The project once under discussion, not one of the
papers suggested a doubt of its realisation; all the
papers, treatises, bulletins, and magazines published
by scientific, literary, or religious societies enlarged
upon its advantages, and the “Natural History
Society” of Boston, the “Science and Art
Society” of Albany, the “Geographical and
Statistical Society” of New York, the “American
Philosophical Society” of Philadelphia, and
the “Smithsonian Institution” of Washington
sent in a thousand letters their congratulations to
the Gun Club, with immediate offers of service and
money.
It may be said that no proposition ever had so many
adherents; there was no question of hesitations, doubts,
or anxieties. As to the jokes, caricatures, and
comic songs that would have welcomed in Europe, and,
above all, in France, the idea of sending a projectile
to the moon, they would have been turned against their
author; all the “life-preservers” in the
world would have been powerless to guarantee him against
the general indignation. There are things that
are not to be laughed at in the New World.
Impey Barbicane became from that day one of the greatest
citizens of the United States, something like a Washington
of science, and one fact amongst several will serve
to show the sudden homage which was paid by a nation
to one man.
Some days after the famous meeting of the Gun Club
the manager of an English company announced at the
Baltimore Theatre a representation of Much Ado
About Nothing, but the population of the town,
seeing in the title a damaging allusion to the projects
of President Barbicane, invaded the theatre, broke
the seats, and forced the unfortunate manager to change
the play. Like a sensible man, the manager, bowing
to public opinion, replaced the offending comedy by
As You Like It, and for several weeks he had
fabulous houses.
CHAPTER IV.
ANSWER FROM THE CAMBRIDGE OBSERVATORY.
In the meantime Barbicane did not lose an instant
amidst the enthusiasm of which he was the object.
His first care was to call together his colleagues
in the board-room of the Gun Club. There, after
a debate, they agreed to consult astronomers about
the astronomical part of their enterprise. Their
answer once known, they would then discuss the mechanical
means, and nothing would be neglected to assure the
success of their great experiment.
A note in precise terms, containing special questions,
was drawn up and addressed to the observatory of Cambridge
in Massachusetts. This town, where the first
University of the United States was founded, is justly
celebrated for its astronomical staff. There are
assembled the greatest men of science; there is the
powerful telescope which enabled Bond to resolve the
nebula of Andromeda and Clarke to discover the satellite
of Sirius. This celebrated institution was, therefore,
worthy in every way of the confidence of the Gun Club.
