Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-08-11

more desirable world to live in than our
own, because there is only small region
near the poles where any winter exists,
and it has so dense an atmosphere that the
temperature is not excessive even at the
equator.
tAs it is many millions of years older
than the earth, he said, II Judge that its
inhabitants must he much more intelli-
gent than we, and probably live for hun
dreds OF years | would infer this from
the TACT that noXlous yapors do not exist
in its atmosphere to cause epidemics for
its volcanic agencies ceased many million
years ago. AS the attraction of the earth
is now the greatest possible, our atmos-
pherlc density is slightly increased, which
accounts for the great heat of the present
summer This will also increase the vio-
lence of Mount Ttna's eruptions, and we
will have increased volcanic action and
humidity throughout the world
THE INNER SATELLITE.
HANOVER N. H. Aug. 4.-The inner
satellite of Mars, Phmbus, was observed
with the 9-inch telescope at Dartmouth
College Observatory last night by Profess
sors Young OF Princeton, and Frost Of
Dartmouth.
LIMITATIONS TO OUR KNOWLEDGE.
LICK OBSERVATORY, CAL, Aug. a.
Edward Holden, of the Lick Observatory,
said to-day regarding the opposition to
Mars:
I'VE have replied to many inquiries re.
eeived during the present opposition of
Mars These inquiries indicate widespread
interest, but in many cases they appear to
be based on misapprehension Of the work
now being done on the planet here and
elsewhere. We are simply endeavoring to
obtain more accurate information regard
| ing the planet That is all Future oppo.
| sitions in which the planet will be seen ut
greater altitude will be more favorable
even. The planet is then more distant, for
it will be nearer the zenith than now We
! also wish to know how nearly Mars resem-
| bles the earth, and whether it is fit to be
| inhabited by beings like ourselves. 1t has
been proposed by certain enthusiastic as.
| tronomcrs to deternline this question. In
| my opinion the time has not yet come to
even speculate on this question. My rea-
| son for saying this is that think il very
doubtful i al the observations yet made
are sufficient to enable rs to pronounce
| even the lesser points we seek
There is very little doubt that by and
by science will interpret all, or nearly all,
| OF the phenomena now seen and arrive al
certainies Just now only a few things
\ are certainly known with respect to our
nearest planetary neighbors,
We are now giving nearly all the time
| of our great telescope to this work We
have found great changes in details of
| surface, while the main outlines have re
NAMED much the same These changes
have seemed to be so great that il Is often
difficult to explain them by terrestrial
analogies, II there are people on Mars,
think they are Esquimaux II the rcd
areas are. land and the dark ones water.
we can describe great foundations which
have taken place and might mention the
fact that where there are now two limbs
there was only one in 1877. Some time
during next autumn we shall have
finished our observations II Is very prob
able that we can then draw some con.
illusions which are certain, and il is
possible that considerable new light NAV
be thrown on this problem think am
justified i'll saying that no more could
have been done than has been done. II
the results are not definite the reason must
be in the extreme difficulty Of the problem
in hand
LARGE WHITE SPOT.
WASHINGTON. Aug. A.-Professor Asaph
Hail Of the Naval Observatory, tonight
observed the large white spot near the
southern pole Of the planet Mars.
The cloudy weather did not interfere
with the observance of this spot, though
It did prevent the professor from examin.
ing the other spots on the planet and its
satellites. Mars will be nearest the earth
on the 9Th inst, when its distance will be
about 100000 miles,