Tribute to Nikola Tesla Articles - letters - Documents

143 Pages·2008·8.23 MB·English

T R I B U T E
NIKOLA
TESLA
PRESENTED IN
ARTICLES * LETTERS * DOCUMENTS
Published
by
NIKOLA TESLA MUSEUM
BEOGRAD, YUGOSLAVIA
B E O G R A D
1961
P R E F A C E
Following the book ,)Nikola T e s l a - Lectures, Patents,
A r t i c 1 e scc, published 1956 in English in Belgrade, the Nikola Tesla
Museum is now publishing a second volume dedicated to the memory
of the great scientist. While the former publication w m rigorously
restricted to his own works and included no comments or appreciations by
other hands, the present book is composed solely of articles and extracts
written on Tesla by others. Guided by the wish to preserve to the full the
ring of authenticity about each of the contributions, the Museum has
decided to publish the articles in their original versions. It was no easy
task to make a selection from the copious collection of various important
evaluations and tributes in the possession of the Nikola Tesla Museum
in Belgrade, in view of the fact that a great deal has been written on Tesla
-
throughout the last seven decades much more than is generally sup-
posed. It was therefore of necessity that the selection was restricted to
articles written by the eminent scientists, technicians and historians of
science and technology, i. e. such.as will no doubt prove to be the most
invaluable to the history of scientific and technical development. A glance
at the list of contributors will suffice to give substance to this point.
Another point calls f o ~sp ecial emphasis. For various reasons, the truth
about the body of Tesla's scientific work was remarkably slow in its
penetration not only of the public at large but also of any wider circles of
experts in the different fields of his research. The first and foremost of
these reasons was the fact that Tesla's achievements in the province of
technical sciences was so revolutionary und so varied that it was difficult
to fully grasp its significance as a whole; this took time. Indeed, around the
close of the XIXth century the number of distinguished experts who viewed
Tesla's inventions as perfectly impracticable creations of pure phantasy
was by no means small. In an age of flourishing technical development,
some saw the importance of his discoveries in the field of production,
transmission and utilization of electric power, but failed to realize that he
had also laid the foundations of high voltage and high freguency technics
and of radiotechnics as well. Others hailed the results of his work in radio
w
communications, but were u t t ~ l uyn aware of his pioneering achievements
in what came to be &led the technics of strong currents. Nor did Tesla's
-
genius come to a halt here; for example, he foresaw with a farsigh-
-
tedness that hardly seems credible the development of the techniques
of remote control @ automatic guidance. This is best seen in an
article of his, published in the JUTE 1900 issue of T h e C e n t ur y
IZlust.rated M o n t h l y Magazineandentitled .The P r o b l e m
o f Increasing H u m a n Energy#. Tesla also proved by experiment
that his nteleautomutm* was perfectly workable; but, the times being what
they were, those to whom it wus presented showed little understanding of
its far-reaching significance. Another case in point is the initial failure
of no less a man than Kelvin to see all the advantages of Tesla's system of
production, transmi.gsi~n and utilization of electric power; it was only
afterwards, when he had grasped the full scope of the latter scientist's
discoveries, that he gave him his enthusiastic support, the two men
becoming close friends. This was by no means an exceptional case.
Owing to his dislike of publicity, Tesla lived to see the honours due to
him alone bestowed on others, and this at a time when his own creative
powers had started to decline. Nevertheless, the articles assembled in this
volume bear t e s t i ~ tyo the fact that the most distinguished contempo-
rary scientists and experts held Tesla's contribution to modern science and
technology in great esteem.
And so, whatever 7ni~~0ncepti0ans~ t o the real nature of Tesla's
achievements may have arisen in the past, subsequent development of the
technical sciences has paved the way for an adequate appraisal of his life's
work. In publishing this book the Nibla Tesla Museum hopes to fulfil, as a
task of honour, a twofold obligation: first, to the unique genius of the man
who left his native Yugoslavia (where he was born in 1856) to serve the
cause of science in the United States of America (where he died in 1943);
and second, to the history of science and technology, in which the name of
Nikola Tesla will forever hold a place of truly great distinction.
VELJKO KORAC, Ph. D.
Director of Nikola Tesla Museum
C O N T E N T S
SELECTED ARTICLES ON NIKOLA TESLA AND HIS WORK
H
1. Du Bois-Reymond A.: Ein neues System von Wechselstrom-
motoren und Transformatoren von Nikola Tesla . . . . . .
- ETZ, Berlin, 1888, S. 343
2. Martin Thomas Conperford: Nikola Tesla . . . . . .
- Century Magazin, New York, Vol. XLVII, Febr. 1894, p. 582
3. Martin Thomas Commerford: Tesla's Oscillator and Other
Inventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Century A'Iagazin, New York, Vol. XLIX, April 1895, p. 916
4. Lamotte M.: ~'e'clairages ans lampe . . . . . . . . .
- Science Fran~aise,P aris, 14. VI. 1895, p. 307
5. Patten F. Jarvis: The Tesla Osc~illntor . . . . . . . .
- New Science Review, New York, July 1895, p. 113
*
6. * * Mr. Tesla's Circuit Interrupte.~.~ . .
- The Electrical World, New York 20. VIII. 1898, p. 181
7. Wright J.: Some Novel Inventions of Nikola Tesla
- The Electrical Engineer, London. 10. VIII. 1900, p. 190
*
* *
8. The Tesla Patents: Sweeping Decision in Favour
of These Patents by U. S. Circuit Court . . . . . . . .
. - Electrical Review, New York, 19. IX. 1900, p. 288
*
* *
9. Tesla Double-Circuit Selective Space-telegrahp
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Western Electrician, Chicago, 28. 111. 1903
*
10. * * - The Tesla Steam Turbine - The Rotary Heat
Motor Reduced to Its Simplest Terms . . . . . . . . .
- Scientific American, New York, 3. IX. 1911, p. 296
11. Gradenwitz A.: Das Tesla'sche Konstruktionsprinzip fur
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Turbinen und Pumpen
- Die ~urbine,B erlin, Heft XIII, 5. IV. 1912, S. 239
*
* *
12. Tesla's Early Work With Radio Controlled Vessels
-
The Electrical Experimenter, New York. June 1916, p. 88
13. Cohen Samuel: Lightning Made to Order . . . . . . .
- The Electrical Experimenter, New York November 1916, p. 474
*
14. * * Nikola Tesla Receives Edison Medal . . . . .
- Electrical Review and Western Electrician, New York, Vol. 70,
15. Scott F. Charles: The Contribution of Tesla to Electrical
Power Development . . . . .H. . . . . . . . . .
- GodiSnjak SveueiliSta u Zagrebu 1924125-1928129, str. 975
16. BokSan Slavko: Nikola Tesla, der Begriinder der Hochfre-
quenz- und der Radiotechnik . . . . . .
- NaSa PoSta. Beograd, 1. XII. 1932, str. 295
*
17. MiljaniC Pavle: Nikola Tesla, fondateur de 1'Clectrotech-
nique industrielle moderne . . . . . . . . . . .
- NaSa poSta, Beograd, 1. XII. 1932, str. 289
18. Zenneck J.: Nikola Tesla . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Hochfrequenztechnik und Elektroakustik, Berlin, Heft 2, 1933,
S. 41
19. JovanoviC Vladislav: Nikola Teslrc . . . . . . . . . .
- Revue GenPral d'Electricite, Paris, tome XL, 4. VII. 1936, p. 3
20. Blonde1 A.: L'oeuvre de Tesla vue par un de ses contempo-
rains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Livre cornmemoratif a l'occasion de 80-&mea nniversaire de Nikola
Tesla, Beograd 1936, p. 331
21. Gutton C.: Sur la contribution de Tesla au developpement
de la radiotC16graphie . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Livre commemoratif a l'occasion de 80-&me anniversaire de
Nikola Tesla, Beograd, 1936, p. 175
22. JovanoviC Dragomir: Tesla Drehstrom-System . . . . .
- Gedenkbuch anlasslich des 80-sten Geburtstages N. Tesla, Beograd,
1936, S. 234
23. Kiebitz Franz: Nikola Tesla als Wegbereiter der drahtlosen
Telegraphie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Gedenkbuch anlasslich des 80-sten Geburtstages N. Tesla, Beograd,
1936. S. 248
I
24. ,Pio-Ulsky G.: Die Arbeiten Nikola Teslas aif dem Gebiete
def angewandten Mechanik . . . . . . . . . . .
- Gedenkbuch anlasslich des 80-sten Geburtstages N. Tesla, Beograd,
1936, S. 337
25. MiljaniC. Pavle: Quarante-cinq ans de Radiotechnique. Un
retour aux dkbuts de la Radioklectricitk . . . . . . . .
- Livre commkmoratif & l'occasion de 80-eme anniversaire de Ni-
kola Tesla, Beograd, 1936, p. 379
..
26. RakiC. Milivoje: Funfzig Jahre Drehstrom . . . z
- Gedenkbuch anlasslich des 80-sten Geburtstages N. Tesla, Beograd,
1936, S. 360
27. Zafek August: Nikola Tesla - tvurce vysokofrekventni
tehniky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Elektrotechnicky Obzor, Praha, 27. XI. 1936, str. 759
28. Girardeau E.: Pourquoi Nikola Tesla, crkateur de la radio-
klectricitk, a-t-il 6tk longtempsmkconnu . . . . . . .
- Edition de la Soci6tk pour la Fondation de l'Institut Nikola Tesla,
Beograd, 1938
29. Bethenod J.: Nikola Tesla . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Bulletin de la Socikt6 Fran~aised es Electriciens, Paris, tome VII,
Juin 1938
30. Eccles W. H.: Dr. Nikola Tesla . . . . . . . . . . .
- Nature, London, 13. I1 1936, p. 189
C
31. Scott F. Charles: Tesla's Contribution to Electric Power . .
- Electrical Engineering, New York, August 1943, p. 351
32. Wheeler L. P.: Tesla's Contribution to High Frequency . .
- Electrical Engineering, Newr York, August 1943, p 355
33. Fleming A. P. M.: Nikola Tesla . . . . . . . . . . .
- Journal of Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, Vol. 91,
February 1944
34. B O ~ Bn.O M.:~ H u~onaT ecna (1856-1943) . . . . . .
- 3ne~~p~recrMe0O,C KBH~O, B. 1946
35. DamjanoviC. A.: La vie et l'oeuvre de Nikola Tesla . . . .
- Bulletin de la Soci6t6 Fran~aised es Electriciens, Paris, tome I,
Fevrier 1951, p. 85
36. Kagler Josef: Nikola Tesla . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Verlag der Oesterreichisch-Arnerikanische Gesellschaft, Wien,
Juni 1952, S. 6
37. Vidmar Milan: Nikola Tesla und die Geschichte der Elektro-
technik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Vortrag zu dem Nikola Tesla-Kongress 1953 in Wien
38. Damjanovik A.: Einige Beitrage zur Geschichte der Radio-
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
technik
- Vortrag zu dem Nikola Tesla-Kongress 1953 in Wien
39. rnaaf~oB.~ H . Benu~uSc 61n toiocna~c~onioap oga . , . ,
- 3neKTpn~ecre0,M oc~sa,M lonh 1956, cTp. 66
40. PXOHCHU~KXB.# H.: B6lgarolyuucq 3ne~1ZpoiUexnu~H u~ona
Teem (1896-1943) . . . . . . . . .
- BoIIp0CbI MCTOpHM eCTeCTBOB03HaIIMR M TeXHMKM, BHK~C1K, M ocma
1956, M3A. AK~A~M hMayM^ CCCP, CTp. 192
41. Fleming A. P. M.: Tesla's Contribution to the Development
of Electrotechnics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Lecture lead at the Tesla-Congress 1956 in Beograd
42. Kapp 0.R esnald: Tesla's Lecture at the Royal institution
of Great Britain, 1892 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Lecture read at the Tesla-Congress 1956 in Beograd
43. Tank F.: Die Hochfrequenztechnik und das Werk Nikola
Teslas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Vortrag zu dem Tesla-Kongress 1956 in Beograd
44. Chambers C. C.: The Significance of Tesla's Power System
- its importance in the Succes of the First Niagara Power
Plant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-
Lecture read at the Tesla-Congress 1956 in Beograd
45. Muller H.: D,ie Anwendung mittel- und hochfrequenter
Strome in der Elektrowarmetechnik . . . . . . . . .
- Vortrag zu dem Tesla-Kongress 1956 in Beograd
46. Swezey M. K.: Nikola Tesla Pathfinder of the Electrical Age
-- Electrical Engineering, New York, 1956, p. 786
47. Holmgren E. J.: Nikola Tesla (1556-1943) . . . . . .
- Nature, London, Vol. 178, 29. XII. 1956, p. 1426
48. Jakubowski J. L.: Wysokos'i napiqk stosowanych przez
Nikolq Teslq przed 60 laty . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Archimrum Elektrotechniki, Warszawa, Tom VII, z. l., 1958, str. 3
49. Swezey M. K.: Nikola Tesla . . . . . . . . . .
- Science, Washington, Vol. 127, No. 3307, 16. V. 1958, p. 1147
50. Landolt K. M.: Aus dem Leben und Werk von Nikola Tesla
-
Bulletin des Schweizerischen Elektrotechnischen Verein, Ziirich,
Nr. 19, 1959, S. 933
51. DarnjanoviC. A.: Contribution a l'histoire de l'&lectrotechnique
- Bulletin de 1'Association Suisse des Electriciens, No. 20, Ziirich,
Oct. 1960
LETTERS AND STATEMENTS BY PROMINENT
PERSONALITIES AND WELL-KNOWN INSTITUTIONS
Josip Broz Tito 11 . VII . 1956 . . . . . . . . . . . .
--
Kapp G . - London, 9 . VI . 1888 . . . . . . . . . . .
Pupin M. J . - New York, 19 . XI1. 1891 . . . . . . . . . .
Crookes W. - London, 12.111. 1892 . . . . . . . . . . .
Fleming J . A . - London, 1892 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bragg C . A . .W estinghouse Elect . & Manufact . Comp., 10. XI . 1893
Martzn C. T . - New York, February 1894 . . . . . . . .
Kelvin - Toronto, Ont., 25 . VIII . 1897 . . . . . . . . . .
Dana A . Ch . - New York, 13.111. 1895 . . . . . . . . . .
Slaby A . - Technische Hochschule, Eerlin, 1. XI1. 1898 . . . .
Lee de Forest - New Haven, 23. VI . 1899 . . . . . . . . .
Rontgen W . C . - Miinchen, 20. VII . 1901 . . . . . . . . .
Morgan I . P. - New York, 16. I1. 1906 . . . . . . . . . . .
Vidmar M. - Zagreb, 1929 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Karapetoff V. - Cornel University, Ithaca, N . Y., 23. V . 1931 . .
Lodge 0. - Salisbur~2 6 . V. 1931 . . . . . . . . . . .
Korn A . - Berlin, May 1931 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Graf fon Arc0 G. - Telefunken, Berlin, 2 . VI . 1931 . . . . .
Millikan R . A . - Pasadena, 30 . V . 1931 . . . . . . . . . .
Behrend B . A. - Walesley Hills, Mass., 3 . VI . 1931 . . . . .
Walker M . - Victoria University of Manchester, 3 . VI . 1931 . .
XVI
Dunlap W. K. - Westinghouse Elect. & Man. Comp. East Pitts-
burgh, 4. VI. 1931 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LS-33
-
Kennelly A. E. Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 5. VI. 1931 LS-34
Swann F. G. - Franklin Institute, Swarthmore, Pa., 5. VI. 1931 . LS-35
Lee de Forest - Hollywood, Cal. 8. VI. 1931 . . . . . . . LS-36
-
Schoellkopf P. A. Niagara Falls Power Comp. N. Y., 10. VI. 1931 LS-37
Bragg W. H. - The Royal Institution, London, 11. VI. 1931 . .
Lee W. S. - American Institute of Electr. Eng., New York,
11. VI. 1931 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. t .
8
Westinghouse H. H. - New York. 12. VI. 1931 . . . . . .
Mc. Farlan Moore - East Orange, N. Y.: 13. VI. 1931 . . .
Magnusson C. E. - University of Washington, 15. VI. 1931 . . .
~ouisenW .- Danmark, 15. VI. 193i . . . . . . . . . .
~ilankovidM . -- Univerzitet u Beogradu, 16. VI. 1931 . . . .
Zenneck J. - Technische Hochschule, Miinchen, 17. VI. 1931 . .
Andrade E. N. - University of London, 20. VI. 1931 . . . . .
FerriC - Ministcre de la Guerre, Paris, 25. VI. 1931 . . . . .
Alexanderson E. F. W.- New York, 26. VI. 1931 . . . . . .
Bethenod J. - Compagnie G6n. de Telegr. Sans Fils, Paris,
29. VI. 1931 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dunn G. - New York, June 1931 . . . . . . . .
Einstein A. - Caputh bei Potsdam, Juni. 1 931 . . . . . .
Bush N. -Massachusetts Inst. of Techn., Cambridge, 1. VII. 1931
Whitehead J. B. - Johns ~ o ~ k iUnnsiv ersity, Baltimore, Mary-
land, 1. VII. 1931 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scott C. F. - New Haven, Conn., -3. VII. 1931
Compton A. H. - University of Cihicago, 8. VII. 1931
Appeleton E. V.- London, July 1931 . . . . . . . . . .
Kiebitz F. - Berhn, 15. VII. 1931 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Austin L. W.- National Research Co~mcilW, ashinton, 1931 . .
Rutherford - Cavenish Laboratory, Cambridge,,1 9. 111. 1936 . .
Vojnovich G. Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia, Budapest,
-
10. IV. 1936 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gney - Universitiit Heidelberg, 22. V. 1936 . . . - - . - -
Picard E., Lacroix - Academie des Sciences, Paris, 5. V. 1936
Heymann E. - Preussische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Berlin
12. V. 1936 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lirondelle A. - Universite de Lyon, 18. V. 1936 . . . . . . .
Blondel A. - Paris, 20. V. 1936 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Romeris M., Zemaitis Z. - Vytauto Didiiojo Universitetas, Kau-
nas, 28. V. 1936. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-
Siemens, Liischen, Kottgen, Bing Siemens & Halske A.
Siemens-Schuckert Werke A. G. Berlin, 28. V. 1936
EcoleSuptrieure dlElectricitt, Paris, Mai 1936 . . . . . . .
Socittt Francaise des Electriciens, Paris Mai 1936 . . . . . .
Socittt Francaise des Radioklectriciens, Paris Mai 1936 . . . .
Compagnie Gtntrale de Ttltgraphie sans fil, Paris, Mai 1936 . .
Barbillion - Universit6 de Grenoble, 1936 . . . . . . . .
Boussagol E. - Universit6 de Clermont-Ferrand, 1936 . . . .
Eccles W. N. - Commemorative Meeting of the Institute of
Electr. Eng. 25. XI. 1943 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Charlety S. - Universitk de Paris, Juillet 1936 . . . . . . .
Norinder H. - Beograd, 1952 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Girardeau E. - Monte Carlo, Janvier 1956 . . . . . . . .
Deal Wolfle - American Assosiation for the Advencement of
Science, Washington, 26. VI. 1956 . . . . . . . . . .
Houseau de Lehaie P. - Facult6 Polytechnique de Mons, Juillet
1956 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
,
Bohr Niels - 10. VII. 1956 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bayer F. - Technische Hochschule, Wien, 10. VII. 1956 . . . .
Boduroglu T. - Istanbul Teknik Universitesi, 10. VII. 1956 . .
Chu Wu-Hua - Polytechnical Institute, Harbin, 10. VII. 1956 .
Cohen G. S. - Hebrew University, Jerusalim, 10. VII. 1956 . .
Dahlgren F. - Royal Swedish Academy of Eng. Science,
10. VII. 1956 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .