Discredits Tesla's Martian Theory

Mr. Marconi Attributes Alleged Messages from Mars to Local Atmospheric Disturbances.

[SPECIAL CABLE TO THE HERALD.]

The Herald's European edition publishes the following from its correspondent:—

LONDON, Saturday.— Nikola Tesla having set up the fascinating, or fantastic, theory as to the possibility of communicating with the people of Mars, the Daily Mail yesterday sought the opinion of Mr. Marconi, who is conducting experiments in wireless telegraphy near Poole, and Mr. Marconi gave the following reply:—

"In earlier experiments, before my apparatus was perfected, I often received signals apparently from nowhere. This was undoubtedly due to atmospheric electricity. One of the greatest difficulties has been to produce an apparatus which would eliminate them, but this I have lately succeeded in doing.

"I should attribute the alleged signals from Mars to local disturbances in the atmosphere."

Professor Fleming, F. R. S., of University College, laughed at the idea of communicating with Mars, even if there are any people there.

"Is this idea taken seriously?" was his first question. "I am afraid," added the distinguished authority on electrical science, "that Tesla has been led away by his own imagination. It is difficult, of course, to say that anything is beyond the ultimate reach of science, but at present I should say that the people of Mars are."