INHABITANTS IN MARS.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2870, 27 April 1878, Page 4

INHABITANTS IN MARS.

'I his is the age of scientfiic discoveries, and as one Follows another with marvellous rapidity, the world looks on and wonders when the end will come. The very latest scientific discovery of modern times is in connection with the planet Mars. A late number of a French scientific review containa'a most graphic account of tho observations made by Baron Zbingelschort, who advances the theory that Mars is inhabited. In the course of a lengthy paper, on the subject, the Baron contends that tho population of Mars is exceedingly dense in the temperate and tropical zones of the planet, and comparatively scanty in tho colder regions. The general structure of tho beings observed on its surface, including those supposed to represent the lower animals,-appear to be analgous to the terrestrial vertebrate type, though with very extraordinary varigations in development. The. organs of respiration and of vision particularly are enormously enlarged. Those regarded as representing the human race have a weird and strange appearance, arising from the immense expansion of the chest, and the deep cavernous hollows which form the orbits of the eyes. This latter feature occupies nearly the whole of the upper portion of the countenance. The whole air nud mien suggest at first sight the idea of intelligent insects rather than ot men, but this is redeemed on longer examination by the delicate contour of the limbs, and the general style of movement indicating an internal skeleton and an external muscular system.

A strange aud weird beauty is described as the prevailing characteristic in the favored regions, while in others, types of the most repulsive and grotesque ugliness abound. Clothing of some sort they seem to possess—but the Baron appears to consider that this is in reality a natural covering, tinalagous to tho plumage of birds. The muscular strength is enormous in proportion to the size of the frame. No flying creatures have been seen, but the inhabitants seem equally at home on tho solid portions of tho planet and on the waters, which intersect every portion of its surface, which is covered with a: network of narrow seas and straits.' A high degreee of civilisation is believed to have been attained in some localities. One feature of social arrangement appears to be the utter and complete subjugation of the male portion of the inhabitants to that which represents what with us is regarded as the i weaker sex. This characteristic is said to be the most conspicuous where the civilisation is the most advanced. Some customs have been observed which are so subversive of the .idea entertained on this subject amongst ourselves, that the Professor hesitates in placing his interpretation of them on record, and seems to affirm that they have not been completely understood. The superiority of the female portion of the population, however, is said to admit of no question. Equally obvious is the incessant and well ordered industry which pervades the entire community—and the absence of anything resembling what we call the privileged classes, is considered to be also well established by observation. The length of the year, nearly equal to two of ours, gives great prominence to agricultural operations, which appear to occupy the great majority ot' the inhabitants. The vegetation of the planet is a prominent feature of its surface, and is dcs cribed as utterly dissimilar to anything with which we are acquainted on our own globe. Some indications of the remarkable style of the Martial architecture are also given, but on this, and indeed on all other points, the information contained in the memories a3 yet published, is exceedingly fragmentary. Some account of the optical means employed to attain these extraordinary results will naturally be expected. The process is, of course* only imperfectly known, but it is understood to depend on a combination of telespcopic and photographic observation. The instrument employed for the telescopic part of the work was a magnificent refractor of 92 centimetres aperture and ten metres focal distance. The large aperture secured great brilliancy, and the short focal distance obtained the necessary steadiness and clear definition. No such object-glass had ever been ground before, nor is it supposed possible to procure a mass of flint glass of uniform density large enough to manufacture one. The difficulty was overcome by tho substitution of the lighter oxide of aluminium for the oxide of lead in the composition of the glass; but the same formula, though often tried since, has never yielded the successful results which it did in this case under Baron Zhingelschort's personal superintendence. By a chemical discovery which immensely increases the activity of the actinic rays, successive enlargements of the photo* graphic images were rendered possible, and these were afterwards *■ deciphered, so to speak, by a slow and laborious process. The planet Mars only remains for a few days at a time within observing distance of the earth, and only four sets of observations were found practicable during the 18 years of the Baron's stay at Quito. Venus and the Moon were both examined, again and again, but no traces of organic life were discovered. The two Martial satelites, strangely enough, escaped the Baron's notice for a long time, owing to the peculiar method of observation employed, but they were discovered by the unaided refractor about two years ago, and the results were duly noted.—Exchange.