THE PHANTOM OF THE POLES

CHAPTER I

FLATTENING OF THE EARTH AT THE POLES

Why is the earth flat at the poles? Our school-books teach that the earth is round, and flattened at the poles; but they do not tell us why. If the earth is solid, this question cannot be answered. If the earth be hollow, the question is easily answered, as it could not be hollow and at the same time round; for the opening to the interior of the earth would then detract from the roundness just in proportion to the size of the opening. A ball cannot be made round and have a hole in it: however small the hole, the ball is not round to that extent.

If the earth be double, or hollow, it is built just as it would have to be. If the earth be round, there would be no need of

this book; for that alone would settle the question for all time. To prove a fact, one or two circumstances will sometimes be sufficient; but not always. For instance,

PLANET SATURN.
The planet Saturn is a world within a world, and maybe more. The inner world is flattened at the poles, and is 75,000 miles in diameter. If hollow, the earth could move round in it, and yet not be within 20,000 miles of its walls.

if it were claimed that the earth had an opening to the interior, and one could show that the earth was round, that alone would be sufficient to refute it. But, on the other hand, the fact that the earth is flattened at the poles is not sufficient to prove that it is hollow, and is only one of

the evidences to show that, if it be, the earth is in the right shape for it. If now we can produce enough other evidence to prove that the earth is double, then we have shown why it is flattened at the poles. The fact that the earth is flattened at the poles is not any proof that the earth is double, or hollow. It only shows that the shape of the earth is not only favorable to such a condition, but absolutely necessary, and gives a good foundation with which to start.