Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-08
The SnOw.Capped Planet.

Perhaps the most interesting celestial event Of
the year will be the opposition OF Mars at the end
OF the present month. There Is so much about this
remarkable planet that suggests close resem-
blance to the earth, and many OF its surface fea
lures and OF the natural processes occurring upon
IL are visible with telescope aid that every time IL
comes to opposition, that is, gets into line with
the earth and the sun, the earth being in the mid
die, battery OF telescopes is turned upon with
eager expectation Of interesting views II not or
important discoveries. At opposition Mars appears
with small telescope power like full moon of
ruddy tinge. AS the magnirying power is increased
one detail after another OF the diversified surface of
III the iic1 OF the telescope real globe. marked
plainly with continents. oceans and islands and
partially covered with clouds.
The first physical features OF Mars that come into
view are the snow caps surrounding his poles The
southern pole Is inclined toward the earth. and
small telescope, say or three inches aperture. Will
plainly show the circular, cleaning patch o: snow
that covers the antarctic region of the globe OF
Mars The dark ring surrounding the snow field
ana sometimes called Phillips sea. is almost equally
distinct anu some OF the other seas OF spots that
are believed To be- seas. can be- with the same
telescope. With larger telescope more details
visible. and With the largest and best al the vaito;,S
features Of Marian geography which are r.Dge-
S'nted on some ri the wonderfully complete maps
of Mars that nave been constructed can be seen
what surprising thing it is that men have been
able TO make maps end globes representing with Il
high degree or completeness the surface OF world
i'Ni iitSii NSo tliu iuhdJuOU u!tS uiSttilt from
he earth.
Large telesconcs VIII. during the present opposi-
ton, also be able to Show the two tiny !noonS of
Mars which reEO,Vc close to the planet. RAPIDLY
tnat tine inner one goes through nj the changes
from new moon 10 old moon in less than a day.
Another Interesting thing about Mars which can
nov he studied is the mysterious network OF So
called canals which cover large portion Of the
planets surface, Particularly in the equatorial re-
gi0nS The idea that there are really canals con-
Suucted BY iGnaI'itants OF the rHdiy planet can
hardy be entertained when Il is known that the,
are sixty miles ana more in width.
One thing seems to iGn pretty certain: Mars has
reached Il much later sage of planetary develop
ent than .le earth. aud f Il la, inha bitants they
NAV possibly have attained degree OF civilization
fnc"npr.hensIpe IL Us. At any rate. IL is wou-
deru! world which row beams Is r,iddy star in
our winter midnight SKY.
sCHINFSg" GoKnoN's New PoSIrIOS-The report
that tile King OF Belgium has offered -ChintSe-'
G"r''on Henry VI SANKEY'S place at the head OF the
eEp' tcn OF the lnFernatinni ii Association for The
development of Africa. according TO London dis
patch. l. incorrect. Gordon has merely been in
vi,ei bE the kin; to accep, a position Of Joint re-
sponsiidty with stanley who mas ma his wor,
in establishing trading posts on the Congo river
and openifg up the country to com!ne'ce is grow
iHg into proportions beyond his capacity 10 properly
supervise aud control. "ChiIi"se" Gordon arrived
IL London yesterday.
TEE CATHOLIC COUNCIL IN H,LTlNoRE-arch-
bishop Gibbons IN q letter To Rev T. j. Mechanics
under date of December a. says tnat the national
council or CathO.I: prelq.rS VIII tsa nncncd 1T Tho
Cathedral in Baltimore. November 9. 1881 He VIII
irrad. is apostolic delegate the purpose FIRST EN-
teri tined at Rome of appointing Archbishop Seni-
ccci having yielded 70 the strong representations nf
I he American prcie, in favor OF one of their own
body In this country being designated for the ncsi-
Ton. The archbishop rcicraeS The statelren. that
no action VIII he taken by Inc holy see in regard to
the Irish question in the United states and no re-
HoflStrance VIII be sent to this country on that
subject The letter makes no reference to the car
u0aiate ana Il Is not supposed the red hat will be
until after the council has performed is
Voc. .; and adjourned Ii /, not doubled however.
thai the dignity Will then be bestowed on the pri-
iiia'e, Archbishop Gibbons.
\ Brutal FIGHT S.oPPED-.goe Pendergast.
Brooklyn giant. and Hugh Burns an E,glishman,
whose s:,aTting together to decide in the minds
o. the Sro.sing men which was best Etted for
match with Suilt:an, met I'm MADISON suu3ra jar
Cen Ne. YORK. last hight The agreement u,on
Which they ,a"t WAS that rendAtgast was To knock
Burns on; or stop him in four rounds They came
OF $500 people. at 10 O'Clock. PalI(ergaSt pulled
and pushed the shifting OF his light gloves away
from In front OF his knnck!es and McClelland see
luz this. DID the same for Burns gloves. In The
Two rounds that were fought Pendergast pounded
Burns fiercely TIL he fell in heap In the third
round Police Captain Williams 1nterfered ana
stopped the fight.
WOMAN HORRIBLY BrRSED-1n Annapolis. Md.
yesterday. while Mrs. Laura Brewer. aged 3j wears
was drying some sheetng In front OF the stove i'm
the second story OF her house. her clothing took fire
ana she was soon en;eloped in flames. Her screams
Dro'lgnt Adam NeIgebluer, Il shoemaker next door
TO her relief James Cannon and a Naval Academy
officer also went to her relief and found the wonan
almost destitute OF clothing. which had been burnt
OH. and the room filled with smoke. They put ont
the lire after much difficulty and rendered such
assistance as was in their power. Scarcely an inch
Oh 1iesn On her body escaped. and. excepting the
face ana feet. She IS a complete mass of burns
Many persons who called to see her Sickened at The
sight before them Her injuries are OF such char
acter that she cannot recover.
How SCDEIE1N EARNED HIS FATE-The London
AerS publishes an article written by the nihilist
NJ StepDiaN. the author OF underground Russia y
IN which article that author shows that Lieut. Col
S'delk1n, who was recently murdered in St Peters
burg. founded the .JOnf9,ai OF Geneva, which has
openly advocated murder with the object OF ncit-
ing the nihists to engage In extensive conspiracy
MAIZE PREsCOTT'S LIBEL SUlT-The libel sut
brought by Marie Prescott. the actress against
sinclair Toucey, the president OF the American
News company, was decided yesterday by the gen |
era term OF the superior court on appeal The ac-
ton was brought to recover S5 600 damage for the
publication and circulation of an alleged libel The
company denied that the words complained OF were |
llDelOlS. ana said that the newspapers were dis
tTlbuted without the knowledge that they con- |
tanned any llDeouS matter, and also that the al |
legged Ibelous article was true. On the trial the
llry gaVea verdict in favor OF Miss Prescott for
sl2,oN The company appealed from this tudp- |
ment, and also from an order denying motion for
q new trial. Judges TruaX and Ingraham give |
opinion reversing the judgment and directing |
new trial In the case. Chief Justice SedgWick dis
SentS from the views OF his associate Judges |
The young orange trees along the Florida coast |
have been seriously damaged by frost.