If my memory serves me right,it was in November,1890,that Iperformed a laboratory experiment which was one of the most extraordinary and spectacular ever recorded in the annals of Science.In investigating the behaviour of high frequency currents Ihad satisfied myself that an electric field of sufficient intensity could be produced in a room to light up electrodeless vacuum tubes.Accordingly,a transformer was built to test the theory and the first trial proved a marvelous success.It is difficult to appreciate what those strange phenomena meant at that time.We crave for new sensations but soon become indifferent to them.The wonders of yesterday are today common occurrences.When my tubes were first publicly exhibited they were viewed with amazement impossible to describe.From all parts of the world Ireceived urgent invitations and numerous honors and other flattering inducements were offered to me,which Ideclined.
But in 1892the demands became irresistible and Iwent to London where Idelivered a lecture before the Institution of Electrical Engineers.It had been my intention to leave immediately for Paris in compliance with a similar obligation,but Sir James Dewar insisted on my appearing before the Royal Institution.Iwas a man of firm resolve but succumbed easily to the forceful arguments of the great Scotsman.He pushed me into a chair and poured out half a glass of a wonderful brown fluid which sparkled in all sorts of iridescent colors and tasted like nectar."Now,"he said,"you are sitting in Faraday"s chair and you are enjoying whiskey he used to drink."In both aspects it was an enviable experience.The next evening Igave a demonstration before that Institution,at the termination of which Lord Rayleigh addressed the audience and his generous words gave me the first start in these endeavors.Ifled from London and later from Paris to escape favors showered upon me,and journeyed to my home where Ipassed through a most painful ordeal and illness.Upon regaining my health Ibegan to formulate plans for the resumption of work in America.Up to that time Inever realized that Ipossessed any particular gift of discovery but Lord Rayleigh,whom Ialways considered as an ideal man of science,had said so and if that was the case Ifelt that Ishould concentrate on some big idea.
One day,as Iwas roaming in the mountains,Isought shelter from an approaching storm.The sky became overhung with heavy clouds but somehow the rain was delayed until,all of a sudden,there was a lightning flash and a few moments after a deluge.This observation set me thinking.It was manifest that the two phenomena were closely related,as cause and effect,and a little reflection led me to the conclusion that the electrical energy involved in the precipitation of the water was inconsiderable,the function of lightning being much like that of a sensitive trigger.
Here was a stupendous possibility of achievement.If we could produce electric effects of the required quality,this whole planet and the conditions of existence on it could be transformed.The sun raises the water of the oceans and winds drive it to distant regions where it remains in a state of most delicate balance.If it were in our power to upset it when and wherever desired,this mighty life-sustaining stream could be at will controlled.We could irrigate arid deserts,create lakes and rivers and provide motive power in unlimited amounts.This would be the most efficient way of harnessing the sun to the uses of man.The consummation depended on our ability to develop electric forces of the order of those in nature.It seemed a hopeless undertaking,but Imade up my mind to try it and immediately on my return to the United States,in the Summer of 1892,work was begun which was to me all the more attractive,because a means of the same kind was necessary for the successful transmission of energy without wires.
The first gratifying result was obtained in the spring of the succeeding year when Ireached tensions of about 1,000,000volts with my conical coil.It was considered a feat.Steady progress was made until the destruction of my laboratory by fire in 1895,as may be judged from an article by T.C.Martin which appeared in the April number of the Century Magazine.This calamity set me back in many ways and most of that year had to be devoted to planning and reconstruction.However,as soon as circumstances permitted,Ireturned to the task.
Although Iknew that higher electro-motive forces were attainable with apparatus of larger dimensions,Ihad an instinctive perception that the object could be accomplished by the proper design of a comparatively small and compact transformer.In carrying on tests with a secondary in the form of a flat spiral,as illustrated in my patents,the absence of streamers surprised me,and it was not long before Idiscovered that this was due to the position of the turns and their mutual action.Profiting from this observation Iresorted to the use of a high tension conductor with turns of considerable diameter sufficiently separated to keep down the distributed capacity,while at the same time preventing undue accumulation of the charge at any point.The application of this principle enabled me to produce pressures of 4,000,000volts,which was about the limit obtainable in my new laboratory at Houston Street.Aphotograph of this transmitter was published in the Electrical Review of November,1898.