Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-13

July. After that date the planet was not
observed elsewhere with any advantage;
but here, in spite of the low altitude of
the planet mot more than so degrees) of
its small apparent diameter mot more
than 10 seconds) and of other drawbacks ;,
we secured a series of forty careful draw
ings These show the submerged contin-
ent Libya in essentially the same state as
my drawings of 1875, as have said; and
they also show the principal canals as III
the maps of N Schiaparelli, but not
single canal was seen doubled, neither
were they like fine narrow lines, as de-
picted. but rather like broad bands wide
enough to cover the spaces occupied ON
Schiaparelli S maps by two canals and the
brighter region separating them.
l am by no means unaware of the I'M
favorable conditions under which our OBJ
servations were made-more than two
months after the season for such work
and l am only highly. gratified that so
much was shown by this powerful tele-
scope under the circumstances
must deeply regret that the observa-
tory could not have been completed in
time to take its part in this work, for
which its equipment and its situation are
alike adapted. We have, however, OBJ
tanned assurances that the next favorable
oppostions will enable US 10 do our full
part towards solving the enigmas pre-
scented by the marvellous appearances re-
ported by NM Sehiaparelli and Perrotin.
PROPOSED EXPLANATIONS OF THE CANALS
on MARS
1t is perhaps supeTiiuouS to attempt an
explanation of a phenomenon which re-
quires so much further study. But we
may simply allude to the suggestions put
fa,r I, 10
''canals'' has suggested TO several
writers, who should be more cautious,
the explanation that these markings
(not known to be water at all, be it re-
membered) are III fact commercial wa
terways! They are doubled, one may
suppose, to relieve traffic already too
crowded! They have been called
rivers by others. But these
rivers run from one dark marking
to another, they do not rise in the
brighter regions Oand) and they have no
sinuousities. Their duplication has been
explained as a diffraction phenomenon
caused by the fogs lying along the river
valleys. Others again suppose them to
be cFeyasses in the glaciers (also not
proved TO exist in the planet. Ali these
hypothesis are as yet without a SUFFICIENT
foundation. We must asSuredly be con-
tent TO wait Tor anOInef IaNOfaDle OppO-
sition of this planet (lS92) before we can
be entirely satisfied as to all the facts of
the case, and we must postpone till that
time any explanation.
One remark on the singular tendency
to duplication in the planet has been
made by NJ SchiaparelIi and by NJ. Ter
by and will have occurred TO every one
who has studied the maps of Mars Ia con-
nection with one of the little globes of the
planet made by NJ. Flammarion and sold
in Paris This is, that there are at least
two regions on Mars which are copies of
each other The continents Tempe and
Elysium with their surroundings make
the sphere of Mars resemble a terrestrial
globe in which another Europe has been
laid down III the place of Australia.
And, without much forcing of the imagi-
nation, other strongly marked analogies
of the kind can be sect.
Perhaps enough has been given even in
this short notice, and without the aid of
engravings, to show that the study OF the
surface features of Mars is worthy of the
attention of our most skillful observers
ana of our greatest telescopes. There is
no planet in the solar system which seems
TO hold out so many important and inter-