LUNAR WONDERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 20, 21 January 1876, Page 4

LU NAR WONDERS.

[From the Gtapftic ] Paris, Oct. 26— M. Bas tie's process of (oughteued glass has already been ! productive of valuable results in the arts; it has been reserved for M. Last-nai-Coreau to make it still more valuable' r in the sciences by employing glass treated in M. Bastie's way for optical purposes. He has constructed therewith the ienses of the large Gregorian teleseppe with which he has thus far resolved, and, by employing the Rutherford method, has photographed three hitherto unknown nebulas in Argo, and four in Scorpio, thue, if not adding largely to the more interesting points in astronomical science, at least showing what might be expected when the optical properties of glass treated according to M. Bastie's process shall have been more fully examined and brought into general use in the observatories.. The Bastie glass is in appearunoe like the ordinary uutreated material, but its physical constitution is changed by its increased distance between its molecules effected by the fatty substances enclosed, and as the refraction 6i' light — the deflection of the waves from their original direction — igeeffected in a new way among the mingled molecules of the crystalised glass and the colloid oil, it is supposed that it is on this that the great powers of .the v telescope of Lastnai-Coreau depend. However this may be— and it is a matter hot yet fully understood-i---it is settled beyond cavil that, if all shall be accomplished ihat is reasonably hoped for— there will ere long be so great an increment to our knowledge of the world of Bpace that even the ■wonderful achievements of* the spectrescope shall be eclipsed. Besides the results of which I have already spoken, of the revolution of nebulas not previously seen, the discoveries in regard to lunar topography and in general to selenography of all kinds, are of' the utmost importance. When in Russia astronomers were first turning their attention to that glittering surface on the ojood, which was supposed by them to be a huge mirror erected by the lunar inhabitants for the purpose of establishing a sort of telegraphic communication with the people of the earth, it happened that M. Last-nai-Coieau was supervising the near completion of bis telescope at the works of M. Eichens, the constructor of the new'instrument for the Paris Observatory.; He. became deeply interested in the matter, although he gave little credence- to the report that it had been settled definitely that the shining surface was of artificial origin. On investigating the subject, he found that though" there was no doubt of the new appearance on the lunar surface, it wns prob'atJly but . a canard which told of anything peculiarly interesting in it. Thus it happened tbat when his telescope'was completed he turned rather to tbe investigation of the nebulas, always of interest to the astronomer, than to what at first blush would seem the "more important subject of the new lunar discovery. But. perhaps. l am 'taking too much for granted in supposing (bat you in America have heard of tbe discovery of the^ Russian savants. In brief, it was^aimpiy that on the surface of the moou a glittering surface about 100 ft. in diameter -wbs* discovered, the changing scintillations of which were plainly due,|p ; intelligent beings, as they were, rhythmical for certain periods, and thefif abrupt, their abruptness being like. that used, in some sorts of telegraphy.! From these indications it waa regarded as determined that there we&j intelligent beings in the mnon, and".of itbe'in it was somewhat hastily concluded tbat they were endeavoring to signal t the earth. This is a brief account of the matter. JVjr« r: ;Lastnai.Coreau has turned bis telescope on the moon, and has found, indeed, 'the' glittering surface, but has very conclusively shown that its use is not that which has been attributed to it. r-:Without entirely conolusive evidence, it hns long been thought that the moon iB without an atmosphere, although many have asserted that, on account of the fact that the moon'B centre 6V 'gravity is come eight miles away from its centre of sphericity, the air and water of that planet bad gravid tated to that side of the moon which is never; turned towards the earth. Able investigators have shown the falsity of both propositions ; there is an atmosphere ou the moou which envelopes it as ours does ihe earth. From his investigations with hia instrument, which practically brings the moon within ten miles of tbe earth for purposes of' observation within a limited area, M.Lastoui-Coreau has shown that in the moon there are beings shaped generally like men, but much larger, and that thousands of them are working towards some common end with a mirrbr which, instead of being 100 foet is considerably over 1,000 feet in diameter. It is swung on gimbals or gigantic supports in Buch a way as to turn in any desired direction, and seems to serve mauy purposes, or at least to be able to serve them. It ia concave, and from the fact that it is generally turned in such a dircetion that its rays strike over an enormous field what seenis: to be growing grain, it seems evident tbat it is usad to concentrate the rays of the sun in such a way as to render possible the growth of cropa on the -moon; which is cold and in most places barren, as it has hitherto been supposed to be in all places. What a hothouse is 1 ia wider on the earth the mirror of the lunar men, ia to them, I

cave that it supplies them wiih food by concentrating the rays of light and heat end throwing them upon the fields. As it turns, often 'a nearly unbearable light/" like that of the sun, has been thrown on the eyes of, the observer, bo that at times he is forced to observe with a colored glass over the objectglass of his instrument. He describes the men a 8 looking like a colony of gigantic miners living in huts, upon which at stated hours— hence the observed regularity of the signalling — the light and warmth are permitted to fall. At other times the rays of the mirror are concentrated on what looks like black earth, perhaps with the purpose of warming it and making it suitable for the future raising of other crops. It is indubitable that there is a lunar atmosphere, since not only do plants grow — and this necessitates an atmosphere like our own— -and men live, but M. Laßtnai-Coreau has seen gigantic birds wheeling around the awful crags and above the mighty chasms of the moon. He has scon them descend in flocks towards the grain fields, but also has seen at such times the rays of the mirror turned directly upon tnem — not slantingly as on the ground, but directly, so that they have fallen lifeless to the earth and eagerly been devoured by the men. It is M. Lnstnai-Coreau's opinion that these are convicts, or men who for some reason Lave been banished from the wnrmer and more habitable lunar hemispheres to a sort of Siberia, where they must work out their own purposes and live only through their own invaluable exertions. If this supposition be correct, it shows that on that portion of the lunar surface which is hidden for ever from us, a high degree of civilization must have been rerched. It seems impossible that this huge mirror could have been constructed by those beings who. use it, under the circumstances in which they are now placed, for to construct such a contrivance presupposes the existence of vast foundries and skilled workmen, of food to support them in their work, of a division of labor, and in short of all that we know under the name of civilization of a degree of perfection which we at least have not yet reached. Unfortunately I can give you no further intelligence in regard to this majestic discovery, for the discoverer refuses at present to divulge further. How one great deed like tbat of the fabrication of the Bastie glass leads to others has long been known. In a short time I hope to visit M. LastnaiCdreau at his place in St. Branchier, and to send you a more extensive account, of the grandest discovery of modern times. E. P. Selkirk.