The record-union., 1892-07-09
GLIMPSEs OF a WONDERFUL DIS
COVERY.

Mr.. Nikola Tesla is young Monte
negren electrician. He claims to have
made an electrical discovery not second
in importance to the telegraph or the tele-
phone.
A few weeks ago he explained his dis
covery to an immense audience in Lon
don, one of the most critical and scien-
tific, before which he made some of the
most beautiful experiments ever wit
messed. He held out the hope, says Mr..
Gordon in the Nineteenth Centurg, that
we may now draw back little further
the veil which hides one of the most
fascinating mysteries of nature-namely,
the relations between light and electricity.
and between matter and motion.
Our views of the phenomena of light
and heat, says Mr.. Gordon, are rapidly
merging into one general theory of
molecular physics, best expressed by the
vortex theory of Sir William Thompson.
That is, the whole of every part of space
is filed with fluid called ether, almost
infinitely elastic. Experiment and re-
search have demonstrated that the ether
carrying light and heat from the sun car
ries also waves of electric and magnetic
induction, which follow each outburst of
solar activity.
The Thompsonian theory is that all of
that which we know as matter consists of
worthless or whirlpools of this ether, and
that the molecules or particles of matter
keep up an incessant hammering one on
another, and thus on everything in space.
Professor Crookes, following this up,
shows the bombardment to be vastly
greater than any forces we have vet
handled.
But these forces. operating in all direc-
tons, neutralize each other, and hence
no results are sensible. But if we dis
cover how to send a majority of them in
one direction, we viii have in hand forces
greater as is the blow of the bullet to the
pressure of the finger on the trigger of a
gun. So, as Mr.. Tesla puts it, according
to Mr.. Gordon's report, 1--WE can hook
our machinery onto the machinery of
nature" This is the hope Nikola Tesla
holds out.
Professor Crookes had already proved
that change in direction of this force
can be made. He pumped out of glass
bulbs nearly all air or gas in them, leay-
ing the few particles free to travel with
out much change by collision with others.
under direction impaired by electricity.
and this resulted in giving US the beauti-
full phenomena OF phosphorescence and
radiant matter.
BY means Of suitably shaped terminals a
stream of molecules is focused on q given
point If piece Of carbon or rlatinurn is
placed at that point, ii becomes white hot
under the commandment from identicalIy tie
same cause which causes sheet of flame 10
Eppear when cannon shot strikes an iron
target. II ruby or other phosphorescent
material Is placed there, il CLOVIS with its
characteristic color, and If little delicatelv
balanced vane or windmill is placed on one
side OF its fans 1t rapidly reYolves. The forces
available IN these experiments were, however
almost indefinitely small, being as il were
merely Tying spray from the great torrent
INTO which we have not yet been able to pene.
trate.
Now for the advance made by Mr.,
Tesla. Instead of currents of electricity
oscillating slowly, as 50 to 100 times a
second, he employed dynamo giving
$4,000 alterations second. By connecting
this TO suitable condensers, he multiplied
the alterations to 1000, 900 and 800 900 3
second-a speed so great that the mind
grasps it with difficulty.
The result was the opening up of a new
set Of phenomena and a region of vast
mystery. One thing noticed was that with
this uncomfortable number of vibrations
no shock is t;that while an ordinary cur.
rent at 1000 volts viii kill man, the new
current at $4,000 cannot be felt at all
Next it developed that these vibrations
keep time with the vibrations of solid
matter, in some mysterious way. For in.
stance, vuleanite is the best known non.
conductor and completely stops an ordi
nary electrical current; but this infinitely