The Projectile-Vehicle

           OnthecompletionoftheColumbiadthepublicinterestcenteredintheprojectileitself,thevehiclewhichwasdestinedtocarrythethreehardyadventurersintospace.

           ThenewplanshadbeensenttoBreadwillandCo.,ofAlbany,withtherequestfortheirspeedyexecution.Theprojectilewasconsequentlycastonthe2ndofNovember,andimmediatelyforwardedbytheEasternRailwaytoStonesHill,whichitreachedwithoutaccidentonthe10thofthatmonth,whereMichelArdan,Barbicane,andNichollwerewaitingimpatientlyforit.

           Theprojectilehadnowtobefilledtothedepthofthreefeetwithabedofwater,intendedtosupportawater-tightwoodendisc,whichworkedeasilywithinthewallsoftheprojectile.Itwasuponthiskindofraftthatthetravelersweretotaketheirplace.Thisbodyofwaterwasdividedbyhorizontalpartitions,whichtheshockofthedeparturewouldhavetobreakinsuccession.Theneachsheetofthewater,fromthelowesttothehighest,runningoffintoescapetubestowardthetopoftheprojectile,constitutedakindofspring;andthewoodendisc,suppliedwithextremelypowerfulplugs,couldnotstrikethelowestplateexceptafterbreakingsuccessivelythedifferentpartitions.Undoubtedlythetravelerswouldstillhavetoencounteraviolentrecoilafterthecompleteescapementofthewater;butthefirstshockwouldbealmostentirelydestroyedbythispowerfulspring.