Chapter 645 Port And Lighthouse
"We have never done something like this before. Building out into the sea is already challenging. Never mind how far we are going into the sea this time. So I want to take my time and make sure everything is made with care and precision," Diaogosis said to Alexander regarding the port construction, referring especially to building the pillars
And Alexander agreed, saying that he could take his time and even gave him an extra year in addition to the already extended time frame to complete the project.
And this naturally got Diaogosis much elated.
But that elation only lasted for an ephemeral moment, for it was followed by a plummeting sense of disappointment, because of what Alexander said next.
"By the way, I also noticed we haven't got a lighthouse. It would be quite a shame to have such a beautiful port without an accompanying lighthouse don't you think?"
Alexander said so with a gentle smile.
A smile that looked about demonic to Diaogosis.
"No…no my lord. I think the current one is fine. Just fine."
"Besides, ships don't even come to port at night that often…hahaha"
Realizing what Alexander was hinting at, the stonemason stammered the answer, first trying to sound as forceful as possible and then changing his tune to a reasoning one.
But since Alexander had bought it up, of course, he was not going to back down on it so easily.
He first brushed his hands saying, "That puny thing over there could not shine bright enough to light the room it was in."
"No, what we need is a giant, flaming behemoth that could be seen from miles away. A marvel for the world to see, its light bright enough to attract ships from all over the world."
"We need a magnificent lighthouse to benefit the magnificent port."
He grandly declared.
And before Diaogosis would object in any way, he turned to face the almost teary-eyed man with a firm gaze and said in a comforting voice,
"Now, I will not ask you to do anything crazy like building it in the middle of the sea, or the mouth of the harbor."
"I wanted to do that, but thinking about you, decided against it," Alexander sounded magnanimous, while Diaogosis internally cussed,
'If you did that, you would have had to find a new project manager.'
"And it will not have to be any crazy design." Alexander further reassured.
"You can build it near the coast, and its design will be like at any lighthouse, just a bit bigger."
"Let's say… about 100 meters high."
Alexander tried to say the last sentence as quickly as possible.
But apparently not quickly as Diaogosis's eyes bulged and the man went slightly agape.
'Build a 100-meter-tall tower in one year, are you insane!' And it took him all his self restrained not to start cursing Alexander right there and now.
"....that…that is not possible in such a short time."
Alexander noticed Diaogosis visibly shaking as he replied.
And the reply was in a stoic, absolute tone.
"Oh? Not even with the cement." Alexander, seemingly unaware of Diaogosis's hidden fury only innocently inquired.
Not being a civil engineering Alexander did not really much of the project.
Sure it was big, but a lighthouse was quite a simple structure.
Just a tall, cylindrical building with a huge burning bonfire on the top which showed the ships the way to the harbor,
The inside of it would be almost hollow, there usually being only a spiraling staircase giving access to the top, with perhaps a few spare quarters for the guards and the maintainers who ensured the fire was kept lit at all times.
Unlike a building, it would not need to have many rooms or internal facilities, so it seemed a relatively straightforward project for Alexander
And as he thought of building a lighthouse, he could not help but want to build perhaps the most famous lighthouse in the world- one of the seven wonders of the ancient world- The lighthouse of Alexandria!
He remembered how he had 'climbed' onto the top of it in one game (AC- Origins) and from looking and exploring the insides, he found the lighthouse to be very grand but also simple in design, with none of the byzantine architecture one might expect involved.
So he felt replicating it in real life would be easy.
Hence he casually mentioned the specifications mirroring that, which Alexander remembered as being over 100 meters, and had even drawn up the schematics showing exactly that famous lighthouse in his free time.
And it was because of his preconception that he was unable to understand Diaogosis's extreme reaction.
"No! If you want to build such a lighthouse, even with concrete it will need at least ten years. Any less and you can find somebody else."
Seeing Alexander's tone-deaf expression as he inquired seemed finally enough to push Diaogosis over the edge as he finally snapped.
He could not believe someone was seriously asking him to build a 100-meter-tall building in just a year!
Just because there was concentre.
'Concrete is not a magic material that builds things by itself,' He wanted to shout.
And in this exchange, Diaogosis would have to be declared the winner, as Alexander was really trivializing the problems here.
Any building that was so big had to tackle a variety of challenges, such as a large enough, solid foundation, proper structural engineering to make sure the building could take its own weight, defending against attacks from the elements, and many more.
And it was the part about the elements that was especially true for a lighthouse which would be subjected to frequent gales, storms, and even hurricanes.
It was also one of the reasons why the real Lighthouse of Alexandria took 18 years to be built.
Even the king who commissioned it died before its completion, and the lighthouse had to be inaugurated by his son.
And although 18 years might sound like a lot, at the time of its construction, its speed was actually a marvel to behold.
Many later historians would even say that the construction and the speed at which they completed the lighthouse stood as a testament to the Greek's expertise and ingenuity in engineering.
So for Alexander to demand it be done in just a year just because he had a bit more convenient mortal was not really reasonable.
And even the 10 years Diaogosis asked for was not a comfortable deadline, especially given the manpower and material shortage.
So Diaogosis snapping at Alexander's unreasonable demands could certainly said to be justified.
As Alexander heard Diaogosis's harsh tone, any lesser lord might have felt offended.
But given he knew the man well enough by now, and knew Diaogosis would usually grumble but ultimately agree to most things he wanted, this time's outburst seemed to be genuine.
It seemed that man really thought he would need 10 years to complete this project, and if Alexander haggled, the man might really quit.
So this time Alexander wisely backed down, saying in a soft voice,
"Okay, first finish the port. We already have enough on our plate now. We do not have to agree on anything now."
"By the time the port is finished in a few years, I'm sure we will have more manpower and can decide how to make the lighthouse then."
These comforting words finally calmed the stonemason, who already had his hands full building the port plus overseeing the apartment, and so could do without building a new lighthouse.
And this was such that Alexander finished his tour of one-half of his schedule for the day.
And quickly made his way to the other one- The shipyard.
Alexander had built this outside the city as there was not enough space inside the city given there were two ports, one old and the new under construction.
So the site was about an hour away by carriage, which he soon covered arrive, placing his eyes on the huge wooden walls cordoning off all trespassers.
Alexander was let into the site as soon as he disembarked and as he entered the gates, the leather boots stepping over the wet, muddy ground courtesy of the rain, he was mesmerized by the hustle and bustle around him.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to describe the energy as 'organized chaos'.
A sense of purpose and craftsmanship permeated everything here, as the rhythmic sounds of hammers striking wood and the constant chatter of craftsmen filled the air, creating a lively and industrious atmosphere.
The smell of freshly cut timber mingled with the salty tang of the nearby sea, and as the sun beat down on the shipyard, the skeletons of incomplete ships cast long shadows across the still-wet ground.
And in the distance, along the shore, Alexander saw the heart of the shipyard- several vast slipways, with sloping ramps made of wooden planks that descended gracefully into the water.
This slipway was where the magic of ship construction happened, where ships were constructed and assembled before they were put into the ocean.
So it was also where most of the shipbuilders and carpenters were, moving to and fro, carefully making precise measurements so that the selected timbers could be shaped to fit precisely with others like a fine piece of jigsaw puzzle.
The craftsmanship involved everywhere was evident a testament to the skill and dedication of the workers.
Work here seemed to be going fast and well.
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