The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-06-17
TeIegraphing without wires

Tesla, the great electrician, claims to
have perfected an instrument by which
he has telegrsphed without wires for
twenty miles.
81 have devised Instruments said the
inventor (which will transmit messages
through the earth for upward of twenty
miles. have given them many practi-
cal tests. l have both given and received
Ineligible communications with them,
and have no hesitation in saying that
they solve the problem which | started
out to solve.
They are, of course, rudimentary, bu;
shall begin at once the construction OF
other apparatus which will still further
do away with the obstacle OF distance,
and enable me to hold intercourse with
any part of the globe. An apparatus can
only be judged by what it will do, but II
this machine will conduct sound through
the earth for distance of twenty miles,
there is no insuperable obstacle to pre-
vent that distance from being ultimately
multiplied to seemingly infinite degree.
"When Professor Helmholz, after hear
ing my theory, said it was possible, but
would require enormous power, | was
vastly pleased, because, though did not
inform him OF it, had already overcome
that difficulty"
"Tesla's "oscillator" has been devised
specially with view to the solution OF
this, his pet problem. The laymen need
only know, in relation TO this marvellous
machine, that the multiplied interruption
and restoration of a simple electric cur
rent multiplies its power. This Interrupt
ton had been accomplished only by
limited appliances until Tesla perfected
the oscllator; perfected it to degree
where the current could be interrupted
many millions of times second.
"The static electricity of the EARTH
said Mr.. Tesla, "can he set in motion amt
what was necessary to effect Geographic
communication in accordance with this sys-
TEN was to devise machine which
would catch and record these disturb
ances. These machines | have at last
secured"
What manner or devices these are with
which he has thus bound the earth to his
service, the scientific magician will not
say. The magnitude OF the discovery
and its importance in the doings Of the
world, he realizes keenly at will" he
said, "bring the nations closer together,
The perfection of the system will not, as
people are so prone to imagine, neces-
sarily do away with the use OF wires for
telegrsphc COMMUNICATION, but for the
d ssemlnation of general information,
rather then private communication, they
will be useful.
But will not the utilization of the
earth's electricity by one OF these systems
or lines prevent the operation OF any
other machine at the same time? Will
not the communications of different sys-
TENS be jumbled and confused?"
"No. Any number of them might be
in use without one interfering with an
other. Their chief usefulness would,
however, be attained by maintaining
them in all great cities, and having the
news of universal interest sent out at
stated intervals, and received and dis
tributed to all quarters of the world at
the same moment. Commercial and
political knowledge can thus be spread
abroad"
And now that Tesla has progressed
thus far in the solution of the problem of
universal communication he finds new
and astounding possibilities spread out
before him; things now appear within
reach which-when he began expert
ments to this end-seemed like the wild.
est OF dreams.
81 thought once" he said, that il
sounds could ever be conveyed in this
manner that would be ali, perhaps, that
science might have ground to hope for.
/ am convinced now that such is not the
case. conceive it entirely possible to
transmit power from one part of the globe
to another by the same system"
"And as for holding communication
with the other planets ?"
Il will say this" said the magician,
'if there is ever established a system OF
intercourse with other worlds it will be
by this means"
One OF the best known men in the adj.
vance guard of electrical scientists said
when told of Tesa's announcement, 81
am not surprised at this. | was at one
time thoroughly acquainted with the ei-
forts Mr.. Tesla was making in the line OF
this discovery, but have no knowledge OF
what he has been doing recently. His
experiments have been conducted with
great secrecy, but of ate years scientists
have generally, think, conceded that his
theory as expounded before the National
Electric Light Association some years ago
was thoroughly correct one, and the one
upon which the results would finally be
obtained if they were to be obtained at
all.
The chief obstacle, of course, to the
perfection of the system, would be the
natural interference caused by storms.
Rain at any point would be very apt TO
discomfort, il not utterly DESTROY aDy