A Telegraphic Dispatch

           ThegreatworksundertakenbytheGunClubhadnowvirtuallycometoanend;andtwomonthsstillremainedbeforethedayforthedischargeoftheshottothemoon.Tothegeneralimpatiencethesetwomonthsappearedaslongasyears!Hithertothesmallestdetailsoftheoperationhadbeendailychronicledbythejournals,whichthepublicdevouredwitheagereyes.

           Justatthismomentacircumstance,themostunexpected,themostextraordinaryandincredible,occurredtorouseafreshtheirpantingspirits,andtothroweverymindintoastateofthemostviolentexcitement.

           Oneday,the30thofSeptember,at3:47P.M.,atelegram,transmittedbycablefromValentia(Ireland)toNewfoundlandandtheAmericanMainland,arrivedattheaddressofPresidentBarbicane.

           Thepresidenttoreopentheenvelope,readthedispatch,and,despitehisremarkablepowersofself-control,hislipsturnedpaleandhiseyesgrewdim,onreadingthetwentywordsofthistelegram.

           Hereisthetextofthedispatch,whichfiguresnowinthearchivesoftheGunClub:

           FRANCE,PARIS,

           30September,4A.M.

           Barbicane,TampaTown,Florida,UnitedStates.

           Substituteforyoursphericalshellacylindro-conicalprojectile.Ishallgoinside.ShallarrivebysteamerAtlanta.

           MICHELARDAN.