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During the year 186-, the whole world was greatly excited by a
scientific experiment unprecedented in the annals of science. The members of
the Gun Club, a circle of artillerymen formed at Baltimore after the American
war, conceived the idea of putting themselves in communication with the
moon!— yes, with the moon— by sending to her a projectile. Their
president, Barbicane, the promoter of the enterprise, having consulted the
astronomers of the Cambridge Observatory upon the subject, took all necessary
means to ensure the success of this extraordinary enterprise, which had been
declared practicable by the majority of competent judges. After setting on foot
a public subscription, which realized nearly L1,200,000, they began the
gigantic work.
According to the advice forwarded from the members of the Observatory,
the gun destined to launch the projectile had to be fixed in a country situated
between the 0 and 28th degrees of north or south latitude, in order to aim at
the moon when at the zenith; and its initiatory velocity was fixed at twelve
thousand yards to the second. Launched on the 1st of December, at 10hrs. 46m.
40s. P.M., it ought to reach the moon four days after its departure, that is on
the 5th of December, at midnight precisely, at the moment of her attaining her
perigee, that is her nearest distance from the earth, which is exactly 86,410
leagues (French), or 238,833 miles mean distance (English).
The principal members of the Gun Club, President Barbicane, Major
Elphinstone, the secretary Joseph T. Maston, and other learned men, held
several meetings, at which the shape and composition of the projectile were
discussed, also the position and nature of the gun, and the quality and
quantity of powder to be used. It was decided: First, that the projectile
should be a shell made of aluminum with a diameter of 108 inches and a
thickness of twelve inches to its walls; and should weigh 19,250 pounds. Second,
that the gun should be a Columbiad cast in iron, 900 feet long, and run
perpendicularly into the earth. Third, that the charge should contain 400,000
pounds of gun-cotton, which, giving out six billions of litres of gas in rear
of the projectile, would easily carry it toward the orb of night.
These questions determined President Barbicane, assisted by Murchison
the engineer, to choose a spot situated in Florida, in 27° 7’ North
latitude, and 77° 3’ West (Greenwich) longitude. It was on this spot,
after stupendous labor, that the Columbiad was cast with full success. Things
stood thus, when an incident took place which increased the interest attached
to this great enterprise a hundredfold.
A Frenchman, an enthusiastic Parisian, as witty as he was bold, asked to
be enclosed in the projectile, in order that he might reach the moon, and
reconnoiter this terrestrial satellite. The name of this intrepid adventurer
was Michel Ardan. He landed in America, was received with enthusiasm, held meetings,
saw himself carried in triumph, reconciled President Barbicane to his mortal
enemy, Captain Nicholl, and, as a token of reconciliation, persuaded them both
to start with him in the projectile. The proposition being accepted, the shape
of the projectile was slightly altered. It was made of a cylindro-conical form.
This species of aerial car was lined with strong springs and partitions to
deaden the shock of departure. It was provided with food for a year, water for
some months, and gas for some days. A self-acting apparatus supplied the three
travelers with air to breathe. At the same time, on one of the highest points
of the Rocky Mountains, the Gun Club had a gigantic telescope erected, in order
that they might be able to follow the course of the projectile through space. All
was then ready.
On the 30th of November, at the hour fixed upon, from the midst of an
extraordinary crowd of spectators, the departure took place, and for the first
time, three human beings quitted the terrestrial globe, and launched into
inter-planetary space with almost a certainty of reaching their destination. These
bold travelers, Michel Ardan, President Barbicane, and Captain Nicholl, ought
to make the passage in ninety-seven hours, thirteen minutes, and twenty
seconds. Consequently, their arrival on the lunar disc could not take place
until the 5th of December at twelve at night, at the exact moment when the moon
should be full, and not on the 4th, as some badly informed journalists had
announced.
But an unforeseen circumstance, viz., the detonation produced by the
Columbiad, had the immediate effect of troubling the terrestrial atmosphere, by
accumulating a large quantity of vapor, a phenomenon which excited universal
indignation, for the moon was hidden from the eyes of the watchers for several
nights.
The worthy Joseph T. Maston, the staunchest friend of the three
travelers, started for the Rocky Mountains, accompanied by the Hon. J. Belfast,
director of the Cambridge Observatory, and reached the station of Long’s
Peak, where the telescope was erected which brought the moon within an apparent
distance of two leagues. The honorable secretary of the Gun Club wished himself
to observe the vehicle of his daring friends.
The accumulation of the clouds in the atmosphere prevented all
observation on the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th of December. Indeed it was
thought that all observations would have to be put off to the 3d of January in
the following year; for the moon entering its last quarter on the 11th, would
then only present an ever-decreasing portion of her disc, insufficient to allow
of their following the course of the projectile.
At length, to the general satisfaction, a heavy storm cleared the
atmosphere on the night of the 11th and 12th of December, and the moon, with
half-illuminated disc, was plainly to be seen upon the black sky.
That very night a telegram was sent from the station of Long’s
Peak by Joseph T. Maston and Belfast to the gentlemen of the Cambridge
Observatory, announcing that on the 11th of December at 8h. 47m. P.M., the
projectile launched by the Columbiad of Stones Hill had been detected by
Messrs. Belfast and Maston— that it had deviated from its course from
some unknown cause, and had not reached its destination; but that it had passed
near enough to be retained by the lunar attraction; that its rectilinear
movement had been changed to a circular one, and that following an elliptical
orbit round the star of night it had become its satellite. The telegram added
that the elements of this new star had not yet been calculated; and indeed
three observations made upon a star in three different positions are necessary
to determine these elements. Then it showed that the distance separating the
projectile from the lunar surface “might” be reckoned at about 2,833
miles.
It ended with the double hypothesis: either the attraction of the moon
would draw it to herself, and the travelers thus attain their end; or that the
projectile, held in one immutable orbit, would gravitate around the lunar disc
to all eternity.
With such alternatives, what would be the fate of the travelers? Certainly
they had food for some time. But supposing they did succeed in their rash
enterprise, how would they return? Could they ever return? Should they hear
from them? These questions, debated by the most learned pens of the day,
strongly engrossed the public attention.
It is advisable here to make a remark which ought to be well considered
by hasty observers. When a purely speculative discovery is announced to the
public, it cannot be done with too much prudence. No one is obliged to discover
either a planet, a comet, or a satellite; and whoever makes a mistake in such a
case exposes himself justly to the derision of the mass. Far better is it to
wait; and that is what the impatient Joseph T. Maston should have done before
sending this telegram forth to the world, which, according to his idea, told
the whole result of the enterprise. Indeed this telegram contained two sorts of
errors, as was proved eventually. First, errors of observation, concerning the
distance of the projectile from the surface of the moon, for on the 11th of
December it was impossible to see it; and what Joseph T. Maston had seen, or
thought he saw, could not have been the projectile of the Columbiad. Second,
errors of theory on the fate in store for the said projectile; for in making it
a satellite of the moon, it was putting it in direct contradiction of all
mechanical laws.
One single hypothesis of the observers of Long’s Peak could ever
be realized, that which foresaw the case of the travelers (if still alive)
uniting their efforts with the lunar attraction to attain the surface of the
disc.
Now these men, as clever as they were daring, had survived the terrible
shock consequent on their departure, and it is their journey in the projectile
car which is here related in its most dramatic as well as in its most singular
details. This recital will destroy many illusions and surmises; but it will
give a true idea of the singular changes in store for such an enterprise; it
will bring out the scientific instincts of Barbicane, the industrious resources
of Nicholl, and the audacious humor of Michel Ardan. Besides this, it will
prove that their worthy friend, Joseph T. Maston, was wasting his time, while
leaning over the gigantic telescope he watched the course of the moon through
the starry space.
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