Nikola Tesla U.S. Patent 645,576 - System of Transmission of Electrical Energy Patent Wrapper Page 34

152 Room 91. In the matter of the application of Nikola Tesla, filed September 2, 1897, No. 650,343, Transmission of Electrical Energy. Hon. Commissioner of Patents, Sir:- New York, November 30, 1897. In reply to the letter of the Hon. Examiner of November 6th, in the matter of the above application, we file herewith a letter from the applicant to his attorney, believing that the objections raised by the office are best answered by the statements of the inventor himself. To these wema y add some observations of our own. It is true that a point is made of the fact that the energy is conveyed by conduction through the atmosphere. It is the most essential point or feature of the case. We do not, however, agree that the claims are mado to depend upon this alone. In each claim occurs the expression conducting the current caused thereby to earth, and to a terminal at an elevation at which the atmosphere serves as a conductor there for." It is evident, from the very nature of things, that this elevation will depend upon various conditions, among which are the pressure of the current developed, the condition of the atmosphere itself, and the nature of the the surrounding country. The specification goes into an explanation of this (see page 7). -1