Tesla Has Fired The Spark Flashed Round The World

The Wizard of Science Says He Has Enslaved Earth's Mightiest Force for the Use of Man.

Most Marvellous Method of Transmitting Power Universally by Means of Electric Vibration.

By Julius Chambers.

This is the Electric age. Nicola Tesla has completed the device or machine by which he expects to project electrical vibratory impulses to the most distant part of the world. He will do this by battery, and harnessing a force that no human ingenuity could create. He will cause the earth to vibrate in certain keys for definite utilities.

Tesla declares that he is misunderstood by those who think that he is seeking merely to transmit Intelligence from one part of the globe to another without wires. Telegraphy is a small factor in his marvellous problem. He aims at the transmission of power — power that will produce mechanical effects, such as the propulsion of ships and the operating of mills. This is a utilitarian era, and nobody recognizes that fact more clearly than this remarkable young wizard of science.

"The Journal's description of my completed invention was quite accurate,” said Mr. Tesla, as we stood together in his wondershop on Houston street. “I have gone far enough to assure myself and to convince others that my theory regarding the transmission of electric vibration, for whatever purpose it may be utilized, is practicable."

"How do you expect to recognize the vibrations at a point distant from the place of original projection?" I asked.

"That is a mere detail," exclaimed the inventor, his whole body vibrant with enthusiasm. "Instruments pitched in the proper key will promptly indicate the presence of the electric wave. Vibrations of different intensities will be taken up by these delicate appliances at different places. If the instruments at Paris, for example, are caused to operate, it will be because the vibratory current is pitched in the key to which they are set. If the wave passes over London and Paris and be recognized at Berlin or Moscow, it will be because the vibratory wave was originally projected with a view to recognition only by the mechanism located at one or other of those places. You see how simple that is?"

"And you feel confident of complete ultimate success?" was asked.

"I believe that with the machine now completed I can disturb the electrical conditions of the earth," was the prompt rejoinder. "That I shall be able to transmit thought or information I am convinced; and I hope with equal assurance to supply power to distant localities on this earth, without the medium of wires."

"Give me an example."

"At Niagara it may be possible to generate electrical energy that can be used to drive mills in New England, railroad trains across the prairies and steamships across the sea."

The tall, spare figure of the young scientist seemed to grow in stature. His wonderful eyes gave much character to his pale face as he talked of forging nature's own thunderbolts into human thought and harnessing earth's own forces to do new and incredible service for mankind.

TESLA'S EXTRAORDINARY PREDICTION.

"I believe that with the machine now completed I can disturb the electrical conditions of the earth," was the prompt rejoinder. "That I shall be able to transmit thought or information I am convinced; and I hope with equal assurance to supply power to distant localities on this earth, without the medium of wires."

"At Niagara it may be possible to generate electrical energy that can be used to drive mills in New England, railroad trains across the prairies and steamships across the sea!"

It is impossible not to be filled with admiration for genius. This idea of overpowering

ble!" Bulwer in "The Coming Race" had Tesla in mental contemplation. Although the engineer was not born, Tesla is the hero of that remarkable novel. The people that Bulwer described drew light, power and human emotions from electricity.

After a half hour with Mr. Tesla any man who is suddenly asked to define electricity must answer:

Vibration.

And what is that? will naturally follow.

Vibration is life itself.

The inventor was in a sanguine mood, but did not go to the length of predicting immediate results of great scientific value. He conceded the possibility of projecting an electric disturbance as far as Mars, but evidently regarded with much greater favor the sending of power to ships in mid-ocean. John W. Keely taught the world, in his clumsy way, twenty years ago, that vibrations develop mechanical energy; but Tesla, from accurately human data, has reasoned out the problem of starting on this earth's surface electric waves that will break upon the shores of other worlds. He says it can be done!

By disturbing the static conditions on this earth he also hopes to render possible the sending of messages of hope and encouragement to future Nansens and Andrees. By a series of stupendous etheric vibrations the French in

communicated with from New York or Washington.

Light, we know, is transmitted on vibratory waves. The planets only shine by reflected light from the sun; in other words, the light must first travel to Mars or Jupiter, and thence back to us. In Tesla's opinion it is beyond all human possibility to construct a lamp strong enough to be seen on Mars; but the earth is a storehouse of energy that can be drawn on to any extent — making it easy to send electrical currents to any point without wires. He explained the theory upon which his device for telegraphing over the whole earth in the following simple simile:

"Suppose the earth to resemble a hollow rubber ball, filled with water," began Mr. Tesla. "At one place I have a tube, with a plunger, attached to the surface of this ball. If I press upon the plunger the water in the tube will be driven into the ball and every part will be expanded. If I withdraw the plunger the water follows it and every part of the ball will contract. Now, if I pierce the surface of that ball in several places and set up tubes and plungers at each place, these plungers will vibrate up and down in response to every movement that I may produce in the plunger of the first tube. An agitation in the centre of the ball, a series of vibrations in the whole body would occur. If I could then set the plunger in one of the tubes to vibrating in consonance with the vibrations

I could burst the whole thing asunder.”

In a non-technical way this indicates how Mr. Tesla proposes to set the whole static electricity of the earth in vibratory motion. The electric fluid is as incompressible as water, but its elasticity is remarkable. If crowded out at one point on the earth's surface it is absolutely sure to reappear elsewhere.

“What I have set out to do, I believe I have accomplished,” said Mr. Tesla. “I spoke of my hopes when I addressed the Franklin Institute, of Philadelphia, in 1893, but I did not expect to see the end so near at so early a day. Just how far I can send these electric waves I know not. Accurate and very sensitive instruments will be required to demonstrate that point of the work. But when the proper vibratory impulse is met the response will be instantaneous."

Thus calmly does Mr. Tesla discourse regarding his plan to convert the Atlantic Ocean ferry into a trolley line! He declined to exhibit the machine to me, but he gave the following description:

In a large darkened room is hung a black disk about eight feet across, and from the centre of this disk protrudes a brass electrode seven inches in diameter. When the current of high voltage is turned on the apartment is filled with crackling sounds, soon increasing into a succession of crashes. Bright and forked streaks of flame shoot eight feet toward the centre of the room, bursting into dazzling sparks at the vanishing point.

The spectacle, as described in the Journal, is appalling — weird, unnatural, dreadful. But Tesla says it is the

Possibilities with Mars.

"He conceded the possibility of projecting an electric disturbance as far as Mars, but evidently regarded with much greater favor the sending of power to ships in mid-ocean."

Will Toy with the Earth.

"Mr. Tesla proposes to set the whole static electricity of the earth in vibratory motion. The electric fluid is as incomprehensible as water, but its elasticity is remarkable. If crowded out at one point on the earth's surface, it is absolutely sure to reappear elsewhere."

TESLA'S MAGICAL DISC.

The Wondrous Machine by Which He Has Penetrated Nature's Secrets and Compels Her to Do His Bidding.

"He declined to exhibit the machine to me, but gave the following description:

"'In a darkened room is hung a black disk about eight feet across, and from the centre of this disk protrudes a brass electrode seven inches in diameter. When the current of high voltage is turned on, the apartment is filled with crackling sounds, soon increasing into a succession of crashes. Bright and forked streaks of flame shoot eight feet toward the centre of the room, bursting into dazzling sparks at the vanishing point.'

"The Spectacle is appalling — weird, unnatural, dreadful. But Tesla says it is the motive power and the thought transmitter of the near future."