New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-29

Of the term 10 be Nothing, however s''""S
in the way OF calling electricity ether N 0''
tain state, as. .or example, steam Is water III "
certain state The static charge" OF the molecue'
then Is ether associated In way with the in'e-
cute and thus varying from ether IN general mus
al molecular activities arc electrical phenomena
Light Is proclaimed to be purely an electric pre-
nomanon not Only electric light. but gas ligAt'
candle light sunlight. all light whatsoever Here
arc agriculturs:s finding that electric currents ce'
velop chlorophyll in growing plants as wei az
sunlight does. Here is a photographer, without
light lens, with electric current impTeSsihS
upon a sensitive plate exactly such an image as
the sunrays would 90 \ los. Of other even more
cogent examples give force 10 the conclusion
which Mr.. Tesla shares with The majority Of sce1-
tlfc men, that the various forms or manifestations
Of energy which generally designated as eiec-
trio or electro magnetic are Of the nature as
those OF radiant heat and light. SO we are led on
to the notion that all chemical action. also. Is
electric. witness the effect Of the electric cur
rent on the Photographic plate, electric decom-
position of water. the generation Of ozone, nj
trous acid. etc. by electrical action, and other
convincing facts Thus finally come 10 Lord
Kelvn's impressive faith that the process of life
Itself is electrical wherefore, what is electricity
but al-pervading emanation from the eternal
and universal Source Of Life?
The practical side of these discourses and their
accompanying Illustrative experiments are scarcely
less impressive than the theoretical. How little
advance has been made in electric lighting is indi-
Gated by Mr. Teslas suggestion Of system in
which the entire room would be eectrostatic
field and vacuum tube Of any size not con-
neced with any other object. would glow brill
iantly wherever placed within that field. We have
heard much discussion in late years about the
voltage OF electric current required to destroy hui
man life 1000 volts being commonly reckoned fatal.
We: Mr. Tesla has passed through his body a cur
rent Of not less than 200 coo volts. alternating
10000 times second. without the slightest harm.
though streams Of light burst from his body. He
even proposed TO endure a potential of 100000
volts which would enveiop him in a sheet Of
electric flame. but would not injure him in the
least In such experiments il is necessary to have
the frequency and the potential OF the currents
very high for II a hundredth part OF such a cur
rem. were applied with low frequency ii would be
instantly fatal The most painful, Mr. Tesla thinks,
is an alternating current OF low frequency. while
the most Injurious and destructive TO life Is con-
tinuOus current.
In much of his work in this department OF the
science Mr. Tesla traverses the same ground that
Thomson Giese. Lecher. Crookes and others have
explored and especially does he repeat the osci-
latory experiments Of Hertz But he brings to the
task a seemingly exhaustless fund Of patience and
ingenuity and the indomitable energy of young
and vigorous and more than ordinarily clear and
logical mind He has provided for himself more
over an array OF mechanical devices remarkable
in variety and efficiency. From such labor as his.
then even on old ground much is to be expected;
while in pressing beyond the borders to ground.
in formulating new theories. and in converting
what was mere theory into tangible and beneficient
practice. Mr.. Tesla has rendered a notable service
TO the world.