From the Earth to the Moon, Chapter 8 summary
Chapter 8 of 51 · Part 1 · 5 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 8, Barbicane leads the committee in choosing a nine-hundred-foot smoothbore cannon, sunk into the ground and made of cast iron. The discussion turns the launch proposal into a specific design, while its enormous calculated cost prompts concern that Barbicane answers with confidence about funding.
What happens
- Public alarm about the heavy projectile leads into the committee’s discussion of the cannon’s size and power.
- Barbicane explains air resistance, gravity, and propulsion, then wins approval for a barrel nine hundred feet long.
- The committee considers a six-foot wall, underground placement, iron hoops, masonry support, and a precisely bored smooth barrel.
- After a short refreshment break, Barbicane favors cast iron over Morgan’s proposed alloy because it costs less and is easier to work.
- Maston calculates the cannon’s weight, its price causes unease, and Barbicane assures the committee that funding is available.
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In this chapter
What to notice
Barbicane treats the enormous expense as manageable. His assurance ends the committee’s immediate financial concern without identifying a source of funds.
Quick check
Why does Barbicane reject a rifled barrel?
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