Which Bank Funded Phileas Foggs Expedition In The Jules Verne Classic, Around The World In Eighty Days?
“All right,” said Mr. Fogg; and, turning to the others, he continued, “I have a deposit of twenty thousand at Baring’s, which I will willingly risk.” He certainly did not bet to win, and had only risked the twenty thousand pounds, half of his fortune, because he foresaw that he might have to spend the other half to carry out this difficult, not to say unattainable, project. – Extracts from Chapter III of Jules Verne’s around the world in 80 days As can be seen in chapter III of Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 days, no bank is sponsoring or funding Phileas Fogg. Banks do not invest in wagers. And Phileas Fogg clearly states “20,000 pounds of my money.” Even if it is deposited in the bank, it’s his money, and not the bank’s. Again Jules Verne mentions in the same chapter that it’s half of his fortune he is putting up for the wager. If he loses, it is his loss and neither Baring’s nor any other selfish and profit-motivated bank is going to take the fall for it.
