From the Earth to the Moon | Page 9

present to our terrestrial spheroid? Granting that the
question at present was simply that of sending a projectile up to the
moon, every one must see that that involved the commencement of a
series of experiments. All must hope that some day America would
penetrate the deepest secrets of that mysterious orb; and some even
seemed to fear lest its conquest should not sensibly derange the
equilibrium of Europe.
The project once under discussion, not a single paragraph suggested a
doubt of its realization. All the papers, pamphlets, reports-- all the
journals published by the scientific, literary, and religious societies
enlarged upon its advantages; and the Society of Natural History of
Boston, the Society of Science and Art of Albany, the Geographical
and Statistical Society of New York, the Philosophical Society of
Philadelphia, and the Smithsonian of Washington sent innumerable
letters of congratulation to the Gun Club, together with offers of
immediate assistance and money.
From that day forward Impey Barbicane became one of the greatest
citizens of the United States, a kind of Washington of science. A single
trait of feeling, taken from many others, will serve to show the point
which this homage of a whole people to a single individual attained.
Some few days after this memorable meeting of the Gun Club, the
manager of an English company announced, at the Baltimore theatre,
the production of "Much ado about Nothing." But the populace, seeing
in that title an allusion damaging to Barbicane's project, broke into the
auditorium, smashed the benches, and compelled the unlucky director

to alter his playbill. Being a sensible man, he bowed to the public will
and replaced the offending comedy by "As you like it"; and for many
weeks he realized fabulous profits.
CHAPTER IV
REPLY FROM THE OBSERVATORY OF CAMBRIDGE
Barbicane, however, lost not one moment amid all the enthusiasm of
which he had become the object. His first care was to reassemble his
colleagues in the board-room of the Gun Club. There, after some
discussion, it was agreed to consult the astronomers regarding the
astronomical part of the enterprise. Their reply once ascertained, they
could then discuss the mechanical means, and nothing should be
wanting to ensure the success of this great experiment.
A note couched in precise terms, containing special interrogatories, was
then drawn up and addressed to the Observatory of Cambridge in
Massachusetts. This city, where the first university of the United States
was founded, is justly celebrated for its astronomical staff. There are to
be found assembled all the most eminent men of science. Here is to be
seen at work that powerful telescope which enabled Bond to resolve the
nebula of Andromeda, and Clarke to discover the satellite of Sirius.
This celebrated institution fully justified on all points the confidence
reposed in it by the Gun Club. So, after two days, the reply so
impatiently awaited was placed in the hands of President Barbicane.
It was couched in the following terms:
The Director of the Cambridge Observatory to the President of the Gun
Club at Baltimore.
CAMBRIDGE, October 7. On the receipt of your favor of the 6th
instant, addressed to the Observatory of Cambridge in the name of the
members of the Baltimore Gun Club, our staff was immediately called
together, and it was judged expedient to reply as follows:
The questions which have been proposed to it are these--

"1. Is it possible to transmit a projectile up to the moon?
"2. What is the exact distance which separates the earth from its
satellite?
"3. What will be the period of transit of the projectile when endowed
with sufficient initial velocity? and, consequently, at what moment
ought it to be discharged in order that it may touch the moon at a
particular point?
"4. At what precise moment will the moon present herself in the most
favorable position to be reached by the projectile?
"5. What point in the heavens ought the cannon to be aimed at which is
intended to discharge the projectile?
"6. What place will the moon occupy in the heavens at the moment of
the projectile's departure?"
Regarding the first question, "Is it possible to transmit a projectile up to
the moon?"
Answer.-- Yes; provided it possess an initial velocity of 1,200 yards per
second; calculations prove that to be sufficient. In proportion as we
recede from the earth the action of gravitation diminishes in the inverse
ratio of the square of the distance; that is to say, at three times a given
distance the action is nine times less. Consequently, the weight of a
shot will decrease, and will become reduced to zero at the instant that
the attraction of the moon exactly counterpoises that of the earth; that is
to say at 47/52 of its passage. At that instant the projectile