The record-union., 1898-11-09

earth. water or atmosphere by suitable
apparatus on the moving body ana
causes the desired actions, so long as
the body remains within active region
Of effective range of such currents. |
waves, impulses or radiations.
Having explained to you some OF
the possibilities of the device, I Will
now give you a practical example or
the workings of a model before going
into detailed description of how am
able to produce these results
Elevated on sticks on a table in the
center of the laboratory stood a modei |
of a screw propelled craft about four
feet long and somewhat disproportion-
ately wide and deep. Mr.. Tesla ax-
planned that it was merely working
model which he had made to exhibit to
President Mckinley, and that no at
tempt had been made to follow tae
usual short lines of a torpedo boat. The
deck was slightly arched and sur
mounted by three slender standards,
the center one being considerably
higher than the other two, Whicn
carried small incandescent bulbs,
third bulb being fixed at the bow.
The keel consisted of a massive cop
per plate, the propeller and rudder be-
ing in the usual positions. Mr.. Tesla
explained that the boat contained the
propelling machinery, consisting OF an
electric motor actuated by storage
battery in the hold, another motor 10
actuatethe rudder and delicate mech
anism which performs the function OF
receiving through the central standafu
the electrical impulses sent through
the atmosphere from the distant opef-
ating station which set in motion the
propelling and steering motors, ana
to light or eXtinguish the electric
bulbs and fire the exploding charge IN
chamber in the bow, in response 10
signals sent by the operator.
Now watch" said the inventor, and,
going to table on the other side of the
room, on which lay a little switch
board about five inches square he gave
the lever a sharp turn. Instantly the
little bronze propeller began to revolVe
at a furious rate. Now / will SEND
the boat to the starboard," he said,
and another quick movement of the
lever sent the helm sharp over, and
another movement turned it as rapidly
back again. At another signal the
screw stopped and reversed.
During the day." continued Mr.. Tes-
la, his hand on the lever, I'VE should
steer our course by keeping the two
standards in line, but at night we
should depend upon the electric lights
which would, of course, be screened
so as not to be visible to the enemy,
and at a signal both the tiny bulbs
were Illuminated.
NOW. we will assume that the boat
has arrived within striking distance OF
the vessel to be destroyed, and the
bulb in the bow will suffice to show that
the explosion has taken place"
AS he spoke he touched the lever
again, and the light flashed and was
eXtinguished.
Imagine if you can," said Mr.. Tesla,
as he went back to his desk, what an
irresistible instrument of destruction
we have in a torpedo boat thus con-
t1olled which can be operated day or
night, on the surface or below it, and
from any distance that may be desired.
A ship thus assailed would have no
possible show of escape.
81 can apply this system of control to
any type of vessel and of any size. 1t
is not even necessary to make a close
approach to the vessel to be destroyed.
At the distance of 100 feet the explo-
sion of 200 pounds of dynamite Will ex-
ert a shattering effect on a battlesnip,
but there is no reason why we should
not load a vessel with 200 or 300 tons,
or even more, of dynamite, which, eX-
ploded even mile or so away, would
raise wave that would overWhelm the
biggest ship ever built
Continuing his description, Mr.. Tesla
said: LAS to that part of my invention
which involves the production of suit
able waves or radiations and the con-
veying of the same to a remote recelv-
ing apparatus capable of being operat-
ed or controlled by their influence, it
may be carried out in various ways,
which are at the present time more Or
less understood. For example, I may
Lress through a conducting bath, pre-
ferably inclosing a large area, rapid
ly varying current, and by electro
magnetic induction of the same affect
a circuit carried by moving body.
"In this case the action at a given
distance will be the stronger the larger
the area inclosed by the conductor ard
the greater the rate of change Of the
current. If the latter were generated
in the ordinary ways, the rate Of
change, and consequently the distance
at which the action would be practi-
cauy available for the present purpose
would be very small, but by adopting
such means as / have devised-thar is,
either by passing through the conduct
ing path currents of a specially de-
signed high frequency alternator or,
better still, at those of a strongly
charged condenser, very high rate Of
change may be obtained, and the eff
fective range of the influence thus ex
tended over a vast area. and by care
fully adjusting the circuit on the NOV
ing body so as to be in exact electro
magnetic synchronism with the rri-
ict1 bn inf