Edisons Conquest of Mars | Page 8

of this kind.
What would my grandfather have said to it? I suspect that it is some scheme aimed at the
divine right of kings."
But the good sense of the German people would not suffer their ruler to place them in a
position so false and so untenable. And swept along by their enthusiasm the Kaiser had at
last consented to embark on his flagship at Kiel, and now he was following the other
fleets on their great mission to the Western Continent.
Why did they bring their warships when their intentions were peaceable, 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 ordinary means of ocean communications would have been utterly inadequate to
convey them.
After we had feasted our eyes on this strange sight, Mr. Edison suddenly exclaimed:
"Now let us see the fellows from the rising sun."

Over the Mississippi.
The car was immediately directed toward the west. We rapidly approached the American
coast, and as we sailed over the Alleghany Mountains and the broad plains of the Ohio
and the Mississippi, we saw crawling beneath us from west, south and north, an endless
succession 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 the Rocky
Mountains and then the glittering rim of the Pacific was before us. Half way between the
American coast and Hawaii we met the fleets coming from China and Japan. Side by side
they were ploughing the main, having forgotten, or laid aside, all the animosities of their
former wars.
I well remember how my heart was stirred at this impressive exhibition of the boundless
influence which my country had come to exercise over all the people of the world, and I
turned to look at 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 personally
responsible for what was going on. His mind, seemingly, was entirely absorbed in
considering problems, the solution of which might be essential to our success in the
terrific struggle which was soon to begin.
Back to Washington.
"Well, have you seen enough?" he asked. "Then let us go back to Washington."
As we speeded back across the continent we beheld beneath us again the burdened
express trains rushing toward the Atlantic, and hundreds of thousands of upturned eyes
watched our swift progress, and volleys of cheers reached our ears, for every one knew
that this was Edison's electrical warship, on which the hope of the nation, and the hopes
of all the nations, depended. These scenes were repeated again and again until the car
hovered over the still expanding capital on the Potomac, where the unceasing ring of
hammers rose to the clouds.
Chapter III.
The day appointed for the assembling of the nations in Washington opened bright and
beautiful. Arrangements had been made for the reception of the distinguished guests at
the Capitol. No time was to be wasted, and, having assembled in the Senate Chamber, the
business that had called them together was to be immediately begun. The scene in
Pennsylvania avenue, when the procession of dignitaries and royalties passed up toward
the Capitol, was one never to be forgotten. Bands were playing, magnificent equipages
flashed in the morning sunlight, the flags of every nation on the earth fluttered in the
breeze. Queen Victoria, with the Prince of Wales escorting her, and riding in an open
carriage, was greeted with roars of cheers; the Emperor William, following in another
carriage with Empress Victoria at his side, condescended to bow and smile in response to
the greetings of a free people. Each of the other monarchs was received in a similar
manner. The Czar of Russia proved to be an especial favorite with the multitude on
account of the ancient friendship of his house for America. But the greatest applause of

all came when the President of France, followed by the President of Switzerland and the
First Syndic of the little Republic of Andorra, made their appearance. Equally warm were
the greetings extended to the representatives of Mexico and the South American States.
The Sultan of Turkey.
The crowd apparently hardly knew at first how to receive the Sultan of Turkey, but the
universal good feeling was in his favor, and finally rounds of hand clapping and cheers
greeted his progress along the splendid avenue.
A happy idea had apparently occurred to the Emperor of China and the Mikado of Japan,
for, attended by their intermingled suites, they rode together in a single carriage. This
object lesson