Wireless Power Transmission

NIKOLA TESLA'S LATER EXPERIMENTS IN THIS FIELD — HOW THE INVENTOR EXPECTS TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE WORLD

Since his article in the Century Magazine for June, 1900, little or nothing has been heard from Mr. Tesla as to the progress of his experiments in the transmission of electrical energy without wires. It has been understood, however, that the inventor was still at work along the lines he suggested in the article referred to, and now we have in the Electrical World and Engineer another statement from him, showing that the inventor is just as firmly convinced as ever that the system he has devised, if not perfected, will in a short time revolutionize the world. With a realization of the stupendous possibilities in sight, Mr. Tesla says that he has been working upon the development of his "magnifying transmitter" with the sole idea of producing the best type of such an instrument:

This is, essentially, a circuit of very high self-induction and small resistance which in its arrangement, mode of excitation and action, may be said to be the diametrical opposite of a transmitting circuit typical of telegraphy by Hertzian or electromagnetic radiations. It is difficult to form an adequate idea of the marvelous power of this unique appliance, by the aid of which the globe will be transformed. The electromagnetic radiations being reduced to an insignificant quantity, and proper conditions of resonance maintained, the circuit acts like an immense pendulum, storing indefinitely the energy of the primary exciting impulses and impressing upon the earth and its conducting atmosphere uniform harmonic oscillations of intensities which, as actual tests have shown, may be pushed so far as to surpass those attained in the natural displays of static electricity.

Much, Mr. Tesla adds, has been done toward making his system commercially available for the transmission of energy in small or large amounts:

The results attained by me have made my scheme of intelligence trans- mission, for which the name of "World Telegraphy" has been suggested, easily realizable. It constitutes, I believe, in its principle of operation, means employed and capacities of application, a radical and fruitful departure from what has been done heretofore. I have no doubt that it will prove very efficient in enlightening the masses, particularly in still uncivilized countries and less accessible regions, and that it will add materially to general safety, comfort, and convenience, and maintenance of peaceful relations. It involves the employment of a number of plants, all of which are capable of transmitting individualized signals to the uttermost confines of the earth. Each of them will be preferably located near some important center of civilization, and the news it receives through any channel will be flashed to all points of the globe. A cheap and simple device, which might be carried in one's pocket may then be set up somewhere on sea or land, and it will record the world's news or such special messages as may be intended for it. Thus the entire earth will be converted into a huge brain, as it were, capable of response in every one of its parts. Since a single plant of but one hundred horse-power can operate hundreds of millions of instruments, the system will have a virtually infinite working capacity, and it must needs immensely facilitate and cheapen the transmission of intelligence.

The Transmitter

The transmitter Mr. Tesla has completed will, we understand, emit a wave of a total maximum activity of ten million horse-power. But the "artifices" by which this result is obtained, the inventor is not ready to explain. In the power plant which Mr. Tesla is designing now he proposes to distribute ten thousand horse-power under a tension of one hundred million volts, which, he states, he "is able to produce and handle with safety":

This energy will be collected all over the globe, preferably in small amounts, ranging from a fraction of one to a few horse-power. One of its chief uses will be the illumination of isolated homes. It takes very little power to light a dwelling with vacuum tubes operated by high-frequency currents and in each instance a terminal a little above the roof will be sufficient. Another valuable application will be the driving of clocks and other such apparatus. These clocks will be exceedingly simple, will require absolutely no attention, and will indicate rigorously correct time. The idea of impressing upon the earth American time is fascinating and very likely to become popular. There are innumerable devices of all kinds which are either now employed or can be supplied, and by operating them in this manner I may be able to offer a great convenience to the whole world with a plant of no more than ten thousand horse-power. The introduction of this system will give opportunities for invention and manufacture such as have never presented themselves before.

It was in Colorado that Mr. Tesla first became impressed with the possibilities of experimentation along the lines he has lately pursued, but the perfection of his apparatus has been carried on at a plant established on Long Island, the picture on this page showing the transmitting tower erected at this plant. No detailed description of it is given in the article from which we are quoting. Mr. Tesla states that he has been greatly assisted by Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan. The inventor continues:

Knowing the far-reaching importance of this first attempt and its effect upon future development, I shall proceed slowly and carefully. Experience has taught me not to assign a term to enterprises the consummation of which is not wholly dependent on my own abilities and exertions. But I am hopeful that these great realizations are not far off, and I know that when this first work is completed they will follow with mathematical certitude.

When the great truth accidentally revealed and experimentally confirmed is fully recognized, that this planet, with all its appalling immensity, is to electric currents virtually no more than a small metal ball and that by virtue of this fact many possibilities, each baffling imagination and of incalculable consequence, are rendered absolutely sure of accomplishment; when the first plant is inaugurated and it is shown that a telegraphic message, almost as secret and non-transferable as a thought, can be transmitted to any terrestrial distance, the sound of the human voice, with all its intonations and inflections faithfully and instantly reproduced at any other point of the globe, the energy of a waterfall made available for supplying light, heat, or motive power, anywhere — on sea, or land, or high in the air — humanity will be like an ant-heap stirred up with a stick.