St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-04-13

We come now, however, to q discOv.
cry announced by Prof Schiaparelli in
1881 which presents . veritable mys-
terry. Every thing heretofore known.
il not explained, seemed applicable by
terrestrial analogies. In 1881. how
ever. the distinguished Italian astron-
omer announced that the known canals
were frequently doubled or paralleled
by others Of precisely similar appear
ance. The new map OF the canals was
the old one viewed through a doubly
refracting prism. As NJ. Terby happily
phrases it. In 1885 NJ. Perrotin, at
Nice confirmed this singular phenom-
enon, and in 1888 both he and NJ. Schia-
parelli have again confirmed it under
now conditions No other Observers
than these have as yet seen this phe-
nomenon of duplication. The season
for such observations in 1883 was tho
months of April and May. Tho Lick
telescope was not ready for such work
until the middle Of July. After that
date the planet was not observed else
where with any advantage; but here. 10
spite Of the low altitude Of the planet
mot more than thirty degrees). Of its
small apparent diameter mot more than
ten seconds) and Of other drawbacks.
we secured a series Of forty careful
drawings. These show the submerged
continent Libya in essentially the same
state as my drawings OF 1875, as have
said: and they also show the principal
canals as in the maps OF N. Schiapa-
relli, but not a single canal was seen
doubled. neither were they like fine
narrow lines. as depicted. 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.
am by no means unaware OF the un-
favorable conditions under which our
observations were made-more than
two months after the season for such
work. and l am only highly gratified
tina: so much was shown by this power
full telescope under the circumstances.
I 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.
obtained assurances that the next IA
vorable oppositions will enable Us to
do our full part toward solving the
enigmas presented BY the marvellous
appearances reported by NM. Schiapa-
relli and PerrOtin.
1t would perhaps be superfuous to
attempt an explanation OF a phenome-
non which requires 50 much further
study. But We may simply allude to
the suggestions put forth by various
writers. The name ''canar' has sug-
gested to several writer's. who should
be more cautious. the explanation that
these markings (not known TO be wa
ter at all. be it remembered) are in
fact commercial waterways. 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 mark
ing to another. They do not rise in
the brighter regions Qand). and they
have no sinuousities Their duplica-
ton has been explained As diffraction
phenomenon caused by the fogs lying
along the river valleys. Others again
suppose them TO be crevices in the gla-
ciers (also proved not to EXIST in the
planet All these hypothesis are As
yet without a sufficient foundation. We
must assuredly be content to wait for
another favorable opposition Of this
planet (l892) before we can be entirely
satisfied as to all the facts OF the case.
and we must postpone until that time
any explanation. S. Holden.
Ii. d.. Director OF the Lick OBSERVE
tory, in n. Y. Mail and Express