inhabited by gigantic reptiles, for its conditions are similar to those of the Jurassic period, when the earth was peopled by dinosaurs. Those conditions would be better than a world without heat, for that would make life impossible, and in time to come the climate of Venus will be modified.     A heavy struggle through the heavy atmosphere awaits the coronium airship, and when the voyagers alight they may meet monsters never before seen by human eye.     The difficulties of this undertaking appear to be in steering a vessel accurately through the ether.     The atmosphere extends to a distance of sixty miles beyond our planet. After that comes the ether, the hypothetical substance occupying the space between the planets and stars and pervading all matter.     It is usually held by science that an object entering the ether would retain the impetus it had on leaving the atmosphere. An aerial vessel, under such conditions, would therefore continue on its course until it reached the atmosphere of some other heavenly body or some solid object. That was the theory upon which Jules Verne based his famous scientific romance, “A Trip to the Moon.” It was assumed that as a vessel was propelled through space without effort it would be stopped by a solid object without shock. Hence Jules Verne’s travellers were able to alight safely on the moon.     The nature of the ether is, however, still subject to discussion, since it is a hypothetical substance whose existence is based on reasoning and not on physical perception. There are scientists who argue that an airship

could be made to navigate the ether if it could be projected there. There are various ways in which the object could be attained. The airship might throw out an atmosphere of its own when it wished to change its course. The vessel would, in any case, have to carry a great supply of compressed oxygen for the use of its occupants. There are scientists, however, who argue that the ether possesses a certain resisting power, since this must be included in the power to conduct light waves and electricity. They believe that an aeroplane constructed with sufficient lightness and delicacy could drive itself with propellers through the ether.     Many scientists besides Mr. Nicht have discussed the possibility of reaching the other heavenly bodies. The great French chemist, Berthelot, believed that it would be done some day. Maeterlinck, who combines considerable scientific knowledge with his great philosophic and literary gifts, believes that the final service of aviation will be to carry man away from the earth when it is no longer fit for human habitation. H. G. Wells, the most scientific of all novelists, has also explained why we shall be able to navigate the ether.     When man is able to roam through the universe at will he will he completely emancipated from the bonds of hunger, disease and ignorance, which are largely the creation of conditions that keep him rooted to one narrow spot. From—The Times Dispatch. (Richmond, Va.), 25 May 1913. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.