Evening star., 1896-11-07

s1cal condition of its surface and atmos-
phere. The evidence for their existence
can only be obtained by detecting them, or
indications Of what may reasonably pre-
sumed 10 be their work. The size of the
planet is about one-eighth that of the
earth Its disk ii mottled i'm rather sim
guiar way by extensive areas, peculiar in
form and different in tone, one group being
dusky color while the other is bright.
Besides this, there are snowcaps Oh the
polar eXtremities, which increase or dmin-
ish according to the season, and have been
known to disappear, while the presence Of
ice-clad mountains in these regions can also
be detected. There is an atmosphere
though its pressure and density must be
far less than that of our planet Marian
air is commonly estimated to be only one
seventh of the density of terrestrial air
The barometer at sea-level there would
stand at about the same elevation it
would do in a balloon as high again from
The earth as the summit of Mount Everest
But attenuated as this atmosphere must be
ii evidently possesses one remarkable prop
erty. Mars is about half as far away again
from the sun is our own planet. that
its thermal income" is less than half that
of the earth. Yet its climate evidently is Of
a perfectly mild type. The polar SHOWS
melt rapidly and almost completely"
nearer TO the equator, frigid conditions are
If not wholly absent, extremely rare; biz
yards are unknown, and no cyclones carry
devastation at express speed across land
and sea" Therefore, its atmosphere must
rave d coHSuluSHt, 10 water
vapor. which is even more powerful than
the latter as "a trap to catch a sunbeam"
But the arguments in favor of Marian
population rest mainly upon discovery
made in 1877.
In that year Schiaparelli observed for the
first time the singular markings on the
disk of the planet which he has called
canals. They appear to be traced in ac-
cordance with definite laws, for they follow
great circles of the sphere, or the shortest
distance from point to point. But they iiuc-
tuate considerably in aspect. They blacken
and widen: they become dim and narrow:
they sometimes. for a few days. or even
hours, are changed into two uniform and
parallel lines. But besides this there is an
associated system of dark circular oval
spots. These are supposed to be lakes. AT
any rate, the whole system of dark marks
on Mars-seas, canals, lakes-iS so obviously
one that they must receive a common eX-
rlanation. Mr.. Lowell draws from these
his chief argument in favor of Mars being
inhabited. He believes that the planet
mainly depends for its water supply on the
melting of the polar SHOWS, and that We see
a great system of water storage and irri-
cation. But Schiaparelli is far more eau
ious. He points out. and rightly, that uni
formity may be exhibited in the geometry
of nature as well as in that of man. so that
the remarks are not necessarily artificial in
origin. A body, contracting regularly. if
it's crust were of fairly uniform strength,
would crack after a regular pattern. Con-
Sequently, while the possibility of the pres
ence of inhabitants on Mars, differing, Of
course, from human beings, cannot be de-
MED, very much stronger evidence must be
brought forward before their existence can
be regarded as probable.