The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1920-03-25


lg@@y0 marine is now an accomplished
fact, isn't it?
And doubtless you read Kipling's with
the Night Mail" Well, the Atlantic has
been crossed in single flight, hasn't it?
Probably, also, you read H. G. Wells,
''The War of the Worlds" in which the
Martians descended upon us with fighting
machines even more formidable than the
tanks of the great war and mysterious
agent of wholesale destruction even more
deadly than any gas used by either side.
Well, who shall say that Wells hasn't
the right idea about Mars being inhabited
by beings just as smart as we are-and pro-
badly good deal smarter?
1t is bold man who say impossible"
these days.
Anyway, Guglielmo Marconi, the fa-
NOUS Italian engineer, who perfected wire
less telegraphy, has opened up an exceeding
ly interesting question by this statement:
ri have encountered during my expert
ments with wireless telegraphy most amazing
phenomena. Most striking of all is the re-
ceipt by me personally of signals which be-
lieve originated in the space beyond our
planet. l believe it is entirely possible that
these signals may have been sent by the inhab
itants of other planets to the inhabitants of
earth.
IF there are any human beings on Mars
I would not be surprised if they should find
a means of communication with this planet.
Lining of the science of astronomy with that
of electricity may bring about almost any
thing.
"While our own planet is storehouse
of wonders, we are not warranted in accept
ing as fact the general supposition that the
inhabitants of our comparatively insignif-
cant planet are any more highly developed
than inhabitants (if there be such) of other
planets.
"For all we know, the strange sounds
that l have received by wireless may be only
a forerunner of tremendous discovery.
"The messages have been distinct but
unintelligible. They have been received
simultaneously in London and in New York,
with identical intensity, indicating that they
must have originated at great distance.
"These signals are apparently due to
electromagnetic waves of great length, which
are not merely stray signals. Occasionally
such signals can be imagined to correspond
with certain letters of the Morse code. They
steal in at our stations irregularly at all sea-
sons. We do not get the signals unless we
establish minimum of 65-mile wave lengths.
Sometimes we hear these planetary or inter-
planetary sounds 20 or 80 minutes after send
ing out long wave. They do not interrupt
traffic, but when they occur they are very
persistent.
.The most familiar signal received
is curiously musical. 1t comes in the form
of three short raps, which may be interpreted
as the Morse letter - but there are other
sounds which may stand for other letters.
"The war prevented an investigation of
the Hertzian mystery, but now our organiza-
ton intends to undertake through probe. ("
Australia corroborates Marconis state
ment. Highly skilled and experienced oper-
ators at Sydney have received numerous sig
mails similar to those reported as having been
received in England. They consist of fire.
quent repetitions of two dashes, representing
the letter NJ. They are on wave lengths of
$4,000 to 10000 meters. The Australian
experts say such wave lengths have never yet
been used by any wireless station of the earth.
Now what do the electrical authorities
say on the general subject? Here it is, in
brief:
Thomas A. Edison has this to say: "Al-
though am not an expert in wireless tele-
graphy, I can plainly see that the mysterious
wireless interruptions experienced by Mr..
Marconi's operators may be good grounds
for the theory that inhabitants of other pla-
nets are trying to signal to us. Mr.. Marconi
is quite right in stating that this is entirely
within the realm Of the possible.
Il have given some thought to the mat