"My dear contradictor, you have just put your finger upon the
true and only difficulty; nevertheless, I have too good an
opinion of the industrial genius of the Americans not to believe
that they will succeed in overcoming it."

"But the heat developed by the rapidity of the projectile in
crossing the strata of air?"

"Oh! the walls are thick, and I shall soon have crossed
the atmosphere."

"But victuals and water?"

"I have calculated for a twelvemonth's supply, and I shall be
only four days on the journey."

"But for air to breathe on the road?"

"I shall make it by a chemical process."

"But your fall on the moon, supposing you ever reach it?"

"It will be six times less dangerous than a sudden fall upon the
earth, because the weight will be only one-sixth as great on the
surface of the moon."

"Still it will be enough to smash you like glass!"

"What is to prevent my retarding the shock by means of rockets
conveniently placed, and lighted at the right moment?"