The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-03

Copyright. 1898. by Garrett J. serviss')
SYNOPSIS.
The inventive genius OF Thomas a. hol-
son makes possible an attack OF the
earth upon Mars. This Is done 10 prevent
a second invasion of the Mortians' VINO
are trying 70 relieve their overpopuiattu
pIanet. the first having failed throuBh
the breaking out Of disease ana hot NJ
man effort. Edison invents n practlcal
eIsctrical airship. and an engine OF a.,
siruction called the "Disintegratot
vbIch will cause the constituent particles
Of any object at which Il may be dlrecteu
80 co vibrate that the object will be I'M
,nediatelv and completely dispersed y
,orco feet of airshlps armed with disin-
,eerators and manned by two thousaIu
men. among whom are many famous
scientists. sets out. Inc meet atitFeS
above the land Of Hellas, on Mars ana
60 a host Of airships on the watch.
The Martians. who are OF giant stature
human In form. but Of repulsive aspect.
cover their planet Will a thick clouu UI
suoke which the visitors pierce WIN
,h.ir disintegratOrs. The M0rttans lauhch
,hoIr tbunderbolts. and do much damage
90 the Edison fleet. which many drops
beneath the smoke curtain ana ehbascS
the enemy. In their ships IN close COM
hal The destruction is awful. both on
$50 o,d in the air. and the ships from
tbe earth withdraw but sixty In NUMBER
THO novi move IS a strategic plan pro-
nosed bv Colonel Smith. an army onlcer'
The majority Of the ships are cohceh-
trated al a certain point where the az
tention of the Martians IS helo, WINE
. Few are sent 20 the other side OF the
nlanet 20 effect n landing. CoioneI
Smiths ship descends near a large puiu-
ING The Colonel and the narrator en-
.-rI g. HnI a Young girl
q human being-playing on a strange IN
strument for the amusement OF seNerai
Nartians. The latter are quickly uis,
Watched with dlsintegrators, ana the ElIi
Is taken back 20 the main squadron. Al
though none can understand the siri, 1t
&c nerceived that her language Is or hu-
man origin. The whole squadron re-
pairs 10 the farther moon OF Mars Del
mos. in order 10 give the lingulsts OF tne
marty time 10 acquire tpe glrl speecH
Tor Mr.. Edison believes that she can CIV
them information that will lead TO a sue
cessful routing of the enemy. After three
weeks spent on Demos. out OF sight OF
Mars. the ~linguists are able 10 understaho
Aina's story. Her ancestors were
brought from the earth in q previous In
vasion Of the earth by the Martians about
5000 years ago. From the girls remark
able narrative IL would appear that lhe
Martians had visited Egypt hau
built the Pyramids and the Sphinx. Ainas
forefathers were carried back TO Mars
and they and their descendants had been
kept I'm slavery until. with the exception
of Alma. they were all m~assacred on the
arrival Of the fleet from the earth. Alma
discloses a way by which the Martians
can be drowned out. To do this II VIII
be necessary TO enter a strongly guarded
building which contains the mechanism
that controls an artificial disposition OF
the waters OF the oceans and seas or the
planet. by turning these into their nat
ural channel the continents Will be flood
ed. because much Of the land is below the
level Of the sea. Returning from Deimos
n party, consisting of the narrator. Mr..
Edison. Colonel Smith. Sidney Phillips
and Alma. descends near the building and
succeeds IN accomplishing its purpose.
After barely reaching their ship in SAFE
~. they watch the oncoming flood that
overspreads the land. The Marian FORCES
appear in their airships, but arter a snort
contest they are put to flight. The In
vaders calculate that I'm two days the
waters will reach the land of Thaumasia.
the center of population; so they set out
20 watch the awful destruction that will
there take place. As they so they see
the Martians fleeing before the flood. but,
EXCEPT those who escape I'm airships and
those who are able 10 reach what slight
elevations there are on the time-ieveled
planet. ali 90 down before the deluge.
The waters reach Thaumasia. n the
great city on the Lake Of the Sun is ex-
terminated.