CHAPTER III – Martian Canal System

The Martian Canal System, as detailed in this chapter of “The Planet Mars and Its Inhabitants,” presents an intricate and advanced engineering marvel designed to sustain the planet’s populace with its most precious resource, water. The genesis of this vast canal network dates back approximately 10,000 years, spurred by Christ’s forewarning during His visit, emphasizing the critical need for a sustainable water supply as natural reserves began to dwindle. It wasn’t until 3,000 years after His guidance that the commencement of this planetary project took root, evolving continuously over the subsequent millennia to its present state of complexity and efficiency.

The canal system, essential for conveying water from the melting polar ice caps across the planet, includes double canals set roughly 75 miles apart to ensure reliability and mitigate the impact of any potential disruptions. This foresight has proven invaluable in preserving the agricultural stability of Martian society, especially given the planet’s negligible rainfall and the complete dependence on polar water sources for irrigation and sustenance. Remarkably, the population of Mars—eight times that of Earth’s—thrives solely on this engineered water supply, a feat made possible by the adaptation of the planet’s once robust oceanic reservoirs and the innovative use of electrically operated lock and pump systems for water management and distribution.

Astronomical observations from Earth, particularly by Lowell, misinterpreted the Martian ‘Oases’ and triangular ‘Carets’ as natural phenomena rather than components of this sophisticated water redistribution system. The ‘Oases,’ misconceived as population centers, are actually vast reservoirs supporting surrounding vegetation through dewfall, while the ‘Carets’ are critical to the canal system’s functionality, serving as part impoundment and part pumping mechanism to elevate water to main canals.

Interestingly, the text underscores the feasibility of such grand constructions on Mars, attributed not only to the planet’s lower gravity facilitating large-scale excavations but also to the cohesive spirit and unified purpose of Martian society. Contrary to Earth’s divisive tendencies across racial, sociological, religious, and political lines, Mars flourishes under the governance of love and communal harmony, casting a reflective critique on Earth’s societal and environmental challenges while hailing the pioneering spirit and technological prowess of its own civilization.