The evening times., 1898-11-09
DIFFERING With TESLA
Scientists Who Doubt the
Value of His Discovery.
BELIEVE HIM A THEORIST
Others, However, Incline to Think
That the Inventor VIII Make Good
His Declarations by Practical
DemOnstratiOn-NO ImpOssibiIities
I'm the Worlds Present Era.

New York, Nov. 9.-Nikola Tesla's dec
of applying an electrical current where
by such marvellous results might be OBJ
tanned as the destruction of battleships,
balloons or land vehicles at a great dis
tance attracts deep interest not only on
the part of the general public, but among
electrical experts and scientists In soma
quarters doubt was expressed as to the
possibility of Tesla putting his invention
TO practical use. Others were confident
that the inventor would in time be able
to make good his declaration by practi-
cal demonstration.
One of those inclined to question the
value of Teslas discovery was Cyrus
f. Bracket, professor OF physics in
Princeton University and head of the
Henry electrical school of Princeton. =.
j., who is the author of a treatise On
physics.
When seen yesterday he said he placed
no confidence in Tesias claim that by
means of his appliances naval wacfa-e
would, of necessity, be abandoned. He
believes that Tesla is q theorist, and
that his discoveries are useless and for
the most part the reproduction under
another form the inventions OF other
scientists.
His Discovery Not New.
Professor Bracket said: The shortest,
most correct and most complete criticism
which l can make in reference TO this
bold boast is that what is new about 1t Is
useless while that which is useful had
all been discovered by other scientists
long before Tesla mad e this starting
announcement. You Will nnd the Who'll
theory which he has applied IN an! up
to-date text book What Tesla has done
is simply to make theoretical application
, which would prove to be absolutely IL
diculous in application, OF Inventions
which had already been discovered.
There is nothing new about this. me
theory is perfect but the zppiIcauon ao-
surd So throughout Tesla who!e e.do-
crate scheme, the theory Is not dt iauit'
although there is nothing original apout
II hut the circumstances under wh'ch
its application would be necessltateo are
| such mat the only result would De IAN
| ure.
! DO YOU suppose that in the din of bat-
| rle il would be possible 10 put into exc
! cutiou those minute and carefully ad-
| iusted mechanical experiments, all OF
| which are presupposed by his theory,
| which require the quiet or an unlnteT-
| rupted laboratory TO work successfully !:
! ..Or do YOU think that the enemy would
| co-operate with the attack ana place
| their vessels in exactly the correct posi-
| tion TO be hit or that they would remain
| stationary.
Not n Practical scheme.
| .IIis theory would have 10 assume an
! affirmative answer in order TO De suc-
cess and moreover the torpedo BOAT
! would have TO be seen from the base OIL
onarations In order TO direct it. II would
he discovered by the doomed vessel long
| before il reached its destination, ana
| uouId he exploded on the spot, so now
| great AN advance is this on the present
mode of warfare?
II do not doubt the validity of the
| scientific truth of the principles WHICH
the theory involves, for the experiments
| have been made repeatedly IN physica'
labora tories, and l believe that on
email model the desired effects could be
| made. In my classroom l perform eA
| periments by which the actions OF Dod!
ftted with the proper electrical mechan
ism can be controlled without metalh
communication through wave motion D.
means of lever which Tesla has utillze'
in controlling the action OF MS mooe
| vessel.
I'm application the whole phase OF tn
| matter is changed and the thlhs pe
| comes an absolute impossibility, owing II
the mechanical and natural impedlmehl
which would have to be overcome.
Brown. chief electrical expert c
the Western Union Telegraph Compan!
docs NOT agree with Prof Bracket. II
believes that Tesla's discovery may prov
most important. When seen yeslerua!
he said: 81 have not had an opportunll
TO look closely into the matter OF Iesia
discovery but l may say that ne Is sue
a wonderfully inventive genius thal
need not question the value and pract
cability of anything which ne may oi'
| cover His is wonderful nina, ana IL
have been most valuable and importan
| contributions TO the cause OF sclenC
1T has for some time been possible
produce a movement of telegraph
sounder for a distance of some twent
miles without making use of wire, bl
whether it is possible to extend this prii
ciple to a distance of three or four thou
| and miles, or say from New York TO IA
| is. France, as Mr.. Tesla says he Will |
able to do. remains to be seen. / do m
question his ability to do so, for ! kno
what wonderfully inventive genius
is
William NJ Aver an electrician in Je
sey City said Tesla's idea was not e'
tirely new. While admitting that scare
ly anything is impossible in the presel
age he hardly believed this applicable
feasible at this time There is. he sal
| "a possibility of sending a current lol
distance, but the energy must be in
8 mense. 1t is known now that curre
: of force sufficient even to blow up We
sci can be sent a distance of eiShte'
2 miles
The WhistIer-Bernstein Match.
Baltimore, Nov. 9.-Joe Bernstein al
Billy Whistler, the principals in the TIVE