The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-06
THE TIMES: RICHMOND, VA. SUNDAY, MARCH q, 1898.

TO terms than anything else.
The first thing. then. was 10 ioc ato
the Lake OF the sun on the shohe-hiu-
den surface of the planet Deneath US
This WAS a problem that the astono-
mers could readily solve.
Fortunately. in the flagship itseit 'here
was one of these star-gazing gentlemen
who had made n specially OF the study
Of Mars The astronomer had records
In his noc<ot which enabled him. by
briaf calculation. to say just when the
Lake OF tho sun would be beneath US
Having thus located the heart OF our
foe behind it's shield OF darkness. We
prepared TO strike. -,
~ have asccrtained." said Mr- Ed
son. "the vibration period of the smoke
so that II will be easy for US TO shatter
IL into invisible atoms. You VIII see thar
every stroke OF the disintegratOTs VIII
omen a hole through the black curtain.
II their field Of destruction could be
made wide enough We might I'm that
manner clear away the entire covering
OF smoke. but all that we shall really
be able 10 do will be 20 puncture II with
holes. which will. perhaps enable VA To
catch glimpses OF the surface beneath.
In that manner We may be able more
effectually TO concentrate our lire upon
the most vulnerable points
Everything being prepared, and the
entire squadron having assembled 20
watch the fleet Of the opening blow
and be ready to follow II up, Mr.. Edi-
son himself poised one Of the new dis
integrators. which was too large 70 be
carried in the hand. and following the
direction indicated by the calculations
OF the astronomer. launched the vibra-
tory discharge into the ocean OF black
ness beneath.
Instantly there opened beneath US
huge wcll-shaped hole. from which the
black clouds rolled violently back In ev-
cry direction.
Through this opening we saw the CLEAN
of brilliant lights beneath.
We mad made n hit.
1T Is the Lake of the SUM-" shouted
the astronomer who furnished the cal
culation by means OF which its position
had been discovered.
And, indeed. IL was the Lake OF the
Sun While the opening in the clouds
made by the discharge was not wide,
yet IL sufTlced TO give as a view of pOr-
ton Of the curving shore Of the lake,
which was ablaze with electric lights.
Whether our shot had done any dam
age. beyond making the circular OPEN
ing in the cloud curtain. We could not
tell. for almost Immediately the sur
rounding black smoke masses beloved
in 20 iii up the hole.
But In the brief glimpse we had caught
sight OF two or three large airships
lowering in space above that part OF the
Lake of the Sun and its bordering city
which we had beheld. II seemed TO me
i'm the brief glance l had that one ship
had been touched by the discharge and
was wandering i'm an erratic manner. but
the clouds closed i'm so rapidly that 1
could not be certain.
IL had been prearrangad that the first
discharge from the flagship should be
a signal for the concentration Of the fire
of all the other ships upon the same
spot.
4 little hesitation. however. occurred,
and a half o minute had elapsed before
the disintegrators from the other MEM
bers Of the squadron We're got into play.
Then. suddenly we saw an immense
commotion I'm the cloud beneath us. IL
seemed 20 be beaten and hurled in every
direction and punctured like a sieve with
nearly a hundred circular holes Through
these gaps We could see clearly a large
region Of the planets surface. with many
air ships floating above it, and the blaze
of innumerable electric lights illuminat-
ing II. The Martians had created an ar
tincial day under the curtain.
This time there was no question that
the blow had been effective. Four or
five Of the air ships. partially destroyed,
tumbled hcadlong toward the ground,
while even from our great distance there
was unmistakable evidence that fearful
execution had been done among the
crowded structures along the shore Of the
Lake.
As each Of our ships possessed but
one OF the new disintegrators. and since
Nrua
them for a fresh discharge we remained
for a little while inactive after delivering
the blow. Meanwhile the cloud curtain
though rent 10 shreds by the concentrate
ed discharge of the disintegrators quick
Is became a uniform black sheet again,
hiding everything.
We had just had time 20 congratulate
ourselves on the successful opening of
our bombardment. and the dislntegratOr
Of the flagship was poised D. another
discharge. when suddenly out of the
black expanse beneath, quivered inn
mense electric beams, clear cut and
straight as bars Of steel. but dazzling our
eyes with uncomfortable brilliancc.
It was the reply Of the Martians TO
our attack.
Three or four OF the electrical ships
were seriously damaged. and one, close
beside the flagship. changed color. with
cred and collapsed with the same SICK
ening phenomena that had made our
hearts shudder when the first disaster
Of this kind occurred during our brief
battel over the asteroid.
Another score OF our comrades were
gone, and yet we had hardly begun the
fight.
CHANGING at the other ships which had
been injured. I saw that the damage