Путешествие на Луну
The Hymn of the Cannon-Ball
"Aluminum?"criedhisthreecolleaguesinchorus.
"Unquestionably,myfriends.Thisvaluablemetalpossessesthewhitenessofsilver,theindestructibilityofgold,thetenacityofiron,thefusibilityofcopper,thelightnessofglass.Itiseasilywrought,isverywidelydistributed,formingthebaseofmostoftherocks,isthreetimeslighterthaniron,andseemstohavebeencreatedfortheexpresspurposeoffurnishinguswiththematerialforourprojectile."
"But,mydearpresident,"saidthemajor,"isnotthecostpriceofaluminumextremelyhigh?"
"Itwassoatitsfirstdiscovery,butithasfallennowtoninedollarsapound."
"Butstill,ninedollarsapound!"repliedthemajor,whowasnotwillingreadilytogivein;"eventhatisanenormousprice."
"Undoubtedly,mydearmajor;butnotbeyondourreach."
"Whatwilltheprojectileweighthen?"askedMorgan.
"Hereistheresultofmycalculations,"repliedBarbicane."Ashotof108inchesindiameter,andtwelveinchesinthickness,wouldweigh,incast-iron,67,440pounds;castinaluminum,itsweightwillbereducedto19,250pounds."
"Capital!"criedthemajor;"butdoyouknowthat,atninedollarsapound,thisprojectilewillcost——"
"Onehundredandseventy-threethousandandfiftydollars($173,050).Iknowitquitewell.Butfearnot,myfriends;themoneywillnotbewantingforourenterprise.Iwillanswerforit.Nowwhatsayyoutoaluminum,gentlemen?"
"Adopted!"repliedthethreemembersofthecommittee
