Life in a Thousand WorldsHarris, W. S. (William Shuler)
Science
Life in a Thousand Worlds
Harris, W. S. (William Shuler)
Utopias
The majority of these cities moved in harmony in a world-wide course,
requiring about one year or four hundred of our days to complete a
single circuit. As was their prototype, so they were propelled by a
series of motors and a splendid sail system. At times the wind did the
greater part of the work, and again the full force of the motors was
required.
Let me ask you to get on board one of these cities, and take one year's
journey in a few minutes.
For instance, take one of the vehicle cities, composed of one hundred
factory buildings and three thousand dwellings, all built of
non-combustible materials.
The city is now in the harbor of a great port, and all the merchantmen
who live nearest to this port have been informed that the vehicle city
would arrive about midweek and remain four days. What a busy time
follows after the floating city is fastened to its moorings! Inhabitants
go on solid ground to do their trading. Dealers make large purchases and
place extensive orders.
It should be stated that the mail and telegraph systems between the
continents and all these floating cities are well nigh perfect. Fast
lines of mail steamers follow one another around the same course pursued
by these floating cities, and passengers can go to or from any of these
moving abodes to any part of any continent whenever they wish; so that
if a dealer wishes a vehicle of special design, he can send his order by
mail to any one of the six vehicle cities and have it completed by the
time the floating city arrives at his port. If the community receiving
the order cannot complete the work in time, the order is sent with one
of the mail steamers to the next vehicle city in line.
The massive city starts its journey and in one day it floats to the
coaling stations. Here it takes on board an ample supply of fuel and
proceeds along the regular course, making no stops until it reaches the
mineral station where it takes a new supply of the various kinds of
metals necessary for manufacturing and for all other purposes.
Then perchance it passes a city or two that is lying in dock for trade
purposes. The next stop will be at one of the several tropical stations
where a fresh supply of fruits is purchased and a number of vehicles
sold or delivered.
After this the city passes several apparel cities moored to an immense
dock, taking on board large bales of a cotton-like substance used in
making texture.
So continues the interesting journey along a safe route mapped out
centuries before. Storms arise, of course, but what harm can they do
except to send the ponderous waves dashing against the bulwarks of the
city and rock it gently, all of which becomes so familiar that no one
thinks of these things as serious barriers to the floating-city life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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