Chapter 386
While Jang Yeong-sil and his subordinates were creating a model Challenger-class ship equipped with a spring-powered mechanism, a water tank was being built in a corner of Area 51.
“It would be best to actually float it… If that’s not possible, wouldn’t it be better to float it on the Han River at least?”
As one researcher supervising the construction of the water tank grumbled, a colleague beside him chided:
“Hey! Have you forgotten what His Highness the Crown Prince said?”
***
When Hyang ordered experiments using model ships and a water tank, the researchers in charge of development came forward to object.
“There’s a large margin of error between models and reality! We need to experiment with actual ships, even if they’re smaller!”
The developers’ objections were reasonable. With the reforms progressing and all sorts of devices being created, measuring instruments had also advanced. The problem was that despite this progress, there was still considerable error.
However, it was unfair to blame the measuring instruments entirely. Even the wood, which was the most commonly used main material, varied greatly in quality. The iron, which was the second most used material, was being produced exclusively by the national ironworks, but there were still variations in quality.