Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-10-17
Provoking Explosions by
Spark Transmission
Quite Impossible.
SCIENCE N THE WAR
"Confidence Men" Are
Taking Advantage of a
Grave Situation.

Correspondence OF the Associated Prcss).
PARIS, oct. 1G.-Provoking explo-
slons at a distance by the transmits
sion Of electric sparks is an impossi-
bIIity, according TO DR.. Edouard
branly, who in 1890 discovered means
Of closing and r%eopening an electric
current at a distance without the use
or a transmitting wire, which Is the
principle Of wireless geography.
The human Species Doctor Bran
ly says, in talking to a representative
o. the Associated Press, us paying a
sufficiently large tribute to science in
this war; il is scarcely worth while to
discuss the visionary powers that are
attributed to it.. 1t has increased the
flow OF blood and the enOrmity of
ruins, making international conflicts
more hOrrlfying, but there are things
1t cannot accomplish. unfortunately.
Science sends the Lusitania to the
bottom Of the Atlantic with more than
a thousand human souls, but it is
poWerIcss, contrary to some preten-
tons, to cause the destruction at a
distance by electric current Of the en-
CINE which by the will of man caused
a disaster hitherto reserved to the
wrath Of the elements. Neither can
1t reach by radiating waves the de-
structive engines Of the air.
A False Notion.
THE false notion Of those who pre-
tend to transmit destructive power
through space arises from the fact
that wiresless telegraphy is accom-
plishcd through the production of a
mlnusC'e spark at the receiving sta
tion. That spark being sufficient to
Produce an effect upon extremely
sensitive instruments at great dis
tance, they concluded that at a limit
ed distance. of a mile for instance, a
much stronger spark could be pro-
uuced; as that spark is supposed to
50 through all sorts or obstacles they
inferred that it could also pierce the
steel shell. of engines Of war.
I'm the first place, no available
power could produce a spark Of suf-
ficient intensity; there isn't the slight
est CalOriC power in the wireless spark
at the receiving End. In the second
place, it would be necessary for it to
strike with absolute precision a joint
or fissure in the plates i'm order to get
into contact with the explosive.
different accidents enormously at
tributed to the wireless current may
have put some of these Missionaries on
this false track. 1t was discussed
whether the NOlturnO was not fired
at sea, and if the explosion of the
French battleship lena at Toulon was
not provoked by wireless sparks. The
EIffel tower wireless transmitting sta
ton produces most formidable sparks,
yet not the slightest accident has ever
been caused. in the vicinity.
Confidence Men.
"TO produce explosions at a distance
something different from wireless
electric currents must be found. Most
OF the inventions for this purpose that
have come to my notice when thor
Cughly investigated were found to be
connected with concealed CloCkwork,
and in no case when powder was
brought in by disinterested parties
were they able to provoke an eXplo-
sion.
There are a great many ]'chevaliers
d~.industrie', or what you might call
confidence men i'm English, who have
not hesitated to make profit out Of
TIE tension of the public mind by ex-