Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-24

postulates the existence OF intelligent life
on tho planet
One result OF such distribution OF water
over the planets bright hemisphere would
be rapid evaporation therefrom or from the
vegetation produced thereby.
The evaporation would be greatest where
the heat Is greatest that Is. at the centre
OF the planets sunl!t face, and would grad
ually decrease toward It's circumference.
Such evaporation would probably result in
the formation OF cloud cap OF some sort
over the planets bright hemisphere some
what as shown In Figure Six. Through
the narrow openings in this cloud canopy
the dark markings OF the planet would
show family. The density Of this cloud cap
over each square unit Of the sunlit hemi.
sphere would gradually get less and less
pronounced the greater the distance toward
the terminator from the centre Of the illu'
minated disc. This would account for the
increasing faintness Of all Venuslan mark
ings from the bright terminatOr centreward.
Now. II it can be shown from other evi.
dence that such a cloud cap does probably
cover Venus's suniit face, IL Is only a
reasonable assumption that IL has been
produced by water regularly distributed
over the planets sunlit disc In the manner
already susgested-by being pumped, from
where 1t Is available near the planets sun
lit terminator. through water-tight pipes or
conduits In the directions indicated by the
fngerlike markings and distributed from
these pipes or conduits over the areas
covered by these markings as we'll as over
other shaded areas to be seen on Venus;
the fingerlike markings and other shaded
areas being thus the planets artfcinlly
irrigated lands dimly seen through a per
petual veil OF dense cloud. (See Figure Six)
To secure the continued existence Of such
In a
regularly supplied to the sun-illumined hemi.
sphere, and this could only 1t is suggested.
be effected by It's being pumped to suitable
localities from water supplies which are
very probably obtainable from the vast ice
fields OF the planets dark hemisphere
The f1nger-like markings reaching in from
the terminator would appear to indicate the
directions and localities in which the water
is 80 pumped.
The collar round the Southern cusp can
be explained by the existence here OF
group Of high mountains, the water flowing
from the glaciers situated in the valleys
thereof collecting at the foot OF such noun
tain group. and being there used In part for
local irrigation and in part pumped on
toward the centre Of the illuminated dis
along the finger-like markings leading from
this collar (Figure -.
These Venusian fingerlike markings are
thus very probably similar In some ways to
the Canals of Mars" In both cases the
markings may well indicate the directions
in which water Is being pumped long dis
lance for the purpose OF irrigation through
groups of pipes. On Venus there is large
and continuous drain on the water being so
pumped, hence the markings gradually de.
crease In width the further they go. On
Mars. on the contrary, the drain for local
use on the water carried in its pipes is very
small until the service reservoirs, from
which the planets extensive blue-green
areas are possibly irrigated by vast system
of irrigation pipes under the static pressure.
are reached. The Marian canals are there
fore Of the same width throughout.
One Get of markings would thus appear
to corroborate the other. On each planet
fight for existence, but with in each case
different object in view, would appear to
be In progress. On Mars the conservation
for irrigation Of scanty water supply, or
Venus the irrigation from plentiful, but
readily evaporabie, water supply OF por-
tions Of its sunIt hemisphere, resulting In
the formation over this face OF a more or
less continuous cloud canopy helping to
temper the great heat to which II would
. otherwise be subjected.
: Behind both systens may be perceived
the working Of high order OF Intelligence.