Some Figures

A moment after we were seated on a divan in the saloon smoking. The Captain showed me a sketch that gave the plan, section, and elevation of the Nautilus. Then he began his description in these words:—

A moment later, we were sitting on a sofa in the saloon, smoking. The Captain showed me a sketch of the Nautilus, with its plan, cross section, and side view. Then he began his description:

“Here, M. Aronnax, are the several dimensions of the boat you are in. It is an elongated cylinder with conical ends. It is very like a cigar in shape, a shape already adopted in London in several constructions of the same sort. The length of this cylinder, from stem to stern, is exactly 232 feet, and its maximum breadth is twenty-six feet. It is not built quite like your long-voyage steamers, but its lines are sufficiently long, and its curves prolonged enough, to allow the water to slide off easily, and oppose no obstacle to its passage. These two dimensions enable you to obtain by a simple calculation the surface and cubic contents of the Nautilus. Its area measures 6032 feet; and its contents about 1500 cubic yards—that is to say, when completely immersed it displaces 50,000 feet of water, or weighs 1500 tons.

“Here, M. Aronnax, are the dimensions of the boat you are in. It is a long cylinder with cone-shaped ends. It looks much like a cigar. Several similar vessels built in London have already used this shape. The cylinder is exactly 232 feet long from stem to stern. Its maximum width is twenty-six feet. It is not built quite like your long-distance steamers. But its lines and curves are long enough to let the water flow easily past it, without obstructing its passage. With these two dimensions, a simple calculation gives you the surface area and volume of the Nautilus. Its surface area is 6032 square feet, and its volume is about 1500 cubic yards. In other words, when completely submerged, it displaces 50,000 cubic feet of water and weighs 1500 tons.

“When I made the plans for this submarine vessel, I meant that nine-tenths should be submerged: consequently, it ought only to displace nine-tenths of its bulk—that is to say, only to weigh that number of tons. I ought not, therefore, to have exceeded that weight, constructing it on the aforesaid dimensions.

“When I designed this submarine, I intended nine-tenths of it to be underwater. Therefore, it should displace only nine-tenths of its volume in water. In other words, it should weigh only as many tons as that water. So, when building it to the dimensions I mentioned, I had to stay within that weight.

“The Nautilus is composed of two hulls, one inside, the other outside, joined by T-shaped irons, which render it very strong. Indeed, owing to this cellular arrangement it resists like a block, as if it were solid. Its sides cannot yield; it coheres spontaneously, and not by the closeness of its rivets; and the homogenity of its construction, due to the perfect union of the materials, enables it to defy the roughest seas.

“The Nautilus has two hulls, one inside the other, joined by T-shaped iron bars that make it very strong. This cellular structure allows it to resist pressure like a solid block. Its sides cannot give way. It holds together on its own, not because its rivets are close together. Its materials are perfectly joined, giving the vessel a uniform structure that can withstand the roughest seas.

“These two hulls are composed of steel plates, whose density is from .7 to .8 that of water. The first is not less than two inches and a half thick and weighs 394 tons. The second envelope, the keel, twenty inches high and ten thick, weighs alone sixty-two tons. The engine, the ballast, the several accessories and apparatus appendages, the partitions and bulkheads, weigh 961.62 tons. Do you follow all this?”

“These two hulls are made of steel plates with a density of 0.7 to 0.8 times that of water. The first hull is at least two and a half inches thick and weighs 394 tons. The second shell, the keel, is twenty inches high and ten inches thick. It alone weighs sixty-two tons. The engine, ballast, various accessories and equipment, partitions, and bulkheads weigh 961.62 tons. Are you following all this?”

“I do.”

“I do.”

“Then, when the Nautilus is afloat under these circumstances, one-tenth is out of the water. Now, if I have made reservoirs of a size equal to this tenth, or capable of holding 150 tons, and if I fill them with water, the boat, weighing then 1507 tons, will be completely immersed. That would happen, Professor. These reservoirs are in the lower parts of the Nautilus. I turn on taps and they fill, and the vessel sinks that had just been level with the surface.”

“Then, when the Nautilus is afloat under these conditions, one-tenth of it is above water. Now, suppose I have built tanks equal in size to that tenth, capable of holding 150 tons of water. If I fill them, the boat will weigh 1507 tons and be completely submerged. That is what would happen, Professor. These tanks are in the lower parts of the Nautilus. I open the valves, and the tanks fill. The vessel, which was just level with the surface, sinks.”

“Well, Captain, but now we come to the real difficulty. I can understand your rising to the surface; but diving below the surface, does not your submarine contrivance encounter a pressure, and consequently undergo an upward thrust of one atmosphere for every thirty feet of water, just about fifteen pounds per square inch?”

“Well, Captain, now we come to the real difficulty. I can understand how you rise to the surface. But when it dives, doesn't your submarine face pressure and an upward thrust? Isn't that thrust one atmosphere for every thirty feet of water, or about fifteen pounds per square inch?”

“Just so, sir.”

“Exactly, sir.”

“Then, unless you quite fill the Nautilus, I do not see how you can draw it down to those depths.”

“Then, unless you fill the Nautilus completely, I don’t see how you can bring it down to those depths.”

“Professor, you must not confound statics with dynamics or you will be exposed to grave errors. There is very little labour spent in attaining the lower regions of the ocean, for all bodies have a tendency to sink. When I wanted to find out the necessary increase of weight required to sink the Nautilus, I had only to calculate the reduction of volume that sea-water acquires according to the depth.”

“Professor, you must not confuse statics with dynamics, or you will make serious errors. It takes very little effort to reach the ocean depths, because all bodies tend to sink. When I wanted to find out how much weight to add to sink the Nautilus, I only had to calculate how much seawater’s volume decreases with depth.”

“That is evident.”

“That is clear.”

“Now, if water is not absolutely incompressible, it is at least capable of very slight compression. Indeed, after the most recent calculations this reduction is only .000436 of an atmosphere for each thirty feet of depth. If we want to sink 3000 feet, I should keep account of the reduction of bulk under a pressure equal to that of a column of water of a thousand feet. The calculation is easily verified. Now, I have supplementary reservoirs capable of holding a hundred tons. Therefore I can sink to a considerable depth. When I wish to rise to the level of the sea, I only let off the water, and empty all the reservoirs if I want the Nautilus to emerge from the tenth part of her total capacity.”

“Now, even if water is not completely incompressible, it can be compressed only slightly. The latest calculations show that its volume decreases by only .000436 of an atmosphere for every thirty feet of depth. If I want to sink 3000 feet, I must account for the reduction in volume under the pressure of a thousand-foot column of water. The calculation is easy to check. Now, I have additional reservoirs that can hold a hundred tons. So I can sink to a considerable depth. When I want to rise to sea level, I simply release the water. If I want one tenth of the Nautilus’s total volume to emerge, I empty all the reservoirs.”

I had nothing to object to these reasonings.

I had no objections to this reasoning.

“I admit your calculations, Captain,” I replied; “I should be wrong to dispute them since daily experience confirms them; but I foresee a real difficulty in the way.”

“I accept your calculations, Captain,” I replied. “I would be wrong to dispute them, since daily experience confirms them. But I foresee a real difficulty.”

“What, sir?”

“What, sir?”

“When you are about 1000 feet deep, the walls of the Nautilus bear a pressure of 100 atmospheres. If, then, just now you were to empty the supplementary reservoirs, to lighten the vessel, and to go up to the surface, the pumps must overcome the pressure of 100 atmospheres, which is 1500 pounds per square inch. From that a power——”

“When you are about 1,000 feet deep, the walls of the Nautilus withstand a pressure of 100 atmospheres. Suppose you wanted to empty the supplementary reservoirs now, to lighten the vessel and rise to the surface. The pumps would have to overcome a pressure of 100 atmospheres, or 1,500 pounds per square inch. That would require a power...”

“That electricity alone can give,” said the Captain, hastily. “I repeat, sir, that the dynamic power of my engines is almost infinite. The pumps of the Nautilus have an enormous power, as you must have observed when their jets of water burst like a torrent upon the Abraham Lincoln. Besides I use subsidiary reservoirs only to attain a mean depth of 750 to 1000 fathoms, and that with a view of managing my machines. Also, when I have a mind to visit the depths of the ocean five or six miles below the surface, I make use of slower but not less infallible means.”

“Only electricity can provide that,” said the Captain quickly. “I repeat, sir, the power of my engines is almost infinite. The pumps of the Nautilus are enormously powerful. You must have seen that when their jets of water burst like a torrent onto the Abraham Lincoln. Besides, I use auxiliary tanks only to reach an average depth of 750 to 1,000 fathoms. That helps me manage my machinery. When I want to visit the ocean depths five or six miles below the surface, I use slower but equally reliable methods.”

“What are they, Captain?”

“What are they, Captain?”

“That involves my telling you how the Nautilus is worked.”

“That means I must tell you how the Nautilus works.”

“I am impatient to learn.”

“I can’t wait to learn.”

“To steer this boat to starboard or port, to turn—in a word, following a horizontal plan, I use an ordinary rudder fixed on the back of the stern-post, and with one wheel and some tackle to steer by. But I can also make the Nautilus rise and sink, and sink and rise, by a vertical movement by means of two inclined planes fastened to its sides, opposite the centre of flotation, planes that move in every direction, and that are worked by powerful levers from the interior. If the planes are kept parallel with the boat, it moves horizontally. If slanted, the Nautilus, according to this inclination, and under the influence of the screw, either sinks diagonally or rises diagonally as it suits me. And even if I wish to rise more quickly to the surface, I ship the screw, and the pressure of the water causes the Nautilus to rise vertically like a balloon filled with hydrogen.”

“To steer the boat to starboard or port, I use an ordinary rudder fixed to the back of the sternpost. I control it with a wheel and some tackle. But I can also make the Nautilus rise and sink by using two inclined planes. They are fastened to its sides, opposite the center of flotation. The planes can move in every direction and are operated by powerful levers inside the boat. If the planes are parallel to the boat, it moves horizontally. If they are tilted, the screw drives the Nautilus diagonally up or down, depending on their angle, as I choose. If I want to rise to the surface more quickly, I ship the screw. The pressure of the water then makes the Nautilus rise vertically, like a balloon filled with hydrogen.”

“Bravo, Captain! But how can the steersman follow the route in the middle of the waters?”

“Bravo, Captain! But how can the steersman follow the route underwater?”

“The steersman is placed in a glazed box, that is raised about the hull of the Nautilus, and furnished with lenses.”

“The steersman is in a glass box raised above the hull of the Nautilus. The box is fitted with lenses.”

“Are these lenses capable of resisting such pressure?”

“Can these lenses withstand that much pressure?”

“Perfectly. Glass, which breaks at a blow, is, nevertheless, capable of offering considerable resistance. During some experiments of fishing by electric light in 1864 in the Northern Seas, we saw plates less than a third of an inch thick resist a pressure of sixteen atmospheres. Now, the glass that I use is not less than thirty times thicker.”

“Exactly. Glass can break from a blow, but it can also withstand considerable pressure. In 1864, we conducted some experiments with electric lighting for fishing in the Northern Seas. We saw glass plates less than a third of an inch thick withstand pressure of sixteen atmospheres. The glass I use is at least thirty times thicker.”

“Granted. But, after all, in order to see, the light must exceed the darkness, and in the midst of the darkness in the water, how can you see?”

“Agreed. But to see, there must be more light than darkness. So how can you see in the dark water?”

“Behind the steersman’s cage is placed a powerful electric reflector, the rays from which light up the sea for half a mile in front.”

“Behind the steersman’s cage is a powerful electric reflector. Its rays light up the sea for half a mile ahead.”

“Ah! bravo, bravo, Captain! Now I can account for this phosphorescence in the supposed narwhal that puzzled us so. I now ask you if the boarding of the Nautilus and of the Scotia, that has made such a noise, has been the result of a chance rencontre?”

“Ah! Bravo, bravo, Captain! Now I can explain the glow of the supposed narwhal that puzzled us so much. Now I ask you: was the collision between the Nautilus and the Scotia, which caused such a stir, an accident?”

“Quite accidental, sir. I was sailing only one fathom below the surface of the water, when the shock came. It had no bad result.”

“It was entirely accidental, sir. I was sailing just six feet below the surface when the impact occurred. It caused no damage.”

“None, sir. But now, about your rencontre with the Abraham Lincoln?”

“None, sir. But now, about your encounter with the Abraham Lincoln?”

“Professor, I am sorry for one of the best vessels in the American navy; but they attacked me, and I was bound to defend myself. I contented myself, however, with putting the frigate hors de combat; she will not have any difficulty in getting repaired at the next port.”

“Professor, I am sorry about one of the best ships in the American navy. But they attacked me, and I had to defend myself. However, I only put the frigate out of action. She will have no difficulty getting repaired at the next port.”

“Ah, Commander! your Nautilus is certainly a marvellous boat.”

“Ah, Commander! Your Nautilus is certainly an amazing boat.”

“Yes, Professor; and I love it as if it were part of myself. If danger threatens one of your vessels on the ocean, the first impression is the feeling of an abyss above and below. On the Nautilus men’s hearts never fail them. No defects to be afraid of, for the double shell is as firm as iron; no rigging to attend to; no sails for the wind to carry away; no boilers to burst; no fire to fear, for the vessel is made of iron, not of wood; no coal to run short, for electricity is the only mechanical agent; no collision to fear, for it alone swims in deep water; no tempest to brave, for when it dives below the water, it reaches absolute tranquillity. There, sir! that is the perfection of vessels! And if it is true that the engineer has more confidence in the vessel than the builder, and the builder than the captain himself, you understand the trust I repose in my Nautilus; for I am at once captain, builder, and engineer.”

“Yes, Professor, and I love it as if it were part of me. When danger threatens one of your vessels at sea, the first feeling is of an abyss above and below. On the Nautilus, men never lose heart. There are no defects to fear, because its double shell is as strong as iron. There is no rigging to tend and no sails for the wind to carry away. There are no boilers to burst and no fire to fear, because the vessel is made of iron, not wood. There is no coal to run out, because electricity alone powers it. There is no collision to fear, because it alone travels in deep water. There is no storm to face, because it reaches absolute calm when it dives below the surface. There, sir! That is the perfect vessel! And if the engineer trusts a vessel more than the builder does, and the builder more than the captain, you can understand how much I trust my Nautilus. For I am its captain, builder, and engineer all at once.”

“But how could you construct this wonderful Nautilus in secret?”

“But how could you build this wonderful Nautilus in secret?”

“Each separate portion, M. Aronnax, was brought from different parts of the globe. The keel was forged at Creusot, the shaft of the screw at Penn & Co.’s, London, the iron plates of the hull at Laird’s of Liverpool, the screw itself at Scott’s at Glasgow. The reservoirs were made by Cail & Co. at Paris, the engine by Krupp in Prussia, its beak in Motala’s workshop in Sweden, its mathematical instruments by Hart Brothers, of New York, etc.; and each of these people had my orders under different names.”

“Each part, M. Aronnax, came from a different place around the world. The keel was forged at Creusot, the propeller shaft at Penn & Co.’s in London. The hull’s iron plates came from Laird’s in Liverpool, and the propeller itself from Scott’s in Glasgow. The reservoirs were made by Cail & Co. in Paris, the engine by Krupp in Prussia. The beak was made in Motala’s workshop in Sweden, and the mathematical instruments by Hart Brothers of New York, and so on. I placed orders with each of these people under different names.”

“But these parts had to be put together and arranged?”

“But these parts had to be assembled and arranged?”

“Professor, I had set up my workshops upon a desert island in the ocean. There my workmen, that is to say, the brave men that I instructed and educated, and myself have put together our Nautilus. Then when the work was finished, fire destroyed all trace of our proceedings on this island, that I could have jumped over if I had liked.”

“Professor, I set up my workshops on a deserted island in the ocean. There, my workers and I assembled our Nautilus. They were brave men whom I had trained and educated. When the work was finished, fire destroyed all traces of what we had done on the island. It was so small that I could have jumped over it if I had wanted to.”

“Then the cost of this vessel is great?”

“Then this ship was expensive?”

“M. Aronnax, an iron vessel costs £45 per ton. Now the Nautilus weighed 1500. It came therefore to £67,500, and £80,000 more for fitting it up, and about £200,000 with the works of art and the collections it contains.”

“M. Aronnax, an iron vessel costs £45 per ton. The Nautilus weighed 1,500 tons, so it cost £67,500. Fitting it out cost another £80,000. With its artworks and collections, the total came to about £200,000.”

“One last question, Captain Nemo.”

“One last question, Captain Nemo.”

“Ask it, Professor.”

“Ask it, Professor.”

“You are rich?”

“Are you rich?”

“Immensely rich, sir; and I could, without missing it, pay the national debt of France.”

“I’m immensely rich, sir. I could pay France’s national debt without even noticing the loss.”

I stared at the singular person who spoke thus. Was he playing upon my credulity? The future would decide that.

I stared at the strange person who had spoken. Was he taking advantage of my willingness to believe him? Time would tell.