ugh to give me any particulars that may be of interest in
connection with these subjects."

He then took a seat, with the tutors on either side of him; and he added
that the Martians had not been able to acquire any definite information
upon the matters to which he referred, but they knew our people were not
so far advanced as the Martians, and he did not therefore expect too
much of the terrestrials.

I told him I would endeavour to enlighten him upon these subjects so far
as lay in my power; and, as I rose to speak, the general body of the
Martians seated themselves a few feet away from us in a large semicircle
facing the chief.

I noticed that, against the wall behind the Chief, was a group of
beautifully embroidered banners representing the planets, and that those
depicting Mars and the Earth were placed in the central positions. These
two banners exhibited very graphic representations of the markings on
the respective planets.

CHAPTER XIX

THE CHIEF OF THE MARTIAN COUNCIL DISCUSSES THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF OUR
WORLD AND MARS

It was a most strange, and, in fact, embarrassing situation for me--an
insignificant and very retiring man in my own country--to be thus called
upon to address a large company of the most important inhabitants of
another world, and to try to make them understand the social and
political systems carried on by the nations on the earth. However, the
position had to be faced; so as clearly and concisely as I could I
explained to them our various systems of government--our political
systems and our social conditions; mentioning in connection with the
latter the extremes of wealth and the extremes of poverty which often
existed side by side.

I touched upon the rivalries between the various nations, the enormous
amounts of money expended in armaments for aggressive and defensive
purposes, our hereditary nobility, our land systems, trading, and also
the great and difficult problems of poverty, drink, and unemployment
with which we had to cope.

Whilst I was speaking, Merna, in a quiet tone of voice, translated to
the Martians sitting around us the purport of what I said; and I noticed
that often he only had to say a few words and the Martians' sense of
intuition enabled them to understand what was in his mind respecting my
address and to follow my statements.

Now and then the Chief, or one of the tutors, would put searching and
pertinent questions to me on various points, and th