# President Barbicane — Topsy-Turvy character guide > President Barbicane in Topsy-Turvy by Jules Verne. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Barbicane, Impey Barbicane, this man Barbicane **First appearance:** 0000-in-which-the-north-polar-practical-association-rushes-a-document-across-two-worlds ## Who they are The Gun Club's taciturn president, a man of few words and vast ambitions, who turns artillery know-how toward acquiring the Arctic itself. ## Relationships ### [J. T. Maston](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/j_t_maston) _friendship_ Maston is Barbicane's most loyal and enthusiastic ally, sharing a deep bond over their ambitious scientific and engineering projects. ### [Capt. Nicholl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/capt_nicholl) _rivalry_ Nicholl is a sharp-tongued skeptic and frequent opponent of Barbicane's grand schemes, often clashing over feasibility and risk. ### [Sultan Bali](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/sultan_bali) _professional_ Barbicane negotiates and collaborates with Sultan Bali on the massive engineering project to alter the Earth's axis, maintaining a formal businesslike relationship. ### [Alcide Pierdeux](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/alcide_pierdeux) _professional_ Pierdeux serves as a mathematical expert and consultant to Barbicane, providing critical calculations for the project. ### [Major Donellan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/major_donellan) _professional_ Donellan is a key logistical and organizational partner to Barbicane, helping coordinate the massive undertaking. ### [Eric Baldenak](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/eric_baldenak) _professional_ Baldenak is a Norwegian engineer and key technical collaborator with Barbicane, contributing expertise on the polar project. ### [John Prestice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/john_prestice) _professional_ Prestice is a trusted colleague and advisor to Barbicane, assisting with administrative and strategic decisions. ### [Dean Toodrink](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/dean_toodrink) _professional_ Toodrink reports to Barbicane as a subordinate engineer, handling on-site construction tasks. ### [J. T. Maston](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/j_t_maston) _friendship_ Maston is Barbicane's most loyal and enthusiastic ally, sharing a deep bond over their ambitious scientific and engineering projects. ### [Alcide Pierdeux](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/alcide_pierdeux) _professional_ Pierdeux serves as a mathematical expert and consultant to Barbicane, providing critical calculations for the project. ### [J. T. Maston](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/j_t_maston) _friendship_ Maston is Barbicane's most loyal and enthusiastic ally, sharing a deep bond over their ambitious scientific and engineering projects. ### [Major Donellan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/major_donellan) _professional_ Donellan is a key logistical and organizational partner to Barbicane, helping coordinate the massive undertaking. ## In the story ### [In Which Old Acquaintances Appear to Our New Readers, and in Which a Wonderful Man Is Described](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-old-acquaintances-appear-to-our-new-readers-and-in-which-a-wonderful-man-is-described) President of the Gun Club, veteran of the moon voyage, and now head of Barbicane & Co., which purchased the Arctic region. He lives on his reputation but remains restless for new adventures. ### [In Which the Possibility That Coal Mines Surround the North Pole Is Considered](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-the-possibility-that-coal-mines-surround-the-north-pole-is-considered) Confidently asserts the N.P.P.A. will reach the North Pole and explore the coal mines, facing opposition but remaining resolute. ### [In Which a Telephone Communication Between Mrs. Scorbitt and J. T. Maston Is Interrupted](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-a-telephone-communication-between-mrs-scorbitt-and-j-t-maston-is-interrupted) Mentioned as the leader of the North Pole project, confident in its success after the public subscription. ### [In Which President Barbicane Says No More Than Suits His Purpose](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-president-barbicane-says-no-more-than-suits-his-purpose) Delivers a persuasive speech to stockholders and European delegates, revealing the N.P.P.A.'s plan to exploit Arctic coal and shift the Earth's axis, while strategically withholding key details. ### [Yes, Just Like Jupiter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/yes-just-like-jupiter) Praised in newspapers as the leader of the project that will benefit all humanity by altering the Earth's climate. ### [In Which Appears the French Gentleman to Whom We Referred at the Beginning of This Truthful Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-appears-the-french-gentleman-to-whom-we-referred-at-the-beginning-of-this-truthful-story) Mentioned as the leader of the N.P.P.A. project, whose secret plans are causing public unease and are being scrutinized by Pierdeux. ### [In Which a Little Uneasiness Begins to Show Itself](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-a-little-uneasiness-begins-to-show-itself) Has left Baltimore six weeks ago with Capt. Nicholl; whereabouts unknown. ### [What Was Found in the Notebook of J. T. Maston and What It No Longer Contained](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/what-was-found-in-the-notebook-of-j-t-maston-and-what-it-no-longer-contained) Referred to as the head of Barbicane & Co.; he has left Baltimore and is at the unknown location where the cannon is being built. ### [In Which J. T. Maston Heroically Continues to Be Silent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-j-t-maston-heroically-continues-to-be-silent) Absent from Baltimore, he is secretly preparing the giant cannon operation to change the Earth's axis, with Maston protecting his whereabouts. ### [At the Close of Which J. T. Maston Utters an Epigram](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/at-the-close-of-which-j-t-maston-utters-an-epigram) Mentioned as the associate of Maston, secretly continuing the work with Capt. Nicholl at an unknown location. ### [Very Short, but in Which "X" Takes a Geographical Value](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/very-short-but-in-which-x-takes-a-geographical-value) Reported to be established in the Wamasai region with Captain Nicholl for eight months. ### [Which Contains a Few Interesting Details for the Inhabitants of the Earthly Sphere](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/which-contains-a-few-interesting-details-for-the-inhabitants-of-the-earthly-sphere) Identified as the leader of the operation at Kilimanjaro; his actions are the subject of the Observatory's notice. ### [In Which a Crowd of Dissatisfied People Break Into the Cell of J. T. Maston](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-a-crowd-of-dissatisfied-people-break-into-the-cell-of-j-t-maston) Declared an outlaw along with Maston and Nicholl; his operation is the source of global panic. ### [What Had Been Done at Kilimanjaro During Eight Month of This Memorable Year](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/what-had-been-done-at-kilimanjaro-during-eight-month-of-this-memorable-year) Leads the secret operation at Kilimanjaro, overseeing the construction of the cannon shaft and expressing confidence in the project. ### [In Which the Population of Wamasai Assemble to Hear President Barbicane Say ‘Fire’ to Capt. Nicholl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-the-population-of-wamasai-assemble-to-hear-president-barbicane-say-fire-to-capt-nicholl) Oversees the countdown and gives the order to fire. ### [In Which J. T. Maston Regrets That the Crowd Did Not Lynch Him When He Was in Prison](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-j-t-maston-regrets-that-the-crowd-did-not-lynch-him-when-he-was-in-prison) Returns from Wamasai with Nicholl; refuses to admit failure to the Sultan. ### [In Which This Story, as Truthful as It Is Improbable, Is Finished](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-this-story-as-truthful-as-it-is-improbable-is-finished) Confronts Maston about the failure, expresses irony and reproach, and later faces public ridicule along with the Gun Club. ### [Very Short, Since Enough Has Been Said to Make the World’s Population Feel Perfectly Sure Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/very-short-since-enough-has-been-said-to-make-the-world-s-population-feel-perfectly-sure-again) Mentioned as not resuming the enterprise. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/president_barbicane - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters