Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-11-19
BRATTLEBORO, VIZ, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 49, 1875

The winds arise from the same differences
of temperature. The clouds may be follow
ed, carried by the aerial currents, over the
seas and the continents, and many obser-
vations have already photographed, 50 to
speak, these meteorological variations. II
we do not yet precisely see the rainfall on
the plains OF Mars, its fall is OWNED at
least, since the shadows disappear and are
renewed. If, also, the snow be not seen 10
fall, its fall is OWNED in like manner since,
as with us, the winter solslico there is sur
rounded with frost.
Thus there is there, as here, an atmos-
pheric circulation, and the drop Of water
which the sun takes from the sea returns
to it after having fallen from the cloud
which absorbed 1t. More than this: al
though we should hold ourselves strenu-
ously Oh guard against all tendencies to
create imaginary worlds fashioned after
our own, yet Mars presents us, as in mir
ror, with such an organic similitude that II
is difficult not TO 90 little further in our
description.
In fact, the existence Of the continents
and of the seas shows us that that planet
was, like ours, The seat Of internal geolog-
ical movements which gave birth 10 up
heavals and depressions Of the soil. There
have been eruptions and shakings there,
modifying the primitive crust of the globe.
In consequence, there are mountains there
and valleys, plateaus and hollows, steep
rsyines and cliffs. How do the pluvial
waters return to the sea? BY means of
springs, rivulets, streams, and great rivers.
Thus, it is difficult not TO see on Mars
scenes analogous TO those which constitute
our terrestrial country yscenes-babbling riv-
ulets flowing in their pebbly beds gilded
by the sun, streams crossing The plains or
filling in cataracts to the bottom of the val
leys, great rivers descending slowly into
the deep seas, &c.
Thus, then, behold in space q few million
leagues hence land nearly the same as
ours, where all the elements Of life are
united as they are around us; water, air,
heat. light, winds, clouds, rain, rivulets,
valleys, mountains. To complete the re-
semblance, we will remark, furthermore,
that the seasons there have nearly tire same
intensity as on the earth, the axis of rota-
tiOn Of Mars being at an inclination Of q
degrees (the Earth's inclination is % de-
grees). In view Of this ensemble, is ii pos
siLle 10 pause for a single instant at the
verficalion Of these elements and OF these
movements without thinking of the effects
which produced them, and which they
should produce? The physico-chemical
conditions which gave birth to the first veg
citation which appeared on the surface Of
our globe being realized over yonder as
here, how could they exist together with
out producing similar results?
On what scientific preiext could we i'm
agine an arbitrary prevention of leallza-
ton of these results? 1t would require, in
effect, au incomprehensible interdiction,
supreme veto, something like permanent
miracle Of annihilation, to prevent the rays
Of the sun, the air, the water, and the earth
(these four clements which the ancients de-
ihed) fIom entering there constantly in the
organic evolution, while here the smallest
drop of water is inhabited by myriads of
animalcu!es. As long as the ocead'is the
home Of thousands of vegetable aud ami
NAL species, what efforts against reason
would not be necessary 10 imagine that
amid similar vital conditions the world
which we are discussing could remain for
ever in the condition Of vast aud useless
desert!
The mean density of the materials which
compose Mars is less than that of the con-
stituting materials Of our globe; it is as II
to 100. Ii results from this density and
from the dimensions of Mars that tue
weight of bodies is extremely light on its
surface. Thus the intensity of weight be-
ing represented by 100 on the surface of the
earth, il is only IS on the surface Of Mars.
Ii is The most feeble intensity Of weight
that can Lc found on all the planets of the
great solar republic. As result, one ter
restrial kilogramme transported thither
would weigh no more than 3S2 grammes.
A man Weighing seventy kilogrammes,
transported to Mars, would not weigh there
tweuiy-seven. Ii would not be more ia
tiguing to run iify kilometres there than
to run twenty on the earth, aud the muscu-
lar effort, the exercise of which has caused
the invention Of the scho0l-boys' game OF
"leap- frog would enable one 10 leap. on
Mars, not only over the backs of his COM
panions, but also over the roofs of house
and the tops Of trees.
To the data which precede let us add thost
which constitute the periods Of life; the
duration of the day and that of the year
The rotat ion of that planet on its axis is eff
fected in "a hours, 81 minutes p seconds
day and night there are therefore slightly
different from ours as regards duration
and they vary as they do here according tC
seasons, being longer in summer Than il
winter, according TO the latitudes. The
year of Mars is nearly double that OF ours,
for it numbers GS7 Of our days.
The inhabitants of Mars see the heavens
the consultations, absolutely as we SCI
them. The earth on which we are is fol
them brilliant star, which now shines il
the west after the setting OF the sun, an'
now precedes like a forerunner the risini
of the radiant luminary. 1t offers to then
phases as Venus offers them to us. In
word, we are their shepherds star" th
most brilliant and most magnificent @
their starry armament. Perhaps they ma.
even raise aliars 10 us! II they coul
come a little nearer they doubtless woul,
be greatly surprised at our little troubles.
Such is the general physiognomy OF thi
neighboring planet. The atmosphere tha
surrounds it, the waters that irrigate an
fertilize it, the suns rays that heat and il
lumine it, the winds that sweep over
from one end 10 the other, the season
which transform it, are so many element
to construct for II an order of life analC
gous to that with which our planet Is bless
ed. The feebleness of the weight on il
surface must have particularly modite
this order of life in rendering 1t appropr
ale 10 its sneeial condition. Thus, then, u