The progress made in the great art of ship-building since Noah’s time is quite noticeable. Also, the looseness of the navigation laws in the time of Noah is in quite striking contrast with the strictness of the navigation laws of our time. It would not be possible for Noah to do in our day what he was permitted to do in his own. Experience has taught us the necessity of being more particular, more conservative, more careful of human life. Noah would not be allowed to sail from Bremen in our day. The inspectors would come and examine the Ark, and make all sorts of objections. A person who knows Germany can imagine the scene and the conversation without difficulty and without missing a detail. The inspector would be in a beautiful military uniform; he would be respectful, dignified, kindly, the perfect gentleman, but steady as the north star to the last requirement of his duty. He would make Noah tell him where he was born, and how old he was, and what religious sect he belonged to, and the amount of his income, and the grade and position he claimed socially, and the name and style of his occupation, and how many wives and children he had, and how many servants, and the name, sex, and age of the whole of them; and if he hadn’t a passport he would be courteously required to get one right away. Then he would take up the matter of the Ark: ‘What is her length?’ ‘Six hundred feet.’ ‘Depth?’ ‘Sixty-five.’ ‘Beam?’ ‘Fifty or sixty.’ ‘Built of——’ ‘Wood.’ ‘What kind?’ ‘Shittim and gopher.’ ‘Interior and exterior decorations?’ ‘Pitched within and without.’ ‘Passengers?’ ‘Eight.’ ‘Sex?’ ‘Half male, the others female.’ ‘Ages?’ ‘From a hundred years up.’ ‘Up to where?’ ‘Six hundred.’ ‘Ah! going to Chicago; good idea, too. Surgeon’s name?’ ‘We have no surgeon.’ ‘Must provide a surgeon. Also an undertaker—particularly the undertaker. These people must not be left without the necessities of life at their age. Crew?’ ‘The same eight.’ ‘The same eight?’ ‘The same eight.’ ‘And half of them women?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘Have they ever served as seamen?’ ‘No, sir.’ ‘Have the men?’ ‘No, sir.’ ‘Have any of you ever been to sea?’ ‘No, sir.’ ‘Where were you reared?’ ‘On a farm—all of us.’ ‘This vessel requires a crew of eight hundred men, she not being a steamer. You must provide them. She must have four mates and nine cooks. Who is captain?’ ‘I am, sir.’ ‘You must get a captain. Also a chambermaid. Also sick nurses for the old people. Who designed this vessel?’ ‘I did, sir.’ ‘Is it your first attempt?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘I partly suspected it. Cargo?’ ‘Animals.’ ‘Kind?’ ‘All kinds.’ ‘Wild or tame?’ ‘Mainly wild.’ ‘Foreign or domestic?’ ‘Mainly foreign.’ ‘Principal wild ones?’ ‘Megatherium, elephant, rhinoceros, lion, tiger, wolf, snakes—all the wild things of all climes—two of each.’ ‘Securely caged?’ ‘No, not caged.’ ‘They must have iron cages. Who feeds and waters the menagerie?’ ‘We do.’ ‘The old people?’ ‘Yes, sir.’