Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1896-09-25
rEsl Ns nlscovERY.


Sending Eiecrrie ROVER "A~N
Over a Distance of 500 Miles
Nicola Tesla, the famous electrician
and inventor, has, it is stated, found
means for conducting currents OF cleo
tricity a long distance without great
waste of energy. He speaks thus con-
fidently of his discovery;
81 am now convinced beyond any ques-
ton that it is possible TO transmit cleo
tricity to commercial advantage over
distance of 500 miles, and deliver the
current at half the cost of generation
by steam. This, Of course, is current
generated by water power, and only
oualify this statement by adding that
the quantity transmitted must be quite
considerable. am willing to stake my
reputation and my life upon this deciar-
alton"
At the recent National Electrical ex-
position at New York, current ives
brought from Niagara falls sufficiently
nowerfuI to send a message from the
metropolis around the globe. 1t was
hailed with enthusiasm by Edison and
Dtber electricians, who saw in 1t the
solution of the problem of the trans
mission of electric power for long dis
tances. Tesla alone seemed to see that
something was still lacking. That the
power could be brought from great
distance was without question, but It
was at such an expense that the COM
mercial advantage of the undertaking
would be doubtful. The problem which
he set himself to solve was reduction
of expense. He declares that he has
found u solution.
This problem has engaged the atten-
ton of electricians for years, and vast
number of experiments have been made
In connection with it. One carried on in
Germany over a line extending from tho
falls Of the Neckar to Frankfort~on-the-
Main, g distance of 10 miles, was only
in part successful. In California a cur
rent was carried from the falls of the
Sacramento river to Sacramento city,
a distance of 81 miles, with commercial
success; the direct current was used.
Until the New York exposition. this was
the greatest distance which a current
had been brought with any promise OF
commercial advantage. The problem
which Tesla set himself to solve was
how, with a quantity of copper small
enough to admit of commercial sad
vantage, he could bring current of
electricity yielding 20,OOO-hOrse power
a distance of 500 miles. The copper was
the expensive item, and the losses of
power occurred Mt the points of inter
ruption where the current is drawn Oft
for consumers. Here the current is re-
duced from high to a low voltage, so
as to be available for power and light.
Just how Tesla has solved this problem
he does not say, but that he has solved
it he confidently asserts. Capitalists
seem to believe in him. Abundant
money has been offered to apply the
new discovery to the transmission of
power from Niagara
If Tesla's discovery proves practical,
1t will be of the utmost importance to
the commercial world There is any
amount of power going to waste at a dis
lance from the big cities and manufae-
turing centers of the country. If It
can be used to reduce the expense of
power so per cent, as is claimed, the
effect on industry will be tremendous.
Already 1t is proposed to use the power
of the Potomac, the Upper Delaware,
the Merrimac, the Connecticut, and the
rapids of the St. Lawrence. The new
discovery Is likely also to cause the
more extensive application Of electric
power to railways, a great drawback
heretofore having been the difficulty Of
transmitting power without heavy loss.
Baltimore News.