The Science and Astronomy of Laputa – The Mechanism of the Floating Island – The King’s Method of Suppressing Rebellions
Having gained the King’s permission to explore the wonders of the island, I set out with my tutor to uncover the secret behind its extraordinary movement. Whether by art or by nature, the floating island is a marvel of engineering. It is perfectly circular, measuring approximately four and a half miles in diameter, with a base made of a single, massive plate of adamant. This monolithic stone rises two hundred yards high, supporting layers of minerals and a rich coat of soil. The surface slopes gently toward the center, allowing rainwater to flow into four large basins. From there, the sun’s heat evaporates the water, preventing any overflow. Furthermore, the King can raise the island above the clouds at will, effectively choosing when his people shall enjoy rain or sunshine.
At the very heart of the island lies a deep chasm, through which astronomers descend into a vast subterranean dome known as the Astronomer’s Cave. This chamber is filled with a dazzling array of telescopes, sextants, and other mathematical instruments. However, the most remarkable object—upon which the very fate of the kingdom depends—is a colossal loadstone, or magnet. Shaped like a giant weaver’s shuttle and six yards in length, it is perfectly balanced on a strong axle of adamant. It is so precisely poised that even the weakest hand can turn it with ease.
By manipulating this loadstone, the King can make the island rise, fall, or move horizontally. One side of the magnet possesses an attractive force, while the other is repulsive. When the attracting end is pointed toward the earth, the island descends; when the repelling end is turned downward, the island mounts directly upward. By tilting the stone at an angle, the astronomers can move the island across the King’s dominions in any direction they desire. Nevertheless, the island’s movement is limited; it cannot rise higher than four miles, nor can it drift beyond the borders of the kingdom below. This is because the magnetic power depends on specific minerals found only within the King’s territories.
The astronomers who manage this stone spend their lives observing the heavens. Their telescopes, though small by our standards, possess a clarity and power that far surpass anything in Europe. Consequently, they have made discoveries that would astonish our scientists. They have cataloged ten thousand fixed stars and were the first to discover two small satellites revolving around Mars. They have also calculated the paths of ninety-three different comets with incredible precision. If their theories were shared with the world, the study of astronomy would undoubtedly be transformed.
The King’s control over the floating island grants him a terrifying advantage over the continent of Balnibarbi. If a town should dare to rebel or refuse to pay its taxes, the King has two methods of reducing them to obedience. The first and mildest course is to hover the island directly over the rebellious city. By blocking the sun and the rain, he can afflict the inhabitants with drought and disease. If the people remain obstinate, the King may order stones to be dropped from the lower galleries, battering their houses to pieces.
The final remedy—a truly horrific measure—is to let the island drop directly onto the city, crushing everything and everyone below. However, the King is rarely driven to such an extreme. Not only is he reluctant to destroy his own subjects, but his ministers also advise against it, as their own estates are located on the ground below. Furthermore, there is a significant risk to the island itself. If the bottom of the adamant base were to strike a tall rock or a sturdy spire, it might crack. Should the adamant burst, the loadstone would lose its power, and the entire island would fall to its destruction. Aware of this danger, the King usually orders a very gentle descent, pretending it is an act of mercy, while in reality, he is protecting the very foundation of his empire.
About three years before my arrival, the city of Lindalino staged a remarkable rebellion that nearly ended the monarchy. The inhabitants, fed up with the King's oppression, built four massive towers at the corners of their city. On top of each tower, they placed a powerful magnet. When the King attempted to hover over the city to punish them, he found that he could not move the island away. The magnets below were pulling the island down with such force that the adamant base began to vibrate.
The King was horrified to find his island being dragged toward the earth. He sent down messages demanding their surrender, but the people of Lindalino responded with bold demands for liberty and the redress of their grievances. Realizing that the citizens were prepared to fix the island in place forever and perhaps even kill everyone on board, the King was forced to yield. He granted the city all their conditions, marking a rare defeat for the floating throne.
Despite his immense power, the King is bound by a fundamental law of the land: neither he nor his two eldest sons are ever permitted to leave the island. This law ensures the safety of the crown, yet it keeps the monarch in a state of perpetual isolation, high above the world he rules.