Nikola Tesla - Free-Energy Devices

292 INVENTIONS OF NIKOLA TESLA.ing an enormous impedance, or through a condenser of extremelysmall capacity. This, however, does not do away withother difficulties.If the wave length of the impulsesis much smaller than thelength of the wire, then corresponding short waves will be setup in the conducting coating, and it will be more or less thesame as though the coating were directly connected to earth. Itis therefore necessary to cut up the coating in sections muchshorter than the wave length. Such an arrangement does notstill afford a perfect screen, but it is ten thousand times betterthan none.I think it preferable to cut up the conducting coatingin small sections, even if the current waves be much longerthan the coating.If a wire were provided with a perfect electrostatic screen, itwould be the same as though all objects were removed from it atinfinite distance. The capacity would then be reduced to thecapacity of the wire itself, which would be very small. Itwould then be possible to send over the wire current vibrationsof very high frequencies at enormous distances, without affectinggreatly the character of the vibrations. A perfect screen is ofcourse out of the question, but I believe that with a screen suchas I have just described telephony could be rendered practicableacross the Atlantic. According to my ideas, the gutta-perchacovered wire should be provided with a third conducting coatingsubdivided in sections. On the top of this should be againplaced a layer of gutta-percha and other insulation, and on thetop of the whole the armor. But such cables will not be constructed,for ere long intelligence transmitted without wireswill throb through the earth like a pulse through a living organism.The wonder is that, with the present state of knowledgeand the experiences gained, no attempt is being made to disturbthe electrostatic or magnetic condition of the earth, andtransmit, if nothing else, intelligence.It has been, my chief aim in presenting these results to pointout phenomena or features of novelty, and to advance ideaswhich I am hopeful will serve as starting points of new departures.It has been my chief desire this evening to entertain youwith some novel experiments. Your applause, so frequentlyand generously accorded, has told me that I have succeeded.In conclusion, let me thank you most heartily for your kindnessand attention, and assure you that the honor I have had in