The Washington times., 1903-02-08
Continued from seventh Page

answer TOT lL-iHe SHdttHoiuSlS VI tA'
company. IAppIause.l What the most
OF lis want is a permanent means Of &C
cess to the moon. which. when once
opened up will permit Of our going and
returning at will. enabling us. therefor7.
TO explore the riches and carry away the
products of our satellite, This means
must not be too difficult. nor too costly
In a word, it must be as practicable TO
humanity as are railroads and steam
boats.
Now. there are two chief obstacles
10 this enterprise The FIRST is the dis
lance Of the moon. which. though insis-
nihcant IN theory. is very considerable
in practice: the second is the doubt ex-
isting concerning the nature of the lunar
atmosphere. Many astronomers are
skepticaI even as TO the existence OF such
an atmosphere I differ from them. and
I could bring forward proofs to support
my opinion. But whether human life
could subsist in lunar air is another
point. concerning which no one can
speak positively in the present state of
science. Consequently prudence dictates
the necessity Of not venturiug into the
lunar atmosphere without a sufficient
provision OF our own air, much il the
same way as the diver provides himself
before pIungjng into the depths Of the
ocean" Evident astonishmenJ.I
These considerations have forced
upon me the conclusion that there is
only one solution of the problem-we
must endow the moon with an atmos-
phere similar to our own, and We can
Only do this by forcing the moon to
come down into our atmospheric zone"
IExeIamations of wonder.l This would
annihiIate the distance between US. and
do away at the same time with many
other difficulties.
Our satellite would henceforth be at
our mercy We could go there either in
balloon or by means Of a tubular rail-
way. We could turn to account ali her
resources. and. getting hold OF her
riches. bring them TO earth-unless. in
deed. We might choose 10 settle down
permanently in our lunar colony"
Laughter and great applause-l In
fact, the whole question may be resolved
iHto-we must not go to the moon; We
must force her 10 come 10 US.
There are several good reasons for
this. First OF all, it will be less ia
tiguing and more convenient to Us; for
when she is partially immersed in our
atmosphere she viii become habitable,
which is not perhaps the case at pres
ent; and, secondly, it does not seem pos
sible TO solve the problem in any other
way.
"We need not be afraid of disturbing
the inhabitants of the moon, for they
have disappeared now. even if they ever
did exist, which is doubtful. The moon is
a dead world Daughter OF the earth,
she has grown cold before her mother be
cause Of her smaller bulk. It would be
an act Of kindness TO give her little
heat, if only by utilizing the combustibIe
treasures that are doubtless concealed
within her [Applause.l
It is all very well you will perhaps
say. to talk in this light manner of
bringing the moon down TO US. Pray,
have you any means Of getting hold of
her?' I reply. Yes. I do firmly believe
that Ne have a force at our disposal that
can act upon the moon LGreat atten-
tion.l
The force I speak Of is the power that
manifests itself in the diverse ways of
electricity. heat, light, motion, gravity,
and magnetism.
There can be no doubt that We possess
this force. It is equally certain that We
can turn it to account. and that it is a
mere question Of its presence in a sufa-
cient>amount, which again is. as hope
10 prove to you, only an arithmeticaI cal
eulation. But first. We must form a
right conception Of the earth and moon
as they really are-two globes rolling
along together in space. many forces
combining TO keep them suspended.
THAT they are indissoIubIy united is
plain to everyone; and not a fisherman
on our shores but knows as we'll as an
astronomer that they exercise upon each
other mutual influence. The tides are
under the direct influence of The moon
She draws US forward in her first quar-
ter; in her last she retards our course
We. on our side, hold her Irresistibly
chained 10 our fortunes.
But We are also Influenced in Other
directions. This great globe Of ours
that We think so enormously big and
heavy, is nothing more in reality thar
an impereeptible speck in boundIes.
space. It may be compared TO a child
air balloon. fastened to a thread and
disturbed by fhe slightest breath 7.