The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-14
WORK OF THE WORLD
TESLA HOPES To DO TT BY USING
THE POWER OF THE
sun
AIR INSTEAD OF WIRES
the Universe by the Use of
Natural Mediums-With Force
Created in America, the Inventor
Says, Machinery Can BE Run in
for Test.

created In America, the Inventor
Says, Machinery Can Be Run in
Europe-Preparing for Test.
From the Chicago Tribune.
A practical test is soon TO be made of the
wonderful discovery of Nikola Tes,a of
means by which electrical force may be
transmitted through the air to any point on
the surface of the earth.
Mr. Tesla is now busy at work in his labor
atory in East Houston street perfecting the
details for the trial. That force can be
transmitted and that his machine can furn sh
it in sufficient degree to be of vast CONNER
cial Importance Mr.. Tesla says is beyond
the stage Of experiment and theory-it is
demonstrated reality. He only wishes that
before a public exhibition is given every
necessary part should be thoroughly thought
out and arranged for, so that there be
no possible hitch in accomplishing results.
In all the marvellous demonstrators Mr..
Tes'a has made he has never cnce failed to
do what he proposed TO do, and the reason
for this is he always perfects his arrange
ments to the last minuda before attempting
to give exhibition.
The test which is soon to be made VIII be
IN the United States. If that is successful
Mr.. Tesla proposes TO do what at first blush
seems the impossible. He will transmit
electric force probably to the extent of So OO)
horse power from a station in this county
TO the Creusot works in France. This is g
of the largest gun-making and steel pants
ranged with the owners for the trial when
the success of the one in the United SAFES
has been attained. Following this ii the
result should be favorable, and Mr.. T5s,a
has 10 doubt of it, and exhibi ion will be
made between this county and the Paris ex-
position in 1900.
Astonishing as the first announcement of
Mr. Teslas invention showed ii to be, 1t
gave only a faint hint of its far-reaching
possibilities. The ability TO harness natural
forces ard TRANSMIT, their energy to any part
n hn 10 Of moo 3rFI= on
mercial Importance, yet this practical inven-
tor. who deals in mathematical facts, in
watts, centimeters and amperes is a,so
philosopher and sees an ethical effect of his
discovery. In ii he sees a force working
for universal peace-good fellowship among
nations For" he saws ''wil, a nation
which realizes that another nation is able
TO furnish it the power TO run is entire in
dustrial system offend the source? And
so by vastly increasing the mutual de9end-
ence Of the peoples of the earth Nikola Tesla
may put into operation a peace measure
which will make the late manifesto of the
car feeble, inaudible whisper in the audi
forum of the world.
TESLA'S DREAM.
Though the general outline of Mr. Tesla's
discovery has been given. the inventor today
gave the first extended explanation of the
inception and progress of his work.
LAS far back as 1893" he said, Il de-
clared in my lectures that the great thing TO
be sought was some means of utilizing the
other planets spinning along through space
and driven and held in place by the same
hllmHabie, continuous force. There must De
some means found Of making use of it. With
the idea then expressed Of making the sun
do our work, l set about discovering way.
"A little later / experimental in tele-
graphing through the air and demonstrated
that it could be done at certain distances,
as is now shown by systems in use in Eu-
''Then the idea came to me of making the
transmission of electricity through the air
commercially important While at the
worlds fair, in Chicago, Prof HelmholZ. the
famous German scientist, called on me and
considered IL would be a good chance to ask
him what he thought of the possibility Of
transmitting electricity through the air sutfi-
Client to make it available for power He
agreed it would be feasible, provided an APP
paratus could be constructed which would
produce a high enough potential. There was
the obstacle which / had recognized and
sought to overcome. The highest force
which had then been obtained was from 200
600 to 800. 600 volts. But in order 10 make
the idea of any use several million volts were
necessary.
"A machine to do this was therefore es-
sential. began TO experiment on one and
have obtained the following results:
The perfection OF an apparatus capable
% Sdo pro Sts b the immense pressure sure OF S
in my own laboratory, and it will be quite
possible to produce 100000 volts just as
easily.
This tremendous pressure the pressure
of lightning, can be handled with absolute
safety.
The currents so produced evinced the
property of passing through air, and expert
ments showed that the air became con-
ductcr.
power increased, 50 rapidly that when rare
fed enough it conducted practically like cop
per wire.
with these facts established II was easily
demonstrated that unlimited power be
transmitted through air stratum such as
exists in attitudes which have been reached
by balloons, as shown by exact records
NATURAL MEDIUMS.
This is the general statement Of the re-
suits Of Tesla's experiments. 1t will be seen
therefore that instead Of the two wires or
cables which are used in transmitting cleo
tricity In the ordinary way, he used two
natural mediums-the stratum Of rarehed air
and the earth. They cost nothing and are
continuous over the entire earth, making the
distance to which electric energy may be
transmitted unlimited.
AS TO the practical working Of his appa-
THE mathematical details have all been
studied and found perfectly practicable. l
have consulted friends who engineers.
and am an engineer myself, and am as sure
of the working Of them as II / were 70 build
bridge steel wire has been made which
Will support its own weight for sixteen miles
Balloons have been sent to attitudes far
higher than It Will be necessary TO operate
1t will not take wire larger than a spiders
web 70 convey the current 70 the balloon
though the voltage at the point OF escape IN
the apparatus in the balloon would be mil
lions. OF course in use there would be sew
eral wires. but that would be to insure
against accidents"
Mr.. Tesla was asked what the effect OF
storms would be on the balloons-would
meteorological disturbances not make their
position uncertain?
That was one Of the easiest obstacles
overcome" he said 1.-The balloons will be
storms exist or form. The ordinary storms
are on::y from 5000 TO 10000 feet high, while
stratum Of clouds They Will be above the
frost like particles which exist above the
feather clouds. Wires such as ! shall use
have been tested and shown to have strength
to withstand any hurricane. so there is no
possible mechanical difficulty with the under
taking. They have been the easiest obstacles
The apparatus by which the tremendous
electric force Is produced is called an 'eleo
tric osciilator, technical description
would be understood only by experts and
could be made only by an expert To the
layman all it Is necessary to know is that this
oscillator produces the 10 go 900 10 100 O0O 600
volts OF electric force. II viii be in The bal
loon miles above the earth. Natural power
such as Niagara falls will furnish the orig
Il from the earth. This current is conducted
by a wire 20 the oscilIator in the balloon
The current need be only small; one amDere
IS SUFFICIENT. The oscillator transforms Il
into millions Of volts OF force which flow
away IN the rarefed stratum OF air as q con
ductor. This makes this stratum OF air.
therefore, reservoir OF energy, and so
wherever another balloon is sent up to tap
1t. power may be obtained 10 any degree for
any purpose.
Here. then is Tesla's dream OF the sun do
ing he work realized. The sun makes the
rivers, the rivers furnish the power to start
the first electric current and the energy IS
thus pumped to run the machinery Of the
world
Coming From Korea.
WASHINGTON, Nov 13-Chong Ye con-
nected with the household OF the crown prince