Путешествие на Луну

           Certaincountriesdistinguishedthemselvesbytheirliberality;othersuntiedtheirpurse-stringswithlessfacility—amatteroftemperament.Figuresare,however,moreeloquentthanwords,andhereistheofficialstatementofthesumswhichwerepaidintothecreditoftheGunClubatthecloseofthesubscription.

           Russiapaidinashercontingenttheenormoussumof368,733roubles.Nooneneedbesurprisedatthis,whobearsinmindthescientifictasteoftheRussians,andtheimpetuswhichtheyhavegiventoastronomicalstudies—thankstotheirnumerousobservatories.

           FrancebeganbyderidingthepretensionsoftheAmericans.Themoonservedasapretextforathousandstalepunsandascoreofballads,inwhichbadtastecontestedthepalmwithignorance.ButasformerlytheFrenchpaidbeforesinging,sonowtheypaidafterhavinghadtheirlaugh,andtheysubscribedforasumof1,253,930francs.Atthatpricetheyhadarighttoenjoythemselvesalittle.

           Austriashowedherselfgenerousinthemidstofherfinancialcrisis.Herpubliccontributionsamountedtothesumof216,000florins—aperfectgodsend.

           Fifty-twothousandrix-dollarsweretheremittanceofSwedenandNorway;theamountislargeforthecountry,butitwouldundoubtedlyhavebeenconsiderablyincreasedhadthesubscriptionbeenopenedinChristianasimultaneouslywiththatatStockholm.ForsomereasonorothertheNorwegiansdonotliketosendtheirmoneytoSweden.

           Prussia,byaremittanceof250,000thalers,testifiedherhighapprovaloftheenterprise.