We can do that." "I give in," answered the major; "you have such a way of simplifying things! What enlargement do you hope to obtain thus ?" "One of 48,000 times, which will bring the moon within five miles only, and objects will only need a diameter of nine feet." "Perfect!" exclaimed J.T.

Maston; "then our projectile will have a diameter of nine feet ?" "Precisely." "Allow me to inform you, however," returned Major Elphinstone, "that its weight will still be--" "Oh, major!" answered Barbicane, "before discussing its weight allow me to tell you that our forefathers did marvels in that way.

Far be it from me to pretend that ballistics have not progressed, but it is well to know that in the Middle Ages surprising results were obtained, I dare affirm, even more surprising than ours." "Justify your statement," exclaimed J.T.

Maston.
"Nothing is easier," answered Barbicane; "I can give you some examples.
At the siege of Constantinople by Mahomet II., in 1453, they hurled stone bullets that weighed 1,900 lbs.; at Malta, in the time of its knights, a certain cannon of Fort Saint Elme hurled projectiles weighing 2,500 lbs.

According to a French historian, under Louis XI.