d like to ask you whether, during the last thirty-five years or so,
there has not been an extraordinary advance in knowledge amongst your
people in connection with such sciences as electricity, telegraphy,
light and engineering, as well as in astronomy?

"I ask because our experts have been most earnestly endeavouring during
that time to transmit some of their knowledge on these subjects to your
scientific people on the earth, and we have some reason to believe that
their efforts have been, at least, partially successful."

I assured him that our advance in regard to these subjects had really
been phenomenal during the period he mentioned. Probably during no
previous period in the history of our world had so many useful,
important, and even amazing discoveries been made during such a short
space of time.

I gave particulars of the great discoveries and rapid developments in
connection with electricity, wireless telegraphy, the telephone,
Hertzian waves, X and N rays, spectroscopy, colour-photography, and
telectrography. I also mentioned the discovery of radium, helium, and
argon; the medical use of light and bacteriology; together with the
invention of the turbine engine, motor cars, flying machines; also
phonographs and other kinds of talking machines.

Merna expressed himself as very gratified at this information; and
remarked that our progress would be still more rapid in the future, as
it was quite evident that there were terrestrial intelligences which
were readily receptive, and capable of high development. He promised
that what I had told him should be made known in the proper quarters;
and added that the Martians would be encouraged to persevere in their
efforts to impart such knowledge as would aid in the general advancement
of science in our world.

He then asked me, "Whether, in connection with new discoveries, it had
been found that more than one person had developed the new ideas about
the same time?"

"Yes, Merna," I replied; "it has often been observed that similar
inventions have been made by several people at the same time: although
they have worked quite independently, and were totally unaware of what
was being done by each other."

"That," said Merna, "is a natural consequence of these influences; for
they are in the air, so to speak, and have only to be brought into
connection with the appropriate intellects to be assimilated and carried
into effect."

I then asked him if he could explain h