From the Earth to the Moon Chapter 8 - History of the Cannon

In which the ingenious members of the Gun Club deliberate the immense challenges of constructing a colossal cannon capable of propelling a great projectile beyond the bounds of the earth’s atmosphere, with Barbicane proposing a grand design of unprecedented dimensions and strength. They weigh considerations of materials, length, and weight, resolving to construct the formidable engine from cast iron and to embed it in a massive masonry structure, confident that their mechanical wit shall surmount all obstacles.