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Scientifictionist, v. 2, issue 1, November 1946-January 1947
Page 6
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AMONG THE CLASSICS by Norman Stanley Five Storied by g. Peyton Wertenbaker (Continued from Stfist # 6) THE SHIP THAT TURNED ASIDE -- Amazing Stories, Vol.4, No.12(March 1930) In this tale the author advances a bold theory to the effect the earth is really a four-dimensional sphere and hence that we exist on and are aware of only an infinitesimal section of its complete surface. We are told that our statue might be compared to that of two-dimensional beings who are confined to and aware of only the plane through the equator of a three-dimensional world. To the two-dimensional being the earth would appear to be oriented along a great circle other than the equator and would therefore fid himself in a world which coincides with his former plane only at two antipodal points. If, further, it is assumed that the motion of the earth is such that the sun always appears directly over the equator, then our two-dimensional man who turned aside would find himself bathed in sunlight, the source of which would be invisible to him, and would observe that he cast no shadow. This would be so, since neither the sun nor his shadow would lie in the plane which the ebing [?] is occupying. At least that is the theory advanced by the scientist, Pretloe, when the ocean steamer on which he is traveling finds itself lost in an unknown sea, following a storm and an unusual aurora-like electrical display. When the storm has abated the ship is found to be in a region wherein the sun is nowhere to be seen in the cloudless daytime sky, while the apparently sourceless daylight casts no visible shadows. Though stars appears at night, the constellations are unfamiliar. Other strange phenomena, such as the failure of the ship's compass and electrical devices to work, are also observed. Further confirmation that this is no known region of the earth's surface is had when land is not sighted until several days after the ship should have arrived at its normal destination, Liverpool. The voyagers find that they have come instead to an unknown and uninhabited land. It turns out, though, that they find a life preserver form The Pacific, lost without trace in 1856, and one of the famous examples of missing ships. The captain recalls several other such cases, notably The president and the City of Glasgow, also lost around 1850 and, like themselves and The Pacific, on the course between New York and Liverpool. (He heroically refrains, though, from citing the case of the Marie Celeste, possibly out of deference to any Forteans in the audience.) The ship's company receives Pretloe's theory, and the realization that the chance of their ever getting back to their former world is vanishingly small, with remarkable equanimity. It is decided that the best chance for survival lies in establishing a permanent colony at "Jamestown Bay" where they have landed. Fortunately, the ship carries a large and extensive cargo of machinery and construction materials highly useful for setting up the colony, and it is proposed to strip the vessel of this and all non-essential equipment and furnishings for use in the colony, leaving change in outlook comes over them. All seem to have become seized with a buoyant, and it must be added, oddly naive, enthusiasm for the life ahead of them. Perhaps it was that they were all rather weary of the old world with its quarrels and stupidities and hopelessly tangled skein of conflicting to wipe the slate clean and build a better world. Many of the company turn out to have idealistic leanings of a sort one would scarcely suspect them of harboring. The narrator mentions the amusing instance of the financier and the conservative lawyer who surprise everyone, including page 6
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AMONG THE CLASSICS by Norman Stanley Five Storied by g. Peyton Wertenbaker (Continued from Stfist # 6) THE SHIP THAT TURNED ASIDE -- Amazing Stories, Vol.4, No.12(March 1930) In this tale the author advances a bold theory to the effect the earth is really a four-dimensional sphere and hence that we exist on and are aware of only an infinitesimal section of its complete surface. We are told that our statue might be compared to that of two-dimensional beings who are confined to and aware of only the plane through the equator of a three-dimensional world. To the two-dimensional being the earth would appear to be oriented along a great circle other than the equator and would therefore fid himself in a world which coincides with his former plane only at two antipodal points. If, further, it is assumed that the motion of the earth is such that the sun always appears directly over the equator, then our two-dimensional man who turned aside would find himself bathed in sunlight, the source of which would be invisible to him, and would observe that he cast no shadow. This would be so, since neither the sun nor his shadow would lie in the plane which the ebing [?] is occupying. At least that is the theory advanced by the scientist, Pretloe, when the ocean steamer on which he is traveling finds itself lost in an unknown sea, following a storm and an unusual aurora-like electrical display. When the storm has abated the ship is found to be in a region wherein the sun is nowhere to be seen in the cloudless daytime sky, while the apparently sourceless daylight casts no visible shadows. Though stars appears at night, the constellations are unfamiliar. Other strange phenomena, such as the failure of the ship's compass and electrical devices to work, are also observed. Further confirmation that this is no known region of the earth's surface is had when land is not sighted until several days after the ship should have arrived at its normal destination, Liverpool. The voyagers find that they have come instead to an unknown and uninhabited land. It turns out, though, that they find a life preserver form The Pacific, lost without trace in 1856, and one of the famous examples of missing ships. The captain recalls several other such cases, notably The president and the City of Glasgow, also lost around 1850 and, like themselves and The Pacific, on the course between New York and Liverpool. (He heroically refrains, though, from citing the case of the Marie Celeste, possibly out of deference to any Forteans in the audience.) The ship's company receives Pretloe's theory, and the realization that the chance of their ever getting back to their former world is vanishingly small, with remarkable equanimity. It is decided that the best chance for survival lies in establishing a permanent colony at "Jamestown Bay" where they have landed. Fortunately, the ship carries a large and extensive cargo of machinery and construction materials highly useful for setting up the colony, and it is proposed to strip the vessel of this and all non-essential equipment and furnishings for use in the colony, leaving change in outlook comes over them. All seem to have become seized with a buoyant, and it must be added, oddly naive, enthusiasm for the life ahead of them. Perhaps it was that they were all rather weary of the old world with its quarrels and stupidities and hopelessly tangled skein of conflicting to wipe the slate clean and build a better world. Many of the company turn out to have idealistic leanings of a sort one would scarcely suspect them of harboring. The narrator mentions the amusing instance of the financier and the conservative lawyer who surprise everyone, including page 6
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