Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-09-06

posing that the Marian forests s.,w
with 6ery foliage during the Summer
days. We can see, - the Summer pro
ceeds, the white mists which had hid.
den the planets lands and seas break.
ING up, and the features Of the surface
beng gradually revealed with more and
more distnctness. Il is to the disap-
pearance Of those mists and clouds, moi
to the red leaves Of Marian trees, that
the change in the planets color mus,
most probably be referred.
We have less reason for doubt as tc
the nature Of the greenish markings.
The specfroscope. - We have already
explained in life in Mars, ~sn0wstHsl
the air Of Mars is at times laden heavi.
ly with the vapor of water. We can no
longer therefore follow Whewell In
doubling the real nature of the green
parts of the planet, or refuse with him
to accept the explanation Of the white
polat marking long since advanced by
Sir w. Herschel. Undoubtedly wide
seas and oceans. with many straits and
bays and inland seas, exist on Mars.
Snow and ice gather in the Winter time
about his polar regions, diminishing
gradually in extent as Summer pro-
ceeds, but never entirely disappearing.
Thus We are not left doubtful as to
the general resemblance Of Mars, so far
as the structure of his surface is con-
cerned, to the earth on which we live.
He has surface Of earth, probably in
large part formed by deposition at the
bottom Of former seas and subsequently,
raised above the sea-level BY subter-
ranean forces, or rather caused to ap-
peat above the surface By the effects OF
the gradual shrinksge of the planets
crust. OF the existence Of Vulcanian
energy we have unmistakable evil
dence in the fact that lands and sc as
exist, for a continent implies the oper-
alton of Vulcanian forces. The shapes,
too, Of the outlines Of the lands and seas
indicate the existence Of mountain ranges
and these, too, of considerable eleva-
ton. Then we have the presence Of
water, and Of a stable atmosphere in
which the vapor Of water rises. II
seems no daring assumption to suppose
that this air is constituted much like our
own air. In the first place, if the air
were formed Of other gases, the spec
troscope would probably reveal their
existence which has not happened: and
secondly. with the evidence we have Of
a general similarity of structure and or
igin, an atmosphere of nitrogen and OK
ygen would naturally be formed while
the planet was developing to ITS pres
ent condition, and would remain after
other constituents Of the planets pri-
meval atmosphere had been removed.
For similar reason we may safely in
fer that the greenish hue of the water
implies the presence Of the same sub
stances, though not perhaps similarly
proportional, which are carried in sus-
pension in our oceans. and give to them
their green, green-blue and blue ,ints.
II is important to notice these general
rescmblances, either demonstrated or
safely TO be inferred. We no longer
propose to deduce from them the con-
ciusion that the planets present cohdi-
ton is like that Of our own earth. We
might. indeed, dwell on some consider
atoms which naturally suggest them
selves here. We might see in imagi-
nation the waves Of those distant seas
beating upon the long shore lines, and
hear 1.-The scream Of maddened beach
dragged down by the wave" We can
imagine the slow progress Of the Mar
tan day-the mists Of morning gradu-
ally clearing away as the sun rises; the
winds raised by the midday heat.
zePhyrs murmuring among the distant
hills or blasts roaring loudly over DESC
late rock-bound seas; the gathering of
clouds towards eventide, though proba-
bly, TO pass from the skies at night (be-
cause condensed BY cold. leaving the
same constellation We see to shine with
greater splendor through a rare atmos-
phere.
We can imagine all this, because we
know from what the telescope has re-
vealed that such must be the changes
Of the Marian day. We see in the tel.
esccpe the long white shore lines, the
clearing mists of hight, and we know
that there must be air currents in an al
mosphere undergoing such changes.
There must be rain and snow and hail,
and electrical disturbances. thunder and
lightning. at times, besides tcrnadoes
and hurricanes, blowing probably more
hercely than cur own, though their de-
stfuctive effects must be less because of
the greater tenuity OF the Marian arr.
But while we recognize in imagina-
ton the progress OF uchevents as these,
We must not forget that for countless
ages in the past mighty processes of
disturbance and continuous processes of
steady change took place in cur earth
when as yet there was no lie, nor that
probably life will have ceased TO exis,
on this earth millions Of wears before
the land and sea and air will cease 10
be the scene of natures active but un-
conscious workings. We cannot deduce
from the mere fact that if living crea-
lures existed on Mars they would wit
ness such and such phenomenon which
are familiar to the Inhabitants Of earth.
the conclusion that such creatures do
exist there. We do no, assert that no
such creatures exist there. Our theory
Of life in other worlds does rot require
that any given planet should be shown
to be Ininhabited. Nevertheless, there
are so many reasons for regarding the
fullness OF Mars life-bearinS season a.
belonging to = very remote past. that II
IS necessary to note the insuficiency Of
The mere evidence Of the ACTIVITY of na-