From the Earth to the Moon, Direct in Ninety-Seven Hours and Twenty Minutes: and a Trip Round ItVerne, Jules
Science
From the Earth to the Moon, Direct in Ninety-Seven Hours and Twenty Minutes: and a Trip Round It
Verne, Jules
Manned space flight -- Fiction; Moon -- Fiction; Science fiction; Space flight to the moon -- Fiction; Space ships -- Fiction
The effect, however, of Barbicane's communication was not confined to
the frontiers of the United States; it crossed the Atlantic and Pacific,
invading simultaneously Asia and Europe, Africa and Oceania. The
observatories of the Union placed themselves in immediate communication
with those of foreign countries. Some, such as those of Paris, Petersburg,
Berlin, Stockholm, Hamburg, Malta, Lisbon, Benares, Madras, and others,
transmitted their good wishes; the rest maintained a prudent silence,
quietly awaiting the result. As for the observatory at Greenwich, seconded
as it was by the twenty-two astronomical establishments of Great Britain,
it spoke plainly enough. It boldly denied the possibility of success,
and pronounced in favour of the theories of Captain Nicholl. But this
was nothing more than mere English jealousy.
On the 8th of October President Barbicane published a manifesto full of
enthusiasm, in which he made an appeal to "all persons of good will upon
the face of the earth." This document, translated into all languages,
met with immense success.
Subscription lists were opened in all the principal cities of the Union,
with a central office at the Baltimore Bank, 9, Baltimore Street.
In addition, subscriptions were received at the following banks in the
different states of the two continents:—
At Vienna, with S. M. de Rothschild.
„ Petersburg, Stieglitz and Co.
„ Paris, The Crédit Mobilier.
„ Stockholm, Tottie and Arfuredson.
„ London, N. M. Rothschild and Son.
„ Turin, Ardouin and Co.
„ Berlin, Mendelssohn.
„ Geneva, Lombard, Odier, and Co.
„ Constantinople, The Ottoman Bank.
„ Brussels, J. Lambert.
„ Madrid, Daniel Weisweller.
„ Amsterdam, Netherlands Credit Co.
„ Rome, Torlonia and Co.
„ Lisbon, Lecesne.
„ Copenhagen, Private Bank.
„ Rio Janeiro, do.
„ Monte Video, do.
„ Valparaiso and Lima, Thomas la Chambre and Co. „ Mexico, Martin
Daran and Co.
Three days after the manifesto of President Barbicane 4,000,000 of dollars
were paid into the different towns of the Union. With such a balance
the Gun Club might begin operations at once. But some days later advices
were received to the effect that the foreign subscriptions were being
eagerly taken up. Certain countries distinguished themselves by their
liberality; others untied their purse-strings with less facility—matter
of temperament. Figures are, however, more eloquent than words, and here
is the official statement of the sums which were paid in to the credit
of the Gun Club at the close of the subscription.
Illustration: THE SUBSCRIPTION WAS OPENED.
Russia paid in as her contingent the enormous sum of 368,733 roubles.
No one need be surprised at this, who bears in mind the scientific taste
of the Russians, and the impetus which they have given to astronomical
studies—thanks to their numerous observatories.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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