Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-18

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 ves-
sci to be destroyed, and the bulb In the bow
Will serve to show that the explosion has
taken place.
AS he spoke he touched the lever again
and the light flashed and was extlnguished.
Imagine, IL you can" said Mr.. Tesla, as
he went back TO his desk, what an ire
slstible instrument Of destruction we have
In a torpedo boat thus controlled, which
we can operate day or night, on the surface
or below II, and from any distance that
may be d eslred. A ship thus assailed would
have no possibility Of escape.
II 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 dis
lance Of 100 feet the explosion Of 200 pounds
Of dynamite will exert q SCATTERING effect
on a battleship, but there is no reason why
we should not load a vessel with 200 or 800
tons. or even more. Of dynamite. which,
exploded even a mile or so away. would
raise a wave that would overwhelm the
biggest ship ever built"
Continuing his description, Mr.. Tesla
said: "As to that part of my invention
which involves the production OF suitable
waves or radiations and the conveying OF
the same to a remote receiving apparatus
capable Of being operated or controlled by
their influence, 1t MAJ be carried out in
various ways which are at the present time
more or less understood. For example, l
'r"v pass through a conducting bath,
preferably inclosing a large area, a rapidly
varying current and, by electromagnetic
Induction Of the same, effect a circuit car
ried by a moving body.
Distance No Barrier.
I'm this case the action at a given dis
lance will be the stronger the larger the
, area inclosed by the conductor and the
greater the rate OF change of the current.
II the latter were g%enrated in the ordinary
way the rate Of change, and consequently
the distance at which the action would be
practically available for the present pur-
| pose. would he very small, but by adopting
such means as I have devised-tha is,
either by passing through the conducting
path currents of a specially designed high
frequency alternator or, better still, at
those Of q strongly charged condeser-a
very high rate Of change may be obtained
/ anu the elective range VI the lulueLCc
thus extended over a vast area. BY care
fully adjusting the circuit on the moving
body SO as to be in exact electromagnetic
sychronism with the primary disturbances
this influence may be utilized at a great
distance.
Another way to carry out my invention
Is to direct the currents or discharges of
a high frequency machine or condenser
through a circuit one terminal Of which is
connected directly or inactively with the
ground and the other with a body, prefera-
bly, of large surface and at an elevation. In
this case, IL the circuit on the moving body
be similarly arranged or connected, differ
ences Of potential on the terminals Of the
circuit, either by conduction or electrostatic
induction, are produced and the same objec,
IL attained.
"Still another way is to pass the cur
rents simply through the ground by con-
Meeting both the terminals Of the source Of
high frequency currents to earth at differ.
ent and remote points, and to utilize the
currents spreading through the ground fol
affecting the receiving circuit properly
placed and adjusted.
FINALLY, / may avail myself, In carrying
out my invention, OF electrical oscillations
which do not follow any particular con
Quoting path, but propagate In straigh'
lines through space OF rays, waves, pulses
or disturbances Of any kind. capable o.
bringing the mechanism OF the moving BODY
=, into action from a distance and at the vii
of the operator by their effect upon saita'
bic controlling devices"
Fire Alarm that Talks.
The human voice, the telephone and tn,
graphophone are combined in a unique au'
tomato fire alarm which Chief Hale CT tn,
Kansas City fire department has invented
md IN which he has applied for a patent
BY the use Of the new fire alarm the eAac
3 place Of any fire In a building provided witt
the system is told in the clear. distinct tone
Of the human voice to the central office O
the telephone company and that too whel
!, no person is near the scene of the fire.
The secret is the combination OF tn
{ graphophone, the simple mechanical instru
l ment which takes sound from a cylinder @
wax, and the telephone. Chief Hale teste
. his invention Sunday afternoon at fire de
= partment headquarters. reports the Kansa
City Star. A telephone was placed at on
: end OF the hall to represent the centrs
= office. At another was a series OF wires an
G thermostats, which would be used whereve
t the system is applied, and near by stood tn
I apparatus which sends the alarm OF FIR
@ over the telephone. A lighted cigar was hel
h near the copper wire which was a part OF th
a wiring system.
r The expansion Of the wire, caused by tn
Y heat, manipulated a tiny lever, breaking Il
electric circuit; and, by the use of a magne
the graphophone was set In motion. talkin
into a transmitter and repeating the wore
g that had been impressed on it's wax Cylinde
n At the same time the transmitter was al
tomatically connected with the telephor
representing the central office and at tn,
teleph"ne these words were distinctly heart
d "Fire on the main floor of Jones BroI
II dry goods store. Sixth and Main streets"
N This was repeated over and over agai
ID When an alarm is turned into the centr
telephone office q connection Is quick
made with the fire department. 1t Is Oh
a. Hale's idea that the name and place OF 4
Id building where this alarm system is us
shall be repeated to the graphophone al
I'd sent ny 1t when a fire occurs to Central
Of THE merits Of the invention are that