New-York tribune., 1901-01-06
SIGNALSTOANDFROM MARS
THE OPINIONS OF FLAMMARION LOWELL,
sCHMoLI. GALTON AND OTHER AS
TRONOMERS.

gardng the interchange of signals between
Mars and the earth. directs attention afresh to
a possibility which is peculiarly fascinating to
a good many people The topic is one like the
theory Of evolution. which appeals not simply
to the devOtees of department of science,
but TO intelligent humanity in general The
suggestion that another Of the planets may be
inhabited by creatures endowed with the same
faculties man, and that communication may
be established between them and the inhabitants
of the earth, captivates the fancy the instant 1T
is put forward.
There is this much to be said in favor of any
such idea Mars is OF the two nearest
neighbors of the earth in the solar system.
Venus. whose orbit is next inside that of the
earth seems to be almost completely shrouded
ir clouds which would interfere with observa-
tion and communication by her inhabitants. il
she had any. Mars neghbor in the opposite
direction is differently conditioned in this re-
spect. The very complicated markings on her
surface although not any too distinct fairly
definite, and what is more, substantially
permanent. The astronomers satisfied that
they see the solid structure of the planet not
an opaque envelope. Moreover, there are indi-
cations that the climate Mars is pretty much
like ours. The appearance and disappearance of
white caps at the poles leads to the belief that
there is d succession OF winter and summer
Indeed. it is conceded that Mars affords better
evidence of a condition of habitability than any
other planet in the solar system. Further than
this the thoroughly scientific man cannot so.
Indeed. he is obliged to note Professor Camp
bells spectrOscopc researches which show that
Mars has a much more attenuated atmosphere
than the earth. So that il our ruddy neighbor is
really peopled at all it must be with creatures
that can get along with a good deal less air
than need.
The differences drawn from the so-called
canals Mars are imaginative that one
must look at them as pure speculation not as
scientific evidence. When Schlaparelli first dis
covered these singular markings he named them
canals" because that term admirably described
their appearance, but he took pains 10 disavow
any opinion 10 their nature. Almost the only
who has been at all active in astronomical
work. and who entertains the opinion that these
lines of artificial origin. is PerciVa Lowell
OF Boston He has private observatory at
Flagstaff Ariz.. and is convinced that Mars is
inhabited by creatures endowed with sufficient
intelligence to empl> irrigating canals to raise
crops But scarcely any other astronomer has
been willing to commit himself TO this opinion.
II an actual interchange OF signals should be
effected at any time. the subject would instantly
assume new phase
suspicion that the hypothetical Martians
were attempting 10 open communication or this
kind was excited several years ago by the sud
den appearance of particularly bright spot on
the ruddy planet. One Of the interpretations
put upon the incident was that artificial illu- !
minatOn was being employed a scale grand
enough To attract attention millions Of miles
away Another conclusion regarding that incl !
dent and several others of the same kind which
have occurred more recently, is that some large
mountain top Mars caught the sunlight at
just such angle to produce an especially
brilliant reflection The rotations of the planet
non temporary so that it's appearance could be
easily explained. This latter theory is now
pretty generally accepted The great trouble
with the hashlight doctrine was that the alleged
signals took Ineligible form. There was
simply one prolonged glare and nothing else. |
Still the incident set people talking and think
ing about the subject
Obviously, the question of the best mode of
establishing system of signals is not astro-
nomical one at least. not to any great extent. |
IL is a psychological problem, rather. Assum-
ing for the moment that Mars was inhabited by
beings possessing minds like ours, ii becomes
necessary to inquire just how their minds would
work in an undertaking of this sort Francis Gal
ton. the venerable and eminent English anthro-
polOgist, outlined ingenious plan in 1.-The
FcrtniShtly Review" six years ago He