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The Question of the Powders
Itignitesat170degreesinplaceof240,anditscombustionissorapidthatonemaysetlighttoitonthetopoftheordinarypowder,withoutthelatterhavingtimetoignite."
"Perfect!"exclaimedthemajor.
"Onlyitismoreexpensive."
"Whatmatter?"criedJ.T.Maston.
"Finally,itimpartstoprojectilesavelocityfourtimessuperiortothatofgunpowder.Iwillevenadd,thatifwemixitwithone-eighthofitsownweightofnitrateofpotassium,itsexpansiveforceisagainconsiderablyaugmented."
"Willthatbenecessary?"askedthemajor.
"Ithinknot,"repliedBarbicane."So,then,inplaceof1,600,000poundsofpowder,weshallhavebut400,000poundsoffulminatingcotton;andsincewecan,withoutdanger,compress500poundsofcottonintotwenty-sevencubicfeet,thewholequantitywillnotoccupyaheightofmorethan180feetwithintheboreoftheColumbiad.Inthiswaytheshotwillhavemorethan700feetofboretotraverseunderaforceof6,000,000,000litresofgasbeforetakingitsflighttowardthemoon."
AtthisjunctureJ.T.Mastoncouldnotrepresshisemotion;heflunghimselfintothearmsofhisfriendwiththeviolenceofaprojectile,andBarbicanewouldhavebeenstoveinifhehadnotbeenboom-proof.
Thisincidentterminatedthethirdmeetingofthecommittee.
Barbicaneandhisboldcolleagues,towhomnothingseemedimpossible,hadsucceedinginsolvingthecomplexproblemsofprojectile,cannon,andpowder.Theirplanwasdrawnup,anditonlyremainedtoputitintoexecution
