The morning call., 1892-08-01
FLASH LIGHTS FOR MARS
An Ingenious Method of Communicates,
With Another World.

Chicago Tribune
Probably the most intelligent suggestion
yet thrown out for exchanging signals with
the inhabitants of the planet of Mars if
any such there be, is made by Mr.. Z. Ellis.
worth Carey. Il is that perfectly leyel
area, say at least five miles in diameter, NOT
IN the vicinity of hills or mountains, be coy
cred with uniformly black coating OF
earthly sand or coal dust. This area is to
De covered with gas jets or electric ares,
piaclng the Illuminating points about three
Ieet apart. mat would require some
100000 roints of intense brilliancyg yisibl.
to the Inhabitants of Mars with a magnj-
lying power of 800 diameters when tha e1r.b
was sufficiently far away from conjunction
10 De seen while the sun was below the balt
of twilight.
The plan is TO so construct and connect
-hese signaLlights that the turning Of n key
would instantly extipgush or light them afI.
Then the illumination should be male tn
appear and disappear at regular intervals
Suppose at first the interval between ths&
flashes was three seconds and the flashes
continued five seconds. Then the interval,
ana duration OF light should Do changed
say TO 6. II, is, ETC., seconds, and then
,heh me series OF intervals reversed
MI Carey argues that such signals
would hardly be kept up long without
attracting attention on Mars, if its nhab!-
tants be lar advanced in intelligence, de-
Veiopment ana civilization. They mus;
tHeii conclude that the earth is similarly in
habited and that some of its people had con.
stFucted f1aShlight visible to the dwellers
on mars. liz also may be expected that they
would arrive at the conclusion that such
lIgnt was maintained as a signal to attra,.e-
their attention. Further it may be sup
posed that In the latter case they would
make arrangements TO return the signal II
possible, though some, perhaps many years,
might elapse before they could respond IL
a manner we should understand.
This is a pretty theory, and its author de-
serves credit for having been the first to
show the world how interplanetary commu-
nication is possible. But there still remains
the question:: Is it practicable? For the
present, at least, that must be answered
with a decided negative. 1t is not likely
that any man or association of men would
undertake the enormous expense involved
In carrying out this scheme, seeing that
there is In 1t no suspicion of profit and bur
problematIcal amount of glory, not to be
gained till perhaps years after the death Of
the Investor Ii a generation should
ever arise on this earth that loves
wisdom more than wealth it may find
otner uses Tor It's money than in trying to
bridge the gulf that separates us from
the other members of the solar system.
but I'LL then it is idle to expect the costly
effort to be made. Still it viii 0 no harm
TOT the enthusiastic ones To revel in antici-
patton OF some such result 10 be achieved bv
those who will come after them. and
there Is another view Of the case still more
entIeing to those who are specuiativeIy in
ellned. Some of the philosophers who have
studied the appearance OF Mars think there
is reason to suppose its Inhabitants are
much further advanced than ourselves ia
the Biarch of intellectual progress,~ that
planet having cooled down from the 0rigf-
nal nebulous heat sooner than its larger
brother or sister. the earth. Hence it is
not absurd to suppose the inhabitants OF
Mars already have been nsidering the
problem of inteFeommuHieation with other
members OF the solar system, and for aughi
we know. they may have been making such
signals 10 US for centuries past without our
being aware OF the fact. If some of the
lynX-eyed ones who scan the objects in the
sky through tellurie telescopes once see
changes on the surface of Mars which they
fancy indicate that signals are in progress,
the case would be radically altered Ii
might not then be Impossible to fad per
sous willing to stand the immense cost Gf
setting up and conducting a return tele-
graph apparatus. by means of which we
may acknowledge the salute and raise our
selves in the estimation of our neighbors.