a journey in other worlds-第5部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　
〃With　increased　knowledge　we　are　constantly　coming　to　realize　how
little　we　really　know；　and　are　also　continually　finding
manifestations　of　forces　that　at　first　seem　like　exceptions　to
established　laws。　　This　is；　of　course；　brought　about　by　the
modifying　influence　of　some　other　natural　law；　though　many　of
these　we　have　not　yet　discovered。
　　　
〃Electricity　in　its　varied　forms　does　all　work；　having　superseded
animal　and　manual　labour　in　everything；　and　man　has　only　to
direct。　　The　greatest　ingenuity　next　to　finding　new　uses　for　this
almost　omnipotent　fluid　has　been　displayed　in　inducing　the　forces
of　Nature；　and　even　the　sun；　to　produce　it。　　Before　describing
the　features　of　this　perfection　of　civilization；　let　us　review
the　steps　by　which　society　and　the　political　world　reached　their
present　state。
　　　
〃At　the　close　of　the　Franco…Prussian　War；　in　1871；　Continental
Europe　entered　upon　the　condition　of　an　armed　camp；　which　lasted
for　nearly　half　a　century。　　The　primary　cause　of　this　was　the
mutual　dislike　and　jealousy　of　France　and　Germany；　each　of　which
strove　to　have　a　larger　and　better　equipped　national　defence　than
the　other。　　There　were　also　many　other　causes；　as　the　ambition　of
the　Russian　Czar；　supported　by　his　country's　vast　though
imperfectly　developed　resources　and　practically　unlimited　supply
of　men；　one　phase　of　which　was　the　constant　ferment　in　the　Balkan
Peninsula；　and　another　Russia's　schemes　for　extension　in　Asia；
another　was　the　general　desire　for　colonies　in　Africa；　in　which
one　Continental　power　pretty　effectually　blocked　another；　and　the
latent　distrust　inside　the　Triple　Alliance。　　England；　meanwhile；
preserved　a　wise　and　profitable　neutrality。
　　　
〃These　tremendous　sacrifices　for　armaments；　both　on　land　and
water；　had　far…reaching　results；　and；　as　we　see　it　now；　were
clouds　with　silver　linings。　　The　demand　for　hardened　steel
projectiles；　nickel…steel　plates；　and　light　and　almost
unbreakable　machinery；　was　a　great　incentive　to　improvement　in
metallurgy　while　the　necessity　for　compact　and　safely　carried
ammunition　greatly　stimulated　chemical　research；　and　led　to　the
discovery　of　explosives　whose　powers　no　obstacle　can　resist；　and
incidentally　to　other　more　useful　things。
　　　
〃Further　mechanical　and　scientific　progress；　however；　such　as
flying　machines　provided　with　these　high　explosives；　and
asphyxiating　bombs　containing　compressed　gas　that　could　be　fired
from　guns　or　dropped　from　the　air；　intervened。　　The　former　would
have　laid　every　city　in　the　dust；　and　the　latter　might　have
almost　exterminated　the　race。　　These　discoveries　providentially
prevented　hostilities；　so　that　the　'Great　War；'　so　long　expected；
never　came；　and　the　rival　nations　had　their　pains　for　nothing；
or；　rather；　for　others　than　themselves。
　　　
〃Let　us　now　　examine　the　political　and　ethnological　results。　
Hundreds　of　thousands；　of　the　flower　of　Continental　Europe　were
killed　by　overwork　and　short　rations；　and　millions　of　desirable
and　oftenunfortunately　for　usundesirable　people　were　driven
to　emigration；　nearly　all　of　whom　came　to　English…speaking
territory；　greatly　increasing　our　productiveness　and　power。　　As；
we　have　seen；　the　jealousy　of　the　Continental　powers　for　one
another　effectually　prevented　their　extending　their　influence　or
protectorates　to　other　continents；　which　jealousy　was
considerably　aided　by　the　small　but　destructive　wars　that　did
take　place。　　High　taxes　also　made　it　more　difficult　for　the
moneyed　men　to　invest　in　colonizing　or　development　companies；
which　are　so　often　the　forerunners　of　absorption；　while　the
United　States；　with　her　coalof　which　the　Mediterranean　states
have　scarcely　anyother　resources；　and　low　taxes；　which；　though
necessary；　can　be　nothing　but　an　evil；　has　been　able　to　expand
naturally　as　no　other　nation　ever　has　before。
　　　
〃This　has　given　the　English…speakers；　especially　the　United
States；　a　free　hand；　rendering　enforcement　of　the　Monroe　doctrine
easy；　and　started　English　a　long　way　towards　becoming　the
universal　language；　while　all　formerly　unoccupied　land　is　now
owned　by　those　speaking　it。
　　　
〃At　the　close　of　our　civil　war；　in　1865；　we　had　but　3；000；000
square　miles；　and　a　population　of　34；000；000。　　The　country
staggered　beneath　a　colossal　debt　of　over　　4；000；000；000；　had　an
expensive　but　essentially　perishable　navy；　and　there　was　an
ominous　feeling　between　the　sections。　　The　purchase　of　Alaska　in
1867；　by　which　we　added　over　half　a　million　square　miles　to　our
territory；　marked　the　resumption　of　the　forward　march　of　the
United　States。　　Twenty…five　years　later；　at　the　presidential
campaign　of　1892；　the　debt　had　been　reduced　to　900；000；000；
deducting　the　sinking　fund；　and　the　charge　for　pensions　had　about
reached　its　maximum　and　soon　began　to　decrease；　though　no　one
objected　to　any　amount　of　reward　for　bona　fide　soldiers　who　had
helped　to　save　the　country。　　The　country's　wealth　had　also
enormously　increased；　while　the　population　had　grown　to
65；000；000。　　Our　ancestors　had；　completed　or　in　building；　a　navy
of　which　no　nation　need　be　ashamed；　and；　though　occasionally
marred　by　hard　times；　there　was　general　prosperity。
　　　
〃Gradually　the　different　States　of　Canadaor　provinces；　as　they
were　then　calledcame　to　realize　that　their　future　would　be　far
grander　and　more　glorious　in　union　with　the　United　States　than
separated　from　it；　and　also　that　their　sympathy　was　far　stronger
for　their　nearest　neighbours　than　for　any　one　else。　　One　by　one
these　Northern　States　made　known　their　desire　for　consolidation
with　the　Union；　retaining　complete　control　of　their　local
affairs；　as　have　the　older　States。　　They　were　gladly　welcomed　by
our　Government　and　people；　and　possible　rivals　became　the　best　of
friends。　　Preceding　and　also　following　this；　the　States　of
Mexico；　Central　America；　and　parts　of　South　America；　tiring　of
the　incessant　revolutions　and　difficulties　among　themselves；
which　had　pretty　constantly　looked　upon　us　as　a　big　brother　on
account　of　our　maintenance　of　the　Monroe　doctrine；　began　to
agitate　for　annexation；　knowing　they　would　retain　control　of
their　local　affairs。　　In　this　they　were　vigorously　supported　by
the　American　residents　and　property…holders；　who　knew　that　their
possessions　would　double　in　value　the　day　the　United　States
Constitution　was　signed。
　　　
〃Thus；　in　the　first　place；　by　the　encouragement　of　our　people；
and　latterly；　apparently；　by　its　own　volition；　the　Union　has
increased　enormously　in　power；　till　it　now　embraces　10；000；000
square　miles；　and　has　a　free　and　enlightened　population　of
300；000；000。　　Though　the　Union　established　by　Washington　and　his
contemporaries　has　attained　such　tremendous　proportions；　its
growth　is　by　no　means　finished；　and　as　a　result　of　modern
improvements；　it　is　less　of　a　journey　now　to　go　from　Alaska　to
the　Orinoco　than　it　was　for　the　Father　of　his　Country　to　travel
from　New　York　or　Philadelphia　to　the　site　of　the　city　named　in
his　honour。

　　　
〃Adequate　and　really　rapid　transportation　facilities　have　done
much　to　bind　the　different　parts　of　the　country　together；　and　to
rub　off　the　edges　of　local　prejudice。　　Though　we　always　favour
peace；　no　nation　would　think　of　opposing　the　expressed　wishes　of
the　United　States；　and　our　moral　power　for　good　is　tremendous。　
The　name　Japhet　means　enlargement；　and　the　prophecy　seems　about
to　be　literally　fulfilled　by　these　his　descendants。　　The　bankrupt
suffering　of　so　many　European　Continental　powers　had　also　other
results。　　It　enabled　the　socialistswho　have　never　been　able　to
see　beyond　themselvesto　force　their　governments　into　selling
their　colonies　in　the　Eastern　hemisphere　to　England；　and　their
islands　in　the　Western　to　us；　in　order　to　realize　upon　them。　
With　the　addition　of　Canada　to　the　United　States　and　its　loss　to
the　British　Empire；　the　land　possessions　of　the　two　powers　became
about　equal；　our　Union　being　a　trifle　the　larger。　　All　danger　of
war　being　removed　by　the　Canadian　change；　a　healthful　and
friendly　competition　took　its　place；　the　nations　competing　in
their　growth　on　different　hemispheres。　　England　easily　added
large　areas　in　Asia　and　Africa；　while　the　United　States　grew　as
we　have　seen。　　The　race　is　still；　in　a　sense；　neck…and…neck；　and
the　English…speakers　together　possess　nearly　half　the　globe。　　The
world's　recent　rate　of　progress　would　have　been　impossible
without　this　approximation　to　a　universal　language。　　The　causes
that　checkmated　the　Continental　powers　have　ceased　to　exist。　
Many　millions　of　men　whose　principal　thought　had　been　to　destroy
other　members　of　the　race　became　producers；　but　it　was　then　too
late；　for　the　heavy　armaments　had　done　their　work。
　　　
〃Let　us　now　glance　at　the　times　as　they　are；　and　see　how　the
business　of　life　is　transacted。　　Manhattan　Island　has　something
over　2；500；000　inhabitants；　and　is　surrounded　by　a　belt　of
population；　several　miles　wide；　of　12；000；000　more；　of　which　it
is　the　focus；　so　that　the　entire　city　contains　more　than
14；500；000　souls。　　The　several　hundred　square　miles　of　land　and
water　forming　greater　New　York　are　perfectly　united　by　numerous
bridges；　tunnels；　and　electric　ferries；　while　the　city's　great
natural　advantages　have　been　enhanced　and　beautified　by　every
ingenious　device。　　No　main　avenue　in　the　newer　sections　is　less
than　two　hundred　feet　wide；　containing　shade　and　fruit　trees；　a
bridle…path；　broad　sidewalks；　and　open　spaces　for　carriages　and
bicycles。　　Several　fine　diagonal　streets　and　breathing…squares
have　also　been　provided　in　the　older　sections；　and　the　existing
parks　have　been　supplemented　by　intermediate　ones；　all　being
connected　by　parkways　to　form　continuous　chains。
　　　
〃The　hollow　masts　of　our　shipsto　glance　at　another　phase　en
passantcarry　windmills　instead　of　sails；　through　which　the　wind
performs　the　work；　of　storing　a　great　part　of　the　energy　required
to　run　them　at　sea；　while　they　are　discharging　or　loading　cargo
in　port；　and　it　can；　of　course；　work　to　better　advantage　while
they　are　stationary　than　when　they　are　running　before　it。　　These
turbines　are　made　entirely　of　light　metal；　and　fold　when　not　in
use；　so　that　only　the　frames　are　visible。　　Sometimes　these　also
fold　and　are　housed；