PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2556, 2 September 1915, Page 3

PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

* MARTIAN ENGINEERING. 'At| a' meeting of the astronomical section 'of..'•the philosophical Society at .the last night r an' interesting -lee-; turo entitled "Some Aspects' ;of Martian Engineering Problems".: was- given by Mr.-Wi'S. 'La Trobe, M.A., Director of the' Wellington Tfchnical College!- ; ■;Mr. La Trobe dealt. with. the many ifiitereStihg ;speculati6ns made by scientists on the .various aspects of Mars.. He quoted Lowell's deductions from observations mado of Mars by that famous scientist. Mr.,-La--Trobe also dealt; with the ' theory that the Martians drew, their water from the melting of snow from the polar caps there; Touching-upon ; the Martian canals, Mr. ■La .Trobe; said .it was estimated that these comprised, two million' square miles, of irrigation/. The, construction of the canals ! must have involved a stupendous amount of ' work. .It - was.-possible that this,.work' may have spread over mil-, lions of .years. .Mr. La Trobe remark-, ed on the dissimilarity of 'the amount of power necessary, for ; such, labour;, as., between the Earth' and Mars. Many other interesting points": wore touched upon, the conclusion of tho lecture was accorded a vote of thanks.