毫无疑问，若不是有一个日臻完善的安全装置在我的创造力即将耗尽时开始不倦地发挥作用，那我将承受更多的痛苦，我的职业生涯也很可能会提前终止。只要这个安全装置能正常运行，我就能免于像其他发明家那样，因过度劳累而威胁健康。顺便说一句，对大多数人来说是不可或缺的假期，我是不需要的。我能像黑人一样，很轻易就入睡了，而不会像白人那样受尽失眠的折磨。在涉足新的理论领域时，我的身体可能会逐渐积累一定数量的“毒素”，使我几乎陷入大概半小时的昏睡状态。在我清醒之后，刚刚过去的事情对于我就像发生在很久之前一样。如果我试图回忆刚才被打断的思路，恶心感就会涌上心头，使得我不得不转向其他工作。令人惊讶的是，我的思路顿时清晰起来，并且轻松解决了困扰了我很久的难题。数周或数月后，我将热情重新投注在之前暂时放弃的发明上，几乎不费吹灰之力就能找到所有棘手问题的答案。对此，我想讲一个心理学家可能感兴趣的特殊经历。
我曾用地面发射机观察到了一个引人注目的现象，并努力确定它与地下电流之间的关系。这似乎是无望之举，一年多来，我不懈地研究，却徒劳无功。我被这个复杂的研究完全吸引了，以致对其他事情都漠不关心，也不在乎它可能会危及我的健康。最后，当我濒临崩溃时，我的身体出于自我保护，进入了睡眠状态。恢复意识后，我惊愕地发现，我只能记起童年时候，也就是刚懂事那会儿的事情。说来也奇怪，这些记忆清晰得惊人，并且给予我安慰。夜复一夜，在我入睡前，随着我的思考，过去的景象便越来越多地浮现在眼前。母亲的形象一直是我眼前景象的主要人物，且逐渐变得清晰，我更是强烈渴望见到她。这种感觉越来越强烈，以致我决定放弃所有工作来满足这一渴望，但我发现离开实验室对我来说是很痛苦的事情。几个月时间我便成功恢复了1892年春天前生活的所有记忆。由于大脑长期处于极度紧张状态，我又进入了独特的睡眠之中。接下来浮现的景象是，我看到自己出现在巴黎和平酒店。在那一刻，我接到了一封急件，我从信上得知了母亲病危的消息，我的悲痛之情真是无法想象。我清楚地记得我是如何丝毫不耽搁地长途跋涉赶回家，以及母亲是怎样地在痛苦中挣扎，最后于几周之后离开了人世。令我感到不解的是，恢复这期间的部分记忆之后，我的思路也清晰起来，轻松解决了所有研究问题。我可以很清楚地回忆起实验中观察到的最微小的细节和最不起眼的现象，甚至是书本上的文章和复杂的数学公式。
我坚信付出就有回报。真正的回报与所付出的劳动和艰辛之间存在一种正比例关系。这就是我对我所有的发明都很自信的原因之一，放大发射机将是对后人最重要和最有价值的发明。我会这么想，不是因为认定它会掀起商业和工业革命，而是它将使人类获得更多新的成就。单纯的实用价值是不能与高等文明的进步相提并论的。再丰富的物质文明也不足以解决我们面临的严重问题。相反，这方面的进步充满危险，这些危险丝毫不亚于物质匮乏和贫穷所带来的威胁。如果我们能释放原子的能量，或在地球上的某一地方，以某种方式开发廉价且无限制的能量，并非一件好事，极有可能引起纠纷和混乱，给人类带来灾难，最终导致人们憎恨政权的力量。最佳的技术进步是使人类趋于团结和和谐，我的无线电发射机就是显著的实例。它意味着人类的声音和样貌将能在任何地方被还原出来，工厂从数千英里外的水电站获得动力，空中机械可以不停歇地环绕地球运行，人们可以通过控制太阳的能量来创建湖泊和河流，使干旱的沙漠变成肥沃的土地。它可以促进电报、电话和类似应用的发展，势必消除静力学等其他的干扰。目前，这些障碍严重制约着无线电技术的应用。
这是一个急需讨论的话题，并非三言两语就能说清楚的。过去的十年里，有许多人傲慢地宣称，他们已经成功地破除了这一障碍。我在他们公开披露自己的发现之前，就对他们的所有描述做了仔细研究和试验，最终证明他们的发现都是错误的。美国海军最近发表的一份官方声明，对那些不知轻重的新闻编辑或许是一个很好的教训，让他们懂得如何客观地评价这些所谓的科学发现的真正价值。通常这些人的尝试都是基于谬误的理论，所以我每次都是以一种娱乐的心态来看待这些科学发现的。最近，又有一个新的发现，其大肆宣扬的程度可谓是震耳欲聋，但事实证明不过是场闹剧。
这让我想起了几年前，我正利用高频电流做试验时发生的一件令人激动的事。那时，史蒂夫·布罗迪刚跳下了布鲁克林大桥，这次壮举自很多人模仿来，就变得异常庸俗，但关于此事的第一次报道的确使整个纽约城都轰动了。当时，我对此事印象极为深刻，并常常谈到这位勇敢的书商。在一个炎热的下午，我觉得有必要使自己轻松一下，于是走进了这座伟大的城市三万家受欢迎的餐馆中的一家，点了一杯含酒精量20%的美味饮料，而这种饮料现在只能在欧洲某个贫穷落后的国家才找得到。虽然那里聚集着很多人，但几乎没有我认识的。人们正在谈论一个话题，我随口说了句让所有人都吃惊不已的话：“这正是我跳下桥去时所说的话。”这句话一说出口，感觉自己犹如席勒诗里的提摩太面对着众多追随者。霎时间，场面混乱不堪，十多个人高喊着：“他是布罗迪！”我扔了一枚25美分的硬币在柜台上之后，便飞也似地朝门口跑去。然而，人们却紧跟在我身后，嘴里喊着：“站住！史蒂夫！”我想我已经被很多人误会了，在我拼命逃跑时，他们试图将我拦下。幸运的是，我跑入消防通道，连转了几个弯之后，终于回到了实验室。我迅速将外套脱掉，并伪装成一个正在勤奋工作的铁匠。不过后来证明这一举动是不必要的，那些追踪者早已被我甩掉了。多年之后，当我夜晚想象时，那天的情景便像幽灵一般地跳出来。当我躺在床上时，我时常在想，若是那天我被人们抓住了，继而他们发现我并非史蒂夫·布罗迪，那我的命运又会怎样呢？
如今有位工程师在给一个学术团体做演讲时，声称自己根据一个“迄今为止还无人知晓的原理”，找到了一个解决静电学问题的新方法。当他解释静电电流通过上下传播，发射机的电流则沿着地表传播时这一行为，简直和我假扮布罗迪一样不计后果。他的观点意味着被大气层所环绕着的地球是一个巨大的电容器，而它既能放电又能充电这一作用方式，与任何一本基础物理教材中所提到的基本原理都是相悖的。这样的假设就算放在富兰克林时期，也是会受到谴责的，众所周知，大气层中的电流与机器所产生的电流是相同的。很明显，自然电流和人工电流是以同样的方式在地面和空中传播的，并且在水平和垂直方向都形成了电动势。仅凭此类方案，是根本不可能克服电磁干扰的。事实是：电势在空中是以大约每英尺五十伏特的速度增加的，所以天线两端的电压差可以高达两万伏特，甚至是四万伏特。带电气团处于不断的运动之中，随机向导体释放能量，这样一来，敏感的电话接收器就会产生一种摩擦噪音。传导终端越高，电线环绕的空间越大，影响就越明显。但是我们必须清楚，这种情况只出现在当地，而不会给整个系统带来麻烦。
1900年，我不断完善自己的安装了四个天线的无限系统。我仔细调整天线，使它们以相同的频率连接起来，确保能放大来自任何方向的信号。当我想弄清楚被传输脉冲的源头时，便将每一对对角线位置上的天线按先后顺序连接起来，再将一个初级线圈通电，以此来探测回路。在前一种情况下，电话中的声音很响，而在后一种情况下，正如我所预料的那样，是听不到声音的——两根天线将作用相互抵消了。但是，其实静电在两种情况下都起了作用，我不得不制定特殊的结构来体现其不同的原理。
我在很久以前就提出了采用接收器连接地上的两点，这样将可以解决现有结构中由带电空气所导致的严重问题。除此之外，由于电路的方向性，各种干扰都大约减少了一半。这个道理其实是不言而喻的，但还是启发了一些头脑简单的无线电从业人员。他们的经验只局限于装置的形式，认为用斧子就能提高装置的效果，这样做无疑等同于还未将熊杀死，就开始剥它的皮。如果的确存在天线干扰所产生的这些异常现象，那人们可以通过无线接收的方式来解决这一问题。但是，依照这一观点，埋在地下的电线必须完全绝缘，而事实上，它比暴露在空气中的天线更易受到某些外部脉冲的影响。公平说来，还是略有改进的，但并不体现在任何具体的方法或设备上，它仅仅是实现了对复杂结构的深入认识。这种结构在传输效果上相当糟糕，完全不适合接收信号，也不易找到一个更合适的接收器。正如我在之前的一篇文章中提到的那样，要想完全解决这一问题，只有彻底改造这一系统，并且越早越好。
事实上，在研究工作的初级阶段，假如绝大多数人，其中包括专家，在对其最终的可能性还没有明确概念的情况下，议会就匆匆通过议案，立法使政府对其实施垄断，那必将产生灾难性的后果。这是丹尼尔斯部长在几周前提出的，毫无疑问，这位杰出的官员已经将他的议案向参议院和众议院提交了。但普遍的事实都清楚地表明，最佳的结果都是从健康的商业竞争中获取的。然而，有足够的理由支持应给予无线电技术充分的自由发展空间。首先，它为提高人类生活质量提供了无限前景，比有史以来的任何其他发明或发现意义都要重大。再者，人们须明白，这项伟大的发明完全是在美国实现的，与电话、白炽灯或飞机比起来，作为美国的象征是再合适不过的。
上进的媒体人和股票交易商是如此擅长散布假消息，甚至是《科学美国人》这样优秀的期刊都将主要成就归功于外国人。当然，德国人发现了赫兹波，而俄罗斯、英国、法国和意大利的专家很快便利用它来实现信号控制。它显然是通过对原有的、未经利用的感应线圈来实现对新介质的应用，并非是新创的反光通信方法。我在1891年便对此提出了的观点是，其传输的半径是非常有限的，获得的价值也不大，用声波取代传递信息的赫兹振荡技术可能会更有利。另外，这些尝试都是在今天已被美国广泛应用，且其开发手段已经得到了清晰的描述和发展的无线系统基本原理被提出的三年后才进行的。然而，如今这些基于赫兹理论的应用和方法都已被湮没了。我们朝着相反的方向前进，这个国家的人民用智慧与勤劳取得了非凡的成就。基本专利权一旦到期，人们便有了利用它重新创造发明的机会。这位部长的主要论点是基于干扰理论的。根据7月29日的《纽约先驱报》报道的他的理论表明，信号能被世界上任何一个村庄的发电站干扰。美国不必要在这方面采取任何限制，因为我早在1900年的试验中就已证明了这一事实。
为了使读者有一个更清晰的认识，我来讲一件最近发生的事情。一位长相奇特的绅士拜访我，希望我投身到遥远地区的世界发射机建设的工作中。“我们没有钱，”他说，“但我们有数车黄金，我们将给你一大笔酬劳。”我告诉他，我想先将我在美国的发明完成，此话一出便使谈话结束了。不过我还是感到满足，知道一些黑暗势力在为此努力。随着时间的推移，持续通讯的维持将变得更加困难。唯一的补救方法就是建立一套对抗干扰的系统。这个系统已经存在并已完善，将它投放到实际应用之中是十分有必要的。
可怕的战争冲突仍然是人们关注的焦点，放大发射机最有可能作为一种攻击和防御的武器，尤其是与遥控力学相结合。这项发明是自我童年时期便开始的、并贯穿了我的一生的一系列观察的结果。当我发表第一批研究成果以后，《电气评论》发表社论称其将成为“人类文明进步最强大的推动力”。距离这一预言实现的时间不会太遥远。1898年和1900年，我向政府提出了他们极有可能会采纳的建议——只要他们想得到亚历山大的帮助，我可以作为其中之一去寻找亚历山大的牧羊人。当时，我真的以为它的具有毁灭性的杀伤力和不需要人参与的特性能将战争废除。尽管我对它的巨大发展潜力仍充满信心，但我的观点已经改变了。
战争永远不可能避免，除非消除其复发的物质因素，归根结底，这是我们生存的地球大部分地区爆发战争的原因。只有消除各方面存在的差异，使信息传递、旅客运输、能源供应和传输条件得到大大的发展，才能确保人与人之间永久的友好关系。我们现在最希望的是世界各国人民友好地团结在一起，加深对彼此的了解，消除狂热分子的种族思想和极端利己主义，这些往往让世界陷入原始野蛮状态和冲突之中。没有联盟或议会法案能避免这样的灾难。这些新设备只是让弱者更加受强者的摆布。
关于这一点，在十四年前我就提到过了。当时，几个领导国联合起来，建立了一种神圣同盟。已经去世的安德鲁·卡内基也许能被称为这一思想之父，对于总统的倡导，他的宣传和推动作用超过了此前的任何人。不可否认，对一些弱势群体而言，这方面的努力是极为有利的，但不能达到我们的主要目的。只有世界文明进步和民族融合才能实现和平，但这一幸福对我们而言仍是遥不可及。
我认为今天的世界仍存在巨大的冲突，但我深信，如果美国仍忠于传统，拒绝任何结盟行为，将是人类最大的福祉。美国因其独特的地理位置，一直与各种激烈的冲突不沾边，且无领土兼并的动机。取之不尽的资源和具有自由权利精神的庞大人口，使得这个国家被置于独一无二的崇高地位。因此，它能够独立地发挥其强大的实力和道德力量为全人类谋福利，这比作为任何一个联盟的成员更明智和有效。
我总是在回想早年的生活，一种痛苦逼迫我不断想象和进行自我反省。这种心理活动开始是在疾病和痛苦的压力下无意识地出现的，逐渐演变成我的第二天性，后来我终于意识到，这只不过是一种由缺乏思想和行动的自由意志引发的自动行为，仅仅是对环境影响的反应。我们身体的结构非常复杂，我们的行为方式多种多样，外部印象对我们感官的刺激是如此微妙和难以捉摸，以致一般人很难理解这个事实。然而，没有什么比生命机械训练理论对训练有素的调查者更加具有说服力，笛卡尔早在三百年前就提出了这一理论。他所生活的时期，我们还不清楚身体的很多重要功能，特别是关于光的性质、眼球的构造和转动，哲学家可谓置身于黑暗之中。
近年来，随着这些领域科学研究取得的巨大成就，以及许多专著的出版，对这一认识的疑问也逐渐减少。巴斯德的前助手菲利克斯·勒·丹泰克也许是其中精明能干的最佳辩手。雅克·勒布教授曾通过一系列非凡的向日性试验，深刻分析了存在于低等生物体中的光线控制现象，他的最新著作《作用力下的运动》极具启发性。虽然科学家们都接受了这个理论，仅仅像认可其他任何公认的理论一样，但对我而言，它是一个事实，我的每一个行为和思想时刻都在展示着它。外部印象的意识引发了我身体和思维的一系列活动，这些意识总是出现在我的脑海里。只有在非常罕见的情况下，即精神处于高度集中的状态时，我发现很难找到原始的冲动。
大部分的人永远也不会意识到外部世界与自身所产生的联系，数百万人因此患病并过早地去世了。最常见的日常现象对他们而言是那么神秘和令人费解。一个人可能会突然感到悲伤，因而绞尽脑汁寻求解释，他本该注意到，这不过是由一朵云遮住了太阳光线引起的。当他前不久在街上遇到自己的朋友，或是在某处见到他的照片时，他很有可能将对方友善的行为看做是怪异的举动。他因无法记起之前所做过的事情，没有找到想找的东西，借领口掉了一颗扣子之故，怒火中烧，大骂一通。缺乏观察简直是无知的行为，是许多病态观念和愚蠢思想的根源。只有不到十分之一的人不相信心灵感应和其他精神灵异现象，以及和死人之间的通灵、交流，这种美丽的谎言又有谁会拒绝呢？
这种思想倾向甚至在那些头脑清醒的美国人中都已经根深蒂固，我想通过一件滑稽的事情来说明这个问题。战前不久，我的涡轮机在这座城市展览，引发了技术性刊物的广泛评论。我预测，为了获得这项发明的使用权，制造商之间将展开一场激烈的角逐。为此，我特地为底特律的一位具有不可思议的聚财能力的人策划了一套方案。我深信，他有天一定会出现在我面前，并且自信满满地将这一想法告诉了我的秘书和助理。如我所料，一个晴朗的早晨，一群福特汽车公司的工程师来到我面前，打算和我商讨一个重要的项目。“正如我所说吧？”我得意地对我的员工说道。其中一个说道：“特斯拉先生，您真是了不起！您预测的一切最终都变成了现实。”这些头脑冷静的人一落座，我当然立刻称赞起我的涡轮机的特性。然而，其中一位打断了我的介绍，并说道：“你所说的我们全都知道，但我们此行另有目的。我们成立了一个专门研究心理现象的心理学会，希望你能加入我们。”我猜想，这些工程师永远也不可能知道我当时是有多想将他们立刻驱逐出我的办公室。
自从当时一些伟人和名字永垂不朽的科学领军人物告诉我，我有一颗异乎寻常的脑袋后，我便不顾一切地致力于解决复杂的难题。多年来，我一直竭力解决死亡之谜，对思想灵异现象更是密切关注。但我生平只遇到过一次短暂的超自然的经历，它发生在我母亲去世的时候。
我被悲痛和失眠折磨得精疲力竭，于是一天晚上，我被带到了离我家大约两个街区的建筑中。我无助地躺在那里，想着如果母亲去世时，我没有在她身边，那她肯定会给我一个提示。两三个月以前，我和朋友威廉·克鲁克斯正在伦敦的公司，我们在讨论唯灵论，我受到这些思想的全面影响。我可能不会注意别人，但却容易被他的观点所影响，这源于我在学生时代曾读过他所著的具有划时代意义的关于放射性物质的著作，这也直接导致了我选择从事电力研究。我认为现在是幻想的最佳时机，我的母亲是位天才，尤其是在直觉方面。整晚我的大脑神经都处于紧张的状态，直到清晨也什么都没发生。接着，我便昏昏入睡，也有可能是昏迷了。我看见一群美丽动人的天使站在一片云彩上，其中一人深情地望着我，逐渐变成我母亲的模样。她从房间里慢慢飘走，最后消失不见了。我被一阵难以名状的甜美歌声惊醒了。在那一瞬间，我确信母亲已经去世了，那是一种无法言说的情绪。我无法表达这种预感带给我的巨大痛苦，我被这种痛苦和糟糕的身体状况压得透不过气，于是写了一封信给威廉·克鲁克斯先生。
当我恢复健康后，花了很长一段时间来寻找导致这种异常的精神状态的外部原因。值得庆幸的是，我在经过几个月的毫无结果的努力之后，总算是获得了成功。我曾见过一位著名艺术家的绘画，以寓言的形式来展现某个季节里，一片云彩承载着一群天使，这些天使看起来就像漂浮在空中一样，使我印象深刻。这幅画和出现在我梦里的画面是完全相同的，不过少了我母亲的形象。我听到的甜美歌声则是来自附近教堂的唱诗班在复活节清晨所做的祷告。我用科学事实圆满地解释了一切问题。
这是发生在很久以前的事，自此，我没再对灵异理论和灵异精神现象产生过怀疑，即使我没有现实依据。这些信念是智慧发展的自然产物。宗教教义不再受其经典的解释的局限，每个人都坚持相信某种强大力量的存在。我们都必须有一个理想，依靠它来规范自己的行为，从而获得满足。不过，它必须是非物质形式的，不论是宗教、艺术、科学，还是其他的东西，只要它能实现非物质力量的功能。统一全人类的信仰乃是实现世界和平的关键。
尽管我未能获得任何证据来支持心理学家和唯灵论者的论点，但我已经证明了我对生命的无意识行为是十分满意的。这不仅因为我对个体行为的不断观察，更是由于一系列的归纳总结。我认为这些发现对人类社会而言，具有非比寻常的意义，下面我将对此作简要描述。当我还很年轻时，第一次了解到了这惊人的真理，但多年来我仅仅把它看做是巧合。意即每当我自己或是与我亲近的人，以及我的事业，为别人以某种特别的方式所伤时，这极易被看做是最不公平的事，我便会因此受到一种不可名状的痛苦的折磨。我终于找到了一个恰当的词来形容这种经历，那就是“宇宙”。不久之后，那些人都再没能成功地实施伤害。经过多次这种情况后，我将这个发现告诉了许多朋友，使他们信服我逐渐形成的这套理论。这可以简单地概括为以下内容：
我们有着类似的身体结构，受到相同的外部作用的影响，这导致了我们对事物反应的相似性和活动的一致性。我们所有的社会规则和法律都是在此基础上建立起来的。我们是被媒介力量完全控制的自动机，像被扔弃在水面上的软木塞，错把外部作用当成是自由意志。我们的运动和其他行为都是为了使生命正常运转，虽然我们每个个体看似独立的，其实我们之间存在一些无形的链条将我们相连。只要生物体处于正常运转的状态，就能准确地对外部刺激做出反应。但当一个人精神错乱时，他的自我保护机能就受损了。
我们都知道，失聪、失明、四肢受伤的人，他们继续生存的机会将会减少。但这也是事实——当自动反应的大脑出现了缺陷，将会致使生命提前结束。一个非常敏感和观察力敏锐的人，他的机能高度发达且完好无损，能随环境的变化而行动，便具有一种使他能躲过潜在的危险的超强感知能力。当他接触到那些控制器官有严重缺陷的人时，他就会明显感到“宇宙”带给他的痛苦。这个真理已经被数百次地证明了，我同时建议其他研究自然学的学生也来关注这个课题。相信凭借结合和系统的努力，这一理论将对世界产生不可估量的价值。
为了证实我的理论，一个建造自动机的想法油然而生。我在很早便提出了这一想法，但它的真正实施是在1893年我开始无线电研究时。接下来的两三年，我发明了许多遥控的自动装置，并在我的实验室里向参观者们展示。然而，1896年我设计了一台能运行多项操作的装置，但完善工作直到1897年年底才结束。关于这台机器的描述，我1900年6月发表在《世纪杂志》上的文章中有提到。1889年初，当它见于其他期刊时，所引发的轰动超过我所有其他的发明。1898年11月，在总审查官来到纽约，目睹这一装置令人难以置信的性能后，授予了我在这一装置中所使用的新技术基本专利。我仍记得，后来我去华盛顿拜访一位官员，试图将我的发明转让给政府，而当我介绍完后，他突然大笑起来。没有人能相信在那时竟然有如此完善的装置。不幸的是，听从了我律师的意见，当它在申请专利时，我表示它是由独立的电路和非常著名的探测器来控制的。基于这个原因，我没能保护我的个性化的方法和装置。事实上，我的装置是由几个电路联合控制的，并将所有的干扰都排除在外。我使用的大多是环路接收电路，包括电容器在内，因为我的高压发射机将实验室里的空气电离了，以致一根极小的天线也能从周围的空气中吸收电量长达数小时。
比方说，我发现一个工作了很久的12英寸的电灯泡，将其唯一的终端与一根很短的电线相连，在连续闪烁一千多次以后，才能将实验室中电离的空气电量全部吸收。环状接收器对这种干扰并不敏感，但奇怪的是，它却越来越受人们欢迎。实际上，它接收的能量远不如天线或一根长的接地线多，但它却能消除现有无线设备中的许多固有的缺陷。为了在参观者面前展示我的发明，参观者可以问任何问题，而自动装置会通过信号来做出回答。这在当时被人们认为是件非常神奇的事情，其实不然，这一原理相当简单，不过是我通过这一设备来给出回复罢了。
同一时期，我还建造了一艘更大的遥控船，同年的十月，《电气实验者》刊载了一幅它的照片。它由线圈控制，船身绕了几圈电线，是完全不会进水的，所以可以放入水中。这个装置除了某些特殊的功能外，与第一个是极其相似的，例如，我使用了白炽灯，这样一来，人们就能清晰地看到机器的运转。
操作者在视线所及的范围内实现对这个自动装置的控制，其实，这是我遥控力学的艺术的最初构想。下一个完善目标就是将其自动控制的范围扩大到人们的视野范围之外，且扩大与控制中心的距离。我一开始设计它的时候就打算使其成为代替枪支的战争工具。我能够从媒体的评论中判断出，这项发明已经引起了人们的关注，例如，有媒体称这项发明成就非凡，但不包含新奇的价值，等等。它确实是不够完美，但却是切实可行的。通过现有的无线设备发射一架飞机，让其遵循某个大体方向飞行，并在数百英里外执行某些操作。这一装置也能通过几种不同的机械方式得以控制。对于它将在战争中起到巨大作用这一事实我毫不怀疑。然而，就我所了解的情况而言，目前还没有一种技术能精确地控制它。多年来，我一直致力于这项研究，终于有了一套能轻松制造这一装置和更先进的设备的方法。
如我之前所提到的那样，我在大学期间曾构想了一种不同于现在的飞行器。它的基本原理是很好的，但却未能付诸实践，因为它需要一种超大功率的发动机。近年来，这一问题已被我成功解决了。我正计划造一种飞机，它没有机翼、副翼、螺旋桨以及其他外部附件，能够以极快的速度飞行，在不久的将来，它极有可能为人类和平提供巨大帮助。这种飞机完全通过反作用力来实现持续推动，既能用机械方式，又能用无线方式来控制。安装适当的装置便能够将这种导弹发射到空中，使其非常精确地击中可能位于数千英里外的目标。
但我们不会就此止步。远程自动机具有巨大的开发潜力，甚至能实现智能化，它们的问世将掀起一场革命。早在1898年，我就向一个大型制造业的代表提议建造一种自动运输的装置，它能够自己执行包括判断在内的各种各样的操作。但当时我的建议被认为是荒诞的而未被接受。
目前，许多有头脑的人正试图防止理应结束的可怕冲突再次发生。然而，我在1914年12月20日的《太阳报》上发表的一篇文章就已准确预测了这些过程和主要问题。拟定成立的国际联盟并不能起到补救的作用，相反，许多聪明的人认为它带来的可能是负面的影响。尤其可悲的是，一种惩罚性政策被用于和平条款的确立，因为几年后，国家再不可能采用军队、军舰、枪支来作战，取而代之的是更可怕、毁灭性更强、杀伤力几乎涵盖了所有范围的武器。敌人可以在任何距离摧毁一座城市，地球上的任何力量都不能阻止他这么做。如果我们想避免这样的灾难发生，不忍地球变成地狱，那我们就应该刻不容缓地、不惜一切人力和物力地推动飞行器和无限能量传输的发展。
VI.The Art of Telautomatics
No subject to which Ihave ever devoted myself has called for such concentration of mind and strained to so dangerous a degree the finest fibers of my brain as the system of which the Magnifying Transmitter is the foundation.Iput all the intensity and vigor of youth in the development of the rotating field discoveries，but those early labors were of a different character.Although strenuous in the extreme，they did not involve that keen and exhausting discernment which had to be exercised in attacking the many puzzling problems of the wireless.Despite my rare physical endurance at that period the abused nerves finally rebelled and Isuffered a complete collapse，just as the consummation of the long and difficult task was almost in sight.
Without doubt Iwould have paid a greater penalty later，and very likely my career would have been prematurely terminated，had not providence equipt me with a safety device，which has seemed to improve with advancing years and unfailingly comes into play when my forces are at an end.So long as it operates Iam safe from danger，due to overwork，which threatens other inventors and，incidentally，Ineed no vacations which are indispensable to most people.When Iam all but used up Isimply do as the darkies，who "naturally fall asleep while white folks worry".To venture a theory out of my sphere，the body probably accumulates little by little a definite quantity of some toxic agent and Isink into a nearly lethargic state which lasts half an hour to the minute.Upon awakening Ihave the sensation as though the events immediately preceding had occurred very long ago，and if Iattempt to continue the interrupted train of thought Ifeel a veritable mental nausea.Involuntarily Ithen turn to other work and am surprised at the freshness of the mind and ease with which Iovercome obstacles that had baffled me before.After weeks or months my passion for the temporarily abandoned invention returns and Iinvariably find answers to all the vexing questions with scarcely any effort.In this connection Iwill tell of an extraordinary experience which may be of interest to students of psychology.
Ihad produced a striking phenomenon with my grounded transmitter and was endeavoring to ascertain its true significance in relation to the currents propagated through the earth.It seemed a hopeless undertaking，and for more than a year Iworked unremittingly，but in vain.This profound study so entirely absorbed me that Ibecame forgetful of everything else，even of my undermined health.At last，as Iwas at the point of breaking down，nature applied the preservative inducing lethal sleep.Regaining my senses Irealized with consternation that Iwas unable to visualize scenes from my life except those of infancy，the very first ones that had entered my consciousness.Curiously enough，these appeared before my vision with startling distinctness and afforded me welcome relief.Night after night，when retiring，Iwould think of them and more and more of my previous existence was revealed.The image of my mother was always the principal figure in the spectacle that slowly unfolded，and a consuming desire to see her again gradually took possession of me.This feeling grew so strong that Iresolved to drop all work and satisfy my longing.But Ifound it too hard to break away from the laboratory，and several months elapsed during which Ihad succeeded in reviving all the impressions of my past life up to the spring of 1892.In the next picture that came out of the mist of oblivion，Isaw myself at the Hotel de la Paix in Paris just coming to from one of my peculiar sleeping spells，which had been caused by prolonged exertion of the brain.Imagine the pain and distress Ifelt when it flashed upon my mind that a dispatch was handed to me at that very moment bearing the sad news that my mother was dying.Iremembered how Imade the long journey home without an hour of rest and how she passed away after weeks of agony！It was especially remarkable that during all this period of partially obliterated memory Iwas fully alive to everything touching on the subject of my research.Icould recall the smallest details and the least significant observations in my experiments and even recite pages of text and complex mathematical formulae.
My belief is firm in a law of compensation.The true rewards are ever in proportion to the labor and sacrifices made.This is one of the reasons why Ifeel certain that of all my inventions,the Magnifying Transmitter will prove most important and valuable to future generations.Iam prompted to this prediction not so much by thoughts of the commercial and industrial revolution which it will surely bring about,but of the humanitarian consequences of the many achievements it makes possible.Considerations of mere utility weigh little in the balance against the higher benefits of civilization.We are confronted with portentous problems which can not be solved just by providing for our material existence,however abundantly.On the contrary,progress in this direction is fraught with hazards and perils not less menacing than those born from want and suffering.If we were to release the energy of atoms or discover some other way of developing cheap and unlimited power at any point of the globe this accomplishment,instead of being a blessing,might bring disaster to mankind in giving rise to dissension and anarchy which would ultimately result in the enthronement of the hated regime of force.The greatest good will comes from technical improvements tending to unification and harmony,and my wireless transmitter is preeminently such.By its means the human voice and likeness will be reproduced everywhere and factories driven thousands of miles from waterfalls furnishing the power;aerial machines will be propelled around the earth without a stop and the sun"s energy controlled to create lakes and rivers for motive purposes and transformation of arid deserts into fertile land.Its introduction for telegraphic,telephonic and similar uses will automatically cut out the statics and all other interferences which at present impose narrow limits to the application of the wireless.
This is a timely topic on which a few words might not be amiss.During the past decade a number of people have arrogantly claimed that they had succeeded in doing away with this impediment.Ihave carefully examined all of the arrangements described and tested most of them long before they were publicly disclosed,but the finding was uniformly negative.Arecent official statement from the U.S.Navy may,perhaps,have taught some beguilable news editors how to appraise these announcements at their real worth.As a rule the attempts are based on theories so fallacious that whenever they come to my notice Ican not help thinking in a lighter vein.Quite recently a new discovery was heralded,with a deafening flourish of trumpets,but it proved another case of a mountain bringing forth a mouse.
This reminds me of an exciting incident which took place years ago when Iwas conducting my experiments with currents of high frequency.Steve Brodie had just jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge.The feat has been vulgarized since by imitators,but the first report electrified New York.Iwas very impressionable then and frequently spoke of the daring printer.On a hot afternoon Ifelt the necessity of refreshing myself and stepped into one of the popular thirty thousand institutions of this great city where a delicious twelve per cent beverage was served which can now be had only by making a trip to the poor and devastated countries of Europe.The attendance was large and not overdistinguished and a matter was discussed which gave me an admirable opening for the careless remark:"This is what Isaid when Ijumped off the bridge."No sooner had Iuttered these words than Ifelt like the companion of Timotheus in the poem of Schiller.In an instant there was a pandemonium and a dozen voices cried:"It is Brodie!"Ithrew a quarter on the counter and bolted for the door but the crowd was at my heels with yells:"Stop,Steve!"which must have been misunderstood for many persons tried to hold me up as Iran frantically for my haven of refuge.By darting around corners Ifortunately managed-through the medium of a fire-escape-to reach the laboratory where Ithrew off my coat,camouflaged myself as a hard-working blacksmith,and started the forge.But these precautions proved unnecessary;Ihad eluded my pursuers.For many years afterward,at night,when imagination turns into spectres the trifling troubles of the day,Ioften thought,as Itossed on the bed,what my fate would have been had that mob caught me and found out that Iwas not Steve Brodie!
Now the engineer,who lately gave an account before a technical body of a novel remedy against statics based on a "heretofore unknown law of nature,"seems to have been as reckless as myself when he contended that these disturbances propagate up and down,while those of a transmitter proceed along the earth.It would mean that a condenser,as this globe,with its gaseous envelope,could be charged and discharged in a manner quite contrary to the fundamental teachings propounded in every elemental text-book of physics.Such a supposition would have been condemned as erroneous,even in Franklin"s time,for the facts bearing on this were then well known and the identity between atmospheric electricity and that developed by machines was fully established.Obviously,natural and artificial disturbances propagate through the earth and the air in exactly the same way,and both set up electromotive forces in the horizontal,as well as vertical,sense.Interference can not be overcome by any such methods as were proposed.The truth is this:in the air the potential increases at the rate of about fifty volts per foot of elevation,owing to which there may be a difference of pressure amounting to twenty,or even forty thousand volts between the upper and lower ends of the antenna.The masses of the charged atmosphere are constantly in motion and give up electricity to the conductor,not continuously but rather disruptively,this producing a grinding noise in a sensitive telephonic receiver.The higher the terminal and the greater the space encompassed by the wires,the more pronounced is the effect,but it must be understood that it is purely local and has little to do with the real trouble.
In 1900,while perfecting my wireless system,one form of apparatus comprised four antennae.These were carefully calibrated to the same frequency and connected in multiple with the object of magnifying the action,in receiving from any direction.When Idesired to ascertain the origin of the transmitted impulses,each diagonally situated pair was put in series with a primary coil energizing the detector circuit.In the former case the sound was loud in the telephone;in the latter it ceased,as expected,the two antennae neutralizing each other,but the true statics manifested themselves in both instances and Ihad to devise special preventives embodying different principles.
By employing receivers connected to two points of the ground,as suggested by me long ago,this trouble caused by the charged air,which is very serious in the structures as now built,is nullified and besides,the liability of all kinds of interference is reduced to about one-half,because of the directional character of the circuit.This was perfectly self-evident,but came as a revelation to some simple-minded wireless folks whose experience was confined to forms of apparatus that could have been improved with an axe,and they have been disposing of the bear"s skin before killing it.If it were true that strays performed such antics,it would be easy to get rid of them by receiving without aerials.But,as a matter of fact,a wire buried in the ground which,conforming to this view,should be absolutely immune,is more susceptible to certain extraneous impulses than one placed vertically in the air.To state it fairly,a slight progress has been made,but not by virtue of any particular method or device.It was achieved simply by discarding the enormous structures,which are bad enough for transmission but wholly unsuitable for reception,and adopting a more appropriate type of receiver.As Ipointed out in a previous article,to dispose of this difficulty for good,a radical change must be made in the system,and the sooner this is done the better.
It would be calamitous,indeed,if at this time when the art is in its infancy and the vast majority,not excepting even experts,have no conception of its ultimate possibilities,a measure would be rushed through the legislature making it a government monopoly.This was proposed a few weeks ago by Secretary Daniels,and no doubt that distinguished official has made his appeal to the Senate and House of Representatives with sincere conviction.But universal evidence unmistakably shows that the best results are always obtained in healthful commercial competition.There are,however,exceptional reasons why wireless should be given the fullest freedom of development.In the first place it offers prospects immeasurably greater and more vital to betterment of human life than any other invention or discovery in the history of man.Then again,it must be understood that this wonderful art has been,in its entirety,evolved here and can be called "American"with more right and propriety than the telephone,the incandescent lamp or the aeroplane.
Enterprising press agents and stock jobbers have been so successful in spreading misinformation that even so excellent a periodical as the Scientific American accords the chief credit to a foreign country.The Germans,of course,gave us the Hertz-waves and the Russian,English,French and Italian experts were quick in using them for signaling purposes.It was an obvious application of the new agent and accomplished with the old classical and unimproved induction coil-scarcely anything more than another kind of heliography.The radius of transmission was very limited,the results attained of little value,and the Hertz oscillations,as a means for conveying intelligence,could have been advantageously replaced by sound-waves,which Iadvocated in 1891.Moreover,all of these attempts were made three years after the basic principles of the wireless system,which is universally employed to-day,and its potent instrumentalities had been clearly described and developed in America.No trace of those Hertzian appliances and methods remains today.We have proceeded in the very opposite direction and what has been done is the product of the brains and efforts of citizens of this country.The fundamental patents have expired and the opportunities are open to all.The chief argument of the Secretary is based on interference.According to his statement,reported in the New York Herald of July 29th,signals from a powerful station can be intercepted in every village of the world .In view of this fact,which was demonstrated in my experiments of 1900,it would be of little use to impose restrictions in the United States.
As throwing light on this point,Imay mention that only recently an odd looking gentleman called on me with the object of enlisting my services in the construction of world transmitters in some distant land."We have no money,"he said,"but carloads of solid gold and we will give you a liberal amount."Itold him that Iwanted to see first what will be done with my inventions in America,and this ended the interview.But Iam satisfied that some dark forces are at work,and as time goes on the maintenance of continuous communication will be rendered more difficult.The only remedy is a system immune against interruption.It has been perfected,it exists,and all that is necessary is to put it in operation.
The terrible conflict is still uppermost in the minds and perhaps the greatest importance will be attached to the Magnifying Transmitter as a machine for attack and defense,more particularly in connection with Telautomatics.This invention is a logical outcome of observations begun in my boyhood and continued throughout my life.When the first results were published the Electrical Review stated editorially that it would become one of the "most potent factors in the advance and civilization of mankind".The time is not distant when this prediction will be fulfilled.In 1898and 1900it was offered to the Government and might have been adopted were Ione of those who would go to Alexander"s shepherd when they want a favor from Alexander.At that time Ireally thought that it would abolish war,because of its unlimited destructiveness and exclusion of the personal element of combat.But while Ihave not lost faith in its potentialities,my views have changed since.
War can not be avoided until the physical cause for its recurrence is removed and this,in the last analysis,is the vast extent of the planet on which we live.Only thru annihilation of distance in every respect,as the conveyance of intelligence,transport of passengers and supplies and transmission of energy will conditions be brought about some day,insuring permanency of friendly relations.What we now want most is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth,and the elimination of that fanatic devotion to exalted ideals of national egoism and pride which is always prone to plunge the world into primeval barbarism and strife.No league or parliamentary act of any kind will ever prevent such a calamity.These are only new devices for putting the weak at the mercy of the strong.
Ihave expressed myself in this regard fourteen years ago,when a combination of a few leading governments-a sort of Holy Alliance-was advocated by the late Andrew Carnegie,who may be fairly considered as the father of this idea,having given to it more publicity and impetus than anybody else prior to the efforts of the President.While it can not be denied that such a pact might be of material advantage to some less fortunate peoples,it can not attain the chief object sought.Peace can only come as a natural consequence of universal enlightenment and merging of races,and we are still far from this blissful realization.
As Iview the world of today,in the light of the gigantic struggle we have witnessed,Iam filled with conviction that the interests of humanity would be best served if the United States remained true to its traditions and kept out of "entangling alliances".Situated as it is,geographically,remote from the theaters of impending conflicts,without incentive to territorial aggrandizement,with inexhaustible resources and immense population thoroly imbued with the spirit of liberty and right,this country is placed in a unique and privileged position.It is thus able to exert,independently,its colossal strength and moral force to the benefit of all,more judiciously and effectively,than as member of a league.
Ihave dwelt on the circumstances of my early life and told of an affliction which compelled me to unremitting exercise of imagination and self observation.This mental activity,at first involuntary under the pressure of illness and suffering,gradually became second nature and led me finally to recognize that Iwas but an automaton devoid of free will in thought and action and merely responsive to the forces of the environment.Our bodies are of such complexity of structure,the motions we perform are so numerous and involved,and the external impressions on our sense organs to such a degree delicate and elusive that it is hard for the average person to grasp this fact.And yet nothing is more convincing to the trained investigator than the mechanistic theory of life which had been,in a measure,understood and propounded by Descartes three hundred years ago.But in his time many important functions of our organism were unknown and,especially with respect to the nature of light and the construction and operation of the eye,philosophers were in the dark.
In recent years the progress of scientific research in these fields has been such as to leave no room for a doubt in regard to this view on which many works have been published.One of its ablest and most eloquent exponents is,perhaps,Felix Le Dantec,formerly assistant of Pasteur.Prof.Jacques Loeb has performed remarkable experiments in heliotropism,clearly establishing the controlling power of light in lower forms of organisms,and his latest book,Forced Movements,is revelatory.But while men of science accept this theory simply as any other that is recognized,to me it is a truth which Ihourly demonstrate by every act and thought of mine.The consciousness of the external impression prompting me to any kind of exertion,physical or mental,is ever present in my mind.Only on very rare occasions,when Iwas in a state of exceptional concentration,have Ifound difficulty in locating the original impulses.
The by far greater number of human beings are never aware of what is passing around and within them,and millions fall victims of disease and die prematurely just on this account.The commonest every-day occurrences appear to them mysterious and inexplicable.One may feel a sudden wave of sadness and rake his brain for an explanation when he might have noticed that it was caused by a cloud cutting off the rays of the sun.He may see the image of a friend dear to him under conditions which he construes as very peculiar,when only shortly before he has passed him in the street or seen his photograph somewhere.When he loses a collar button he fusses and swears for an hour,being unable to visualize his previous actions and locate the object directly.Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.There is not more than one out of every ten persons who does not believe in telepathy and other psychic manifestations,spiritualism and communion with the dead,and who would refuse to listen to willing or unwilling deceivers.
Just to illustrate how deeply rooted this tendency has become even among the clearheaded American population,Imay mention a comical incident.Shortly before the war,when the exhibition of my turbines in this city elicited widespread comment in the technical papers,Ianticipated that there would be a scramble among manufacturers to get hold of the invention,and Ihad particular designs on that man from Detroit who has an uncanny faculty for accumulating millions.So confident was Ithat he would turn up some day,that Ideclared this as certain to my secretary and assistants.Sure enough,one fine morning a body of engineers from the Ford Motor Company presented themselves with the request of discussing with me an important project."Didn"t Itell you?"Iremarked triumphantly to my employees,and one of them said,"You are amazing,Mr.Tesla;everything comes out exactly as you predict."As soon as these hard-headed men were seated I,of course,immediately began to extol the wonderful features of my turbine,when the spokesmen interrupted me and said,"We know all about this,but we are on a special errand.We have formed a psychological society for the investigation of psychic phenomena and we want you to join us in this undertaking."Isuppose those engineers never knew how near they came to being fired out of my office.
Ever since Iwas told by some of the greatest men of the time,leaders in science whose names are immortal,that Iam possessed of an unusual mind,Ibent all my thinking faculties on the solution of great problems regardless of sacrifice.For many years Iendeavored to solve the enigma of death,and watched eagerly for every kind of spiritual indication.But only once in the course of my existence have Ihad an experience which momentarily impressed me as supernatural.It was at the time of my mother"s death.
Ihad become completely exhausted by pain and long vigilance,and one night was carried to a building about two blocks from our home.As Ilay helpless there,Ithought that if my mother died while Iwas away from her bedside she would surely give me a sign.Two or three months before Iwas in London in company with my late friend,Sir William Crookes,when spiritualism was discussed,and Iwas under the full sway of these thoughts.Imight not have paid attention to other men,but was susceptible to his arguments as it was his epochal work on radiant matter,which Ihad read as a student,that made me embrace the electrical career.Ireflected that the conditions for a look into the beyond were most favorable,for my mother was a woman of genius and particularly excelling in the powers of intuition.During the whole night every fiber in my brain was strained in expectancy,but nothing happened until early in the morning,when Ifell in a sleep,or perhaps a swoon,and saw a cloud carrying angelic figures of marvelous beauty,one of whom gazed upon me lovingly and gradually assumed the features of my mother.The appearance slowly floated across the room and vanished,and Iwas awakened by an indescribably sweet song of many voices.In that instant a certitude,which no words can express,came upon me that my mother had just died.And that was true.Iwas unable to understand the tremendous weight of the painful knowledge Ireceived in advance,and wrote a letter to Sir William Crookes while still under the domination of these impressions and in poor bodily health.
When Irecovered Isought for a long time the external cause of this strange manifestation and,to my great relief,Isucceeded after many months of fruitless effort.Ihad seen the painting of a celebrated artist,representing allegorically one of the seasons in the form of a cloud with a group of angels which seemed to actually float in the air,and this had struck me forcefully.It was exactly the same that appeared in my dream,with the exception of my mother"s likeness.The music came from the choir in the church nearby at the early mass of Easter morning,explaining everything satisfactorily in conformity with scientific facts.
This occurred long ago,and Ihave never had the faintest reason since to change my views on psychical and spiritual phenomena,for which there is absolutely no foundation.The belief in these is the natural outgrowth of intellectual development.Religious dogmas are no longer accepted in their orthodox meaning,but every individual clings to faith in a supreme power of some kind.We all must have an ideal to govern our conduct and insure contentment,but it is immaterial whether it be one of creed,art,science or anything else,so long as it fulfills the function of a dematerializing force.It is essential to the peaceful existence of humanity as a whole that one common conception should prevail.
While Ihave failed to obtain any evidence in support of the contentions of psychologists and spiritualists,Ihave proved to my complete satisfaction the automatism of life,not only through continuous observations of individual actions,but even more conclusively through certain generalizations.These amount to a discovery which Iconsider of the greatest moment to human society,and on which Ishall briefly dwell.Igot the first inkling of this astounding truth when Iwas still a very young man,but for many years Iinterpreted what Inoted simply as coincidences.Namely,whenever either myself or a person to whom Iwas attached,or a cause to which Iwas devoted,was hurt by others in a particular way,which might be best popularly characterized as the most unfair imaginable,Iexperienced a singular and undefinable pain which,for want of a better term,Ihave qualified as "cosmic"and shortly thereafter,and invariably,those who had inflicted it came to grief.After many such cases Iconfided this to a number of friends,who had the opportunity to convince themselves of the truth of the theory which Ihave gradually formulated and which may be stated in the following few words:
Our bodies are of similar construction and exposed to the same external influences.This results in likeness of response and concordance of the general activities on which all our social and other rules and laws are based.We are automata entirely controlled by the forces of the medium being tossed about like corks on the surface of the water,but mistaking the resultant of the impulses from the outside for free will.The movements and other actions we perform are always life preservative and tho seemingly quite independent from one another,we are connected by invisible links.So long as the organism is in perfect order it responds accurately to the agents that prompt it,but the moment that there is some derangement in any individual,his self-preservative power is impaired.
Everybody understands,of course,that if one becomes deaf,has his eyesight weakened,or his limbs injured,the chances for his continued existence are lessened.But this is also true,and perhaps more so,of certain defects in the brain which deprive the automaton,more or less,of that vital quality and cause it to rush into destruction.Avery sensitive and observant being,with his highly developed mechanism all intact,and acting with precision in obedience to the changing conditions of the environment,is endowed with a transcending mechanical sense,enabling him to evade perils too subtle to be directly perceived.When he comes in contact with others whose controlling organs are radically faulty,that sense asserts itself and he feels the "cosmic"pain.The truth of this has been borne out in hundreds of instances and Iam inviting other students of nature to devote attention to this subject,believing that thru combined and systematic effort results of incalculable value to the world will be attained.
The idea of constructing an automaton,to bear out my theory,presented itself to me early but Idid not begin active work until 1893,when Istarted my wireless investigations.During the succeeding two or three years a number of automatic mechanisms,to be actuated from a distance,were constructed by me and exhibited to visitors in my laboratory.In 1896,however,Idesigned a complete machine capable of a multitude of operations,but the consummation of my labors was delayed until late in 1897.This machine was illustrated and described in my article in the Century Magazine of June,1900,and other periodicals of that time and,when first shown in the beginning of 1898,it created a sensation such as no other invention of mine has ever produced.In November,1898,a basic patent on the novel art was granted to me,but only after the Examiner-in-Chief had come to New York and witnessed the performance,for what Iclaimed seemed unbelievable.Iremember that when later Icalled on an official in Washington,with a view of offering the invention to the Government,he burst out in laughter upon my telling him what Ihad accomplished.Nobody thought then that there was the faintest prospect of perfecting such a device.It is unfortunate that in this patent,following the advice of my attorneys,Iindicated the control as being effected thru the medium of a single circuit and a well-known form of detector,for the reason that Ihad not yet secured protection on my methods and apparatus for individualization.As a matter of fact,my boats were controlled thru the joint action of several circuits and interference of every kind was excluded.Most generally Iemployed receiving circuits in the form of loops,including condensers,because the discharges of my high-tension transmitter ionized the air in the hall so that even a very small aerial would draw electricity from the surrounding atmosphere for hours.
Just to give an idea,Ifound,for instance,that a bulb 12"in diameter,highly exhausted,and with one single terminal to which a short wire was attached,would deliver well on to one thousand successive flashes before all charge of the air in the laboratory was neutralized.The loop form of receiver was not sensitive to such a disturbance and it is curious to note that it is becoming popular at this late date.In reality it collects much less energy than the aerials or a long grounded wire,but it so happens that it does away with a number of defects inherent to the present wireless devices.In demonstrating my invention before audiences,the visitors were requested to ask any questions,however involved,and the automaton would answer them by signs.This was considered magic at that time but was extremely simple,for it was myself who gave the replies by means of the device.
At the same period another larger telautomatics boat was constructed a photograph of which is shown in this number of the ELECTRICALEXPERIMENTER.It was controlled by loops,having several turns placed in the hull,which was made entirely water-tight and capable of submergence.The apparatus was similar to that used in the first with the exception of certain special features Iintroduced as,for example,incandescent lamps which afforded a visible evidence of the proper functioning of the machine.
This automata,controlled within the range of vision of the operator,were,however,the first and rather crude steps in the evolution of the Art of Telautomatics as Ihad conceived it.The next logical improvement was its application to automatic mechanisms beyond the limits of vision and at great distance from the center of control,and Ihave ever since advocated their employment as instruments of warfare in preference to guns.The importance of this now seems to be recognized,if Iam to judge from casual announcements thru the press of achievements which are said to be extraordinary but contain no merit of novelty,whatever.In an imperfect manner it is practicable,with the existing wireless plants,to launch an aeroplane,have it follow a certain approximate course,and perform some operation at a distance of many hundreds of miles.Amachine of this kind can also be mechanically controlled in several ways and Ihave no doubt that it may prove of some usefulness in war.But there are,to my best knowledge,no instrumentalities in existence today with which such an object could be accomplished in a precise manner.Ihave devoted years of study to this matter and have evolved means,making such and greater wonders easily realizable.
As stated on a previous occasion,when Iwas a student at college Iconceived a flying machine quite unlike the present ones.The underlying principle was sound but could not be carried into practice for want of a prime-mover of sufficiently great activity.In recent years Ihave successfully solved this problem and am now planning aerial machines devoid of sustaining planes,ailerons,propellers and other external attachments,which will be capable of immense speeds and are very likely to furnish powerful arguments for peace in the near future.Such a machine,sustained and propelled entirely by reaction,is supposed to be controlled either mechanically or by wireless energy.By installing proper plants it will be practicable to project a missile of this kind into the air and drop it almost on the very spot designated,which may be thousands of miles away.
But we are not going to stop at this.Telautomata will be ultimately produced,capable of acting as if possessed of their own intelligence,and their advent will create a revolution.As early as 1898Iproposed to representatives of a large manufacturing concern the construction and public exhibition of an automobile carriage which,left to itself,would perform a great variety of operations involving something akin to judgment.But my proposal was deemed chimerical at that time and nothing came from it.
At present many of the ablest minds are trying to devise expedients for preventing a repetition of the awful conflict which is only theoretically ended and the duration and main issues of which Ihave correctly predicted in an article printed in the Sun of December 20,1914.The proposed League is not a remedy but on the contrary,in the opinion of a number of competent men,may bring about results just the opposite.It is particularly regrettable that a punitive policy was adopted in framing the terms of peace,because a few years hence it will be possible for nations to fight without armies,ships or guns,by weapons far more terrible,to the destructive action and range of which there is virtually no limit.Acity,at any distance whatsoever from the enemy,can be destroyed by him and no power on earth can stop him from doing so.If we want to avert an impending calamity and a state of things which may transform this globe into an inferno,we should push the development of flying machines and wireless transmission of energy without an instant"s delay and with all the power and resources of the nation.
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