The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

southern areas of water to be separated by a
single land continent, which continues uD-
broken around the planet save where it is
furrowed by "canals." The probable fact
is that the land surface of Mars is phe
nomenally fiat and level, and that at csr
tain times during the vernal season the
low, level land is inundated by the water
resulting from the melting of the ice at
the poles. We speak of ''land" and '.seas"
on Mars when, in fact, we do not yet
know, except by inference drawn from
terrestrial phenomena, that our geograph-
icai definition of observed appearances
on Mars is correct. The only positive fact
is that these enigmatical lines are on the
planet and are not an illusion. The lerge
ones proceeding from the SPOT called Lake
Niliacus have been seen in the places
they occupy for more than 100 years.
These markings cross the face of the
planet in long. regular lines. Some OF
them are thousands OF miles in length and
others but few hundred. They vary much
in width, some appearto be fully 200 miles
wide, while others but 20. and are prob
ably much less. The width is measured
by the observer by means Of an instru-
ment called micrometer, consisting OF
parallel lines of spider-web placed in the
focus of the telescope. One or more OF
the micrvmeter lines can be moved away
from or brought nearer to other fixed
lines, and the observer endeavors to so
adjust the micrometer line as to enclose
the image OF the object he views between
two or more of the micrometer lines and
4. - -, - l,z ~e kto
object by the proportion it bears to the
known diane ter of the planet. But if the
Marian markings are actual water canals,
then, if it should happen that breeze
was blowing across the surface of the
canal at the time of the observation. the
waves of water formed by the wind would
reflect the light at all sorts of angles and
consequently it would spread over the
field of view between the microme eter
lines to far greater extent than it would
were it reflected from perfectly placid
surface.
All observers agree in stating that Mars
exhibits at its poles certain areas that
change color from dark to white acccrd-
ingly as the pole is presented to or away
from the sun. These polar spots have
been termed .'icecaps," because they ex-
hibit precisely the regular cnanse of ap-
pearance which would be produced by the
formation and MEETINGS Of the ice happen
ing at the polar regions of our own earth.
Now, while we cannot positively say that
these polar markings are actual icecaps,
yet every observed phenomenon at the
poles OF Mars strengthens such conclu-
sion. Accepting this deduction, We are
forced to acknowledge that there is water
on Mars, and consequently atmosphere.
The true scientist is always conserva-
tive. He must be SO; he could not be
otherwise, for the teachings of his entire
scientific experience is, that nothing is
more liable to mistake than Is human
judgment. The natural consequence is
that when you ask the scientific man, is
Mars inhabited? he replies, Il do not
know. Yet it is perfectly safe TO say that
nine out of every ten men, whose opportu-
mites for observing the planet Mars have
been ordinarily good ones, confidently be-
lieve that the time will come when i'm
proved facilities will render it possible
and easy. not only to prove the existence
Of the Marian inhabitants, but to hold
satisfactory communication with them.
+. NJ. CLOSE, d. S. G.