The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1870-06-29

Inc spectrum Is ch2ol!llo Tue scleHl'SI
to make startling discoveries in the IL
lim;:atic fields Of space. P:':hard Proc
ia, T. r. \, s, in a new work entitled
''o;her wo:ldS than curs," treats in q
bold, original and comprehensive manner
concerning the planetary worlds, &c. We
make an extract:
So fur, let it be remembered, We have
brrtr guided Onward by ID speculative
(ancies, but simply by sober reasoning.
Bnt can we pause just here? Shall We
recognize in Mars all that makes our own
world so well fitted to our wants-land
and water, mountain and valley, cloud
and sunshine, rain and ice and snow,
rivers and lakes, ocean currents and
wind currcnts-w without believing futhcE
in the existence Of those forms of life,
without which all these things would be
wasted? The planet Jupiter is the giant
Of the solar system, being more than
1900 times as large as our world. Tie
grandeur of his orb naturally suggests,
it first sight, the idea ofb,iags far ex.
cccding, both in might and bulk, those
which live upou the earth. Mr.. Proctor,
however, is inclined to think that if there
are living beings on Jupiter they are on
4 much smaller scale then Oh our planet,
on account Of the difference Of gravity.
4 man Of our earth removed to Jupiter
would weigh two and half times as
mach as he does here, ard would hardly
be allie TO staggcr under the burden Of
his own flesh. Mr. Proctor, however,
does not think it probable that Jupiter is
inhibited lie conjectures rather, from
various indications, that the planet is 4
sort Of sun to his four moons, and sup
plies them and their inhabitants with
heat ard light. In other words, he
thinks it likely that Jupiter, is a glowing
mass, fluid probably throughout, still
buhbiing and sccthing with the intensity
Of the primeral fires, sending up con-
tinualiy enormous masses Of cloud to be
gathered into bands under the influence
Of the swift rotation of the giant planet.
The evidence in favor of Mars being
inhabited is much stronger than that in
tic case Of Venus. or indeed Of any other
planetary orb. Mars is about 5000 miles
in diameter, so that his linear Dimensions
bear to those Of the earth the proportions
Of about five 10 eight. Gravity at his
surface is much less than terrestrial sraV-
ity, 50 that the weigh; Of objects Of the
same mass in Mars is much less than
half what it is here, and consequently
there would be far greater range Of ac-
tvitv for creatures Of the same size; that
fall would be less dangerous the strain
or walls, or columns. or any other sup
ports would be much less, and, therefore,
roofs, arches and structures Of that kind
might be easily set up on much larger
scale By creatures Of equal skill with
ourselves; but, on the other hand, frlc.
ton, which is more or less proportional
to pressure, and therefore, in the case OF
piles Of stones, &C., to weight would be
far less than on the surface Of the earth,
so that any VIOLENT lateral Disturbances,
such rs hurricanes, would exert still
Greater fleet than nn our earth in de-
stroyins such structures, since there
would be less sclidity, ard, therefore, less
frictional resistance to overcome in ovri-
turning them. Again, the vastly di.
miniShcd weight Of given masses would
give very great advantage to all kinds
Of engines of draft. Carriages, carts and
railways would attain vastly greater
speed than on our earth, and the sledg-
ing on the snow-felds Of Mars might be
as swift as the wind.