eting. In reality the whole block would not have been sufficient to give room to the large crowd of subscribers who assembled on that day. But a meeting in the fresh air on one of the public squares

their strange shapes those murderous engines which had sent into a be

ina Scorbitt, who should really have had a place on the right hand of the President, as she was in reality the owner of the Arctic region. Several other ladies were in the crowd. They could readily be seen by their large and much-decorated hats in many different colors. The large crowd on the outside tried to push into the hall, and one might easily have thought that all the people present were not merely helpmates of the members of the Gun Club, but rather their personal friends. The European delegates-Swedish, Norwegians, Danish, English, Dutch, and Russian-occupied reserved seats, and if they had bought any stock in this society it was only each one individually to such an extent as to justify a vote in the proceedings. After they had been so closel

rs announced that the Council of Administration was coming. There, on a draped platform, with a table covered with black cloth, in full sight, President Barbicane, his Secretary, J.T. Maston, and his associates, took their places. A triple round of cheers, followed by hearty "tigers," ra

oses. The success which will be attained by it surpasses belief and the dividends your money will bring you will be unsurpassed in the commercial or financial history of this or any other country." Here applause was heard for the first time and for a moment the orator was interrupted. "You do not forget," said he, "how we have proved to you that there must be vast coal fields in these regions, perhaps also fields of fossil ivory. The articles published on this subject do not allow any doubt that coal

one of those present. "Two hu

nce to grasp the idea. Then he began again: "Therefore, we come here, subscribers, and I ask you to rise and go with me to the North Pole immediately." Everybody present got up and seemed about to rush away and pack their trunks, as if President Barbicane had a

, or by air," quietly ans

and it may readily be understood

far north as anybody will ever get by the means employed at the present day. Up to the present time we have only used boats and vessels to reach the icebergs, and rafts to pass over th

auditors, that they were on the point of hearing the sec

ach it?" demanded th

I may add in addressing myself to all the stockholders, that they should have confidence in us as

"they tried to go as far as the moon. And

shoulders, he said in a loud voice: "Yes, ladies and gentl

It seemed to them as if the orator had said in ten minutes they wo

and has Commander Nares been right in calling it 'paleocrystic ocean,' which means

aldenak. "It is not the question of suppo

olid continent and not an ice ocean which the N.P.P.A. has purchased and which no

de most of the remarks and met the hearty applause of his associates. "No, sir," answered President Barbicane, quickly. "There is a regular continent, a platform which rises like the Gobi desert in Cen

ld, Perry and Maaigaard stated that Greenland

at animals must have been there, and perhaps people as well. There used to be large forests there, which must have been formed into coal-fields, which we will explore.

bsided Major Donellan could be heard to remark: "Well, seven minutes have already

ree minutes," coolly ans

ajor. "Impossible," cried Jan Harald, who emphasized this remark with a wave of his hand. "Impossible, all right," said Impey Barbicane. "But it is to conquer this impossibility that we have purchased this region. We will need neither vessels nor rafts to

nly asked for a lever to lift the world. Well, this lever we h

North Pole?" cri

ot wish to explain himself just yet, for he continued: "In regard to this point of levera

rd to th

ret!" cried the majority of th

it," said Pres

ver had any intention of making his plan known. He continued to say: "We obtained our object, thanks to a mechanical device, one which has no precedent

" said the o

"One to whom we owe all the calculations which allows us to have our work in such good condition. As the exploration of the North Pole is not a piece of play the remov

aimed all the auditors, seemingly electrified b

ed mathematician, who had already entirely gained her heart. He contented himse

o New York), "J T. Maston had already said to himself: 'We must invent machines to move the North Pole. We must find a point for action and put the axis of the earth in the right direction from the object.' Well, any or all of you who listen to me find it if you can. I can only say the machines ha

hen have the idea of putting the axi

"We have the means of making a new one which will

tation of the earth?" repeated C

then the earth will be similar to the planet Jupiter, whose axis is nearly perpendicular to the plane of its orbit. Now this movement of 23 degrees 28 minutes will be

the European delegates, well, they were simply stupefied, paralyzed, and crushed, they kept their mouths shut in the last stage of astonishment. But the hurrahs seemed to rend the hall asunder, when President Barbicane made the ad