The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-08
TESLA'S NEW WAR WONDER
VAS MODEL or sHIP OPERATED M
MAGNETIC WAVES FROM SHORE.

nIhflI n NAN 'NFN wa NNAA lNhNN
planed him In the foremost ranks Of science.
and whose applications Of his discoveries have
made him recognized, as ono Of the worlds
greatest inventors. makes public to-day his
latest discovery and invention. which ho be-
lteyes is also his greatest one. In brief. Mr..
Tesla believes that this invention will not only
snswer many useful purposes In ordinary life.
hut that IL would make war 90 terrible. as
we'll as expensive. as TO make IL prohibitory.
and thus TO assure peace between all the
nations.
Mr.. Tesla's latest invention consists OF a
combination OF his devices for producing and
projecting into the air currents Of electricity Of
enormous voltaGes which will reach out for
many miles. and n means for using electric
waves thus projected for controlling the driv-
ing. steering and other machinery OF n moving
body. BY fitting out a vessel. n balloon, or a
wagon with his special mechanical devices. Mr..
Tesla can control their movements on land or
sen or in the air by the projection without
wires Of currents OF electricity to great dis
tnnces, II desirable that such q vessel Should
carry great quantities OF explosives. bombs or
other destructive devices. the operator at the
distant Point can direct discharge and explode
them at will.
The idea OF tho invention came to Mr.. Tesla
years ago. and he has never lost sight Of it
since, but It was not until the war with Spain
can't and stirred him with patriotism-for MIR.
Tesla Is American to the b~ackbone-that the
scheme took definite form and shape. Then
the idea completely possessed him and gave
him no rest until the problem was worked out
In its entirety.
Years ago." said Mr.. Tesla. In explaining
what led to this latest invention. " l used to
argue that the human organism was but
q therno-electrlc machine. whose opera
tons were controlled by tho impressions
which came to it through the medium
OF the eye, the ear. the nose. the palate or tho
touch. Light falls upon the %retina,-I would
argue. and conveys an impression to certain
nerves. and these transmit a signal to som
part Of the mechanism further back. which sets
in motion certain muscles or perhaps sends
signals further along. Could l but make a
machine which could receive Impressions as
does my eye. my ear or my other organs. Of
wished almost as II it were a ~sensate being
which could reason as well as act"
That is what Mr.. Tesla has succeeded in do,
stands md the w0tkIMn G node %odsi c Of a a0 vessel E wi fSs
the room, with no other. connection, between
him and the vessel than that, formed by the at
mosphcrie air or the wooden floor; Az one
lfH S'0% Whatever %sr POSITION pOIH I SINGS Mr. Tesla sR'n DESIRES i IS
der remains liked While the screw wv drives
way. Another touch and the rudder moves
either, way, little or much as desired. and at
the will Of the operator signal lights flash out
from stats on the vessel to tell just what posi-
tI9n the rudder is in. Agreeq light tells that
and the fash OF red and green together gives
true word that it is amidship. The lamps re-
main dark unless their signal warning is or
dered by the operators touch, or they fash for
a f ssnaiRs or 5 5eaeh a S;RREthTiii slE %sf iO as Is de sIc%s
Interfering in any way with. the othsr" opera.
tons. and this is used by Mr.. Tesla to signify
}ac,ed & S SIa enp Si6daese OF o! t fE%FG saS otb bsS 6 6esn PES,
When % WITH, Mr. IF fesia's s Hhs Dse RaRn sdfi 10 hslp.
model vessel. and sees how these operations
and And the tn -, TOPPING Of the mashinery Or regula;
speed are Produced. it IS at once APPARENT
that there is no operation which goes on
aboard the greatest warship or mer.
satomatic machines. could replace the hand Of
man that could not be controlled by the mas
tainty and precision, as If that hand. were on
board the vessel and in direct touch with q
m RmsSred m "a f { 1aeF TEN t bbaess a% 6SeTat be a
control OF the operator miles AVA as certainly
by the touching OF n mechanism SO frail that 1t
breaks IKE 4 toy. or as surely as the men
bDOuru u MODERN WuTSnlD turn and handle her
enormous turrets by the pressing OF a keNor
turning OF a stopcock.
Air. earth or water, is all that is needed to
make the connection between the operator and
the moving mechanism, be IL vessel. wagon or
Whatever, and even some OF these might be
d &c away With under certain circumstance:
which I controls The moving mechanism is cleo
esSoDe t dnu fI3H nnSbi ir9 IN as taf away as a . tel,
oithe vessel. But II Is not necessary. to use
electricity even to exercise such control. With
make tho same control could be exercised by
1ns notes ght Of a whistle or by other
Vibrations. H! Eiectr TiSitydi is. fRr oTeSer. R aSs neeese
sary agent by which the primary control Of the
machinery within the controlled object is made
steam. compressed air or any other source of
power can be used. In the model vessel Mr..
asi'a c Esas w q fSoRt 20 praSnc Of storage sSs T GoE SsStsrtss
The use OF, these. however. is but q minor de-
tall 81 mechanics. Balloons can be controlled
sent hither and yon at will. or caused to drop
eS66l9 SSi Ehepeverthe operator might desire.
Inc possibilities of the new invention are
thus modestly described by Mr.. Tesla in the
9PpttIlSantI SIoi for G patent which he filed at the
Inc invention which / have described will
prove useful IL many ways. Vessels or vehicles
despatch, or pilot boats. or the like. or for car
lying letters. packages, provisions. instru-
meHts. OBJECTS or materials OF any description,
It establishing communication with %inacces-
hlnie regions and exploring the conditions OK
lSthg IN the same, for killing or capturing
whales or other animals Of the sea. and for
many other scientific, engineering. or com
my Invention will result from its effects upon
matlare and ornaments, for. by reason OF its
teIta!h anu unlimited deStructiveness. IL will
Ssno 70 bring about and maintain permanent
peace among nations"
CT was when Ceryera's feet took refuge In
SSanIago harbor that The invention assumed
t,SH III u Mr.. TeSla's mind. Almost by inspira-
ZION. ne says, the thing shaped itself into a
SSoonpiete whole. embodying in the, complete
seysGs the use Of a number Of his p~revlous dis
s sHce n ana INVENTIONS and the accepted sol
.,ol was prepared" said Mr.. Tesla yesterday.
d@ go TO Santiago then and mako such q
SSenn.l39hstration as would have ~astounded the
tTrVVadtmn and have made 1t impossible for an
nnmmtei,,lgent man like Cervera to have stood
SS1osp ii a day after he saw what could be
SSUUffe IL was not my Idea to kill any one.
cS a. 70 send word to Ceryera that at q
S SsssSslnt time, despite all he might do TO
aeeute avg w eeneft right under the guns OF the
aswS ana publications and within the harbor
nnuid i otherwise directed have destroyed
Subure neet or the wi proposed 10 send
pepSonerged vessel into the harbor carrying
sSnIoSAss ttiO.QOO pounds OF wet guncotton and
Inp'vpe IL. NO Intelligent commander. know