Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-06-06
THE PLANET MARS.
Latest Scientific Conclusions Reia-
tive to the Changes on Our
Celestial NeiEhbor.

During recent years the planet Mars
has been assiduously studied at the OBJ
servatory of Juvisy, near Paris, by NJ.
Antionadi and others. There, as else
where, the canals" on the planet have
been seen, usually as long, narrow
lines lying in the arcs of great circles
of the surface. There is no doubt of
the objective existence of such mark
ings, as they have been mapped by
many observers before andsince Schiap-
arelli undertook their serious study in
1877. Such markings are probably
long cracks or crevasses in the outer
layers of the planets surface. The
experiments of M. Daubree have shown
that the expansion of an interior nu-
cieus will produce seriesof long cracks
lying in the arcs of great circles.
contracting nucleus produces rusa-
tions like mountain chains. Many OBJ
servers since Schiaparelli have noted
the doubling" of the Marian canals.
Sometimes single marking of the sort
will be suddenly replaced by two
narrow markings lying in the same re-
gion and in the same direction. If,
says NJ. Antonadi, the Seine should sud-
denly disappear, and If two new rivers
should be created, one running from
Nantes to Marseilles, the other from
Dunkirk to Strasburg, we should have
a precise terrestrial analogue to the APP
pearance of double canals ON Mars. Re-
cent popular writers have exhausted in
genu!ty in devising explanations OF
this phenomenon, which should agree
with their idee fixe that the canals
are, without doubt, the work of human
hands. 1t is hardly necessary to say
that no explanation of this sort has
been given that satisfies astronomers
NJ. Antionadi has made a careful
study of the optical illusions that at
tend prolonged and strained vision Of
delicate markings of this kind, and he
has come unreserved.y to the conclu-
sion that the doubling Of the canals on
Mars arises from defective focusing of
some kind, either of the telescope or of
the Observers eye Through tatigue).
One of his experiments may be tried
by anyone who will take the trouble TO
rule fine line on visiting card and TO
look at it, from a distance, with an
opera glass. A very slight disturbance
of the focal adjustment, or slight
fatigue of the eye, win produce double
image of the single line. 1t is always
possible to produce double images of
single line in one of these ways NJ.
Antionadi's experiments seem TO show
that the double canals ON Mars are al
ways the results of one of these two
causes. His conclusions are noteworthy
In themselves as return to nationality
In the explanation of physical appear
ance on Mars; and it is interesting to
remember that he is an assistant to NJ.
Flammarion, who is the high priest lin
Frapce) OF the doctrine of human life
on Mars. NJ. Antionadi accepts, tacitly.
the view of the circumstances prevail
ing ON Mars that has been consist emily
held by the astronomers of Princeton,
Mount Hamilton, etc.--namely, that II
is planet analogous to our moon, with
little or no atmosphere, no water, no
clouds, with very low temperature, no
human life, and no canals" for COM
merce constructed by Intelligent be-
ings like ourse,ves."-N. Y. Post