A New Kind of Investment Appears on the Stock Exchange, Unknown to Financiers

Phileas Fogg rightly suspected that his departure from London would create a lively sensation at the West End. The news of the bet spread through the Reform Club, and afforded an exciting topic of conversation to its members. From the club it soon got into the papers throughout England. The boasted “tour of the world” was talked about, disputed, argued with as much warmth as if the subject were another Alabama claim. Some took sides with Phileas Fogg, but the large majority shook their heads and declared against him; it was absurd, impossible, they declared, that the tour of the world could be made, except theoretically and on paper, in this minimum of time, and with the existing means of travelling. The Times, Standard, Morning Post, and Daily News, and twenty other highly respectable newspapers scouted Mr. Fogg’s project as madness; the Daily Telegraph alone hesitatingly supported him. People in general thought him a lunatic, and blamed his Reform Club friends for having accepted a wager which betrayed the mental aberration of its proposer.

Phileas Fogg was right to suspect that his departure from London would cause a stir in the West End. News of the bet spread through the Reform Club, giving its members an exciting topic of conversation. From the club, the news soon reached newspapers throughout England. People discussed, disputed, and argued over the much-advertised “tour of the world” as passionately as if it were another Alabama claim. Some took Phileas Fogg’s side, but the great majority shook their heads and argued against him. They declared that a tour of the world in so little time was absurd and impossible with the existing means of travel. It could only be done in theory, on paper. The Times, Standard, Morning Post, and Daily News, along with twenty other highly respectable newspapers, dismissed Mr. Fogg’s plan as madness. The Daily Telegraph alone gave him hesitant support. People generally thought him a lunatic. They blamed his Reform Club friends for accepting a wager that revealed its proposer’s mental instability.

Articles no less passionate than logical appeared on the question, for geography is one of the pet subjects of the English; and the columns devoted to Phileas Fogg’s venture were eagerly devoured by all classes of readers. At first some rash individuals, principally of the gentler sex, espoused his cause, which became still more popular when the Illustrated London News came out with his portrait, copied from a photograph in the Reform Club. A few readers of the Daily Telegraph even dared to say, “Why not, after all? Stranger things have come to pass.”

Articles about the question were both passionate and logical, for geography is a favorite subject among the English. Readers from all classes eagerly devoured the columns about Phileas Fogg’s venture. At first, some bold individuals, mostly women, supported him. His cause became even more popular when the Illustrated London News published his portrait, copied from a photograph at the Reform Club. A few readers of the Daily Telegraph even dared to say, “Why not, after all? Stranger things have happened.”

At last a long article appeared, on the 7th of October, in the bulletin of the Royal Geographical Society, which treated the question from every point of view, and demonstrated the utter folly of the enterprise.

At last, on October 7, a long article appeared in the Royal Geographical Society’s bulletin. It examined the question from every point of view and showed that the venture was utterly foolish.

Everything, it said, was against the travellers, every obstacle imposed alike by man and by nature. A miraculous agreement of the times of departure and arrival, which was impossible, was absolutely necessary to his success. He might, perhaps, reckon on the arrival of trains at the designated hours, in Europe, where the distances were relatively moderate; but when he calculated upon crossing India in three days, and the United States in seven, could he rely beyond misgiving upon accomplishing his task? There were accidents to machinery, the liability of trains to run off the line, collisions, bad weather, the blocking up by snow—were not all these against Phileas Fogg? Would he not find himself, when travelling by steamer in winter, at the mercy of the winds and fogs? Is it uncommon for the best ocean steamers to be two or three days behind time? But a single delay would suffice to fatally break the chain of communication; should Phileas Fogg once miss, even by an hour; a steamer, he would have to wait for the next, and that would irrevocably render his attempt vain.

Everything, it said, was against the travelers, with obstacles imposed by both people and nature. To succeed, Fogg would need a miraculous match between departure and arrival times. Such a match was impossible. Perhaps he could count on trains arriving on time in Europe, where distances were relatively short. But could he cross India in three days and the United States in seven without any doubts? Machinery could break down, trains could derail or collide, weather could turn bad, and snow could block the tracks. Weren't all these dangers against Phileas Fogg? Traveling by steamer in winter, wouldn't he be at the mercy of winds and fog? Wasn't it common for even the best ocean steamers to arrive two or three days late? But a single delay would be enough to break the chain of connections and ruin his attempt. If Phileas Fogg missed a steamer by even an hour, he would have to wait for the next one. That wait would make his attempt impossible.

This article made a great deal of noise, and, being copied into all the papers, seriously depressed the advocates of the rash tourist.

The article caused a great stir and was reprinted in all the newspapers. This seriously discouraged the rash traveler’s supporters.

Everybody knows that England is the world of betting men, who are of a higher class than mere gamblers; to bet is in the English temperament. Not only the members of the Reform, but the general public, made heavy wagers for or against Phileas Fogg, who was set down in the betting books as if he were a race-horse. Bonds were issued, and made their appearance on ’Change; “Phileas Fogg bonds” were offered at par or at a premium, and a great business was done in them. But five days after the article in the bulletin of the Geographical Society appeared, the demand began to subside: “Phileas Fogg” declined. They were offered by packages, at first of five, then of ten, until at last nobody would take less than twenty, fifty, a hundred!

Everyone knows that England is a world of betting men, a higher class than mere gamblers. Betting is part of the English temperament. Members of the Reform and the general public placed heavy bets for or against Phileas Fogg. He was listed in betting books as if he were a racehorse. Bonds were issued and appeared on the stock exchange. “Phileas Fogg bonds” were offered at face value or higher, and a great deal of business was done in them. But five days after the article appeared in the Geographical Society’s bulletin, demand began to fall. “Phileas Fogg” declined. The bonds were offered in packages, first of five, then ten. At last, nobody would take fewer than twenty, fifty, a hundred!

Lord Albemarle, an elderly paralytic gentleman, was now the only advocate of Phileas Fogg left. This noble lord, who was fastened to his chair, would have given his fortune to be able to make the tour of the world, if it took ten years; and he bet five thousand pounds on Phileas Fogg. When the folly as well as the uselessness of the adventure was pointed out to him, he contented himself with replying, “If the thing is feasible, the first to do it ought to be an Englishman.”

Lord Albemarle, an elderly gentleman who was paralyzed, was now Phileas Fogg’s only remaining supporter. Confined to his chair, the noble lord would have given his fortune to travel around the world, even if it took ten years. He bet five thousand pounds on Phileas Fogg. When people pointed out how foolish and pointless the adventure was, he simply replied, “If it can be done, the first person to do it should be an Englishman.”

The Fogg party dwindled more and more, everybody was going against him, and the bets stood a hundred and fifty and two hundred to one; and a week after his departure an incident occurred which deprived him of backers at any price.

Fogg had fewer and fewer supporters, and everyone was betting against him. The odds rose to 150 or 200 to one. A week after his departure, an incident left him with no backers at any odds.

The commissioner of police was sitting in his office at nine o’clock one evening, when the following telegraphic dispatch was put into his hands:

The police commissioner was sitting in his office at nine one evening when he received the following telegram:

Suez to London.

Suez to London.

FIX, Detective.

FIX, Detective.

The effect of this dispatch was instantaneous. The polished gentleman disappeared to give place to the bank robber. His photograph, which was hung with those of the rest of the members at the Reform Club, was minutely examined, and it betrayed, feature by feature, the description of the robber which had been provided to the police. The mysterious habits of Phileas Fogg were recalled; his solitary ways, his sudden departure; and it seemed clear that, in undertaking a tour round the world on the pretext of a wager, he had had no other end in view than to elude the detectives, and throw them off his track.

The dispatch had an immediate effect. The polished gentleman was now seen as a bank robber. His photograph hung at the Reform Club alongside those of the other members. It was examined closely and matched the police description of the robber, feature by feature. People recalled Phileas Fogg’s mysterious habits, his solitary ways, and his sudden departure. It seemed clear that his trip around the world was only an excuse to escape the detectives and throw them off his trail. The wager was merely a pretext.