LECTURE ON THE MOON.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 29, 29 October 1907, Page 7

LECTURE ON THE MOON.

A municipal free lecture, or "scientific talk," ns the speaiicr preferred to call it, was given by Professor Maclaurin in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall las>t "veiling, on the subjept'of tho moon. There was a very large attendance. Homo lantern pictures wero shown of things which people had thought they saw in the moon without a telescope—the familiar man's head, a crab, a donkey- on it's back, a girl reading, and a beautiful Bill's face. Then tollon'cd a very fine series of views of tho moon"s actual features, lira popular way Professor Alaclaurin discussed sonio wellknown problems of the 3110011—as to how, for instnncp, a mass of one-eiphlieth of tho weight, of the; earth is kept moving round and round the earth- faster than the fastest cannon-ball. So enormous is the force with which the earth pulls in tho moon that a steel rod connecting them would, have to measure 225 miles in thickness to hold tho two together. As to where tho strain conies from that holds them together, there is no satisfactory explanation. Newton, whom ' the Professor called undoubtedly the greatest scientist of all time, paved the way to an explauatiou, and gave tho power a name. It was often asked, was there still activity on tho nioou. Certainly there had boon activity, when tho tremendous craters were in motion, of which the Professor showed views, and when tides higher than Mount Victoria rose overy three or four hours. Modern research showed that thcro were still changes going on in the, moon's surface. Apparently there was some vegetation, and as markings had 'been noticed which distinctly resembled the "canals" on Mars, on first, thoughts, followers of Professor Lowell's theory iniviit argue the existence of intelligent beings in the moon. In view, however, of the virtual absence of water in a liquid form and other circumstances, it was more plausible to supposo that if these lunar marks did represent canals, they were the engineering works of a race long extinct, which had built hugo reservoirs to conserve the diminishing supply of water, and so lengthen out. its doomed existence. At tho conolnsion of the lecture Professor ITacluurin was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks, on the motion of Dr. Chappie. Yhc Rev. P. \V. Fairclough presided.