threatened. When I was feeling sure of my imminent future solidity,

I forwarded to the Czar of Russia--perhaps prematurely--an offer for the

purchase of Siberia, naming a vast sum. Since then an episode has warned

me that the method by which I was expecting to acquire this money--

materialization upon a scale of limitless magnitude--is marred by a taint

of temporary uncertainty. His imperial majesty may accept my offer at

any moment. If this should occur now, I should find myself painfully

embarrassed, in fact financially inadequate. I could not take Siberia.

This would become known, and my credit would suffer.

Recently my private hours have been dark indeed, but the sun shines main,

now; I see my way; I shall be able to meet my obligation, and without

having to ask an extension of the stipulated time, I think. This grand

new idea of mine--the sublimest I have ever conceived, will save me

whole, I am sure. I am leaving for San Francisco this moment, to test

it, by the help of the great Lick telescope. Like all of my more notable

discoveries and inventions, it is based upon hard, practical scientific

laws; all other bases are unsound and hence untrustworthy. In brief,

then, I have conceived the stupendous idea of reorganizing the climates

of the earth according to the desire of the populations interested.

That is to say, I will furnish climates to order, for cash or negotiable

paper, taking the old climates in part payment, of course, at a fair

discount, where they are in condition to be repaired at small cost and

let out for hire to poor and remote communities not able to afford a good

climate and not caring for an expensive one for mere display. My studies

have convinced me that the regulation of climates and the breeding of new

295

The American Claimant