a journey in other worlds-第11节

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are　several　reasons。　　Since　every　discovery　or　advance　in
knowledge　increases　our　chance　of　obtaining　more；　it　becomes
cumulative；　and　our　progress　is　in　geometric　instead　of
arithmetical　ratio。　　Public　interest　and　general　appreciation　of
the　value　of　time　have　also　effectively　assisted　progress。　　At
the　beginning　of　each　year　the　President；　the　Governors　of　the
States；　and　the　Mayors　of　cities　publish　a　prospectus　of　the
great　improvements　needed；　contemplated；　and　under　way　within
their　jurisdictionit　may　be　planning　a　new　boulevard；　a　new
park；　or　an　improved　system　of　sewers；　and　at　the　year's　end　they
issue　a　resume　of　everything　completed；　and　the　progress　in
everything　else；　and　though　there　is　usually　a　great　difference
between　the　results　hoped　for　and　those　attained；　the　effect　is
good。　　The　newspapers　publish　at　length　the　recommendations　of
the　Executives；　and　also　the　results　obtained；　and　keep　up　public
interest　in　all　important　matters。
　　　
〃Free　to　delve　in　the　allurement　and　fascination　of　science；
emancipated　man　goes　on　subduing　Nature；　as　his　Maker　said　he
should；　and　turning　her　giant　forces　to　his　service　in　his
constant　struggle　to　rise　and　become　more　like　Him　who　gave　the
commandments　and　showed　him　how　he　should　go。
　　　
〃Notwithstanding　our　strides　in　material　progress；　　we　are　not
entirely　content。　　As　the　requirements　of　the　animal　become　fully
supplied；　we　feel　a　need　for　something　else。　　Some　say　this　is
like　a　child　that　cries　for　the　moon；　but　others　believe　it　the
awakening　and　craving　of　our　souls。　　The　historian　narrates　but
the　signs　of　the　times；　and　strives　to　efface　himself；　yet　there
is　clearly　a　void；　becoming　yearly　more　apparent；　which
materialism　cannot　fill。　　Is　it　some　new　subtle　force　for　which
we　sigh；　or　would　we　commune　with　spirits？　　There　is；　so　far　as
we　can　see；　no　limit　to　our　journey；　and　I　will　add；　in　closing；
that；　with　the　exception　of　religion；　we　have　most　to　hope　from
science。〃


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VI。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAR…REACHING　PLANS。

Knowing　that　the　rectification　of　the　earth's　axis　was
satisfactorily　begun；　and　that　each　year　would　show　an　increasing
improvement　in　climate；　many　of　the　delegates；　after　hearing
Bearwarden's　speech；　set　out　for　their　homes。　　Those　from　the
valley　of　the　Amazon　and　the　eastern　coast　of　South　America
boarded　a　lightning　express　that　rushed　them　to　Key　West　at　the
rate　of　three　hundred　miles　an　hour。　　The　railroad　had　six
tracks；　two　for　through　passengers；　two　for　locals；　and　two　for
freight。　　There　they　took　a　〃water…spider；〃　six　hundred　feet　long
by　three　hundred　in　width；　the　deck　of　which　was　one　hundred　feet
above　the　surface；　which　carried　them　over　the　water　at　the　rate
of　a　mile　a　minute；　around　the　eastern　end　of　Cuba；　through
Windward　Passage；　and　so　to　the　South　American　mainland；　where
they　continued　their　journey　by　rail。
　　　
The　Siberian　and　Russian　delegates；　who；　of　course；　felt　a　keen
interest　in　the　company's　proceedings；　took　a　magnetic
double…ender　car　to　Bering　Strait。　　It　was　eighteen　feet　high；
one　hundred　and　fifty　feet　long；　and　had　two　stories。　　The　upper；
with　a　toughened　glass　dome　running　the　entire　length；　descended
to　within　three　feet　of　the　floor；　and　afforded　an　unobstructed
view　of　the　rushing　scenery。　　The　rails　on　which　it　ran　were　ten
feet　apart；　the　wheels　being　beyond　the　sides；　like　those　of　a
carriage；　and　fitted　with　ball　bearings　to　ridged　axles。　　The
car's　flexibility　allowed　it　to　follow　slight　irregularities　in
the　track；　while　the　free；　independent　wheels　gave　it　a　great
advantage　in　rounding　curves　over　cars　with　wheels　and　axle　in
one　casting；　in　which　one　must　slip　while　traversing　a　greater　or
smaller　arc　than　the　other；　except　when　the　slope　of　the　tread
and　the　centrifugal　force　happen　to　correspond　exactly。　　The　fact
of　having　its　supports　outside　instead　of　underneath；　while
increasing　its　stability；　also　enabled　the　lower　floor　to　come
much　nearer　the　ground；　while　still　the　wheels　were　large。　
Arriving　in　just　twenty　hours；　they　ran　across　on　an　electric
ferry…boat；　capable　of　carrying　several　dozen　cars；　to　East　Cape；
Siberia；　and　then；　by　running　as　far　north　as　possible；　had　a
short　cut　to　Europe。
　　　
The　Patagonians　went　by　the　all…rail　Intercontinental　Line；
without　change　of　cars；　making　the　run　of　ten　thousand　miles　in
forty　hours。　　The　Australians　entered　a　flying　machine；　and　were
soon　out　of　sight；　while　the　Central　Americans　and　members　from
other　States　of　the　Union　returned　for　the　most　part　in　their
mechanical　phaetons。
　　　
〃A　prospective　improvement　in　travelling；〃　said　Bearwarden；　as　he
and　his　friends　watched　the　crowd　disperse；　〃will　be　when　we　can
rise　beyond　the　limits　of　the　atmosphere；　wait　till　the　earth
revolves　beneath　us；　and　descend　in　twelve　hours　on　the　other
side。〃
　　　
〃True；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃but　then　we　can　travel　westward　only；
and　shall　have　to　make　a　complete　circuit　when　we　wish　to　go
east。〃
　　　
A　few　days　later　there　was　a　knock　at　President　Bearwarden's
door；　while　he　was　seated　at　his　desk　looking　over　some　papers
and　other　matters。　　Taking　his　foot　from　a　partly　opened　desk
drawer　where　it　had　been　resting；　he　placed　it　upon　the　handle　of
a　handsome　brass…mounted　bellows；　which　proved　to　be
articulating；　for；　as　he　pressed；　it　called　lustily；　〃Come　in！〃　
The　door　opened；　and　in　walked　Secretary　of　State　Stillman；
Secretary　of　the　Navy　Deepwaters；　who　was　himself　an　old　sailor；
Dr。　Cortlandt；　Ayrault。　　Vice…President　Dumby；　of　the　T。　A。　S。
Co。；　and　two　of　the　company's　directors。
　　　
〃Good…morning；〃　said　Bearwarden；　as　he　shook　hands　with　his
visitors。　　〃Charmed　to　see　you。〃
　　　
〃That's　a　great　invention；〃　said　Secretary　Stillman；　examining
the　bellows。　　〃We　must　get　Congress　to　make　an　appropriation　for
its　introduction　in　the　department　buildings　in　Washington。　　You
have　no　idea　how　it　dries　my　throat　to　be　all　the　time　shouting；
'Come　in！'〃
　　　
〃Do　you　know；　Bearwarden；〃　said　Secretary　Deepwaters；　〃I'm　afraid
when　we　have　this　millennium　of　climate　every　one　will　be　so　well
satisfied　that　our　friend　here　（pointing　to　Secretary　Stillman
with　his　thumb）　will　have　nothing　to　do。〃
　　　
〃I　have　sometimes　thought　some　of　the　excitement　will　be　gone；
and　the　struggle　of　the　'survival　of　the　fittest'　will　become
less　problematical；〃　said　Bearwarden。
　　　
〃The　earth　seems　destined　to　have　a　calm　old　age；〃　said
Cortlandt；　〃unless　we　can　look　to　the　Cabinet　to　prevent　it。〃
　　　
〃This　world　will　soon　be　a　dull　place。　　I　wish　we　could　leave　it
for　a　change；〃　said　Ayrault。　　〃I　don't　mean　forever；　of　course；
but　just　as　people　have　grown　tired　of　remaining　like　plants　in
the　places　in　which　they　grew。　　Alan　has　been　a　caterpillar　for
untold　ages；　can　he　not　become　the　butterfly？〃
　　　
〃Since　we　have　found　out　how　to　straighten　the　axis；〃　said
Deepwaters；　〃might　we　not　go　one　better；　and　improve　the　orbit　as
well？increase　the　difference　between　aphelion　and　perihelion；
and　give　those　that　still　like　a　changing　climate　a　chance；　while
incidentally　we　should　see　more　of　the　worldI　mean　the　solar
systemand；　by　enlarging　the　parallax；　be　able　to　measure　the
distance　of　a　greater　number　of　fixed　stars。　　Put　your　helm　hard
down　and　shout　'Hard…a…lee！'　　You　see；　there　is　nothing　simpler。　
You　keep　her　off　now；　and　six　months　hence　you　let　her　luff。〃
　　　
〃That's　an　idea！〃　said　Bearwarden。　　〃Our　orbit　could　be　enough
like　that　of　a　comet　to　cross　the　orbits　of　both　Venus　and　Mars；
and　the　climatic　extremes　would　not　be　inconvenient。　　The　whole
earth　being　simultaneously　warmed　or　cooled；　there　would　be　no
equinoctials　or　storms　resulting　from　changes　on　one　part　of　the
surface　from　intense　heat　to　intense　cold；　every　part　would　have
a　twelve…hour　day　and　night；　and　none　would　be　turned　towards　or
from　the　sun　for　six　months　at　a　time；　for；　however　eccentric　the
orbit；　we　should　keep　the　axis　absolutely　straight。　　At
perihelion　there　would　simply　be　increased　evaporation　and　clouds
near　the　equator；　which　would　shield　those　regions　from　the　sun；
only　to　disappear　again　as　the　earth　receded。
　　　
〃The　only　trouble；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃is　that　we　should　have　no
fulcrum。　　Straightening　the　axis　is　simple　enough；　for　we　have
the　attraction　of　the　sun　with　which　to　work；　and　we　have　but　to
increase　it　at　one　end　while　decreasing　it　at　the　other；　and
change　this　as　the　poles　change　their　inclination　towards　the
sun；　to　bring　it　about。　　If　a　comet　with　a　sufficiently　large
head　would　but　come　along　and　retard　us；　or　opportunely　give　us　a
pull；　or　if　we　could　increase　the　attraction　of　the　other　planets
for　us；　or　decrease　it　at　times；　it　might　be　done。　　If　the　force；
the　control　of　which　was　discovered　too　late　to　help　us
straighten　the　axis；　could　be　applied　on　a　sufficiently　large
scale；　if　apergy〃
　　　
〃I　have　it！〃　exclaimed　Ayrault；　jumping　up。　　〃Apergy　will　do　it。　
We　can　build　an　airtight　projectile；　hermetically　seal　ourselves
within；　and　charge　it　in　such　a　way　that　it　will　be　repelled　by
the　magnetism　of　the　earth；　and　it　will　be　forced　from　it　with
equal　or　greater　violence　tha