Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-11-03
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/ ptLpcNIhltN'
IL think, :" said one of the dcou;irs,
"that Il simple exhibition Of tho powers
Of the instrument, without tcchni,
! explanation of its method Of work.
/ will suffice for our purpose"
This suggestion was Immediately ar
proved. ia response to it, Mr.. Edison,
. hva few simple experiments, showed
bow he could quickly ana certainly
, shattcr into its constituent atoms any
object upon which the vibratory force
/ of the disintegratOr should be directed.
In this manner he caused an inkstand
10 disappear under tho very nose Of tho
! Emperor William without u spot of ink
being scattered upon his sacred person,
but evidently the odor Of the disunitcd
/ atoms was not agreeable to the nostrils
/ of the kaiser.
Mr.. Edison also explained in general
terms the principle Gu which tho in.
strumert wurEcd. He was greeted with
round after round Of applause, and tho
tpirit Of the assembly rose high.
Next the workings Of the electrical
ship were explained, and it was an
nuuncrd that after the meeting had adj
J1nrncd an exhibition Of the living
powers If the ship would re Given in
the ppen air.
Iheso experiments, together with tie
accompanying explanations, added to
what had already been disseminated
hIpugh tine pubic press were quite
sulliclcnt - convince all the representa-
tive. who had assembled in Washington
that the problem Of how to conquer the
Martians had been solved. The means
were plainly at hand. It only remained
to apply them. Tor this purpose, Is tns
president had pointed out, it would bo
necessary to raise IA very large sum Of
money.
How much will be needed" asked
one of the English representatives
AT least sic, 900, 900, UcO, " relied
the president.
ut would be safer, " said a senator
from tho Pacific coast, "to make -
i25, 0Oo, 900, 600"
Il suggest, - said the king of ltaly,
"that the nations be called in alphabet
ical 'r'icr, and that the representatives.
Of ea". name sum which 1t is ready
end able to contribute"
q" We want ths cash IT It's euuiva-
lent, shouted the Pacific coast senator.
81 shall not follow the ALPHABET
strictly, said the president, "but shall
! begin with the larger nation, first. Per-
hapS, under the circumstances, 1t j.
proper that the United States should
lead the way. Mr.. Secretary ne con-
tnued, turning to the secretary Of the
treasury, chow much can we stand;'
AT least $1,000, O0O 000," replied
the secretary Of the treasury.
y roar Of applause that snook the
room burst from the assembly. Even
some of the monarchs threw up their
hats The Emperor Tsait' len smiled
from ear to ear. one Of the roko tuis,
or native chiefs, from FIJI sprang up
and brandished warclub.
The president then proceeded TO call
the other nations, beginning with Aus
tria-liungary and ending with Zanzibar,
whose sultan, Hamoud bin Mahomed,
had come to the congress in the escort
Of Queen Victoria. Each contributed
literally.
Germany, coming in alphabetical or
der just before Great Britain, had
nam' d, through its chancellor, the sum
Of 300, 600, 600, but when the first lord
Of the British treasury, not wishing to
bo behind the United States, named
doUilo that sum rs the contribution #
the British empire, the Emperor Will
liam looked displeased. lie spoke
word in the ear of the chancellor, who
immediately raised his hand.
1--WE will give $1,000, 600, o00," said
the chancellor.
Queen Victoria seemed surprised,
though not displeased. Tho first lord If
the treasury met her eye and then, ris-
ing in his place, said;
make it $1,000, 600, 600 for Great
Britain.
Emperor William consulted again
with hi, chancellor, but evidently con-
clUj, Il not to increase his lid,
Lat at any rate, the fund had bene-
fitted to tine amount Of $1,000, coo, 600
by this little outburst of imperial ri
VARY.
Tho greatest surprise Of all, however.
came when the king of siam was called
upon for his contribution. He had not
been given foremost place in the con-
grc,S, but when the name of his coun-
Try was pronounced he rose by his chair.
dressed in u gorgeous specimen Of the
| peculiar attire of his country, then
slowly pushed his way to the front,
! stepped up to the presidents desk and
| deposited upon it "A small box.
! This is our contribution, he said
/ in broken English.
The cover was lifted and there dart
/ ed, shimm,ring in the half gloom Of to
! chamber, burst of iridescence from the
| box.
My friends If the western world y
continued the king Of siam, twill bs
/ interested III seeing this gem, Only once
before has the eye of European been
blessed with sight Of it. Your books
! will tell you shat in The seventeenth
! century traveller, Tavernier, saw in
India an unmatched diamond which
| Gfterward disappeared like meteor AID
| vas thought to have been lost from the
/ earth. You all know the name of that
diamond and its history. 1t is the Great
! Mogul, and 1t lies before you. How 10
/ came into my possession | shall not cx-
| plain AZ any Iate, 1t is honestly mine,
/ and | freely contribute il here to aid in
. protecting my native planet against
those enemies who appear determined
to destroy il.