THE MARTIAN CANAL SYSTEM
The Canal system on Mars is comparatively new.The idea of constructing a planetary Canal system had its incipiency at the time of Christ's visit to our planet.The Master warned the people that they must make provision for their future water supply.At that time (10,000 years ago) the water supply was becoming noticeably scarcer as time went on.It was nearly 3,000 years after the Master's mission to Mars had been concluded that actual construction of the Planetary Canal system was undertaken; and during the intervening 7,000 years and up to the present time, construction on the public waterways has continued.
At the present day the system is most complete, but constant work is required to keep the canals in working order.In addition to the gigantic Canal system, provision had to be made for suitable reservoirs to impound the water after the seasonal thaws at the poles.To this end immense reservoirs were constructed at most canal intersections.In some instances the reservoirs are established between parallel canals; but in every case smaller canals, or 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 (eighttimes 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.
