Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-11-03


practical difficulty was presented when
the polarity of the electrical charge
upon an object in the ghborhood of
the car was unknown to those in the
car and happened to be opposite to that
of the charge which the car at that par
ticular moment was bearing. In such
case, of course, the car would fly toward
the object, whatever il might be, like
pith bull or Il feather, attracted to the
knob of az electrical machine. Ii this
way considerable danger was occasion
ally encountered. and few accidents
could not be avoided. Fortunately, how
ever, such cases were rare. 1t was only
now and then that, owing to some local
cause, electrical polarities unknown to
or unexpected by the navigators, endan-
gered the safety of the car AS shall
have occasion to relate, however, in the
course of the narrative, this danger he
came moro acute and assumed at times
IL most formidable phase, when we bad
vcnturcd outside the sphere Of the earth
and were moving through tho unoxplur-
ed regions beyond.
On this occasion, having embarked,
we rose rapidly TO height Of SOLE
thousands Of feet and directed our course
over tho Atlantic. When half way 10
Ireland, we behcld, III the distance,
steaming westward, the smoke of sey-
eral fleets. AS we drew nearer mar
yelous spectacle unfolded itself to our
eyes. From the northeast their great
guns flashing in the sunlight and their
huge tunnels bc!ching black volumes
that rested like thunderclouds upon the
sea, came the mighty warshiIs of Eng.
land, with her meteor flag streaming
red in the breeze, while tho royal in
sigma, indicating tho presence of the
ruler Ct the British empire, was con-
spicuousiy displayed upon the ilagship
of the squadron.
Following n course more directly
westward appeared, under another black
cloud OF smoke, the hulls and guns aud
Dungeons of another great feet, carrying
the tricolOr of France and bearing in its
midst the head Of the magnificent re-
public Of western Europe.
Farther south, beating up against
the northerly winds, came third fleet
with the gold and red Of spain tluttcr.
ing from its masthead. This, 700, was
carrying its king westward where now
indeed the star of empire had taken it's
way.
Rising little higher, 50 as to extend
our horizon, we saw coming down the
English channel, behind tho British
fleet, the black ships of Russia. Side
by side, or following one anothers lead,
these war fleets were Oh "a veucetul yoy-
age that belied their threatening ap-
pcarance. There had been no thought
of danger to or from the forts and ports
of rival nations which they had passed.
There was no enmity, and no fear be-
tween them when the throats Of their
pOnderous guns yawned at one another
across the waves. They were now, in
spirit, all one fleet, having one object,
bearing against one enemy, ready to de-
tend but one country, aud that country
was the entire earth.
1t was some time before we caught
sight of the Emperor William fleet. 1t
seems that the kaiser, although at first
consuming to the arrangement by
which Washington had bean selected as
tho assembling place for the nations,
afierward objected to it.
Il ought to do this thing myself"
he had said, "My glorious ancestors
would never have consented to allow
these upstart republicans to lead in
warlike enterprise of this kind. What
would my grandfather have said to it:
l suspect that il is some scheme aimed
at the divine right of kings.
But the good sense of tho German
people would not suffer their ruler TO
place them in position so false and 50
untenablo, arI, swept along by their
enthusiasm, the kaiser had at last con.
sented TO embark on his flagship at Kiel,
and now he was following the other
fleets on their great mission to the west.
ern continent.
Why did they bring their warships
when their intentions were peaceablc,
do you ask? Well, it was partly the
effect of ancient habit and partly due to
the fact that such multitudes of officials
and members Of ruling families wished
to embark for Washington that the or
binary means Of ocean communication
would have been utterly inadequate to
convey them.
After we had Toasted our eyes ON this
strangc sight Mr., Edison suddenly cx.
claimed, "Now let us see the fellows
from the rising sun.
The car was Immediately directed
toward the west. We rapidly approach.
ed tho American coast, and as we sailed
over the Allegheny mountains and the
broad plains of the Ohio and the Missis-
sippi we saw crawling beneath us from
west, southQnd north an endless sue
cession Of railway trains bearing their
multitudes ON to Washington. With
marvellous speed we rushed westward
rising high To skim over the snow topped
peaks of tho Rocky mountains, and then
the glittering rim of tho Pacific was
before us. Half way between the Ameri-
can coast and Hawaii we met the fleets
coming from China and japan. Side by
side they were blowing the main, hav.
ing forgotten or laid aside all the ami
mosities of their former wars.
well remember how my heart was
stirred at this impressive exhibition of
the boundless influence which my coun-
try had come to exercise over all the
people of the world, and | turned to
look mt the man to whose genius this
uprising of the earth was due But Mr.
Edison, after his wont, appeared totally
unconscious of the fact that he was per-