COMMUNICATION WITH MARS

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12429, 19 February 1901, Page 6

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 commundcaion has considerable interest for us. Two aerolites, which were discovered some two years ago, bore sup- , posed evidence of artificial, though unintelligible markings; these were 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 three “ mild .earth vibrations,” accounted for as being a slight galvanic shuck sent by the irritated inhabitants ox Mars. Now, it appears to us, that if these same Martians, each one xof which, according to scientists^is a little god unto himself, and struts about his back 1 yard with an 1 ordinary stature of some 20xt, 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 tboir 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 feeing and bonne cama.raderie towards us by sending ua an aerolite, carriage paid order to land in Cathedral Square for a pound of ‘'Arab" or "Shah” ' tea, the flavour of which is enough to delight the palate of even a wooden god, Ithere is no doubt it would be a very strong argument in favour of a closer acquaintnce- ... (bip. ar| d conducive to a better mutual mderitondintf M —-ch other. 1988