How shall we do it?
By the force of impulsion ?" "That is the difficulty," answered the major.
"That is it indeed," replied the president.

"But we shall triumph over it, for this force of impulsion we want depends on the length of the engine and the quantity of powder employed, the one only being limited by the resistance of the other.

Let us occupy ourselves, therefore, to-day with the dimensions to be given to the cannon.

It is quite understood that we can make it, as large as we like, seeing it will not have to be moved." "All that is evident," replied the general.
"Until now," said Barbicane, "the longest cannon, our enormous Columbiads, have not been more than twenty-five feet long; we shall therefore astonish many people by the dimensions we shall have to adopt." "Certainly," exclaimed J.T.Maston.

"For my part, I ask for a cannon half a mile long at least!" "Half a mile!" cried the major and the general.
"Yes, half a mile, and that will be half too short." "Come, Maston," answered Morgan, "you exaggerate." "No, I do not," said the irate secretary; "and I really do not know why you tax me with exaggeration." "Because you go too far." "You must know, sir," answered J.T.Maston, looking dignified, "that an artilleryman is like a cannon-ball, he can never go too far." The debate was getting personal, but the president interfered.
"Be calm, my friends, and let us reason it out.