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Web applications have greatly benefited from the inclusion of maps, providing users with valuable location-based information. Maps have transformed our interaction with the world, from navigating unfamiliar places to discovering nearby eateries. As a result, the integration of maps into websites has become increasingly popular in recent times. Nevertheless, designing maps that are both functional and user-friendly can present a challenge, especially for those lacking experience in this domain. In this article, I will share useful tips on how to create effective maps within your browser. Tech stack Let’s discuss technologies. When working with maps, we typically use three layers: Rendering the user interface, which includes buttons and forms. In our stack, React performs this role; Rendering the map and enabling user interaction. We use Mapbox for this; Fetching data from the server, such as information about markers or polygons. To retrieve data, we use the browser’s built-in fetch feature. Let’s review each item to gain a better understanding of our technology stack when working with maps. React The library enables you to work with page elements conveniently and efficiently. It was developed by Facebook for their own use, and includes numerous components such as buttons, forms, and other interactive elements on the pages. For example, Facebook created a to quickly compare different states. React reconciliation algorithm As changing elements on a page is the most expensive operation for a browser, it’s essential to do it as efficiently as possible. To address this issue, Facebook engineers developed the React library, which enables fast and straightforward element changes on a page. Besides providing rapid state changes on a page, React allows us to do this declaratively without working with DOM elements directly. Instead, we use an abstraction, usually , which looks like HTML. Let’s consider an example: JSX // It's our state. Is the user our friend or not?
// false by default
const [isFriend, setIsFriend] = useState(false)

// Depending on the state, we show the text on the button
const buttonText = isFriend ? 'Your my Friend' : 'Add as Friend'

// There is JSX, syntax for UI
// In this case, we display a button, when clicked, we change the state
return (
  <button onClick={() => setIsFriend(true)}>{buttonText}</button>
) It is possible to nest components with ordinary DOM elements like forms, buttons, and inputs at the bottom of the hierarchy. By assembling these simple elements, we can create more complex ones, such as a complete form: const Form = () => (
  <form>
      <input name="Email"/>
      <input name="Password"/>
  </form>
)

const App = () => (
  <main>
      <h1>My form!</h1>
      <Form />
  </main>
) How does React assist us in the context of maps? As the map on the page is interactive, similar to a button or form, we aim to optimize its rendering and interaction through events like clicks on the map. React can help achieve this optimization. Here is an example of how it works: // Use React to render the map with different event handlers
// and render markers
return (
  <BaseMap
    onInitMap={() => console.log('I am alive!')}
    onClickMap={() => console.log('Click!')}
    onDestroyMap={() => console.log('Oh no!')}
  >
    <ClustersMarkers />
    <PostsMarkers />
    <ListingsMarkers />
  </BaseMap>
) When working with React, it is essential to remember that it allows for efficient manipulation of elements on the page, quick changes, and interaction with them through events. This is achieved through an abstraction that resembles HTML, making it easy to create complex components from simpler ones. Mapbox Now, let’s discuss the map itself. Creating and using maps can be challenging, and only a few product companies can design maps from scratch. Typically, most people rely on pre-made libraries with a user-friendly API that has been tried and tested. Numerous dynamic map providers are available, including Google Maps, Leaflet, Bing Maps, Mapbox, and more. However, we will focus on due to its extensive features and fair pricing policy. For instance, Google Maps charges for 100k map views per month, while Mapbox only charges . Moreover, Mapbox offers free access for up to 50k map views per month. Mapbox $700 $250 Mapbox offers , a tool often compared to Photoshop for maps. With this tool, designers can create custom styles, hide unnecessary map elements, and remove house displays. One of its benefits is the ability to enhance the visibility of . Another advantage is the opportunity to experiment with map styling in corporate colors. However, it’s essential to consider the user experience and maintain a familiar color palette, including green grass and blue water. The best part about Mapbox Studio is that it simplifies the map design process by eliminating the need for developing and transferring requirements, ultimately reducing the cost of working with maps. Mapbox Studio Points of Interest Additionally, Mapbox provides a that can convert addresses to coordinates or vice versa, simplifying the process of locating points on a map. However, the tool’s may be insufficient, leading to difficulties for certain projects. Mapbox gathers data from , such as governments, open data initiatives like OpenStreetMap, and private companies. geocoding tool worldwide coverage numerous sources Mapbox provides a variety of , although the could benefit from some improvement. For instance, when incorporating marker functionality, examples can be more informative than the documentation. Additionally, challenges may arise when merging multiple components, such as marker clusters, custom data loading, normalization, and marker state changes. practical examples documentation Let’s revisit Mapbox maps. What does the do? Mapbox API It initializes the map in an HTML element on the page; It loads and renders images that make up the map; It draws additional elements, such as markers, using GeoJson as input data; It generates events, such as clicks or zoom changes, that can be handled. Let’s take a closer look at each of these items. Mapbox specializes in map rendering using tiles. Tiles are small square images that make up the larger map. The default size of a tile is 512x512 pixels, and it can be either . tiles are used to display roads, buildings, Points of Interest (PoI), and more. They can be dynamically styled, are lightweight, and allow for smooth interaction with the map. tiles, on the other hand, are used for displaying satellite imagery. vector or raster Vector Raster Just so you know, Mapbox Studio allows us to choose the specific data we want to include in the map tiles. These tiles are then placed onto a , which is a special DOM element in the browser that displays images and other graphical elements on the web. To give you an idea, it’s similar to how documents are displayed on a canvas in Google Docs. canvas <canvas width="100" height="100" /> Mapbox handles the loading, insertion, and updating of tiles. All we have to do is specify where we want the map to be displayed and the initial conditions, like the zoom level or the map’s coordinates. To use Mapbox, you’ll need an , which is a unique key that can be found in your Mapbox account. To set up a basic map, here’s a quick example, but for more information, check out the provided: access token link mapboxgl.accessToken = 'YOUR_MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN';

const map = new mapboxgl.Map({
  container: 'map', // we can use an Id or an element
  style: 'mapbox://styles/mapbox/streets-v11', // URL for styles
  center: [-74.5, 40], // initial coordinates [lng, lat]
  zoom: 9, // initial zoom
}); After this, we will get a map on the page in an element with the id ‘map.’ To provide users with more information on the map, we often display the location of a certain establishment or the boundaries of a specific area. To achieve this, we use a specific data format called and instruct Mapbox on how to showcase this data. GeoJSON GeoJSON is the standard format for storing geographic structures on maps. It can store various primitive types that describe geographic objects such as addresses, locations, streets, highways, borders, countries, states, and combinations of these, known as multipart. GeoJSON was introduced in 2008 and is represented like this: {
  "type": "Feature", // also can be FeatureCollection, it's collection of Feature
  "geometry": {
    "type": "Point", // also can be LineString, Polygon, MultiPolygon
    "coordinates": [125.6, 10.1] // for other types you can use Array with coordinates
  },
  "properties": { // it's metadata, we can you that to show something on the map
    "name": "Dinagat Islands"
  }
} Let’s talk about the coordinate system used in Mapbox. By default, Mapbox employs , which is a way of projecting the Earth onto a flat surface to work with tiles. This is known as Web Mercator and is the standard for online maps. However, when dealing with data about markers and polygons, it uses a different coordinate system called . This system relies on latitude and longitude to describe coordinates on the Earth’s ellipsoid. Mapbox and other map providers automatically convert coordinates from EPSG 4326 to EPSG 3857. If we need to work with different , we can use the method. EPSG 3857 EPSG 4326 projections map.setProjection Now, we will discuss how to display GeoJSON on the map. Mapbox offers two entities that we will find helpful: — This is the data seed. We can create a new source with GeoJSON data and configure it, for example, to generate an ID for each feature in the feature collection. Source — This is the data representation. We can display the data from the source in different ways, such as showing boundaries. Layer To display polygons or markers on the map, we must retrieve the data in GeoJson format from the server. Then, we create a source, input the data into it, and connect it to the required layer. const geoJsonFeature = {
  'type': 'Feature',
  'geometry': {
      'type': 'Polygon',
      'coordinates': [
          [-67.13734, 45.13745],
          [-66.96466, 44.8097],
          [-68.03252, 44.3252],
          [-67.13734, 45.13745]
      ]
  }
}

// Create source with our data
map.addSource('ourSource', {
  'type': 'geojson',
  'data': geoJsonFeature
});

// Add layer for background
map.addLayer({
  'id': 'background',
  'type': 'fill',
  'source': 'ourSource', // название нашего source
  'layout': {},
  'paint': {
      'fill-color': '#0080ff',
      'fill-opacity': 0.5
  }
});

// Add layer for border
map.addLayer({
  'id': 'border',
  'type': 'line',
  'source': 'ourSource',
  'layout': {},
  'paint': {
      'line-color': '#000',
      'line-width': 3
  }
}); After running this code, we get the result: To learn more about this topic, you can refer to the provided by Mapbox. In this tutorial, we have covered the process of initializing the map and presenting our data. Next, we will explore how to handle events like clicking, dragging, and zooming. For instance, we can use Mapbox to monitor events and display the coordinates in the console as the user moves their cursor on the map. To achieve this, we simply call the method with the event type we want, similar to how we work with DOM elements. documentation on map.on('mousemove', (e) => {
  console.log(JSON.stringify(e.point));
});

// Result: {"x":330,"y":49} In summary, what do we need to remember? Mapbox allows us to display a map, draw our data on top of it, and process map events. At the same time, Mapbox takes care of loading and displaying images (tiles). Fetch A word about . We have already seen how to render data on a map, but first, we must retrieve it from the server. When we dynamically request data from the server in the background without reloading the page, we call this approach (“ synchronous avaScript nd ML”). There are many tools for loading data asynchronously from the server, such as Axios or XMLHttpRequest (native). fetch AJAX A J a X What to remember? We retrieve data from the server, and there are many libraries for this, but we will use fetch. Next, we will look at how we do this specifically when working with maps, as there are nuances. React + Mapbox Now let’s see how the technologies described above work together. First, we will retrieve the data for displaying the polygon using fetch. Then we will declare the initialization of the map, and after it loads, we will add the polygon to the map. You can also find a working example at the provided. link const useFetch = () => {
  /*
  Our data
  {
      'type': 'Feature',
      'geometry': {
          'type': 'Polygon',
          'coordinates': [
              [
                  [-67.13734, 45.13745],
                  [-68.03252, 44.3252],
                  [-68.90478, 47.18479],
                  [-67.13734, 45.13745],
              ]
          ]
      }
  }
  */
  const [data, setData] = useState(null)

  useEffect(() => {
    fetch('https://our-api.com/polygon')
      .then(response => response.json())
      .then(setData)
      .catch(e => {
        console.error(e)
      })
  }, [setData])

  return { data }
}

const BaseMap = () => {
  // Use the hook to fetch data
  const { data } = useFetch(GET_REGION);

  // Map instance
  const map = useRef(null);
  // DOM element
  const mapContainer = useRef(null);

  // Main logic - init the map and add the event
  useEffect(() => {
    if (map.current) {
      return; // initialize map only once
    }

    mapboxgl.accessToken = 'YOUR_MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN';
    map.current = new mapboxgl.Map({
      container: mapContainer.current,
      style: 'mapbox://styles/mapbox/light-v10', // style URL (it's Mapbox's core style)
      center: [-68.137343, 45.137451], // starting position
      zoom: 5 // starting zoom
    });

    // Handle event
    map.on('load', () => {
      const sourceId = 'source-region'

      // Add a data source containing GeoJSON data
      map.addSource(sourceId, {
        'type': 'geojson',
        'data': data.region // our data from Apollo
      });

      // Add a new layer to visualize the polygon
      map.addLayer({
        'id': 'background',
        'type': 'fill',
        'source': sourceId, // reference the data source
        'paint': {
            'fill-color': '#0080ff', // blue color fill
            'fill-opacity': 0.5
        }
      });
      // Add a black outline around the polygon
      map.addLayer({
        'id': 'outline',
        'type': 'line',
        'source': sourceId,
        'paint': {
            'line-color': '#000',
            'line-width': 3
        }
      });
    });
  });

  return <div ref={mapContainer} />;
} Conclusion We looked at the technology stack that underpins our future architecture. In the following article, we will discuss the principles that help design a map architecture, how to achieve maximum low coupling and high cohesion of modules, and how to maintain and develop a scalable map system. Thank you very much for your attention! Have a great day.

Maps on the Web Using React and Mapbox

প্রতিক্রিয়া এবং ম্যাপবক্স ব্যবহার করে ওয়েবে মানচিত্র

Karten im Web mit React und Mapbox

Mapas en la Web usando React y Mapbox

Cartes sur le Web à l'aide de React et Mapbox

रिएक्ट और मैपबॉक्स का उपयोग करके वेब पर मानचित्र

React と Mapbox を使用した Web 上の地図

React와 Mapbox를 사용하여 웹에서 지도 만들기

Mapas na Web usando React e Mapbox

Карты в Интернете с использованием React и Mapbox

React ve Mapbox Kullanarak Web'deki Haritalar

Bản đồ trên web bằng React và Mapbox

使用 React 和 Mapbox 制作网络地图

In the evening the hunters returned, having enjoyed good sport, and being literally loaded with game

A Floating City and The Blockade Runners by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Chapter XXV here CHAPTER XXV. Scarcely had the “Great Eastern” tacked and presented her stern to the waves, than the pitching gave way to perfect steadiness; breakfast was served, and the greater part of the passengers, reassured by the ship’s stillness, came into the dining-rooms, and took their repast without fear of another shock. Not a plate fell off the table, and not a glass emptied its contents on to the cloth, although the racks had not even been put up. But three quarters of an hour later the furniture was set in motion again, and the crockery clattered together on the pantry shelves, for the “Great Eastern” had resumed her westerly course, which for the time had been interrupted. I went on deck again with Dr. Pitferge, who seeing the man belonging to the dolls said to him,— “Your little people have been put to a severe test, sir; those poor babies will never prattle in the United States.” “Pshaw!” replied the enterprising Parisian, “the stock was insured, and my secret has not perished with it.” It was evident my countryman was not a man to be easily disheartened, he bowed to us with a pleasant smile, and we continued our way to the stern, where a steersman told us that the rudder-chains had been jammed in the interval between the two swoops. “If that accident had happened when we were turning,” said Pitferge to me, “I cannot say what would have become of us, for the sea would have rushed in, in overwhelming torrents; the steam pumps have already begun to reduce the water, but there is more coming yet.” “And what of the unfortunate sailor?” asked I of the Doctor. “He is severely wounded on his head, poor fellow! he is a young married fisherman, the father of two children, and this is his first voyage. The Doctor seems to think there is hope of his recovery, and that is what makes me fear for him, but we shall soon see for ourselves. A report was spread that several men had been washed overboard, but happily there was no foundation for it.” “We have resumed our course at last,” said I. “Yes,” replied the Doctor, “the westerly course, against wind and tide, there is no doubt about that,” added he, catching hold of a kevel to prevent himself from rolling on the deck. “Do you know what I should do with the ‘Great Eastern’ if she belonged to me? No. Well, I would make a pleasure-boat of her, and charge 10,000 francs a head; there would only be millionnaires on board, and people who were not pressed for time. I would take a month or six weeks going from England to America; the ship never against the waves, and the wind always ahead or astern; there should be no rolling, no pitching, and I would pay a 100 in any case of sea-sickness.” F. “That is a practical idea,” said I. “Yes,” replied Pitferge, “there’s money to be gained or lost by that!” In the meantime the “Great Eastern” was slowly but steadily continuing her way; the swell was frightful, but her straight stem cut the waves regularly, and shipped no more water. It was no longer a metal mountain making against a mountain of water, but as sedentary as a rock; the “Great Eastern” received the billows with perfect indifference. The rain fell in torrents, and we were obliged to take refuge under the eaves of the grand saloon; with the shower the violence of the wind and sea assuaged; the western sky grew clear, and the last black clouds vanished in the opposite horizon; at ten o’clock the hurricane sent us a farewell gust. At noon an observation was able to be made and was as follows:— 127 Lat. 49° 50´, N. Long. 61° 57´, W. Course, 193 miles. This considerable diminution in the ship’s speed could only be attributed to the tempest, which during the night and morning had incessantly beaten against the ship, and a tempest so terrible that one of the passengers, almost an inhabitant of the Atlantic, which he had crossed forty-four times, declared he had never seen the like. The engineer even said that during the storm, when the “Great Eastern” was three days in the trough of the sea, the ship had never been attacked with such violence, and it must be repeated that even if this admirable steam-ship did go at an inferior speed, and rolled decidedly too much, she nevertheless presented a sure security against the fury of the sea, which she resisted like a block, owing to the perfect homogeneity of her construction. But let me also say, however powerful she might be, it was not right to expose her, without any reason whatever, to a baffling sea; for however strong, however imposing a ship may appear, it is not “disgraced” because it flies before the tempest. A commander ought always to remember that a man’s life is worth more than the mere satisfaction of his own pride. In any case, to be obstinate is blameable, and to be wilful is dangerous. A recent incident in which a dreadful catastrophe happened to a Transatlantic steamer shows us that a captain ought not to struggle blindly against the sea, even when he sees the boat of a rival company creeping ahead. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2022). A Floating City and The Blockade Runners. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/67829/67829-h/67829-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

Scarcely had the “Great Eastern” tacked and presented her stern to the waves

A Floating City and The Blockade Runners by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Chapter XX here CHAPTER XX. Corsican and I could no longer doubt but that it was Ellen, Fabian’s betrothed, and Harry Drake’s wife. Chance had brought all three together on the same ship. Fabian had not recognized her, although he had cried, “It is she, it is she!” and how was it possible that he could have done so? But he was not mistaken in saying, “A mad woman!” Ellen was mad, undoubtedly; grief, despair, love frozen in her heart, contact with the worthless man who had snatched her from Fabian, ruin, misery, and shame had broken her spirit. It was on this subject that Corsican and I spoke the following morning. We had no doubt as to the identity of the young woman; it was Ellen, whom Harry Drake was dragging with him to the American continent. The Captain’s eyes glowed with a dark fire at the thought of this wretch, and I felt my heart stir within me. What were we against the husband, the master? Nothing. But now, what was most important, was to prevent another meeting between Fabian and Ellen, for Fabian could not fail at last to recognize his betrothed, and thus the catastrophe we wished to avoid would be brought about. At the same time we had reason to hope that these two poor creatures would not see each other again, as the unhappy Ellen never appeared in the daytime, either in the saloons or on the deck. Only at night, perhaps eluding her gaoler, she came out to bathe herself in the damp air, and demand of the wind a smooth passage. In four days, at the latest, the “Great Eastern” must reach New York harbour; therefore we might hope that accident would not dally with our watchfulness, and that Fabian would not discover Ellen during this time; but we made our calculations without thinking of events. The steamer’s course had been slightly altered in the night, three times the ship, being in water twenty-seven degrees Fahrenheit—that is to say, five degrees below zero, had been turned towards the south. There was no longer any doubt of icebergs being very near, for the sky that morning had a peculiarly brilliant aspect; the atmosphere was misty, and the northern sky glittered with an intense reverberation, evidently produced by the powerful reflection from the icebergs. There was a piercing wind, and about ten o’clock the deck was powdered by a slight snow-fall; then dense fog surrounded us, in which we gave warning of our approach, by deafening whistles, which scared away the flocks of sea-gulls in the ship’s yards. At half-past ten, the fog having cleared off, a screw steamer appeared on the horizon, a-starboard, the white tops of her chimneys indicating that she was an emigrant ship, belonging to the Inman Company. Before lunch several of the passengers organized a pool, which could not fail to please those fond of betting and gambling. The result of this pool was not to be known for four days; it was what is called the “pilot’s pool.” When a ship arrives at the land-falls every one knows that a pilot comes on board; so they divide the twenty-four hours of the day and night into forty-eight half-hours, or ninety-six quarters, according to the number of the passengers. Each player stakes one dollar, and draws one of the half or quarter hours: the winner of the forty-eight or ninety-six dollars is the one during whose quarter of an hour the pilot comes on board. From this it may be seen that the game is very simple; it is not a race-course, but a quarter-of-an-hour race. It was a Canadian, the Honourable MacAlpine, who undertook the management of the affair. He easily collected ninety-six players, including several professed gamblers, not the least among those ready for gain. I, following the general example, staked my dollar, and fate allotted me the ninety-fourth quarter; it was a bad number, and one which left me no chance of profit. The fact is, these divisions are reckoned from noon to noon, so that there are night as well as day quarters; and as it is very seldom that ships venture close in in the dark, the chance of a pilot coming on board then is very small. However, I easily consoled myself. Going down into the saloon, I saw a lecture announced. The Utah missionary was going to hold a meeting on Mormonism; a good opportunity for those wishing to initiate themselves in the mysteries of the City of Saints; besides, this Elder, Mr. Hatch, was an orator of no mean power. The execution could not fail to be worthy of the work. The announcement of the conference was received very favourably by the passengers. The observation posted up was as follows:— Lat. 42° 32´ N. Long. 51° 59´ W. Course, 254 miles. About three o’clock in the afternoon the steersman signaled a large four-mast steamer, which slightly changed its course, in order to give the “Great Eastern” its number. It was the “Atlanta,” one of the largest boats running between London and New York, calling at Brest on the way. After having saluted us, which we returned, in a short time she was out of sight. At this moment Dean Pitferge, in a vexed tone, informed me that Mr. Hatch’s lecture was forbidden, as the wives of the puritans on board did not approve of their husbands becoming acquainted with the mysteries of Mormonism. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2022). A Floating City and The Blockade Runners. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/67829/67829-h/67829-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

The steamer’s course had been slightly altered in the night

A Floating City and The Blockade Runners by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Chapter XVIII here CHAPTER XVIII. The next day, the 3rd of April, from early dawn the horizon wore that peculiar aspect which the English call “blink.” It was of that misty white colour which signifies that icebergs are not far distant; in fact the “Great Eastern” was ploughing those seas on which float the first blocks of ice detached from the icebergs in Davis’ Straits. A special watch was kept, in order to avoid the rude collision with these enormous blocks. There was a strong westerly wind blowing; strips of clouds, or rather shreds of vapour, hung over the sea, through which glimpses of blue sky appeared. A dull thudding noise came from the waves tossed by the wind, and drops of water, seemingly pulverized, evaporated in foam. Neither Fabian, Captain Corsican, nor Doctor Pitferge had yet come on deck, so I went towards the bows, where the junction of the bulwarks formed a comfortable angle, a kind of retreat, in which like a hermit, one could retire from the world. I took my place in this corner, sitting on a skylight, and my feet resting on an enormous pulley; the wind being dead ahead passed over without touching me. This was a good place for reflection. From here I had a view of the whole immensity of the ship; I could see the long slanting ropes of the rigging at the stern. On the first level a top-man, hanging in the mizen-shrouds, held himself up with one hand, whilst with the other he worked with a remarkable dexterity. On the deck below him paced the officer on watch, peering through the mists. On the bridge, at the stern, I caught a glimpse of an officer, his back rounded, and his head muffled in a hood, struggling against the gusts of wind. I could distinguish nothing of the sea, except a bluish horizontal line discernible behind the paddles. Urged on by her powerful engines, the narrow stem of the steam-ship cut the waves, with a hissing sound, like that when the sides of a boiler are heated by a roaring fire. But the colossal ship, with the wind ahead, and borne on three waves, hardly felt the movement of the sea, which would have shaken any other steamer with its pitchings. At half-past twelve the notice stated that we were in 44° 53´ North lat., and 47° 6´ W. long., and had made two hundred and twenty-seven miles in twenty-four hours only. The young couple must have scolded the wheels which did not turn, and the steam which was not at all strong enough to please them. About three o’clock the sky, swept by the wind, cleared up; the line of the horizon was once more clearly defined, the wind fell, but for a long while the sea rose in great foam-crested billows. Such a gentle breeze could not cause this swell; one might have said that the Atlantic was still sulky. At twenty-five minutes to four a three-mast ship was hailed to larboard. She hoisted her name; it was the “Illinois,” an American ship, on her way to England. At this moment Lieutenant H—— informed me that we were passing Cape Race point. We were now in the rich coasts where are obtained cod-fish, three of which would suffice to supply England and America if all the roe were hatched. The day passed without any remarkable occurrence; no accident had as yet thrown Fabian and Harry Drake together, for the Captain and I never lost sight of them. In the evening the same harmless amusement, the same reading, and songs in the grand saloon called forth, as usual, frantic applauses. As an extraordinary occurrence a lively discussion broke out between a Northerner and a Texian. The latter demanded an Emperor for the Southern States. Happily this political discussion, which threatened to degenerate into a quarrel, was put an end to by the timely arrival of an imaginary despatch, addressed to the “Ocean Times,” and conceived in these terms: “Captain Semmes, Minister of War, has made the South compensate for its ravages in Alabama.” About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2022). A Floating City and The Blockade Runners. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/67829/67829-h/67829-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

It was of that misty white colour which signifies that icebergs

A Floating City and The Blockade Runners by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Chapter XVII here CHAPTER XVII. During Monday night the sea was very stormy. Once more the partitions began creaking, and again the luggage made its way through the saloons. When I went on deck, about seven o’clock in the morning, the wind had freshened, and it was raining. The officer on watch had ordered the sails to be taken in, so that the steam-ship, left without any support, rolled dreadfully. All this day, the 2nd of April, the deck was deserted, even the saloons were empty, for the passengers had taken refuge in their cabins; and two-thirds of the guests were missing at lunch and dinner. Whist was impossible, for the tables glided from under the players’ hands. The chess-men were unmanageable. A few of the more fearless stretched themselves on the sofas, reading or sleeping, as many preferred to brave the rain on deck, where the sailors, in their oil-skin jackets and glazed hats, were sedately pacing to and fro. The first officer, well wrapped in his macintosh, and perched on the bridge, was on watch, and in the midst of the hurricane his small eyes sparkled with delight. This was what the little man loved, and the steamer rolled to his liking. The water from the skies and sea mingled in a dense fog. The atmosphere was grey, and birds flew screeching through the damp mists. At ten o’clock a three-mast ship was hailed, sailing astern of us, but her nationality could not be recognized. At about eleven o’clock the wind abated, and veered to the north-west. The rain ceased, almost suddenly, blue sky appeared through the opening in the clouds, the sun shone out again, and permitted a more or less perfect observation to be made, which was posted up as follows:— Lat. 46° 29´ N. Long. 42° 25´ W. Dist., 356 miles. So that, although the pressure of the boilers had risen, the ship’s speed had not increased; but this might be attributed to the westerly wind, which caught the ship ahead, and considerably impeded her progress. At two o’clock the fog grew dense again, the wind fell and rose at the same time. The thickness of the fog was so intense that the officers on the bridge could not see the men at the bows. These accumulated vapours rising from the sea constitute the greatest danger of navigation. They cause accidents which it is impossible to avoid, and a collision at sea is more to be dreaded than a fire. Thus, in the midst of the fog, officers and sailors were obliged to keep a strict watch, which soon proved to be necessary, for about three o’clock a three-master appeared at less than two hundred yards from the “Great Eastern,” her sails disabled by a gust of wind, and no longer answering to her helm. The “Great Eastern” turned in time to avoid her, thanks to the promptitude with which the men on watch warned the steersman. These well-regulated signals are given by means of a bell, fastened to the poop at the bows. One ring signifies ship ahead; two, ship-starboard; three, ship a-larboard; and immediately the man at the helm steers in order to avoid a collision. The wind did not abate until evening; however the rolling was nothing to speak of, as the sea was protected by the Newfoundland heights. Another entertainment, by Sir James Anderson, was announced for this day. At the appointed hour the saloon was filled; but this time it had nothing to do with cards. Sir James Anderson told us the history of the Transatlantic Cable, which he had himself laid. He showed us photographs representing the different engines used for the immersion. He sent round a model of the splice which was used to fasten together the pieces of cable. Finally, very justly merited, the three cheers with which his lecture was received, a great part of which was meant for the Honourable Cyrus Field, promoter of the enterprise, who was present on this occasion. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2022). A Floating City and The Blockade Runners. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/67829/67829-h/67829-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

During Monday night the sea was very stormy

A Floating City and The Blockade Runners by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Chapter XI here CHAPTER XI. This day, at half-past twelve, a steersman posted up on the grand saloon door the following observation:— Lat. 51° 15´ N. Long. 18° 13´ W. Dist.: Fastenet, 323 miles. This signified that at noon we were three hundred and twenty-three miles from the Fastenet lighthouse, the last which we had passed on the Irish coast, and at 51° 15´ north latitude, and 18° 13´ west longitude, from the meridian of Greenwich. It was the ship’s bearing, which the captain thus made known to the passengers every day. By consulting this bearing, and referring it to a chart, the course of the “Great Eastern” might be followed. Up to this time she had only made three hundred and twenty miles in thirty-six hours, it was not satisfactory, for a steamer at its ordinary speed does not go less than three hundred miles in twenty-four hours. After having left the Doctor, I spent the rest of the day with Fabian; we had gone to the stern, which Pitferge called “walking in the country.” There alone, and leaning over the taffrail, we surveyed the great expanse of water, while around us rose the briny vapours distilled from the spray; small rainbows, formed by the refraction of the sun’s rays, spanned the foaming waves. Below us, at a distance of forty feet, the screw was beating the water with a tremendous force, making its copper gleam in the midst of what appeared to be a vast conglomeration of liquefied emeralds, the fleecy track extending as far as the eye could reach, mingled in a milky path the foam from the screw, and the paddle engines, whilst the white and black fringed plumage of the sea-gulls flying above, cast rapid shadows over the sea. Fabian was looking at the magic of the waves without speaking. What did he see in this liquid mirror, which gave scope to the most capricious flights of imagination? Was some vanished face passing before his eyes, and bidding him a last farewell? Did he see a drowning shadow in these eddying waters? He seemed to me sadder than usual, and I dared not ask him the cause of his grief. After the long separation which had estranged us from each other, it was for him to confide in me, and for me to await his confidences. He had told me as much of his past life as he wished me to know; his life in the Indian garrison, his hunting, and adventures; but not a word had he said of the emotions which swelled in his heart, or the cause of the sighs which heaved his breast; undoubtedly Fabian was not one who tried to lessen his grief by speaking of it, and therefore he suffered the more. Thus we remained leaning over the sea, and as I turned my head I saw the great paddles emerging under the regular action of the engine. Once Fabian said to me, “This track is indeed magnificent. One would think that the waves were amusing themselves with tracing letters! Look at the ‘l’s’ and ‘e’s’. Am I deceived? No, they are indeed always the same letters.” Fabian’s excited imagination saw in these eddyings that which it wished to see. But what could these letters signify? What remembrance did they call forth in Fabian’s mind? The latter had resumed his silent contemplation, when suddenly he said to me,— “Come to me, come; that gulf will draw me in!” “What is the matter with you, Fabian,” said I, taking him by both hands; “what is the matter, my friend?” “I have here,” said he, pressing his hand on his heart, “I have here a disease which will kill me.” “A disease?” said I to him, “a disease with no hope of cure?” “No hope.” And without another word Fabian went to the saloon, and then on to his cabin. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2022). A Floating City and The Blockade Runners. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/67829/67829-h/67829-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

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