Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-22
THE CANALS OF MARS.
Novel Ideas Advanced by Or. Paul Gibier-
Their Possible Uses.

Novel Ideas Advanced by Or. Paul Gibier-
Their Possible Uses.
DR.. Paul Gibier In New York Heraid.l
Though / have not the honor to be an
astronomer, none the less I take keen in
terest in everything that can give us more
accurate idea Of this universe, one of whose
citizens am. Furthermore, what have to
say has only an indirect relation with the &C.
lestial system. Many interesting things have
been said OF late In regard to the planet
Mars, but one point, SO far as know, has
received no consideration, and it is Of this.
the meaning of the canals of Mars and their
connection with the social status OF the
canals and any inhabitants there, that 1
wish to speak.
Let me assume, once and for all, that Mars
is inhabited and that its vast canals have
been dug by Intelligent hands. Perhaps the
object of these canals is to carry water
inland, where it has already begun to be
scarce. Mars is much older than the earth.
according to the evolutionary theory of plan
etary growth, which teaches that on all of
them there Is constant tendency toward
the total ABSORPTION of both air and water,
and the combination Of both with the solid
elements making up their mass. The moon.
where the evolutionary process is still more
advanced than in Mars, seems to have
reached the state OF absolute solidif1cation,
SO that life. as we know it, is no longer pos
sible there.
Another useful service may be served by
the Martial canals-that of lessening the
effects of periodical convulsions, like those
felt on the earth, in q lesser degree, on ac-
count of the procession of the eQuinoxes.
The seas of Mars in moving from one hemi-
sphere to the other in obedience to these
forces, may flow through the canals in ques
tion, and the submersfon OF the continents
may TINS be averted. Lastly, the canals
may serve as means of communication and
transportation between the inhabited CON-
tinents.
The excavation of these canals could not
have been effected without the employment
of forces so enormous that we can form only
feeble idea of them. Moreover, the whole
population of Mars must have worked to-
gether in harmony, united as one man, or
rather as one community, to bring to its
conclusion task so truly Titanic.
1t is quite legitimate to suppose since the
inhabitants of Mars began their development
at a fur remoter date than did those of the
earth that the present social status of these
residents Of the skies is that toward which
we, too, are tending-that is to say, they
evidently must be united in one great and
homogeneous nation (for their sakes, it is to
be hoped) and consolidated in one vast
must our earth traverse its huge orbit around
the sun before we arrive at such a stage of
development? 1t is true that then will have
begun the decrepitude of our star.
After all, the knowledge and appreciation
of great and common danger may have
brought about the universal peace which
must reign on Mars and similar influence
but nothing is more difficult than to make
men see where lies their real and veritable
interests. We're it otherwise the inhabit-
ants of each planet would begin where their
successors will end, and Cain would not
have killed Abel.