COMMUNICATION WITH MARS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12424, 13 February 1901, Page 3

COMMUNICATION WITH MARS.

The above subject has attracted a> good deal of attention from time to time, and anything that tends to'show the possibility of such communicaion has considerable interest for us. Two aerolites, which were discovered some two years ago, bore supposed evidence of artificial, though unintelligible markings; these wero attributed at the time to a laudable zeal on the part _of the Martians for attaining a closer acquaintance with their inferior neighbours, the inhabitants of ■ this planet, who are not gifted with their own godly attributes. Now, as we took no notice; of their little billet, doux in the'shape of • Martian 'bricks, which, by the way, are: a trifle heavy as compared with our own, they have rebuked our seeming indifference by mildly shaking our shoulders so to speak,-.which shaking is described by M. Tesla, as thr-ee "mild earth vibrations," accounted for as being a slight galvanic shock sent by the irritated inhabitants of Mare!. Now, it appears to us that, if these same-Martians, each one of which, according to scientist's, a-little god unto himself, "and struts his back yard vytitli an ordinary stature of some 20ft, and at their annual Caledonian sports, throws the hammer, weighing a- couple of tons a..distance of some two miles or so, we think it would be very undesirable to cultivate their acquaintance to any extent, such accomplishments as compared with our own little efforts would be bound sooner or later to cause heartburnings and jealousies, and no doubt from their superior height, they would look down upon us, and treat us as being very much beneath them, and who knows they may be gifted with a very captious spirit, but, as a worthy doctor put it the other day, if they would shown their good feeling and bonne cama•raderie towards us by sending us an aerolite,, carriage paid order to -land, in Cathedral Square for a pounl of "Arab" or "Shah" tea, the flavour of which is enough to de'ight the palate of even a wooden god, 'hero is no doubt it would be a very strong irgument in favour of a closer acquaintiice-. ship and conducive to a better mutual; of. '