Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-06-26

IL was due TO the peculiar nature Of the soil;
but IL certainly seems curious that In this
point Mars should differ from all the other
planets The appearance of the earth seen
from a similar distance would probably be
dirty green, or perhaps brown. In fact, ON
the earth we have no soil or rock, which oc
ours IN any quantity, of the rel color which
We observe on Mars. There Is therefore no
vegetation, unless we adopt the curious
theory advanced by French savant that in
Mars the foliage is red. Unluckily we have
no instrument TINT can at all help uS here;
the telescope and spcctroscope are nike use
less, and for the present we must content our
selves with vain conjectures,
THE EXISTENCE or LIFE,
The next point that ought to engage our at
teltion is the atmosphere, without which no
Il g l. possible. Without entering into calcu
lniions we NAV state that the pressure OF the
air at the surface OF Mars would be about
equal 10 five inches of mercury, or about one
sixth Of the normal atmospheric pressure ON
. .e earth. Now, given an atmosphere and Q
large extent of sea, we would naturally ex-
pcct that clonds would form a prominent
feature ON the Martial surface; and observa-
ton has proved this to lie the case. The air
on Mars being much less dense than on the
earth, IL Is presumable that the winds would
move with much greater velocity; and for
this reason il has been thought that trees
could not grow 10 any considerable height.
We must, however, bear in mind that though
the velocity would be high. the actual force
OF the wind would probably not be very
great on account Of its excessive tenuity.
In an inquiry as TO the probability Of the
existence of life, one of the most important
points TO be taken into account is the amount
of heat available Nos. Mars is at such q
distance from the sun that on the whole ia
would receive about two-fifths as much solar
heat ns we do. This does not, however, give
the amount OF heat that Is actually received
ON the surface Of the planet, considerable
proportion being absorbed by the atmo~-
phere; and since our atmosphere IS No much
dcnser and thicker than that Of Mars, it fol-
lows that we lose much larger percentage OF
the solar heat. To calculate the exact amouIIf
Of heat absorbed by given thickness of air
Is very difficult, IL not impossible, problem;
but il seems likely that, taking everything
into account, the inhabitants of Mars will ~
ceiye more heat from the sun than we do,
This would have the effect Of making thn
evaporation very large, and II no the martial
atmosphere would h. mostly composed OF
water yapor.
According 10 Professor Langley, the trns
color of the sun Is blue, and its yellownezS Is
due 10 the dirt always present ia the air. To
the inhabitants of Mars ID would most prob
ably appear nearly white. unless, indeed, they
also have volcanoes 10 till the air with lava
dust
Let US now sum up the facts as we have
stated and determine, as far Rs we can, what
sort of man the inhabitant OF Mars must be.
In the first place, the force OF gravitation at
the surface is only just over one-third OF its
equivalent on the earth, pound would,
therefore, weigh about six ounces In Mars IL,
therefore, we assume thnt the men are Of such
a size that their weight and activity are tho
same as ours, they would he about fourteen
feet high ON the average. This would make
their strength very great, for not only would
It BE- actually superior 10 ours, but, as every
weight is 80 much smaller, it would be APP
parently proportionally increased.
SKILL OF THE MARTIALITEs
We should. therefore, expect TO find that
the Martialit 5 have executed large engineer
ing works; perhaps also their telescopes are
much superior TO ours, and we have been OBJ
jects Of interest for their Observers With ~
gard to telescopes, 1t may be interesting to
examine what Is the effect Of the highest mag
nifying power we can use. At his nearest
approach, the distance from us 10 Mars Is
about 87,0eo,oO0 miles; and assuming that
the highest power that can be used with nd
vantage il 200 we apppoach with our
telescopes to a distance of 1000 miles. so
that houses or towns, or, indeed, any arti-
fcial works, would 10 hopelessly invisible.
With regard to the supply OF heat and light,
we have seen that the Martialte Is not worse
off than we are 10 him the sun would APP
pear as white or perhaps blue disk, about
two-thirtis of the diameter that il appears TO
us. The Martial day differs but slightly from
ours; his year, however, is much longer, Icing
about 6S7 OF our days, which is about 60
martial days. The inclination OF his axis to
the plano Of tho orbit is such that his seasons
would be very similar 30 ours. IL is dir
flenlt 20 reconcile the idea OF an extensive
vegetation with his peculiar rcl color; 1t Is
just possible, however, that some Of the green
patches generally supposed % be ssas may In
reality he large forests.
The most valid objcstian TO the habitabilisy
of Mars lies in the fact Of the extremely low
atmospheric pressure, which, a. we have seen,
would probably average about five inches of
mercury. The lowest pressure that man has
ever lived in, even COR "a short time, Is about
seven inches, which was reached BY Coxweil
and Glaisher In their famous balloon ascent
The aerunauts, however, narrowly escaped
perishing, not only ON account Of the low
pressure, but also bccause of the extreme
cold
Ii seems impossible that man constituted
exactly as we arc eould live for any length OF
tiIaa broathing air only onesixth of the dem
sity OF ours. But il IS rather going out Of our
way 10 assume that the MartialItes would be
exactly the same as we are In every way; tho
chances are a million 70 one against it; and
on the other hand, very slight mobilization
Of the lung arrangement would suffice g
make life perfectly possible under such Goa
ditions. s.-Chambers' journal