THE MARTIAN CANALS.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4291, 5 January 1910, Page 2

THE MARTIAN CANALS.

New York, January 4. Professor Lowell states that new Martian canals are strikingly evident eastwards of Ysrtis, and denote the presence of animate will. Mr E. Maunder, F.R.A.S., superintendent of the Solar Department of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, in addressing the Astronomical Society last week, said that a 60in telescope belonging to Professor G. E. Hale, L.L.D.. Sc.D., director of the Solar Observatory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, Mt. Wilson, California, had undoubtedly established the fact that the supposed canalisation of Mars was an optical illusion. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Is Mars inhabited? Has Professor Lowell really discovered canals the Martian planet, the work of human beings, or is the supposed canalisation an optical illusion? The cable sent from New York yesterday, stating that Professor Lowell discovered two new canals on Mars, during observations from his observatory Arizona, was submitted to Clement L. Wragge, the well knoj/n meteorologist, who is at presentrin Auckland. I “The consensus of opinion is tmt Professor Lowell is right,” declared Mr Wragge. “On this subject there are two schools of opinion, and the general impression is that Professor Lowell’s excellent observations and actual photographs of Mars, with the maps and plans of the planet made therefrom, prove that the canals are actualities, and not optical illusions. They distinctly indicate that Mars must be inhabited by a highly intellectual race with a civilisation probably far ahead of Earth people. “The accepted explanation of the existence of canals on Mars is this,” continued Mr Wragge. “The weight of opinion amongst astronomers is that Mars is a dying world—dying of thirst as a result of a diminishing rainfall, and conditions of drought long prevailing, except at the Martian poles. The indications are that Mars is approaching a similar condition to the present state of our Moon. Professor Lowell’s remarkable photographs are included in a series which I propose showing during the course of my lecture in Auckland this evening. It must be remembered that a sensitive photo plate never lies, and these photos distinctly prove that snow even yet falls at the North and South Poles of Mars during the winter seasons, and that during the succeeding summer months the snow becomes melted into water. This is drawn by canal systems, linking up the North Pole with the South Pole, right across the planet, for the purpose of irrigating the arid wastes of the central portions of the Martian world. In the same way, on a smaller scale, the French have beea trying to irrigate the Sahara. Those who are really interested in this theory of the canalisation of Mars should procure Professor Lowell’s latest book, ‘Life on Mars,’ in which will be found full details of the facta on which his conclusions are based. Finally, there is the strongest evidence in favour of the existence of people with lofty minds and intellects on Mars; and we. in comparison, are but pigmies,and only semi-civilized.” Referring to the statements by Professor Lowell’s critics, to the effect that his observations were optical illusions.Mr Wragge said that in" our present state of evolution it bad to be remembered that whoa a prominent man made a very special discovery there were always those to be found, even in the same profession, who endeavoured to throw discredit upon his discoveries. Unfortunately, in this 20th century this is still human nature, and it is to this that Mr Wragge ascribes the attempt to belittle Professor Lowell's claims to have discovered the canals om Wars.