The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-31
TESLA MAKES
A DISCOVERY.
Capacity Of Electrical Conduc-
tors Is Variable.
FORMULAS NEED REWRITING
Many Different Conditions That Can Cause
Important Variations Are Explained BY
the Talented Inventor.
FORMULAS NEED REWRITING,

Nicola Tesla has announced another
new discovery in electricity. This time IL
is a new law and by reason of IL. Mr..
Tesla asserts, large part OF technical
literature will have 10 be rewritten.
Ever since anything has been known
about electricity scientific men have taken
for granted that the capacity Of an eiec-
trical conductor Is constant.
When Tesla was experimenting In Colo
rado he found out that this capacity Is
not constant. but variable. Then he de-
termined TO find out the law governing
this phenomenon. He did So and all this
Since many years scientific men en-
gagged I'm the study OF physics and electri-
cal research have taken IL for granted
that certain quantities, entering contin-
uVusly I'm their estimates and calculations.
are fixed and unalterable. 49,.
THE exact determination of these
quantities being OF particular Importance
la electrical vibrations. which are en-
crossing more and more the attention or
experimenters all over the world, IT seems
TO me important to acquatnt others with
some OF my observations. which have fin
ally led me TO the results now attracting
universal attention.
LITERATURE is DEFECTIVE.
These observations. with which have
long been familiar. show that some OF
the quantities referred TO are variable
and that, owing TO this, large portion
of the technical literature is defective
edge OF the facts 1 have discovered In
plain language, devoid as much as pos
1T IS well known that an electric cir
cult comports itself like spring with
weight attached TO IL. Such spring
vibrates at definite rate. which Is de-
termined by two quantities. the pliabillty
of the spring and the mass OF the weight.
similarly an electric circuit vibrates.
two Quantities designated as electrostatic
capacity and tnductance.
The capacity of the electric circuit
corresponds TO the pliability of the spring
and the inductance to the mass OF the
weight.
have taken IL for granted that the pill
ability OF the spring remains the same.
Ss ss aS aspsay have Of sud eoS
which is frequently used in experiments.
and many scientific results of the great
est Importance are dependent on this as
Now, I have discovered that this ca
pacity Is not fixed and unalterable at ALL
On the contrary, IL is susceptible to great
changes, so that under certain conditions
IL may amount to many times its theo-
reticai value. or may eventually be small
'Inasmuch as every electric conductor.
besides possessing an inductance. has also
a certain amount OF capacity. owing to
the variations OF the latter. the induct-
ance. too. is seemingly modified by the
same CAUSES that tend to modify the ca
pacfty.
OF ELECTRIC VIBRATION.
These facts discovered some time be-
fore 4 gave technical description of
my system of energy transJnission and
telegraphy without wires. which. be-
lieye. became irst known through my
Belgian and British patents.
In this system, i then explained. that.
in estimating the wave-length of the cleo
trical vibration In the transmitting and
receiving circuits. due regard must be
bration Is propagated through each of
the circuits. this velocity being given by
the product of the wave-length and the
number OF vibrations per second.
THE rate of vibration being however,
as before stated. dependent on the ca
pacity and inductance in each case. 1
obtained discordant values.
Continuing the investigation of this
astonishing phenomenon observed that
the capacity varied with the elevation of
the conducting surface above the ground.
and l soon ascertained the law OF this
variation.
ducting. surface was elevated I'm open
space. from one-half to three-quarters of
per cent. per each foot of elevation.
I'm buildings. however. or near large
structures, this increase often amounted
TO 90 per cent: per foot OF elevation. and
this alone will show to what an extent
many OF the scientific experiments re-
corded In technical literature, are erro-
neous,
I'm determining the length of the coils
or conductors. such as 4 employ I'm my
system of wireless telegraphy. for in
stance, the rule which have given Is. in
view view, OF the the above: important to observe.
of science is the fact ! discovered later.
that the capacity undergoes an annual
variation with maximum In summer
and minimum In winter.
I'm Colorado where ! continued with
improved methods the Investigations be-
gun IN New York and where found the
L
furthermore observe that there was
a diurnal vibration with a maximum dur
ing, the day and a minimum during the
Further found that sunlight causes
slight increase In the capacity: The
moon also produces an effect, but i do
not attribute II TO it's light.
THE Importance OF these observations
will be better appreciated when II Is
stated that owing TO these changes OF
quantity supposed TO be constant an cleo
trio circuit does not vibrate at n uniform
rate. but Its rate is modified in accord
ance with the notifications OF the
''Thus a circuit yibrates a little slower
AZ an elevation than when at a lower
UPON SEVERAL CAUSES.
"An oscilating system as used in tele-
graphy without wires. vibrates "a littlo
quicker when the ship gets into the har-
Dor than when or open sea.
such q circuit oscillates quicker In the
winter than in the summer. though IL
DC tl tIt uIu AIllt
quicker at night than I'm daytime. par
ticularly IL the sun Is shining.
Taking together the results Of my In.
vestigation I find that this variation Of
the capacity and consequently Of the vi
bration period Is evidently dependent.
nrst, on the absolute height above sea
level though In small degree: second.
on the relative height of the conducting
surface or capacity with respect 10 the
bodies surrounding it third on tho
distance of the earth from the sun and
fourth. on the relative change of the cir
cult with respect 10 the sun caused BY
the diurnal rotation OF the earth.
These facts may be of particular IN
terest TO metcorolosists and astronomers.
inasmuch as practical iiicthods OF inquiry
may result from these observations.
which may be useful in their respective
fields.
ut is probable that we shall perfect
Instruments for indicating the altitude OF
q place by means OF n circuit properly
constructed and arranged. and I have
thought OF number Of other uses 10
which this principle may be put.
"Tt was I'm the course OF Investigations
OF this kind in Colorado that first noted
certain variations I'm electrical systems
arrntspod n fn fegulfar uaNe