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Updated: May 27, 2025
Yet McKay was glad when they marched him in before the generals, who were seated at the open window of the topmost look-out, scanning the besiegers' operations with their telescopes. "What is the meaning of this fire? Have you any idea?" It was Todleben who asked the question. "Does it prelude a general attack?" "I cannot tell you," replied McKay.
The Native had previously packed, in all possible and impossible parts of Mr Dombey's chariot, which was in waiting, an unusual quantity of carpet-bags and small portmanteaus, no less apoplectic in appearance than the Major himself: and having filled his own pockets with Seltzer water, East India sherry, sandwiches, shawls, telescopes, maps, and newspapers, any or all of which light baggage the Major might require at any instant of the journey, he announced that everything was ready.
From this feature an excellent view of the operation was afforded, and thence we watched the whole development. Sir Francis Clery, General Hildyard, and their respective Staffs had also taken their position on Gun Hill, so that its crest was thickly crowded with figures peering exhaustively through field glasses and telescopes.
The disc appeared through the telescopes at a distance of two and a half leagues. If an aëronaut were taken up that distance from the earth, what would he distinguish upon its surface? No one can tell, as the highest ascensions have not exceeded 8,000 metres. The following, however, is an exact description of what Barbicane and his companions saw from that height:
They rowed round to the front of the queer little structure. A man from inside held out his hand and helped them up. Another young man, with books piled on the floor by his side, was making some calculations at a table. Almost the whole of the opening of the place was taken up by what seemed to be a queer medley of telescopes and lenses pointing different ways.
Moreover, the coating of silver is so thin as to be almost transparent: in fact, the sun may be seen through it by direct vision as a faint blue object. Silvered glass reflectors made in this way are extensively manufactured in London, and are far cheaper than refracting telescopes of corresponding size. Their great drawback is the want of permanence in the silver film.
But Barbicane interfered, and refused all but the strictly necessary. Several thermometers, barometers, and telescopes were placed in the instrument-case.
There were, of course, all sorts of useful and instructive amusements, at least a half-dozen telescopes, and as many galvanic batteries, with numerous patented inventions; and I fancied that most of the peddlers and charlatans addressed themselves to a utilitarian spirit supposed to exist in us.
A frightful tragedy was once witnessed through the Chamonix telescopes. Think of questions and answers like these, on an inquest: CORONER. You saw deceased lose his life? WITNESS. I did. C. Where was he, at the time? W. Close to the summit of Mont Blanc. C. Where were you? W. In the main street of Chamonix. C. What was the distance between you? W. A LITTLE OVER FIVE MILES, as the bird flies.
Each will have telescopes and other instruments of the largest size, which will be kept at work throughout the whole of every clear night. The observers will do but little work in the daytime, except perhaps on the sun, and will not undertake much of the computation or reductions.
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