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President Barbicane’s Communication
Moreover,youarewellawarethat,ingeneralterms,theresistingpowerofcannonandtheexpansiveforceofgunpowderarepracticallyunlimited.Well!startingfromthisprinciple,Iaskmyselfwhether,supposingsufficientapparatuscouldbeobtainedconstructedupontheconditionsofascertainedresistance,itmightnotbepossibletoprojectashotuptothemoon?"
Atthesewordsamurmurofamazementescapedfromathousandpantingchests;thensucceededamomentofperfectsilence,resemblingthatprofoundstillnesswhichprecedestheburstingofathunderstorm.Inpointoffact,athunderstormdidpealforth,butitwasthethunderofapplause,orcries,andofuproarwhichmadetheveryhalltremble.Thepresidentattemptedtospeak,butcouldnot.Itwasfullytenminutesbeforehecouldmakehimselfheard.
"Suffermetofinish,"hecalmlycontinued."Ihavelookedatthequestioninallitsbearings,Ihaveresolutelyattackedit,andbyincontrovertiblecalculationsIfindthataprojectileendowedwithaninitialvelocityof12,000yardspersecond,andaimedatthemoon,mustnecessarilyreachit.Ihavethehonor,mybravecolleagues,toproposeatrialofthislittleexperiment."
