The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-11
COMMUNICATION WITH MARS.
NiiSOin Tesla Replies to Sir Norman
LOcLycr's Criticisms.

Lockycr's Criticisms.
NEW YORK. Jan. 1O.-Nikola Tesla, the
electrician and inventor, has sent the
following letter to the sun"
ITO the Editor of the Sun:
Sir: In your issue of Tuesday. Sir Nor
man Lockyer. in commenting en- my OBJ
servations, is TepoTted as having stated:
a" Communication with Mars is abso-
lutely outside the domain of practical sci
ence'
Before l had obtained with electrical
oscillations results such as were outlined
in a recent article l would have unhesi-
tatingly agreed to this statement, but now
l have the unmistakable experimental evil
dence before me that the transmission OF
a message to that or some other planet
is possible and, what is more, easily prac-
ticabe.
Necessity Q; avoiding technical details,
unintelligible to the general reader, com
pels me to illustrate the advantage of the
new means of communication over the old
by comparison which. though not exact,
is sufficiently correct to convey an ap-
proximate idea. Suppose that the entire
available power of Niagara, about fve
million horse power, should be turned into
an electric arc and transformed into an
equivalent amount of radiant heat and
light energy TO be used for the purpose OF
signaling
Assume further that the observer in
a planet at a distance of $4,000 900 miles
would be able to utilize integrally the
energy falling upon one hundredth OF
square mile of the planets surface. This
would be a difficult, if not impossible,
task; but if he were successful he would
then only have 1910 goo 600 0G0, coo. 000th
of that horse power available for the
operation of his instrument.
"On the other hand, let us examine how
much energy could be conveyed by the
methods and apparatus l have devised.
In this case We should provide a conduct
ing surface connect it through a coil to
the ground, and impress electrical cscil-
iGtions upon this system. By availing
ourselves of certain adjustments and arti-
fees we should, according to my expert
ences. encounter no insuperable difficult
ties in setting up movement of cleo
trical energy equivalent to a rate of
5000, 600 horse power. with but small
actual expenditure of energy.
"Supposing the observer in the planet
should avail himself of similar means.
we should then have, as in my system of
energy transmission or telegraphy with
out wires, two resonating attuned cir
cults connected through a condenser.
great advantage would be at once secured,
since the energy does not diminish with
the square of the distance, as with light,
heat, or Hertzian rays. but in linear
proportion to the same.
Estimating the capacity of the con-
derser formed by the earth-the planet
anJ the intervening medium find that
we should be able to transmit in this man
ner to Mars at intervals, energy at the
rate Of 1-5O e0Cth of a horsepower. which,
in the attuned circuit on the planet by
skillful construction and adjustment of
the apparatus, could be intensified to
rate of one-ffth Of one horsepower, and
considerable portion of this accumulated
energy would be available for the opera
tion Of the receiving instrument.
The attainment of this enormous rate
Of energy delivery is made possible by
the fact that in using these novel means
we should not dissipate the energy OF the
transmtter uselessly in all directions
through space as we should when employ
ing rays. We should simply transmit cleo
trical stresses through the medium. 1t is
as If we had a weigbtless elastic. bar ex-
tending from our globe to the planet. and
as If we were transmitting energy by
pushing this bar back and forth.
The above rough estimate is obtained
by ignoring the disturbing influences OF
the sun and Of other planets. Still. by
making all due allowances we could still
convey to its place of destination an
amount OF energy many million times that
possible with radiant light or heat AS
far. then ~ our ability OF communicating
with Mars is concerned far from beliey-
ing il impossible. We are justified in con-
sidering it practicable
WHY should Sir Norman T.nckyer doubt
that the energy would reach the planet?
Does not the fact that electric disturb
ances are produced In the earth by
changes in the sun offer a sufficient war
rant? While do not consider myself in
fallible. l feel confident that l am neither
capable of mistaking earthquakes for
novel electrical manifestations, nor in
capable of noting what might have es-
capped the attention OF others.
Il did not state that | had obtained a
message from Mars l only expressed my
conviction that the disturbances | OBJ
served were of planetary origin. 1t does
not follow that they could be detected
by magnetic instruments. These are deli
cate only in a certain sense. In another
sense they are very crude. Sir Norman
LOckyer asks what ground l have for as
Mars inhabited? I do not hesitate
to admit that I am convinced of it. Per
haps part OF my conviction is d rived from
the perusal of Sir Norman Lockyer's adj
mrable papers ] am sorry he attaches
no value whatever to my observations.
''NIkOLA TESLA.
New York, Jan. o.