Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-11-11

NSlnCe THESE pnNSlcAl agents OF gTAVl- |
tation, heat, light magnetism and cleo
tricity are disclosed to US only by their |
effects. their intimate nature is complete |
" unknown. In the present state of
science, we cannot say whether they are
properties inherent in matter, or whether
they result from movements impressed
on the mass of subtitle and imponderable
forms of matter diffused through the
universe"
In refreshing contrast. also. to the con-
fident manner in which the professor
speaks of wave motions is the following
interview with the great practical cleo
trician, Tesla, thus reported from New
York in Tuesdays Boston Herald. 1t
will be perceived that Mr.. Tesla does not
enter into a discussion of the manner in
which electricity works, or of its essence,
but whilst he uses the word waves once,
qualified Immediately by the words i'm
pulses or radiation, his usual phrase
ology following that used by Newton
and Franklin, is currents or radatiOns.
At the moment when all the world is ring.
| ing with rnmors of an impending colossal
conflict there comes from the laboratory of
one of the great magicians of science the an
nouncement of the development of power
which he believes is destined Immediately to
usher in the era of universal peace by the
demonstration of its ability to destroy, with
out the possibility of defence, the mghtiest
armaments of the naval powers.
In the words of Nicola Tesla, uttered today ;
"War will cease to be possible when all the
world knows tomorrow that the most feeble
| of the nations can supply itself Immediately
with a weapon which will render its coast
secure and its ports impregnable to the "a
sauts of the united armadas of the world.
| Battleships will cease to be built, and the
mightiest armorclads and the most tremen-
dous artillery ahoat viii be of no more use
than so much scrap iron.
"And this Irresistible power can be exerted
at any distance by an agency of so delicate,
so impalpable, a Qualitv that am justified in
predicting that the time will come incredible
as it may seem, when it can be called into
action by the mere exercise of the human
will"
In brief, MIR. Tesla's latest and most start
ling miracle consists in an application of
electricity whereby, without the interp0si-
ton of any artificial medium of communica-
ton, one mar can control another, direct
with absolute exactitude the movements of
any type Of vessel, balloon OF land vehicle at
any distance that may he desired.
From a station on SnOfe OF from lue utck
of vessel under wav torpedo boat
equipped with Mr.. Teslis controlling device
may he propelled either on or Nelow the sur
face. manoeuvred Mt will i'm any direction,
and finally be brought into contact and ex'
ploded against the side of a hostile vessel at
any point within the rani of the operator
While the most important application OF
the device IL unquestionablv in the direction
of destruction, it will also have coun less
peaceful uses, and it is Mr. Teslas highest
pride that by making war too terrible it will
render ii impossible.
Mr.. Tesla, in his laboratory today, SAID
at gives me the greatest pleasure to an
nour ce to the wor6 my last and nv greatest
invention. NV imagination fairly reels when
attempt to contemplate its countless posi-
bilities Already hear the kneI of the bat
! tleship and the monster gun. Their day has
passed, with the advent of n new and irresisti
Bile power which gives to all nations an alb
solute power of defence against any attack.
"Hitherto," continued Mr.. Tesla, 1.-THE only
means of controlling the movements of yes
sci from a distance have been supplied
through the medium of n flexible conductor
such as an electric cable, but this system Is
subject to obvious limitations, such as are
imposed by the length, weight and strength
of the conductor which can be practically
! used; by the di riculty of maintaining witt
safety the high speed of the vessel or chang
, ing the direction of her movements will
rapiditv; by the necessity effecting the con
troll from point which is practically fixed
and from many other drawbacks which arc
inseparably connected with such a system.
"The plan which have perfected involv
: none of these objections, for am enabled by
l the use of my invention to employ any means
: of propulsion, to impart to the moving body
or vessel the highest possible speed. to con
: troll the operation OF its machinery and to di
TO, re nif a Y
or from body moving a changing III
direction however rapidly, and to maintain
this control over great distances without any
artificial connections between the vessel an6
the apparatus governing its movements, anC
] without such restrictions as these must neces
' sarily impose.
"In a broad sense, then, my invention diff
e fers from all of those systems which provide
for the control of the mechanism carried by
\ n moving object and governing its motion, II
that ! require no intermediate wires, cable
or other form of electrical or mechanical con
Dection with the object save the natura
media in 8 ace.
i 81 accomplish, nevertheless, similar results
and in much more practical manner, by
q producing waves, impulses or radiations
t which are received through the earth, waite
r or atmosphere by suitable apparatus on thu
moving body, and cause the desired actions
. so long as the body remains with the ACTIVE
q region or effective range of such currents
waves, impulses or radiations.
"Having explained some of the possibilitie
{ of the Device" continued Mr.. Tesla, 81 will
4 now give you practical example of thu
4 workings of the model before going into
e detailed description of how am able to pro
duce these results"
Z Elevated on stocks on a table in the centr
of the laboratory stood a model of the screw
= propelled craft about four feet long anC
0 somewhat disprOportionately wide and deep
. Mr. Tesla explained that II was merely
working model, which he had made in Orde
I to exhibit to President Mckinley, and tina
{ no attempt had been made to follow the usua
4 sharp lines of torpedo boat.
- The deck was slightly arched and sur
e mounted by three slender strands, the cente
4 one being considerably higher than the othe
two, which carried small incandescent bulbs
; a third bulb being fixed at the bow.
I The keel consisted of a massive cope