Nikola Tesla - Free-Energy Devices

274 INVENTIONS OF NIKOLA TESLA.was attached. When the thread was formed,it extended throughthe upper part of the tube and lost itself in the lower end.possessed rigidity it resembled, not exactly an elastic cordstretched tight between two supports, but a cord suspended fromIf ita height with a small weight attached at the end. When thefinger or a small magnet was approached to the upper end of theluminous thread, it could be brought locally out of position byelectrostatic or magnetic action and when the;disturbing objectwas very quickly removed, an analogous result was produced, asthough a suspended cord would be displaced and quickly releasednear the point of suspension. In doing this the luminous threadwas set in vibration, and two very sharply marked nodes, and athird indistinct one, were formed. The vibration, once set up,continued for fully eight minutes, dying gradually out. Thespeed of the vibration often varied perceptibly, and it could beobserved that the electrostatic attraction of the glass affected thevibrating thread ;but it was clear that the electrostatic actionwas not the cause of the vibration, for the thread was most generallystationary, and could always be set in vibration by passingthe finger quickly near the upper part of the tube. With amagnet the thread could be split in two and both parts vibrated.By approaching the hand to the lower coating of the tube, orinsulation plate if attached, the vibration was quickened ; also, asfar as I could see, by raising the potential or frequency. Thus,either increasing the frequency or passing a stronger dischargeof the same frequency corresponded to a tightening of the cord.I did not obtain any experimental evidence with condenser discharges.A luminous band excited in the bulb by repeated dischargesof a Leyden jar must possess rigidity, and if deformedand suddenly released, should vibrate. But probably the amountof vibrating matter is so small that in spite of the extreme speed,the inertia cannot prominently assert itself. Besides, the observationin such a case is rendered extremely difficult on accountof the fundamental vibration.The demonstration of the fact which still needs better experimentalconfirmation that a vibrating gaseous column possessesrigidity, might greatly modify the views of thinkers.When with low frequencies and insignificant potentials indicationsof that property may be noted, how must a gaseous medium beliaveunder the influence of enormous electrostatic stresses whichmay be active in the interstellar space, and which may alternate