Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Director Barbicane's Speech Is Proper

On December 22, the patrons of the Barbican Company were called to a convention.The meeting place was in the lobby of the Gunners Club at the Hotel "Union Square".Truth be told, the entire square could barely accommodate a horde of impatient shareholders.But at that time, the temperature was minus 10°C, and it was impossible to hold an open-air meeting. At ten o'clock in the morning, in the spacious hall, all kinds of cannon were displayed, which were borrowed from those dedicated club members.An authentic cannon museum!The furniture in the hall, tables, chairs, armchairs, couches, are of strange shape, and also suggest that these murderous weapons have sent many good people to the world of bliss, but these people themselves wished to enjoy it. every day.

Today's meeting is not a wartime meeting.Imbi Barbicane will chair a peaceful industrial meeting.Large numbers of seats are reserved in the hall for funders from all corners of the United States.In the hall and adjacent rooms the people were crowded and out of breath.But there was still a long queue that could not be seen behind, and the excited atmosphere spread all the way to the center of "Union Square". Of course, the members of the Gunners' Club - the first subscribers to the new company's stock - were seated nearest the podium, and Colonel Bronsberry, Woodleg Tom Hunt, and their colleagues were spotted jovially Spey, they were more elated than ever.A comfortable armchair for Mrs. Avengerina Scobie.As the largest owner of Arctic real estate, she had the right to sit next to Director Barbicane.Also, there were large groups of women belonging to all classes of the city, with hats adorned with exotic feathers and colorful ribbons.The noisy crowd crowded under the roof of the hall glass room.

All in all, for most shareholders, attending this meeting can be seen not only as a supporter, but also as a personal friend of the board members. One thing to note, though: European delegates—Swedish, Danish, British, Dutch, and Russian—occupied special seats.They attended the meeting because each of them subscribed for a certain number of shares, which gave them the right to speak and debate.In order to obtain the North Pole, they were once united as close as possible.Now, to ridicule the winners, their unity will remain the same.It is easy to imagine how anxious they were to know the contents of Director Barbicane's report, which would no doubt shed light on their means of reaching the North Pole.Wouldn't it be more difficult than mining coal?Erik Baldnak, Boris Karkov, Jacques Janssen, Jan Hallard would have no qualms about asking to speak if there was any objection.And Major Tang Lan had Dean Tudrink at the side to prompt him, determined to force his opponent Imbi Barbicane into speechless.

At eight o'clock in the evening, the lights of the Edison lamps illuminated the halls, small halls, and courtyards of the Gunners Club.As the gates surrounded by the public opened, there was a murmur of murmurs from the seats.But when the concierge announced the entry of the board members, the hall fell silent. In bright light, Director Barbicane, Secretary Maston, and their colleague, Captain Nicole, stepped onto the carpeted rostrum and took their seats before a dais covered with a black tablecloth.Three cheers, mixed with shouts and applause, sounded from the hall and spread into the adjacent street.

Maston and Captain Nicole sat solemnly in the seats of high honor. At this moment, Director Barbicane stood up, with his left hand in his pocket and his right hand in his waistcoat, and began to speak: "Dear Stock Subscribers: "The board of directors of the Arctic Experiment Association called a meeting in the lobby of the Gunners Club to convey an important matter to you. "The discussion in the papers, as you already know, our new company's goal is to mine coal in the Arctic, which the federal government gave us. The land acquired through a public auction is the owner's investment in the business. The funds provided by the subscription of shares, as of December 11th, will enable us to carry on this enterprise. The proceeds of which must bring rates of interest hitherto hitherto unknown in any commercial or industrial activity."

At this time, someone commented in a low voice, expressing their agreement, which made the speech pause for a moment. "You know how we assume there are rich coal deposits in the Arctic region. The information on coal resources published in the world press is also true. There are coal mines in the Arctic, and maybe there are ivory fossils. "Coal has become the energy source of the entire modern industry, not to mention the coal and coke used for heating, and the use of them to generate steam and electrons. It is enough for us to list the derivatives of coal. Alien red, stone Piment, indigo, magenta, carmine and other pigments; various spices such as vanilla, bitter almond, spirea, clove, wintergreen, fennel, camphor, thymol and heliotrope; picrate, water Salicylic acid, naphthol, carbolic acid, antipyrine, benzene, naphthalene, pyrowallic acid, hydroquinone, tannin, saccharin, asphalt, turpentine, lubricating oil, varnish, potassium ferrocyanide, cyanide, etc."

After the enumeration, the speaker paused like an exhausted runner, then took a long breath and said: "Therefore, it can be concluded that coal, the most precious substance, will be exhausted in a short time due to massive consumption. The coal mines that are still being mined today will be exhausted within five hundred years." "Three hundred years!" someone shouted at the venue. "Two hundred years!" Another person responded. "Even in a relatively short period of time," continued Director Barbicane, "we should open up some new mines in case the world is short of coal in the nineteenth century."

Having said that, he paused for a moment.Waiting for the audience to concentrate, he preached again: "So, fellow stockholders, stand up and follow me to the North Pole!" Everyone was really excited, and seemed to be packing up and boarding a ship bound for the North Pole that Director Barbicane was pointing at. Major Tang Lan made an opinion in a piercing and clear voice, which calmed down the heated and reckless commotion. He asked: "Before lifting the anchor, I would like to ask, how to get to the North Pole? By sea?" "Neither by sea, nor by land, nor by air," Director Barbicane softly retorted.

Everyone sat down again, feeling curious in their hearts. "You are not ignorant," continued the speaker, "what attempts have been made to reach this inaccessible spot on the earth. Here, I think it is necessary to remind you that it is for those who Honoring the brave pioneers and martyrs who survived Superman's adventures." All the audience, regardless of nationality, voted in favour. Director Barbicane also said: "In 1845, the British Lord John Franklin tried to reach the North Pole directly on the ships 'Hell' and 'Terror', and sank in the northern waters. Since then, his news has never been heard. information.

"In 1854, Americans Kane and Lieutenant Inton joined Franklin's expedition. They returned from the expedition, but their ship 'Pioneer' never returned. "In 1859, the Englishman Mike Collintock discovered a document in which he was informed that no one survived the expeditions of the Underworld and the Terror. "In 1860 the American Hayes left Boston on the schooner 'United States', crossed the 81° line, and returned in 1862, not being able to go further, notwithstanding the efforts of his companions. "In 1869, the Germans Captain Koldovi and Captain Hegemann set out from Bremerhaven on the ships 'Hanseatic League' and 'German Goddess'. The 'Hanseatic League' was damaged by ice and was at 71° The crew sank off the coast of Greenland at a slightly lower latitude, and the crew escaped by lifeboats; the "German Goddess" was lucky and returned to Bremerhaven, but failed to cross the 77° line.

"In 1871, Captain Hall sailed from New York on the steamer 'North Star'. Four months later, in a hard winter, the brave seaman died of exhaustion. Another year passed, and the steamer 'North Star' had not yet arrived The 82° parallel was destroyed on the drifting ice floes due to iceberg dragging. Eighteen people on board, under the command of Lieutenant Tyson, abandoned the ship and jumped onto the ice row, drifting in the Arctic Ocean. In the end, only five people returned to the mainland, ten Three people disappeared and have not been whereabouts. "In 1875 the Englishman Nells left Portsmouth aboard the steamers 'Alert' and 'Discovery'. In this unforgettable event, the crew established their own wintering station between the 82° and 83° lines Camp. Captain Macan headed north and stopped just four hundred nautical miles from the North Pole. No one had gone so far before him. "In 1879, the great citizen of our country, Gordon Bennett . . . " At this time, the crowd shouted three times and enthusiastically cheered the name of the "Great Citizen" "New York Herald" president. "The steamer 'Janet' was armed and delivered to Major De Long, who belonged to a French family. The 'Janet' sailed from San Francisco with thirty-three men, crossed the Bering Strait, and was held near Harrard It sank in the ice near Bennett Island, not far from the 77° line. Major Delon's men had only one way out: to take the boats they had taken out or to go south on the surface of the iceberg. Their situation was very miserable. In October, De Long died. Many of his companions died like him. Only twelve people remained from this expedition. "In 1881, American Greeley left the port of St. Jean, New Earth Island on the ship 'Proteinice', intending to establish an observatory at Mrs. Franklin Bay, Grant, slightly below the 82° line. Build there Fort Conge. From there the warriors marched west and north of the bay during the winter. In 1882 Lieutenant Lockwood and his partner Brainard reached 83° 35', several nautical miles beyond Macan. "This is the furthest point ever reached, the furthest point ever mapped in the Arctic!" At this time, there were bursts of cheers again, mixed with rhythmic cheers, to celebrate the achievements of the American discoverers. Director Barbicane said: "However, the ending of this expedition was not good. The 'Prodinis' sank, and these twenty-four Arctic immigrants were doomed to be miserable. French Dr. Pawe, and many People, all dead. In 1883 Greeley was rescued by the SS Thydis and he brought back only six of his companions. Lieutenant Lockwood, one of the heroes of the discovery, was also killed. Thus saddening the area Another name has been added to the roster of victims." This time, the audience listened quietly to Director Barbicane's speech, and the awe-inspiring silence naturally showed their respect for the victims.Then he said in a trembling voice: "Thus, despite the loyalty and courage of the people, the 84° line has never been surpassed. It is certain that by boat up to the big ice floes, by rafts across the ice, etc., all hitherto used The previous methods will never reach the North Pole. People cannot overcome such dangers and endure such low temperatures. Conquering the North Pole must be done through other ways!" From the excitement of the audience, it can be felt that this is the point of the report, the secret that everyone is looking for and coveting. "So where do you start, sir?" asked the British representative. "You'll know in ten minutes, Major Donlan," replied Director Barbicane. "When I address all shareholders, I will also say: 'Trust us.' For the advocates of the cause are still Those who rode the cylindrical-conical projectile, . . . " "A ridiculous cylinder!" cried Dean Tudrink. "Dare to risk going to the moon..." "People can see clearly, they're back!" Major Tang Lan's secretary added.His ill-advised accusations sparked outcry. But Director Barbicane shrugged his shoulders and said in a firm voice: "Yes, shareholders, within ten minutes, you will understand." His reply elicited exclamations and long murmurs. It seems that Director Barbicane has promised the audience, "In less than ten minutes, we will reach the North Pole!" He went on: "First of all, is the Arctic cap that makes up the earth a land or an ocean? Major Nells named it 'ancient ice sea', that is, an ice sea formed by ancient ice. Is that right? My answer to this question is : 'We don't think so'". "That's not enough!" Eric Baldnak exclaimed, "It's not enough to just say no, you have to have an affirmative answer!" "Very well! I answer the man who hastened to interrupt me. We conclude that this is a solid and not a liquid basin. The Arctic Experiment Society has acquired it, and it is now owned by the United States. No European country must claim it! " There was a murmur among the representatives of the Old Continent. "Oh! A big pit full of water, a big basin, you can't do it!" Dean Tudrink yelled again. The companions all agreed with each other. "No, sir," said Director Barbicane quickly, "there is land, a plateau, perhaps like the Gobi Desert in Central Asia, three or four kilometers above sea level. From our observations of the adjoining areas, it is easy to This is deduced. The Arctic region is nothing more than an extension of the adjacent region. This is quite logical. Therefore, when the expeditions of Nodensold, Peary, and Maerga found: Greenland is gradually rising northwards. One hundred and sixty kilometers away from Disco, the altitude has reached 2,300 meters. Then, in view of these observations, in view of the various plants and animals found in the ice shells that have not melted for many years, such as mastodon bones, ivory, Coniferous tree trunks, it can be asserted: This continent used to be fertile land, there must have been animals, maybe people. There were dense prehistoric forests buried there, forming coal resources. We must mine it! This is a continent around the North Pole, a Uninhabited Continent. We must plant the flag of the United States of America!" Among the audience, there was a burst of thunderous applause. When the sound died away in the distance on the main street of "Union Square", Major Donlan's rude scream sounded again.He said: "Say ten minutes to the North Pole, seven minutes have passed..." "In three minutes," replied Director Barbicane coldly. He added: "Although our new real estate is land, although this land is high, it is still blocked by perennial ice, covered with icebergs and ice fields, in this case, we believe that mining will be difficult. . . . " "Impossible!" said Jane Hallard.To accentuate this assertion, he simultaneously made a large gesture. "Impossible? Well," replied Imbi Barbicane, "it is precisely this impossibility that we are going to overcome. Not only do we no longer need ships and sledges to reach the North Pole, but, using our method, the ice that was and is , will magically melt away without costing us a dollar and a penny of labor!" There was no sound at the venue.Dean Tudrink and Jacques Janssen whispered to each other, and he deduced that the moment of truth had come. "Gentlemen," continued the Director of the Gunners' Club, "Archimedes needed only one fulcrum to raise the world. We have found this fulcrum! The great geometer Syracuse needed only one lever. We have this lever." Already! So we were able to move the North Pole..." "Move the North Pole!" cried Eric Baldnak. "Move to America!" cried Jane Hallard. Perhaps Director Barbicane deliberately didn't want to make it clear, and continued: "As for the fulcrum..." "Don't say it! Don't say it!" shouted one of the people present. "As for leverage..." "Secret! Secrecy!" The audience shouted. "It must be kept secret!" replied Director Barbicane. European delegates were understandably annoyed by this reply.But the speaker, ignoring their protests and not wanting to describe their method at all, simply said: "The results concerning mechanical engineering are without precedent in the history of the industry. Thanks to your financial support, we will be able to carry out this work, and will do it with excellence. Now, I announce to you..." "Listen! Listen!" Everyone is all ears. "In the first place," continued Director Barbicane, "it was one of our greatest scholars, a faithful and eminent colleague, who first conceived the idea of ​​our enterprise, and made it practical from theory, It is also thanks to his calculations. Because, if mining the Arctic coal is easy, moving the North Pole is a problem that can only be solved by advanced mechanics. This is why we turned to Ma Sitong, the respected secretary of the Gunners Club!" "Okay! Glory belongs to Ma Sitong!" All the audience shouted in unison.All were thrilled by the presence of this illustrious man. what!How excited was Mrs. Avengerina Scobie's heart, and how her heart beat, at the burst of applause. Ma Sitong only modestly turned his head to the right and then to the left, waving the hook on his arm to greet the enthusiastic audience. "Dear shareholders," continued Director Barbicane, "when the General Assembly was called to welcome the Frenchman Michel Arden to America, a few months before we set off for the Moon..." The Yankee speaks of that expedition so casually, as if going from Baltimore to New York! "Ma Sitong once shouted: 'invent the machine, find the fulcrum, and adjust the axis of the earth!' Hey, listeners, you must understand this: now that the machine is invented and the fulcrum is found, our next step is to work hard on adjusting the axis of the earth!" Hearing this, everyone was dumbfounded. To use the French proverb, it was "Stupid, idiot!" "What! Do you want to adjust the axis of the earth?" Major Tang Lan shouted. "Yes, sir," replied Director Barbicane, "we have the means of creating a new axis around which the earth will henceforth revolve...." "Change the rotation!" Colonel Kerkov repeated.His eyes shone brightly. "Exactly, without altering the length of rotation!" replied Director Barbicane, "which would move the existing North Pole approximately to the 67° line, in which case the earth would behave like Jupiter." , its axis is almost perpendicular to the plane of the orbit. A shift of 23°28' would allow the North Pole to receive enough heat to melt the ice that has accumulated over thousands of centuries!" The audience held their breath, and no one wanted to interrupt him, or even applaud him, overwhelmed by such a simple and wonderful idea: to change the axis on which the earth revolves. As for the European representatives, they were just shocked, they were convinced, broken, dumbfounded, completely speechless. There was thunderous applause in an instant.Director Barbicane concluded his speech with a simple and clear conclusion: "So the sun will be used to melt icebergs and ice floes to allow humans to go to the North Pole." "So," Major Tang Lan asked, "since humans can't go to the North Pole, let the North Pole come to the world?" "Exactly!" replied the Director Barbicane.