New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-13
TESLA'S ELECTRIC OSCILLATOR
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXCITING
WAVES OF HIGH FREQUENCY.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXCITING
WAVES OF HIGH FREQUENCY.
II is four five years since Nikola Tesla
startled the electricians of the world by allowing
current Of 300 900 volts to pass through his body.
And II nearly or quite az long ago that he pro-
duced a beautiful efugence in sealed glass tube
by electrical means yet without connecting the tube
with a wire. These and other wonderful achieve
ments Of that eminent investigator have been the
outgrowth of his study OF high frequency and
high potential currents. In fact. his most brill
| liant and original experiments for several years
have been conducted In this, his favorite. depart
ment Of research and he has contributed greatly
to the general stock Of knowledge this subject.
Every schoolboy nowadays. knows the difference
between direct and an alternating current and the
practical electrician II not the schoolboy, IS aware
that alternating current may have oscillations
of almost any frequency. The waves may number
only twenty-five to the second. as In the great Nj
agara dynamos or they may occur several thousand
| times as frequently. 1t IL only the low-frequency
current that is used commercially at present: but
Mr.. Tesla has repeatedly expressed his belief that
practical results OF great Importance ought to he
developed out OF the of frequency currents
Few readers Of The Tribune need to be reminded
OF the difference between the volume and the pres
| sure or potential OF an electric current The one
Is expressed In "amperes." and the other In
volts" When for any reason you transform a
current 80 as to raise the voltage. you correspond
ingly reduce the amperage You cannot by any
such operation increase the total energy, which Is
calculated by multiplying the number OF volts by
the number OF amperos.
Reference Is here made to these elementary prn-
cples OF electrical science In order to render more
Ineligible the announcement that Mr.. Tesla has
nearly perfected a piece of apparatus. which Is
designed TO transform both the frequency and the
potential OF an alternating current and do 80 very
economically. 1t frequently happens that pioneers
In scientific investigation find 1t necessary to make
a special tool before they can manufacture the ar
ticle they have In view. Perhaps that tool Is new
mathematical formula a novel chemical process
or bit Of electrical apparatus. In any case IL Is
means to end This latest invention. or I'M
provemcnt old devices. with which Mr.. Tesla Is
to be credited is to be regarded In the same light
His goal Is the production of cheap, cold light In
vacuum tubes. and the new instrument IL designed
TO help him and others In attaining that object
Mr.. Tesla has imitators and there are people au-
dacious enough 10 tn nix OF themselves as his rivals
But after ALL the great number and broad scope OF
his experiments and their character place him dis
tnctly the front In this magnificent field Of In
quiry. The public grows impatient at times be-
cause Mr. Tesla does not occasionally report prog
ress." like Congressional committee; but. as The
Tribune has often remarked. IL ts the privilege or