Idaho semi-weekly world., 1892-07-26
wherein They Differ From These 70
be Feand - This Earth.
Chicago Herald.

The frst view of Mars through an
observatory telescope is almost terri
flying. even for . person of good
nerves. 1t is as If one saw the whole
earth, Its icy poles, as solid globe,
floating overhead. One distinguishes
clearly the dark blue seas and the
brilliant beaming, many hued dry
land and on this the dry beds of .
multitude oflakes, bays, CULTS, streams
and canals, these latter either parallel
to each other or crossing one another
at right angles. As you continue to
look you note the variations of color
and of light and shades; and, further,
that the outlines on one edge of the
disk pass out of sight, while on the
other the landscape expands; you see
that Mars revolves on its axis and that
the ends of the axis are the frozen
poles, as with as. There is further
resemblance In the inclination in the
axis which proves that on this planet
also the seasons follow each other IN
regular succession. The ice crust at
the poles diminishes in summer, and
Westerman's Manotis Hefte claims
that this affords demonstration
not only that Mars is influenced by
the suns rays precisely as we are,
bus also that the air and water are
identical with ours. In fact the me-
teorology of Mars is now being re-
duced to science. Judging the two
planent by superficial characteristics,
however, one must admit condition
implying higher degree of develop
ment in Mars. The continents of the
earth, seen from distance, present
haggard appearance, and occupy
scarcely a third of its surface, while
Mars is girdled on both sides of the
equator by one continuous mainland,
intersected by network of canals
and rivers, the land occupying ap-
proxlmately three-fourths of the
whole area of the planet and the
water only oue-fourth, as a conse-
quence of which it may be that its at
mosphere is less cloaded and vapor
laden than ours. Peculiarly character
istic is the arrangement in which the
geological nature of Mars has laid
the streams (canals?) All our streams,
without exception, are tortuous, and
all increase in width as they near the
ocean.
On Mars, on the contrary, the
streams flow in straight lines, and are
of uniform width from source to mouth.
These streams from 20 to 100 kilo-
meters apart, have their banks so
well defined as to suggest the idea
that they are subject to intelligent
regulation. 1t is hardly possible to
conceive that two parallel canals, in
tersected at right angles by third,
as in Ophlr land, can be the work of
the elementary forces of nature. The
question suggests itself again by the
two canals which flow from ocean to
ocean through the island Heilas,
crossing each other at right angles In
the center. Not less questionable is
the origin of the great blue lake of
the sun in the center of Keppler land,
with its three rectilinear canals con-
Meeting it with the ocean.
But what most excites our astonish-
ment in connection with these canals
is that almost every one of them is
double, i. e. 1t has its parallel canal
alongside of it, but visible at inter-
walls only. This has psrplexed all in
vestigators. The esrth has nothing
analogous to aid us in the solution.
On this account the return of Mars is
looked forward to with considerable
interest. The improvement in opti-
cal instruments within the past de-
cade may probably help to solve the
riddle, or, what is perhaps still
more probable, may present more
riddles for solution. The occasion OF
Mars next return will be the FIRST
time for fifteen years that we shall
have an opportunity of examining
his south polar system.