The morning times., 1896-11-08
Undoubtedly 1t Is Slowly Losing It's
Water Like the Planet Mars
and the rIoon.

tire surface. The murky air was torn
with storms or which we can form hut
the fainteSt conception. over what ilttlS
land there was, the aCid-laden rains poured
wi II Incredible violence, eating and wear
Ing the hard rock until finally sOil was
formed capable OF sustaining vegetable
life. Then the waters slowly cooled and
cClUred and subsidized.
They are sdll subsiding, though the
process is so gradual as 10 be imprecep-
uble to man. Just as Of old, Sone pur-
tion of moisture is constantly sinking deep
into the bowels OF the earth, never 10 r.s-
appear, while another portion Is every
moment entering into chemical cou!bIna-
tionS which convert II into sChd substance
and little of this is ever released.
The world now is IN a lIansltlon state,
and probably is near that stage OF eyOlu-
tion most favorable to the existence and
development of intelligent Bcings. In the
remote past the conditions Were incOm-
paJible with life: in the remote future
life will again become impossible, and the
lack of water Will presumably lie the prime
cause Of its final disappearance.
Let us now cildeaNur 20 .tdTc the series
of changes by which this will be brought
about, and the progressive influence upon
man and human institutions.
Only the drdIIIed nciuS Ur what is now
the bed of the ocean Will be suitable for
occupation by the human race. Even there
little water VIII remain, though i'll the low
est depths Il few intensely saline lakes VIII
linger, their dcsUlate banks crusted with
salt, their waters more lntOleraDle than
those of the Dead Sea.
Just us the waters will have become
scant, So the air will have become thin.
Such apparently is the case on Mars today
and the moon has no air at all, or an at
mosphere so slight that We cannot detect
it. And owing to this thinneSs OF air there
will be few Clouds, and little if any rain;
even the winds will subside into inSignifi-
cance. At tie pUies, however, and On tue
heights. snow will still fall, or at any rate
frost will he deposited in large quantities;
and the melting Of the icecaps thus formed
will furnish the whole available SUPPLY OF
water. The streams from this source, which
will be fairly abundant in tie season oi
flood, will he carefully guided through an
intricate system OF canals ana sunSIly
bearded in huge reservoirs, whence 1t Will
he drawn for irrigation and other necessary
uses.
Gold and silver will not be half so prec-
ious as this beautiful, transparent liquid
OF which we are SO LAVISH, wealth Will
ne measured In cubic feet of water, and
a spring or fountain will be more valuable
than any mine. Nor can this be called q
mere fancy picture. To all appearance it
is exactly the state OF affairs which OBJ
tains on Mars ut the present time.
The whole ocean bed, therefore. win be
like vast valley OF the Nilc-fertile.
indeed, but rendered so only by incessant
care ana the highest engineering skill,
while above and around it will lie 4
chill Sahara, desolate and deadly waste,
rnwet with showers, unprotected by any
veil OF cloud, its impotent atmosphere
scarcely sufficient to drift its abounding
dust. All over it will be scattered the
unyisited remains of the cities that we
know. and its plains will be furrowed
with the half -obliterated ciianncis OF
our great rivers. 1t viii have but one re-
naming use: 1T will have become the
cemetery of the world, both the old and
the new.
The great valley below. which is to
us the bottom of the sea, will be denscly
crowded with population which will
admit of no Increase. How the people OF
that late and declining age will solve the
difficult problems that will confront them,