On the 20th of October the Gun Club held a general meeting.  Barbicane brought a magnificent map of the United States by Z. Belltropp.  But before he had time to unfold it J.T.  Maston rose with his habitual vehemence, and began to speak as follows:—­

“Honourable colleagues, the question we are to settle to-day is really of national importance, and will furnish us with an occasion for doing a great act of patriotism.”

The members of the Gun Club looked at each other without understanding what the orator was coming to.

“Not one of you,” he continued, “would think of doing anything to lessen the glory of his country, and if there is one right that the Union may claim it is that of harbouring in its bosom the formidable cannon of the Gun Club.  Now, under the present circumstances—­”

“Will you allow me—­” said Barbicane.

“I demand the free discussion of ideas,” replied the impetuous J.T.  Maston, “and I maintain that the territory from which our glorious projectile will rise ought to belong to the Union.”

“Certainly,” answered several members.

“Well, then, as our frontiers do not stretch far enough, as on the south the ocean is our limit, as we must seek beyond the United States and in a neighbouring country this 28th parallel, this is all a legitimate casus belli, and I demand that war should be declared against Mexico!”

“No, no!” was cried from all parts.

“No!” replied J.T.  Maston.  “I am much astonished at hearing such a word in these precincts!”

“But listen—­”

“Never! never!” cried the fiery orator.  “Sooner or later this war will be declared, and I demand that it should be this very day.”

“Maston,” said Barbicane, making his bell go off with a crash, “I agree with you that the experiment cannot and ought not to be made anywhere but on the soil of the Union, but if I had been allowed to speak before, and you had glanced at this map, you would know that it is perfectly useless to declare war against our neighbours, for certain frontiers of the United States extend beyond the 28th parallel.  Look, we have at our disposition all the southern part of Texas and Florida.”

This incident had no consequences; still it was not without regret that J.T.  Maston allowed himself to be convinced.  It was, therefore, decided that the Columbiad should be cast either on the soil of Texas or on that of Florida.  But this decision was destined to create an unexampled rivalry between the towns of these two states.

The 28th parallel, when it touches the American coast, crosses the peninsula of Florida, and divides it into two nearly equal portions.  Then, plunging into the Gulf of Mexico, it subtends the arc formed by the coasts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana; then skirting Texas, off which it cuts an angle, it continues its direction over Mexico, crosses the Sonora and Old California, and loses itself in the Pacific Ocean; therefore only the portions of Texas and Florida situated below this parallel fulfilled the requisite conditions of latitude recommended by the Observatory of Cambridge.