edition was not large, considering the
gigantic character of the undertaking. Each of the electrical ships
carried about twenty men, together with an abundant supply of compressed
provisions, compressed air, scientific apparatus and so on. In all,
there were about 2,000 men, who were going to conquer, if they could,
another world!

But though few in numbers, they represented the flower of the earth,
the culmination of the genius of the planet. The greatest leaders
in science, both theoretical and practical, were there. It was the
evolution of the earth against the evolution of Mars. It was a planet in
the heyday of its strength matched against an aged and decrepit world
which, nevertheless, in consequence of its long ages of existence,
had acquired an experience which made it a most dangerous foe. On both
sides there was desperation. The earth was desperate because it foresaw
destruction unless it could first destroy its enemy. Mars was desperate
because nature was gradually depriving it of the means of supporting
life, and its teeming population was compelled to swarm like the inmates
of an overcrowded hive of bees, and find new homes elsewhere. In this
respect the situation on Mars, as we were well aware, resembled what had
already been known upon the earth, where the older nations overflowing
with population had sought new lands in which to settle, and for that
purpose had driven out the native inhabitants, whenever those natives
had proven unable to resist the invasion.

No man could foresee the issue of what we were about to undertake,
but the tremendous powers which the disintegrators had exhibited and
the marvellous efficiency of the electrical ships bred almost universal
confidence that we should be successful.

Master Minds of the World.

The car in which Mr. Edison travelled was, of course, the flagship
of the squadron, and I had the good fortune to be included among
its inmates. Here, besides several leading men of science from our
own country, were Lord Kelvin, Lord Rayleigh, Professor Roentgen,
Dr. Moissan--the man who first made artificial diamonds--and several
others whose fame had encircled the world. Each of these men cherished
hopes of wonderful discoveries, along his line of investigation, to be
made in Mars.

An elaborate system of signals had, of course, to be devised for the
control of the squadron. These signals consisted of brilliant electric
lights displayed at night and so controlled th