7/26/2023

ChatGPT Estimates the Times in Phileas Fogg’s Circumnavigation

Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days Route Map.
Original illustration from the French edition of Jules. Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days. Source.


I asked Chat GPT about Phileas Fogg's 1873 circumnavigation of the globe in Jules Verne’s classic novel Around the World in Eighty Days:

“What was the fastest time a person could circumnavigate the globe in 1873?”

ChatGPT quickly introduced Phileas Fogg and noted “Fogg's journey was fictional, and the real-world record for circumnavigation in 1873 was significantly longer. The actual time it would take for a person to travel around the world in the 19th century varied greatly depending on the mode of transportation, the routes taken, and other logistical factors. Some journeys could take several months to complete."


I followed with a second question:


“Is it possible to estimate the time it would have taken Phileas Fogg to circle the globe in 1873 based on the types of transportation used in Jules Verne's novel Around the World in Eighty Days?”


ChatGPT did a thorough job:


Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days Cover.
"Yes, it is possible to estimate the time it would have taken Phileas Fogg to circle the globe in 1873 based on the types of transportation used in Jules Verne's novel "Around the World in Eighty Days." In the novel, Fogg and his valet, Passepartout, use a combination of transportation modes available during that era, including trains, steamships, and even an elephant ride at one point. By analyzing the routes taken and the speed of these transportation methods, we can make an educated estimation of the total time required for the journey.

"In the novel, Fogg's journey begins and ends in London and includes stops in several locations, including Suez, Bombay (now Mumbai), Calcutta (now Kolkata), Hong Kong, Yokohama, San Francisco, New York, and others.

"Let's break down some of the key segments of the journey and their estimated times based on the modes of transportation used:

  1. London to Suez (Train and Steamship): Fogg and Passepartout take a train from London to Brindisi, Italy, and then a steamship from Brindisi to Suez. This segment would have taken around 7-9 days.

  2. Suez to Bombay (Steamship): The journey from Suez to Bombay would have taken around 13-15 days by steamship.

  3. Bombay to Calcutta (Train): Traveling by train from Bombay to Calcutta would have taken around 2-3 days.

  4. Calcutta to Hong Kong (Steamship): The sea voyage from Calcutta to Hong Kong would have taken around 14-16 days.

  5. Hong Kong to Yokohama (Steamship): The journey from Hong Kong to Yokohama would have taken around 6-8 days by steamship.

  6. Yokohama to San Francisco (Steamship): The sea voyage from Yokohama to San Francisco would have taken around 22-25 days.

  7. San Francisco to New York (Train): Traveling by train from San Francisco to New York would have taken around 7-10 days.

  8. New York to London (Steamship and Train): Fogg and Passepartout take a steamship from New York to Queenstown, Ireland, and then a train to London. This segment would have taken around 7-9 days.

"Summing up these estimated times, the total duration for Phileas Fogg's journey would be approximately 78 to 95 days, which is indeed close to the fictional 80 days depicted in the novel. Keep in mind that these estimates may vary depending on specific routes, weather conditions, and other factors, but they provide a reasonable approximation of the time required for the journey in the context of the 19th-century transportation methods described in the book."


ChatGPT didn’t figure in things like Indian princesses needing rescued or overzealous detectives chasing you across the globe, so 80 days might in fact—and fiction—be overly optimistic.




Enrique of Malacca's Voyage

Note: This chat was done at chat.openai.com.



(C) 2023 by  John Sailors. All rights reserved.