And not Hurges, as far as I understand aspired to it. He was interested in the splitting of atomic kernels, but not energy. It approached a question as the physicist, the chemist, but not as the power engineering specialist. And in this gun light of Hurges – the greatest invention if it is only not the myth. But it let will be defined by chemists.
Reynberg quickly sat down and took a sip to tea.
– And it is necessary to look for? – the chairman asked it.
– If you intend to get energy from atom, then there is no need to climb under water. Chimeras and on the earth are enough – Reynberg from the place answered and all at once drank up the cooled-down tea.
– Your word, professor Bagorsky.
Powerful the put man with gray moustaches and young eyes got up without hurrying, leaned hands against a table and began:
– I, as well as all of us, have very poor materials to judge Hurges’s opening in essence. But also what is what I managed to get acquainted with is, enough, to draw a conclusion that the question deserves the close attention. I agree with Pyotr Ivanovich Reynberg: power here at anything. – Reynberg victoriously looked at Toffel. – However from it the question does not become less important – Bagorsky continued. – Companion Azores retold to me everything that he heard from Cara, and I had such impression: if this person can be also mistaken, as well as everything, then he is not inclined to enter into deception of others obviously. And the fact that he told about experiences of the died inventor is something extraordinary. If Hurges’s “gun” is capable to knock out at insignificant power consumptions the set quantity of electrons from an atomic nucleus, then this really epoch-making invention. Here Pyotr Ivanovich remembered fantasts and novelists. If I belonged to them, I could represent to you wonderful prospects. But I am not a fantast and not the novelist. You know value of a problem of decomposition of an atomic nucleus also. And I can tell you only one: if we manage to get keys to Hurges’s invention from an ocean floor and if it equals only the tenth part of our hopes, then and in this case expenses on searches of the hided treasure hundreds and thousands of times will pay off.
The chairman addressed the chairman ЭПРОНа to the engineer Kirillov:
– Your opinion?.
Kirillov, the healthy, suntanned man of average years, in a sea jacket, rose and slowly began:
– We do still precisely not know the place where “Leviathan” sank, and depth is absolutely unknown. All business depends eventually on depth. EPRON still worked at depths about twenty-thirty is put off.
– Companion Kirillov – suspended him the chairman – most of the audience here – people overland, got used to consider on meters.
– The sea sazhen equals to six feet, or one and eighty six 100-th meter – Kirillov explained. – Well, I will transfer to meters. And so, we work at depths of fifty-sixty meters and above, of course.
– Not more deeply?
– Depth in hundred meters for the diver in a usual diving suit is considered already record. In the American rigid suits it is possible to fall by two hundred, even by three hundred meters. It is meanwhile border for divers. It is possible to fall by depth seven hundred fifty – one thousand meters only in the special steel gondola capable to sustain huge pressure. Unfortunately, in a similar gondola it is only possible to observe underwater life, to photograph – and only. We need to act under water – to lift the sunk ship or, in case of need, to find by it Hurges’s “treasure”. Then business comes down to that, “Leviathan” how deeply lies. You know that in oceans there are depths in ten thousand meters. And modern border of lowering – a little more than one thousand meters.
– A stratosphere, it appears, it is easier to win, than the hydrosphere – concluded, grinning, the chairman.
– Yes, thirty kilometers are easier to rise above the ground by twenty five – than to go down to the ocean on two-three kilometers. The terrifying pressure of water keeps secrets of sea superdepths. I even doubt whether people will be able and to go down in the future to the deepest places of the ocean…
– Even in a gondola?
– Even in a gondola, and only to observe. The gondola with people has to be tied to a cable or a chain that it could be pulled out from water. But no cable of ten kilometers will sustain a body weight. … I do not know it… the cable should be done in the form of a cone with a huge diameter in the basis. I do not say any more that from the ship it is impossible to lift such weight and cranes such it is impossible to build.
– And if to lower a steel sphere without people, but with devices which would transfer to the earth of the image of the deep-water world? – the economist became interested.
Kirillov grinned.
– You offer me the questions overstepping the bounds of diving practice. It if you want, already area almost a fantasy. But I believe, as with such sphere nothing will turn out.
– The steel sphere with walls of enormous thickness – did not calm down the economist.
– And glass? – Kirillov asked. – After all your sphere has to have windows through which it would be possible to light with a searchlight a seabed for operation of the TV. It seems to me that even quartz glass will not sustain pressure. Besides, do not forget that such sphere will not have any wires. Probably, in him it is necessary to have power plant or accumulators of sufficient force and radio station. However and there is more to come. How to transfer the image without wires? Radio beams will be absorbed by ten-kilometer thickness of water. No, what is located at a depth of ten kilometers is completely inaccessible for us.
– Fortunately, “Leviathan” sank not in Silent, and in the Atlantic Ocean, more “shallow”. However, and in Atlantic there are “failures” depth in several kilometers, but there are much also depths, available to us. There are also underwater ridges which tops lie rather close to the surface of the ocean, and here and there these mountain tops rise over the surface of the ocean, creating all the known islands, for example group of the Azorsky, Canary Islands.
In this regard I submit the general plan of an expedition so. In the distress signals dispatched by “Leviathan” on the eve of death the longitude and width are marked. This place, as far as I know, represents rather raised underwater plateau with extremely cut up relief. There are both deep abysses, and high mountains. On the general cards all this is designated, naturally, only approximately. We have no yet so authentic maps on which the relief of each square kilometer of Atlantic would be represented precisely. We sail to the place of death of “Leviathan” and diligently we measure lotliny depths. If they reach several kilometers, then as it is sad, we should recede. Similar depths exceed modern technical capabilities ЭПРОНа. Other business if research establishments help us and will give hardware for a gain of similar depths. Anyway this reconnoitring expedition will cost not much.
– And if depth is suitable? – the chairman asked.
– Then we will start the second stage of work – to searches of the sunk steamship. Here on a scene divers act. If “Leviathan” is found, further we work on your tasks: we look for “treasure” by steamship, under water, or we will bring it to the surface that, however, will run already into money.
Azores asked words.
– I think that we should not lift the steamship – he told. – Hurges was so provident that hung up if only he managed to make it, the plates on an anchor chain on a steamship nose. Thus, we should find only the steamship at the bottom of the sea and to find plates on an anchor chain.
– However, to find, it is necessary to fall by a bottom and if a bottom deeply? – Kirillov told.
– The person does not have need to go down – Azores quietly answered.
– But how to find? – epronovets did not calm down.
– Very simply. I got acquainted with your fisheries in Murmansk. Floated on trawlers. And there I happened to see the underwater TV designed by one Komsomol member by means of which fishermen very easily find fish. And not only fish. We incidentally managed to find the sunk trawler at the bottom of the Barents Sea. You, obviously, already heard about it. And so. To make the big TV which could be lowered at least on depth of one thousand meters – not so a difficult technical problem. By means of the TV we will manage to find a nasal anchor chain and plates. It is necessary only to lift these soldered plates. I assume that the Soviet technicians will be able to create such mechanical hands which will be able to fall by a sea bottom, to be enough with iron fingers production there and to bring it to the surface.
– It is really the quite good idea – Kirillov said.
– A radio eye – here that will help to find Hurges’s “treasure” – Azores finished.
– How you think? – the chairman of the engineer Borin, the large inventor in the field of radio asked.
– As for the TV – Borin answered – that this idea, in my opinion, is completely real. The TV will be soon introduced in diving practice. Telling the truth, it will be not absolutely a radio eye. Researches of radio signals from the submarine which went to depth showed that radio waves are strongly absorbed by water. Therefore transfers from depths of the sea have to go not by radio waves, and on wires from the TV. But it equipment question. I know the inventor. Not so long ago I had it, showed the small TV. I willingly will take it to myself in assistants and with it I will develop a design of the deep-water TV. I can undertake it. “Mechanical hands” … I think, we will build them.
– However, companions, we as if forgot the starting moment – Toffel started talking again. – We after all do not know whether really Hurges’s “gun” is treasure even if not for power, at least for physics, chemistry and the industry.
– Perhaps, you would draw surer conclusion – Azores rose – if directly talked over with companion Kar.
– But he over the ocean – objected Toffel.
– Yes, but unless we do not talk to people who are over the ocean? – smiling, Azores asked.
– Agree, however, that the question not such is that it was possible to speak about it openly by phone or on radio – pouchayushche objected Toffel.
– Nobody will hear your conversation – Azores answered. – I told not all to you, companions. – And Azores, having taken out a small box, told about short-wave radio station of Hurges and presented this gift from a name the Penalty.
The barin ran up to the device and with interest began to consider it, muttering something. Then he raised the head and told:
– Devilishly clever solution of a task, forgive for the rough word. This Hurges really had an efficient head.
– Thus, today you talk over with Kar. I hope, companion Borin will manage to establish relation quickly.
On the same day, about six o’clock in the evening when in Buenos Aires there was a midday, two persons divided by thousands of kilometers were told with each other.
The carat told Toffel everything that knew about the Hurgesovy method of splitting of an atomic nucleus. Toffel understood more than what contained in the head and in words the Penalty. Understood the idea and it was struck with its originality. However, without formulas, without Hurges’s schemes it would be required, perhaps, several years to carry out this invention. But also what Toffel learned about, was original treasure.
Hurges offered a new method, absolutely new direction. And Toffel more did not doubt any more that Hurges carried original treasure to the USSR. This invaluable treasure, appear, sparkled even through an immemorial gloom of ocean depths.
And Toffel hotly spoke at the regular meeting of the commission already differently – without hesitation, with conviction:
– There are all bases to think that Hurges’s opening will be a valuable contribution to science. It will help to resolve a question of splitting of an atomic nucleus. We are immediately obliged to send an expedition to the place of death of “Leviathan” by all means and how many it costed!
The issue was resolved, the means are allotted. In laboratories of scientific institutes shock work was already humming.
Ginzburg, having left the trawler for some time, moved in Borin’s laboratory. They worked day and night, forgetting about a dream and food. And soon in laboratory the huge sphere reminding a stratosphere balloon gondola rose. But this sphere had to make a jump not up, and in an ocean chasm.
As depth was not precisely known yet, Borin counted on the maximum depth of the sea around accident. The cover could sustain enormous pressure. On the top part of a sphere there was a steel cylinder with compressed air. Borin expected so that in process of lowering of a sphere and increase in pressure air from a cylinder will automatically move to a big sphere – the TV. This additional internal pressure will serve as if as a pneumatic emphasis against external pressure. In process of rise air also automatically has to pass from a sphere into a cylinder.
It was necessary to make exact calculations: what section the cable on which the sphere what thickness quartz glass through which will light the underwater world with beams of searchlights has to reach will be lowered is necessary. On all cover of a sphere of the TV big and small round openings were made. Through small there will pass rays of light, through big – the images of objects accepted by a photo cell will get to a lens. Borin replaced Nipkow’s disk with a kinescope. Energy for searchlights wires ship will give a dynamo car; and light will flash automatically only with the set pressure when the set depth is reached.
…At the same time mechanics constructed “a mechanical hand”. She reminded a spider on a leash. Steel sustavchaty paws of this “spider” were made so that automatically grabbed and is tenacious held production. The current impulse on wires forced “spider” to unclench paws if they incidentally were enough not that it is necessary.
Storm of the hydrosphere prepared with that vigorous energy with what storm of a stratosphere once prepared.
THE MOST UNFORTUNATE PERSON IN THE USSR
The fair-haired blue-eyed son of the engineer Borin, the Komsomol member Mishka Borin, studied at university and this year entered the second year. Still when it graduated from high school, his companions argued on choice of profession much.
“Whom will you be?” – they asked each other. Almost all dreamed to become engineers and pilots, someone – the geologist, the doctor, the teacher. Also did not ask Mishka Borin: its destiny everything seemed clear. The son of the famous radio engineer, the inventor, of course, has to become a radio engineer. And Mishka Borin strongly surprised not only companions, but also the father, having unexpectedly declared that he will be a geographer. So he solved already a few years ago. When he studied at school, the concealed and his greatest desire was to become the Hero of the Soviet Union. The Chelyuskinsky epic made the greatest impression on it. No, Mishka was not a conceited person. It was attracted by awards not in itself, honors, an honorary title of the Hero. He wanted to be worthy this rank and to bring to the Fatherland the valid benefit. Once, soon after the chelyuskinsky epic, he went to the country with an excursion and in the car heard how the young seaman probationer told the girl that he will soon go to “ice swimming”. As Mishka envied it!