Produced by Chris Curnow, Greg Bergquist and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Transcriber's Note
The punctuation and spelling from the original text have been faithfullypreserved. Only obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Plate XVI is missing from the scanned image files. The reference withinthe Maps and Plates list has been preserved.
TO MARS _via_ THE MOON
_Drawn by M. Wicks_
VIEW FROM THE AIR-SHIP, OVER THE CANALS AND THE CITY OF SIRAPION
"What a splendid view we then had over the country all around us!...Across the country, in line after line, were the canals which we hadbeen so anxious to see, extending as far as the eye could reach!"]
To Mars _via_ The Moon
_AN ASTRONOMICAL STORY_
BY MARK WICKS
"_It is astronomy which will eventually be the chief educator and emancipator of the human race._"--SIR EDWIN ARNOLD.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON SEELEY AND CO. LIMITED 38 GREAT RUSSELL STREET 1911
Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. At the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh
TO
PROFESSOR PERCIVAL LOWELL
A.B., LL.D.
_Director of the Observatory at Flagstaff, Arizona_
TO WHOSE CAREFUL AND PAINSTAKING RESEARCHES, EXTENDING OVER MANY YEARS, THE WORLD OWES SO MUCH OF ITS KNOWLEDGE OF
THE PLANET MARS,
THIS LITTLE BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY ONE WHO HAS DERIVED INFINITE PLEASURE FROM THE PERUSAL OF HIS WORKS ON THE SUBJECT
PREFACE
In the course of my experience as an occasional lecturer during the pasttwelve years, I have been much impressed by the keen interest evinced,even by the most unlettered persons, when astronomical subjects aredealt with in plain untechnical language which they can really grasp andunderstand.
The pertinent questions which have been addressed to me privately bymembers of my audiences have clearly indicated that there is ample scopefor writers in satisfying a widespread desire for fuller and clearerinformation upon such subjects. I have observed that particular interestis taken in the planet Mars and also in the moon, but ordinary personsusually find astronomical text-books too technical and too difficult tomaster; whilst, as regards Mars, the information they contain isgenerally meagre and sometimes not up-to-date.
Scientific readers are already provided for: and it occurred to me thatit would be much more useful and appeal to a more numerous class if,instead of writing a book on the usual lines, I wrote a narrative ofevents which might be supposed to occur in the course of an actualvoyage to Mars; and describing what might be seen on the planet during ashort visit.
This is the genesis of the story; and, in carrying out my programme, Ihave endeavoured to convey by means of natural incidents andconversations between the characters portrayed, the most recent andreliable scientific information respecting the moon and Mars; togetherwith other astronomical information: stating it in an interesting form,and in concise, clear, and understandable language.
Every endeavour has been made to ensure that this scientific informationshall be thoroughly accurate, so that in this respect the book may bereferred to with as much confidence as any ordinary textbook.
Apart from my own studies and work, all these facts have been carefullyverified by reference, as regards the moon, to the works of suchwell-known authorities as Neison, Elger, Proctor, Sir Robert Ball, &c.,whilst, with respect to Mars, the works of Professor Lowell, Flammarion,Professor Langley, and other writers, as well as practical papers byother actual observers of the planet, have been studied.
The personal opinions expressed are entirely my own, and the technicalwriters above mentioned are in no way responsible for them. I do not,however, expect my readers to accept all my views, as they relate tomatters in which there is ample room for differences of opinion.
The reader will, of course, understand that whilst the astronomicalinformation is, in all cases, scientific fact according to our presentknowledge, the story itself--as well as the attempt to describe thephysical and social conditions on Mars--is purely imaginative. It isnot, however, merely random imagining. In a narrative such as this somematters--as, for instance, the "air-ship," and the possibility of avoyage through space--must be taken for granted; but the other ideasare mainly logical deductions from known facts and scientific data, orlegitimate inferences.
Many years' careful study of the various theories which have beenevolved has convinced me that the weight of evidence is in favour ofProfessor Lowell's conceptions, as being not only the most reasonablebut the most scientific; and that they fit the observed facts with acompleteness attaching to no other theory. These conceptions I haveendeavoured to present fully and clearly; together with my own views asan entirely independent writer.
In dealing with the conditions on a distant and inaccessible world thefarthest flight of imagination might fall short of the reality, but Ihave preferred to treat these matters somewhat restrainedly. Whilst noone can say positively that the intelligent inhabitants of Mars do notpossess bodies resembling our own, it is very probable that they differfrom us entirely; and may possess forms which would appear to us strangeand weird. I have, however, thought it desirable to endow the Martianswith bodies resembling ours, but glorified in form and features. Thepowers ascribed to the Martians are really only extensions of powerswhich some amongst us claim to possess, and they fall short of what morethan one modern scientific writer has predicated as being within thepossibilities of science at a not very distant future.
During the past few years I have been greatly indebted to ProfessorLowell for his kindness and ready courtesy in furnishing me withinformation on obscure matters connected with Mars; and my thanks arealso due to the Rev. Theodore E.R. Phillips, of Ashstead, who was goodenough to read the manuscript of this book, and whose greatobservational experience enabled him to make valuable suggestions inregard to the scientific matters dealt with therein.
Truly "a labour of love," this little book--which Professor Lowell hasmost kindly permitted me to dedicate to him--is now submitted to thepublic, in the sincere hope that its perusal may serve not only to whileaway a leisure hour, but tend to nurture a love of the sublime scienceof astronomy, and at the same time provide some food for thought.
A few maps, plates, and charts have been added to give completeness tothe work, and it is hoped that they will aid the reader in understandingthe several matters dealt with.
M.W. 1910.