St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-12-31

tience he labored and toilcd on lesser
devices, which brought him the means
Of carrying on his greater operations.
And now he has broken his silence by
announcing 10 the world the perfection
cf an engine which, il. it does but half
he claims for it. will revolutionize mod
ern warfare ant! completely change the
position Of nations. In fact, the dis
armament of the powers would be
necessity, and war would be so terrible
that no country could sustain 1t even
for a few weeks. -.
Mr.. Tesla's invention, to describe IL
In q few words. consists in an applica-
ton of electricity whereby, without in
tcrposition OF any artificial medium OF
communication. one man can control
and direct with absolute exactness the
movements of any type of vessel, bal-
loon or land vehicle at any distance
that may be desired. From station
on shore or from the deck of moving
vessel a torpedo boat equipped with
this device may be propelled either on
or below the surface, maneuver at will
in any direction and finally brought
into contact and exploded at the side
Of a hostile ship at any point within
the range of the operator. More mar
velous vet, assuming that it were pos
sible to locate the position Of the war
shin to be destroyed. the torpedo boat
could be directed to it. even If the YES
sci Law in a European harbor and the
operator were stationed at Sandy HOOK
or Fort Monroe.
The result of this invention? Let Mr.
Tesla speak for himself:
"War will cease to be possible when
all the world knows that the most
feeble of nations can supply itself with
4 weapon which renders its coast Sc
cure and it's ports impresnabie TO the
assaults OF even the united armadas Of
the world. Battleships will cease to be
built and the mightiest ironclads and
the most tremendous artillery afioat
will be OF no more use than so much
scran iron. And this irresistible power
can be exerted at any distance by an
agency of SO delicate. so impalpable q
quality that l am justified in predict.
ING the time will come, incredible as
Il NAV seem, when it can be called into
action by the mere exercise OF the hui
man will"
How does the new device work?
Hitherto the only means OF control
ling the movement OF vessel from
distance has been supplied through tn
medium Of flexible conductor. such al
an electric cable, but this system, &C
| corling to Tesla, Is subject to many
limitations, such as are imposed by tn
length, weight and strength OF the con
| Iuctor. by the difficulty of maintaining
with safety the high speed Of vesse
OF changing the direction OF its move
ments with rapidity. by the necessit,
|vf effecting the control from pom
(which is practically fixed, and from
lnany other drawbacks which are in
separately connected with such sys
lem.
/ Tesla.s plan seems to involve none o
tAess affections. He is enabled by tn
/ Ne Of his invention to employ any
, neans Of propulsion. to impart TO tn
: nnying body or vessel the highest pos
dNe speed, 10 control the operation o
/ IL machinery. and to direct its move
Jmests from either fixed point OF from
bslay moving and changing its direc
tions however rapidly. and to maintain
, this control over great distances with
ont artificial connections between tn
vessel and the apparatus governing II