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When he realised that economic forces would not allow the development of a new type of electrical generator that would sup- ply power without burning fuel, he "was led to recognize [that] the transmission of electrical energy to any distance through the media as by far the best solution of the great problem of harness- ing the Sun's energy for the use of man."** His idea was that a rel- atively few generating plants located near waterfalls would supply his very high energy transmitters which, in turn, would send power through the Earth to be picked up wherever it was needed. Receiving energy from this high-pressure reservoir would only require a person to put a rod into the ground and connect it to a receiver operating in resonance with the electrical motion in the Earth. As Tesla described in 1911: "The entire apparatus for lighting the average country dwelling will contain no moving parts whatever, and could be readily car- ried about in a small valise.’” The difference between a current used to light "the average country dwelling" and a current used as a method of destruction, however, is a matter of timing. If the amount of electricity used to run a television for an hour is released in a millionth of a second, it would have a very different, and negative, effect on the televi- sion. Tesla said his transmitter could produce 100 million volts of pressure, and currents up to 1,000 amperes, with experimental power levels of billions or tens of billions of watts. If that amount of power were released in an incomparably small interval of time, the energy would be equal to the explosion of millions of tons of TNT, that is, a multimegaton explosion. Such a transmitter would be capable of projecting the force of a nuclear warhead by radio. Any location in the world could be vaporised at the speed of light. When he realised that economic forces would not allow the bility of Tesla’s wireless power transmission scheme whether for development of a new type of electrical generator that would sup- | commercial or military purposes. Modern authorities in electron- ply power without burning fuel, he "was led to recognize [that] _ ics, even those who express admiration for Tesla's genius, believe the transmission of electrical energy to any distance through the he was mistaken in the interpretation of his experiments when it media as by far the best solution of the great problem of harness- _ came to electrical transmission through the Earth.'"? ing the Sun's energy for the use of man."** His idea was that a rel- On the other hand, statements from authoritative witnesses who atively few generating plants located near waterfalls would supply — saw Tesla's equipment in operation support his claim about trans- his very high energy transmitters which, in turn, would send mission with something other than the radio waves known today. power through the Earth to be picked up wherever it was needed. During the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, the Westinghouse Receiving energy from this high-pressure reservoir would only exhibit set up by Tesla was visited by Herman von Helmholtz, one require a person to put a rod into the ground and connect it toa _ of the leading physicists of his time. When Tesla "asked the cele- receiver operating in resonance with the electrical motion in the brated physicist for an expression of opinion on the feasibility of Earth. As Tesla described in 1911: the [transmission] scheme, he stated unhesitatingly that it was "The entire apparatus for lighting the average country dwelling _ practicable." will contain no moving parts whatever, and could be readily car- Later, in 1897, Lord Kelvin visited New York and stopped at ried about in a small valise.’” the Tesla laboratory where Tesla entertained him with demonstra- The difference between a current used to light "the average __ tions in support of Tesla's wireless theory. 3 country dwelling" and a current used as a method of destruction, "Suddenly [Kelvin] remarked with evident astonishment: 'Then however, is a matter of timing. If the amount of electricity used to —_ you are not making use of Hertz waves?' ‘Certainly not,' I replied. run a television for an hour is released in a millionth of a second, ‘These are radiations.’ ...He parted from me not only thoroughly it would have a very different, and negative, effect on the televi- convinced of the scientific soundness of the idea but strongly sion. expressed his confidence in its success."" Tesla said his transmitter could produce 100 million volts of A recent analysis of Tesla's wireless transmission method shows pressure, and currents up to 1,000 amperes, with experimental that he used an electrostatic transmission technique that did not power levels of billions or tens of billions of watts. radiate radio waves as we know them and could send waves If that amount of power were released in an incomparably small —_ through the Earth with little loss of power. interval of time, the energy would be equal to the explosion of The question remains of whether Tesla demonstrated the millions of tons of TNT, that is, a multimegaton explosion. Such weapons application of his power transmission system. a transmitter would be capable of projecting the force of a nuclear | Circumstantial evidence found in the chronology of Tesla's work warhead by radio. Any location in the world could be vaporised at and financial fortunes between 1900 and 1908 points to there hav- the speed of light. ing been a test of this weapon. 1900—Tesla returned from Colorado Springs after completing TESLA'S WORLDWIDE WIRELESS SYSTEM the tests of wireless power transmission that destroyed the power Not unexpectedly, many scientists doubted the technical feasi- | company's generator, and received backing from J. P. Morgan to build a transmitter to signal Europe. He called the research site "Wardenclyffe". On 12th December Marconi sent the first transatlantic signal, the letter "S", from Cornwall, England, to Newfoundland, Canada. He did this, as the financiers noted, with equip- ment much less costly than that being built by Tesla. 1902-1904—The construction of Wardenclyffe went over budget; Morgan refused further funding. Marconi was hailed as a world hero. 1904-1906—Tesla was subject to multiple lawsuits over unpaid Colorado Springs expenses. George Westinghouse, who bought Tesla's patents for alternating current motors and generators in the 1880s, turned down the inventor's power transmis- sion business proposal. Workers gradually stopped coming to the Wardenclyffe laboratory when there were no funds to pay them. In an article, Tesla commented on Peary's expedition to the North Pole, and told of his (Tesla’s) plans for Powerful discharge from a transmitter constructed in accordance with principles set forth in Nikola Tesla's US Patent no. 1,119,732, awarded on 1st December 1914. energy transmission to any central point on the ground. TESLA'S WORLDWIDE WIRELESS SYSTEM Not unexpectedly, many scientists doubted the technical feasi- 40 © NEXUS AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 1995