Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-02
CANALS OF MARS.
Interesting Theory on Question of Evil
dence of Life on the Planet.
From the Manchester Guardian

From the Manchester Guardian
Mars and Its Canals was the title of
a lantern lecture delivered to the members
of the Manchester Astronomical Society in
the Municipal School of Technology. by +
Walter Maunder of the Greenwich observa-
tory. Mr. Maunder propounded a theory
to account for the canals which throws
an important light on the Nexed question OF
the existence Of intelligent life on the
planet. Having given brief account OF
the history Of the observation of Mars. 10
described the conditions which scientific
knowledge teaches are likely to exist upoA
Its surface, The discovery of the two
moons of Mars had made possible an exl Of
estimate of the force of gravity on tho
planet compared with the force of gravity
on the earth. We were led to believe thae
on Mars currents of air move very slowir
mat water Vaporizes very quickly. and tt.u
the atmosphere is extremely rare. Owing a
its comparative distance from the sun Man
receives about half the light and heat thu
the earth receives. Coming to the canals
Mr.. Maunder said that as far back as 1864
long narrow streaks were detected on the
surface. and they were called by the first
observer by name which was equivalent
TO channels"
Unfortunately the word canals was az
terward applied, and this was to be deplor-
ed, because IL suggested that they were
of artificial construction-an idea outside
the mind of the first observer. The total
number of these canals now registered was
over two hundred. The astronomer who
was responsible for the latest theory to
the canals was an American. Mr.. Lowell
who had observed them under the most
favorable conditions from a hign altitude
In Arizona. MIR. Lowelts theory was that
there very little water the
planet the inhabitants had TO distribute the
water over its surface by means of sys-
tenn Of canals. What we sa Nv were not the
actual waterways, but green. fertile strips
on either side Of them. These canals. ac-
ccrding to Mr. Lowell. changed with the
seasons. just as did the polar caps. Mr.
MaundeT showed lantern pictures of the
canals OF Mars as drawn by Mr.. Lowell.
according to which the canals are extreme
ly symmetrical in appearance. consisting
Of straight lines of the same breadth. Ike
a series of railway metals, and meeting
II functions which might ne lakes. 1t
seemed. on the face Of 1t. hard to escape
from Mr.. LoWelfS conclusion that the
canals were due the work of intelligent
beings But in 1896 Mr.. Lowell took 10 ex-
aiming the planet Venus and he found
canals there also fact which rather
threw doubt upon his earlier work on Mars.
Mr.. Maunder elaborated an interesting
theory of his own to account for the canals
1t was to the effect that there are upon
the surface of Mars various indistinct lines
and markings which We're hardly r.
tinguishable apart. but which. when viewed
from certain distance. appeared to the
eye in the form of straight lines. In sup
port of this explanation he showed draw
ings of Mars made by other prominent oh
servers. which We're entirely free from the
so-called canals These We're indeed. due
to the running together by the eye Of MI
mute details not straight or symmetrical
but too small for the eye. even under the
best circumstances. to see them very clear
ly Mr.. Maunder described an experiment
he carried out at Greenwich to test this
theory Accurate drawings Of the surface
of Mars without the canals. were placed
before a number of schoolboys, and they
were set to copy them. The result was
that most Of the resulting drawings show
ed canals similar to those of Mr.. Lowell.
owing Mr. Maunder contended, to the natural
running together of small spots into lines
when viewed at a distance 1T may be.
he said, disappointing 10 have to give up
the idea of there being intelligent neighbors
of ours across the little gulf of 400o00o0 or
80 ou0 600 miles, VINO are industriously en-
gagged in digging Panama or Suez canals
but il is better to be sure of all we know,
or in other words lit is better not to
know so much than To know so many
things that are not so. "