The Planet Mars and Its Inhabitants | Page 7

laterals, always intersect at these points.
Many of the canals on Mars are double, as they appear to your astronomers. These double waterways parallel each other at a distance of about 75 miles. The reason for this is that as the Martian population is absolutely dependent upon the Polar waters to irrigate their crops, any accident to a canal, such as a land- slide stopping the regular flow of water or the breaking of a lock or gate, would mean a very serious calamity to a great number of people. And for that reason, soon after the main canals were constructed, second and parallel waterways were made for the purpose of guaranteeing an uninterrupted flow of water from the Poles to the Equatorial regions. The result of this was that on many occasions the foresight of the Martian engineers who had the water supply of the planet in charge, saved immense areas from drought.
The rainfall on Mars is almost nil and the immense population (eight times larger than that of your Earth) is entirely dependent on the water supply from the melting Polar caps. Water on Mars is a most precious fluid and there is none to waste. Our oceans evaporated ages ago, and outside of the precipitation of moisture at the poles in the form of snow, none is to be had anywhere else on the planet except in very meager quantities.
The astronomer Lowell of your Earth, who made a life study of our planet, called these reservoirs "Oases," but he was mistaken in his theory. He concluded that these points, which appear as round disks in the telescope, were centers of population. This conclusion is erroneous. The centers of population on Mars are scattered over the entire planet regardless of the position of the so-called "Oases." It is quite true that owing to the rapid evaporation of water in the comparatively thin atmosphere of Mars, the dewfall for quite a radius from the center of the reservoirs is considerable, with the result that vegetation springs up, giving the "Oases" the appearance of a diameter of about 75 miles. The reservoirs are about 60 miles across and hold millions of gallons of water.
The same explanation may be given of the Canals. The dewfall on each side is extensive, and the vegetal growth which extends the full length of the water-ways and for thousands of miles in some cases, is most prolific.
The water in the canals, in most instances, is distributed by gravity; but recourse is had to a lock system and to immense pumps for raising the water to proper levels.
The gates of the lock system and the pumps are operated by electricity, the control of which energy is well understood by us. In fact, we are centuries ahead of your Earth people in the knowledge of the use of Electro-magnetic energy. (More will be given on the subject of Electricity in a later chapter.)
Another source of mystery to your astronomers has been the appearance of triangular dark spots at the origin of some of the Martian canals. These have been referred to by your astronomer Lowell as "Carets," named so by reason of their peculiar shape. These so-called "Carets" are the thoughtful provision for the impounding of a season's supply of water. In other words they are in part a lock system for raising water to the level of some of the main canals, and embrace also a prodigious pumping system.
These so-called "Carets," as the telescope will show, are located at the edge of some of what appear to you as very dark areas on our planet. These dark areas are Mars' old sea bottoms, and in many instances have been utilized by our engineers as natural reservoirs for water. Their convenient location near the Poles has provided ideal facilities for the preservation of an adequate supply of water.
The construction of Mars' gigantic Canal system, planetary in its extent, might seem to your Earth people an impossible task. And it might prove so to your Earth dwellers should you undertake a similar project in the ages to come when your seas dry up, though it must be remembered that gravity on Mars, compared with your Earth, is as 38 to 100. Excavations of large waterways then becomes a comparatively easy task. We have no high mountains on Mars; in fact, none exceeding 3,000 feet in altitude. Owing to the difference in gravity the angle of repose on Mars is nearly acute as against 45 degrees on your Earth, which permits of almost perpendicular walls to the canals and lessens the danger of landslides and cave-ins. But above all, the biggest advantage enjoyed by us in the construction of large public enterprises, such as are embraced by our Canal system, is the solidarity and unity of purpose on the part