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a journey in other worlds-第6部分

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right angles to a yellow globe labelled 〃Sun〃; and again waxing
eloquent; he added:  〃We are the instruments destined to bring
about the accomplishment of that prophecy; for never in the
history of the world has man reared so splendid a monument to his
own genius as he will in straightening the axis of the planet。
   
〃No one need henceforth be troubled by sudden change; and every
man can have perpetually the climate he desires。  Northern Europe
will again luxuriate in a climate that favoured the elephants
that roamed in northern Asia and Switzerland。  To produce these
animals and the food they need; it is not necessary to have great
heat; but merely to prevent great cold; half the summer's sun
being absorbed in melting the winter's accumulation of ice。
   
〃When the axis has reached a point at which it inclines but about
twelve degrees; it will become necessary to fill the antarctic
reservoir in June and the Arctic Ocean in December; in order to
check the straightening; since otherwise it might get beyond the
perpendicular and swing the other way。  When this motion is
completely arrested; I suggest that we blow up the Aleutian Isles
and enlarge Bering Strait; so as to allow what corresponds to the
Atlantic Gulf Stream in the Pacific to enter the Arctic
Archipelago; which I have calculated will raise the average
temperature of that entire region about thirty degrees; thereby
still further increasing the amount of available land。 
   
〃Ocean currents; being the result of the prevailing winds; which
will be more regular than at present; can be counted upon to
continue practically as they are。  It may not be plain to you why
the trade winds do not blow towards the equator due south and
north; since the equator has much the same effect on air that a
stove has in the centre of a room; causing an ascending current
towards the ceiling; which moves off in straight lines in all
directions on reaching it; its place being taken by cold currents
moving in opposite directions along the floor。  Picture to
yourselves the ascending currents at the equator moving off to
the poles from which they came。  As they move north they are
continually coming to parts of the globe having smaller circles
of latitude than those they have left; and therefore not moved
forward as rapidly by the earth's daily rotation as the latitudes
nearer the equator。  The winds consequently run ahead of the
surface; and so move east of norththe earth turning towards the
eastwhile the heavier colder surface currents; rushing towards
the equator to take the place of the ascending column; coming
from regions where the surface whirls comparatively slowly to
those where it is rotating faster; are continually left behind;
and so move southwest; while south of the equator a corresponding
motion results。  Though this is not the most exact explanation;
it may serve to make the action clear。  I will add; that if any
one prefers a colder or a warmer climate than that of the place
in which he lives; he need only go north or south for an hour;
or; if he prefers his own latitude; he can rise a few thousand
feet in the air; or descend to one of the worked…out coal…mines
which are now used as sanitariums; and secure his object by a
slight change of altitude。  Let us speed the departure of racking
changes and extremes of climate; and prepare to welcome what we
believe prevails in paradisenamely; everlasting spring。〃
   
Appended to the address was the report of the Government
Examining Committee; which ran:  〃We have critically examined the
Terrestrial Axis Straightening Company's figures and
calculations; also its statements involving natural philosophy;
physics; and astronomy; all of which we find correct; and hereby
approve。
   
'Signed'        〃For the Committee:

               〃HENRY CHELMSFORD CORTLANDT;

                           〃Chairman。〃

   
The Board of Directors having ratified the acts of its officers;
and passed congratulatory resolutions; the meeting adjourned sine
die。



                           CHAPTER IV。

   PROF。 CORTLANDT'S HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE WORLD

               IN A。 D。 2000。


Prof。 Cortlandt; preparing a history of the times at the
beginning of the great terrestrial and astronomical change; wrote
as follows:  〃This periodA。D。 2000is by far the most
wonderful the world has as yet seen。  The advance in scientific
knowledge and attainment within the memory; of the present
generation has been so stupendous that it completely overshadows
all that has preceded。  All times in history and all periods of
the world have been remarkable for some distinctive or
characteristic trait。  The feature of the period of Louis XIV was
the splendour of the court and the centralization of power in
Paris。  The year 1789 marked the decline of the power of courts
and the evolution of government by the people。  So; by the spread
of republican ideas and the great advance in science; education
has become universal; for women as well as for men; and this is
more than ever a mechanical age。
   
〃With increased knowledge we are constantly coming to realize how
little we really know; and are also continually finding
manifestations of forces that at first seem like exceptions to
established laws。  This is; of course; brought about by the
modifying influence of some other natural law; though many of
these we have not yet discovered。
   
〃Electricity in its varied forms does all work; having superseded
animal and manual labour in everything; and man has only to
direct。  The greatest ingenuity next to finding new uses for this
almost omnipotent fluid has been displayed in inducing the forces
of Nature; and even the sun; to produce it。  Before describing
the features of this perfection of civilization; let us review
the steps by which society and the political world reached their
present state。
   
〃At the close of the Franco…Prussian War; in 1871; Continental
Europe entered upon the condition of an armed camp; which lasted
for nearly half a century。  The primary cause of this was the
mutual dislike and jealousy of France and Germany; each of which
strove to have a larger and better equipped national defence than
the other。  There were also many other causes; as the ambition of
the Russian Czar; supported by his country's vast though
imperfectly developed resources and practically unlimited supply
of men; one phase of which was the constant ferment in the Balkan
Peninsula; and another Russia's schemes for extension in Asia;
another was the general desire for colonies in Africa; in which
one Continental power pretty effectually blocked another; and the
latent distrust inside the Triple Alliance。  England; meanwhile;
preserved a wise and profitable neutrality。
   
〃These tremendous sacrifices for armaments; both on land and
water; had far…reaching results; and; as we see it now; were
clouds with silver linings。  The demand for hardened steel
projectiles; nickel…steel plates; and light and almost
unbreakable machinery; was a great incentive to improvement in
metallurgy while the necessity for compact and safely carried
ammunition greatly stimulated chemical r
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