During the year 186-, the whole world was greatly excited by a scientific experiment unprecedented1 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 projectile2. Their president, Barbicane, the promoter of the enterprise, having consulted the astronomers3 of the Cambridge Observatory4 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 subscription5, which realized nearly ￡1,200,000, they began the gigantic work.
According to the advice forwarded from the members of the Observatory, the gun destined6 to launch the projectile had to be fixed7 in a country situated8 between the 0 and 28th degrees of north or south latitude9, in order to aim at the moon when at the zenith; and its initiatory10 velocity11 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 precisely12, at the moment of her attaining13 her perigee15, 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 decided16: First, that the projectile should be a shell made of aluminum17 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 perpendicularly18 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 orb19 of night.
These questions determined20 President Barbicane, assisted by Murchison the engineer, to choose a spot situated in Florida, in 27° 7’ North latitude, and 77° 3’ West (Greenwich) longitude21. It was on this spot, after stupendous labor22, 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 witty23 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 intrepid24 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 reconciliation25, 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 apparatus26 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 erected27, 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 detonation28 produced by the Columbiad, had the immediate29 effect of troubling the terrestrial atmosphere, by accumulating a large quantity of vapor30, a phenomenon which excited universal indignation, for the moon was hidden from the eyes of the watchers for several nights.
The worthy31 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, insufficient32 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 deviated33 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 attain14 their end; or that the projectile, held in one immutable34 orbit, would gravitate around the lunar disc to all eternity35.
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 engrossed36 the public attention.
It is advisable here to make a remark which ought to be well considered by hasty observers. When a purely37 speculative38 discovery is announced to the public, it cannot be done with too much prudence39. 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 forth40 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 recital41 will destroy many illusions and surmises42; 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 industrious43 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 starry44 space.
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1
unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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projectile
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| n.投射物，发射体；adj.向前开进的；推进的；抛掷的 | |
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astronomers
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| n.天文学者，天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 ) | |
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observatory
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| n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台 | |
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subscription
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| n.预订，预订费，亲笔签名，调配法，下标（处方） | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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initiatory
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| adj.开始的；创始的；入会的；入社的 | |
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velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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13
attaining
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的现在分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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14
attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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perigee
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| n.近地点 | |
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16
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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17
aluminum
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| n.(aluminium)铝 | |
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perpendicularly
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| adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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orb
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| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
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20
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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23
witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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27
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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detonation
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| n.爆炸；巨响 | |
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29
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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31
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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32
insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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33
deviated
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| v.偏离，越轨( deviate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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immutable
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| adj.不可改变的，永恒的 | |
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35
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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36
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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38
speculative
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| adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的 | |
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39
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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40
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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41
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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42
surmises
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的第三人称单数 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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43
industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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44
starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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