Keen students of science fiction must have noticed with pleasure the recent incursion of the fantasy element into the literature, cinema -- even the drama of these islands. Month after month, in "Novae Terrae", we read of some new tendency towards the exploitation of this neglected medium, which I have tried to reflect in my contributions to the American fan magazine FANTASY.

Although, so far, science fiction has been introduced over here only in its mildest forms, there are indications that its development as a distinct branch of popular literature has begun, and that its tremendous possibilities in other fields are also being recognised.

The Wells film, "Things To Come", which has captured the public fancy to such an extent......"The Great Experiment", at St. Martin's theatre, with fake messages to Mars as its theme .......... John Beynon Harris's Martian serial in "The Passing Show".....all are signs and symbols that those who devise our various amusements are becoming increasingly aware of the vast scope offered by science fiction.

We, of course, are primarily concerned with the literary aspect of this imminent boom in fantasy ideas, for such it seems to be. For nearly ten years now, we have had to rely on magazines imported from America for our favourite form of reading matter. In our enthusiasm for the subject, many of us - including myself - have long endeavoured to persuade British publishers to pay more attention to this type of fiction, with as yet little result.

But we have good reason to suppose that, before many months have passed, a prominent London publishing house will make a serious attempt to exploit this field by producing Britain's first

I must commence by agreeing with Mr. Barnes to the extent of saying that "interplanetary rocket flight" (meaning a voyage to, a landing on, and a safe return from the moon or one of the planets) would be highly difficult of achievement with our present resources, quite apart from the question of expense. However it is a little drastic -- and perhaps a little narrow -- to denounce the idea as being impossible, for by recourse to the four-step rocket principle or the space-station idea (of which space prohibits a description here) a rocket vessel might quite reasonably be assumed capable of a successful interplanetary voyage. Moreover, it would be as well to point out an "Interplanetary Society", unlike a "Rocket Society", is not necessarily tied down to the one means of propulsion.

The most important attribute of the rocket motor from our view-point, is the fact (elucidated in theory and since proven experimentally) that it will operate in a vacuum, such as evidentally comprises interplanetary space. In this respect it appears to offer greater promise than any known method of propulsion. The major problem of jet propulsion is, of course, the provision of a sufficiently powerful fuel per unit mass to encompass the conquest of space. For although an efficiency of 70% was achieved by Dr. Goddard - a figure slightly superior to Mr. Barnes' best!), and an efficiency of almost 100% should be obtainable in vacuo, known fuels still fall far short of what could be desired. The position is however, by no means hopeless, and by the proper application of the power available, interplanetary travel is certainly not out of the question. Incidentally, the maximum mechanical efficiency of a rocket should be attainable when its velocity is zero with reference to that of the exhaust gases. i.e., the gases give up all their kinetic energy to the task of driving forward the rocket-ship.

Dinitrobenzene is generally used as a starting-point in the dye industry which indicates that this industry is intimately connected with the explosives branch and it is interesting to note moreover that it is an important "key industry" dominating the manufacture of textiles, paper, paints, ink, etc.

Coloured organic substances are not called dyes unless they are capable of attachment to a fabric in such a manner as to withstand the action of soap and water, and in addition dyes for ordinary use must be reasonably fast to the action of sunlight, though a parent substance from which others are produced may not necessarily itself be a dye.

Using the nomenclature due to Otto Witt, the parent coloured compound is called a chromogene, the colour of this, and of the dyes derived from it is due to a certain grouping of molecules known as a chromophore, whilst dyeing properties are conferred by the additional presence of subsidiary groups known as auxochromes.

The dyeing of fabrics is dependent upon the nature of the fabric as well as upon that of the dye. Silk and woollen materials may usually be dyed by direct immersion in the solution of the dye, though fabrics of plant origin (such as cotton) are usually unable to absorb the dye until mordanted; i.e. the fabric is impregnated with certain metallic hydroxides when on immersing a lake [link?] is formed with the dye which firmly adheres to the fabric, however, there are certain dyes which will adhere directly to the cotton fabric, the latter being called substantive dyes............

In conclusion, one need hardly repeat the couplet which, so to speak, has been the theme song of this series of articles:

You can make anything from a salve to a star,
(If you only know how), from black coal-tar.

real science fiction magazine, The project has been in the air for many months now, and numerous veiled hints have been published concening this eagerly awaited event, for which no definite date has yet been fixed.

If our anticipations are fulfilled, this will prove to be the forerunner of further interesting results in this direction. You will naturally want to hear of these developments, and to receive advance information of the projected magazine, which as the first of its kind in England will merit your whole-hearted support.

I therefore propose, in view of what is to come (providing our expectations are realised), to establish a medium whereby I may keep you informed of growth of the science fiction movement in this country, which I confidentally believe is destined to make great strides in the future. My view is shared by other enthusiasts who are behind me in this project without whose help --- and yours --- it is impossible of achievement.

I propose, with your approval, to publish a journal with a direct appeal to all fantasy fans, which will be distributed to subscribers at regular intervals and serve to keep them in touch with developments as they mature. News -- and views -- of forthcoming stories books, films and other activities in the fantasy field will be presented to you in attractive form. Particular attention will be paid to the efforts to establish science fiction on this side of the Atlantic but every aspect of the movement, both at home and abroad, will be carefully observed.

First, however, I should like to be assured that my proposal will met with your valuable support. If you welcome such a journal -- and I think you do --- I shall be glad if you will notify me as soon as possible, addressing all communications to me at

15, Shere Road, Ilford, Essex.

Hymn Of Hate No. 2 by D.R.Smith

John Russell Fearn

Even with the assumption that his entire knowledge has been gained from scientifiction Fearn's blunders give rise to extremely lurid thoughts about his reasoning. For example, somewhere he read that the sun is hot, and somewhere else that radiant energy is bent by magnetism. His genius combines those two ideas and produces "Earth's Mausoleum" in which an unspecified magnetic force draws all the heat out of the sun and cools it absolutely in a few days, the energy being stored in the walls of a tower on the Moon's surface. Later on this energy is released suddenly turning the moon into a body giving the same effect to the Earth as the sun. I do not think there is one reader of scientific fiction who could not see at least one glaring flaw in this, and most fans must have reeled under the shock of so many inanities in so few sentences.

by infecting them with the spores of a fungus that grows extremely quickly in the body, clogging arteries and body cavities, etc..... .......,, "THE BIRDS" by Frank Baker, published by Peter Davies at 7/6d describes the destruction of British civilisation by a kind of Egyptian plague in the form of a swarm of invulnerable birds.....................................

NEXT MONTH : - An enlarged twenty-page issue is planned for AUGUST with outstanding features, as, for example:

Esperanto; Its Relation to Scientifiction by
FORREST J. ACKERMAN

The inauguration of an occasional department for short
SCIENTIFICTION stories

Article by a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society