history.

‘It’s a bit of an exaggeration to say that the paradigm of land warfare changed because of a single machine gun, but it is certain that it was one of the major factors.’

To be exact, this was because the attack power of individual firearms and cannons, in addition to machine guns, had rapidly increased, so that if they tried to fight in formation as before, they would have suffered an overwhelming loss of life.

‘It’s amazing that in history, a doctor created such an incredible weapon with good intentions.’

It seems unlikely that such a fearsome weapon would have good intentions, but the original historian Dr. Gatling once recalled, ‘It occurred to me that if I could invent a machine gun which would enable one man to do the combat work of a hundred men, it would largely supersede the need for large armies, and consequently greatly reduce exposure to combat and disease.’

In fact, he was a doctor and inventor, and he invented the machine gun after he realized that most soldiers in the American Civil War were dying from diseases rather than gunshot wounds. However, contrary to his intention, the war after the invention of the Gatling gun ended up recording much greater casualties than before.

“Eduardo, do your best in Yangsan.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Well then, let’s look at the next item.”

The next item was circular barbed wire.

Chain-link fences are made of long, thin wires twisted together into long lines with sharp, needle-like protrusions placed at regular intervals.

These thorns were firmly fixed to the wire, so that they could injure people or animals who approached them.

It had a shape that made it obvious what it was used for at first glance.

Diego said.

“This is for defense.”

“Yes. Even though our army’s offensive power is much stronger, we will have to defend on some fronts, and this barbed wire fence will allow us to defend a wider area with fewer troops.”

It’s a simple device, but it’s so effective that you can’t break through this circular wire fence with your bare body.

In the history of the original, before the advent of the tank, the only way to break through this railway network was to use wire cutters or giant scissors, use explosives, or dig trenches and pass under the barbed wire. Of course, the enemy would not be idle while these methods were used, so they were all too cumbersome and dangerous.

This seemingly insignificant barbed wire is a formidable wall to the enemy. It is not for nothing that every country produced it like crazy throughout the world war.

“It seems like it could be used in many places, even if it’s not necessarily for war. Like managing livestock or setting up security zones.”

Diego said.

“Yes. We can’t sell it now because we’re building up reserves, but we plan to sell it to the public later.”

“okay.”

When I checked the items I was preparing, my slightly anxious mind calmed down.

***

“I would like to make a statement, you know.”

“Mr. President, please wait a week.”

Everyone calls him the president, but his term begins on March 4. That means he is still the president-elect.

It doesn’t look good for the president-elect to run when there is clearly a president.

“I hope your press work is going well?”

James Polk asked his aide.

“Yes, we are starting to hear responses from the North as well.”

The aide handed over a bundle of newspapers. James Polk quickly flipped through them, scanning only the headlines.

[Mexico defends Tom the Horse Thief]

[Will the government tolerate this insult?]

In the North, where there were many anti-slavery opponents, the word “slave” was dropped and the focus was on the diplomatic insult and the theft of black slaves.

‘Then that’s right.’

The focus was different from that of the South, where an immediate and heated reaction erupted, and the reaction was much slower, but ultimately, the people of the North also had the same mentality as the South in wanting to take advantage of this conflict situation.

‘This is the will of the people.’

James Polk was confident. The current administration, which was finishing up its term, was holding back on responding, and he intended to take action on the case as soon as he took office.

“It’s natural to demand an apology for this incident, but isn’t there something more? Something we can do about it?”

“I have something from the Mexican ambassador. Would you like to see it?”

As is customary, he began receiving the handover report immediately after being elected, and now he was receiving all important information directly.

“Hmm. Are they recruiting enumerators to conduct a census in Mexico?”

Census, census···.

James Fork, who had been muttering to himself for a moment, said:

“We should do it too.”

“You mean the census? It’s only been 5 years since the last one was conducted in 40 years.”

The United States has conducted a census every 10 years since 1790. Why are we doing another one so soon after the last 40 years?

“If, indeed, the conflict with Mexico gets worse, wouldn’t the people feel more confident if they knew that the United States has a clear advantage over Mexico? Even if it’s best to resolve it diplomatically, wouldn’t it be possible to be more forceful if there’s a basis for it?”

“That is correct.”

Although it was not an era where population was directly proportional to national power, its importance could not be ignored. In fact, didn’t many media and intellectuals mention the results of the census announced in Mexico at the end of 1838 and the results of the U.S. census in 1840?

In 1838, the population of Mexico was 10.82 million, and in 1840, the population of the United States was approximately 17 million, so even taking into account the two-year difference, there was a huge population difference of almost 5.5 million between the two countries.

The U.S. has an economic growth rate and birth rate that are second to none, so looking at the results for the same year will be a great boost to national confidence.

“I will push this forward as my first policy, so prepare for it now. I will make sure to announce it within six months of taking office.”

“yes!”

***

Tom’s escape caused quite a stir in the South, especially along the Mexican border.

“That horse-thief slave son.”

Many farmers were furious, feeling as if their property had been robbed, and their somewhat lax vigilance was raised again.

“If something like this happens on our farm, you know I’ll kill them all!”

It was also very common for employees to be openly verbally abused.

The problem was that during the process, the slaves heard the careless farm owners and many employees talking.

‘···If I steal a horse and go west, they’ll accept me as an immigrant?’

For many slaves who had long ago given up on gaining freedom, even that small chance was precious.

That wasn’t all.

“There is finally an escape route in the South, which we had neglected for so long.”

It was a secret organization for the liberation of slaves, the ‘Underground Railroad’.

Freeing slaves was a dangerous task that could cost lives, so they were not allowed to work in the South, where the chances of a successful escape to the North were too low.

“You mean Mexico?”

Everyone already knew that. The man nodded and said.

“I formally propose that the operational area be expanded to the southern region.”

All in favor.

There was no opposition.

“hmm.”

The man looked around the conference room and made a final decision.

“Let’s build a network in the southern region and start preparing for liberation.”

Tom’s small escape was threatening to bring about a huge storm.