New York Times
July 11, 1937, p. 13, c. 2
Sending of Mossages to Planets Predicted by Dr. Tesla on Birthday
Inventor, 81, Talks of Key to Interstellar Transmission and Tube to Produce Radium Copiously and Cheaply
Decorated by Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia
Reports of discoveries by which it will be possible to communicate with the
planets and to produce radium in unlimited quantity for $1 a pound were
announced by Dr. Nikola Tesla yesterday at a luncheon on his eighty-first
birthday at which he wee honored with high orders from the Yugoslav and
Czechoslovak Governments.
Dr. Tesla, whose discoveries in electrical science have won for him recognition
as the father of modern methods of generating and distributing electrical
energy, asserted his "absolute" belief that he would win the Pierre
Guzman prize of the Institute of France for his discovery relating to the
interstellar transmission of energy.
Following his annual custom, Dr. Tesla played host to a group of newspaper men
at his birthday luncheon at the Hotel New Yorker and issued the announcement of
his discoveries of the last year. No apparatus or sketches were shown, but Dr.
Tesla said in announcing perfection of the principle of a new tube, which he
said would make it possible to smash the atom and produce cheap radium, that he
would be able to give a demonstration in "only a little time."
Guests at Dr. Tesla's luncheon included Constantin Fotitch, Minister from
Yugoslavia Vladimir Hurban, Minister from Czechoslovakia; R. Petrovich, first
secretary of the Yugoslav delevation; B. P. Stoyanovitch, Yugoslav Consul
General in New York; Dr. J. Nemeck, Counselor of the Czechoslav Legation, and J.
Hajny, Acting Consul General in New York for Czechoslovakia.
Presenting to Dr. Tesla the Grand Cordon of the White Eagle, highest order of
Yugoslavia, Mr. Fotitch announced it was the first time the order had been
granted to an American for civil accomplishments. The honor was bestowed by
order of Ring Peter through the Regent, Prince Paul.
Dr. Tesla's career has been an inspiration to the youth of his native country,
the Minister said. Evidently referring to Dr. Tesla's report several years ago
of inventing a "death beam" for use as a defense weapon, the Minister
said:
"All your efforts are directed to find a way, by means of some new magic
invention of yours, by which you will check and render futile as much as
possible all those inventions which men have invented to destroy mutually one
another. You feel, as we all feel in your old country, that the world has seen
enough of horror and that after so many examples of heroism displayed in the
Great War, humanity has found a better way only in peace."
Mr. Hurban, presenting the Grand Gordon of the White Lion, which has been
granted to such other distinguished Americans as Secretary Kellogg, Elihu Root
and Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, said "our Czechoslovak nation's brotherly
feeling toward you as a son of Yugoslavia made it a duty, not a privilege, to
give you this decoration in the name of the President of our nation. Dr. Edward
Benes." He also presented a diploma certifying Dr. Tesla's honorary degree
as a doctor of the University of Prague.
Outlines His Discoveries
Dr. Tesla, in responding, said he considered Czechoslovakia "one of the
most enlightened countries in the world."
In a ten-page typewritten statement outlining his discoveries, Dr. Tesla gave a
resume of his work in the fields of gravity and cosmic rays. Asserting that
"the so-called cosmic rays observed at great altitudes presented a riddle
for more than twenty-six years chiefly because it was found that they increased
with altitude at a rapid rate,. Dr. Tesla said he had discovered "the
astonishing fact that the effects at high altitudes are of an entirely different
nature, having no relation whatever to cosmic rays..
He gave a detailed technical description of his conclusions from research and
calculations concerning the cosmic ray, and continued:
"For the time being, I must content myself with the announcement of the
salient facts, but in due course I expect to be able to give more or less
accurate technical data relating to all particulars of this discovery."
Digressing from his prepared statement, he said: "I -am proud of these
discoveries, because many have denied that I am the original discoverer of the
cosmic ray. I was fifteen years ahead of other fellows who were asleep. Now no
one can take away from me the credit of being the first discoverer of the cosmic
ray on earth..
Dr. Tesla's audience stirred as he took up the next phase of his discoveries.
"I have devoted much of my time during the year past," he said,
"to the perfecting of a new small and compact apparatus by which energy in
considerable amounts can now be flashed through interstellar space to any
distance without the slightest dispersion."
To Claim French Award
Explaining that he did not refer to his "universal peace discovery. Dr.
Tesla continued.
"I am expecting to put before the Institute of France an accurate
description of the devices with data and calculations and claim the Pierre
Guzman prize of 100,000 francs for means of communication with other worlds,
feeling perfectly sure that it will be awarded to me. The money, of course, is a
trifling consideration, but for the great historical honor of being the first to
achieve this miracle I would be almost willing to give my life.
"I am just as sure that prize will be awarded to me as if I already had it
in my pocket. They have got to do it. It means it will be possible to convey
several thousand units of horsepower to other planets, regardless of the
distance. This discovery of mine will be remembered when everything else I have
done, is covered with dust."
Reporters questioned Dr. Tesla closely on his report of an interplanetary
communication system. He said he had been working in several laboratories, but
refused to disclose where they were. Asked if he had a working model of the
apparatus, he said, "It employs more than three dozen of my inventions, it
is a complex apparatus, an agglomeration of parts."
"It is absolutely developed," he declared. "I wouldn't be any
surer that I can transmit energy 100 miles that I am of the fact that I can
transmit energy 1,000,000 miles up."
A different kind of energy than is commonly employed must be used, however, he
said, explaining further that "you must realize it travels through a
channel of less than one-half of one-millionth of a centimeter."
"I could undertake a contract to manufacture the apparatus," he
asserted.
Dr. Tesla declared that "life on other planets is an infinite probability,
a certitude.. A difficulty in using his apparatus, he said, would lie in hitting
other moving planets with "The needlepoint of tremendous energy,. but
astronomers could help solve this problem.
The point of energy could be aimed at the moon and "We very easily could
see the effects, see the splash and the volatilization of matter." He also
pictured the possibility of advanced thinkers living on other planets and also
experimenting in this field, but mistaking the Tesla energy rays for some form
of cosmic rays.
Dr. Tesla provoked a new stir with his next announcement.
"My most important invention from a practical point of view," he said,
is a new form of tube with apparatus for its operation."
Reports Tube of New Type
Recalling experiments with other tubes, he said he had been "rewarded with
complete success' and had "produced a tube which it will be hard to improve
further..
"It is of ideal simplicity," he said, "not subject to wear and
can be operated at any potential, however high - even 100,000,000 volts - that
can be produced. It will carry heavy currents, transform any amount of energy
within practical limits and it permits easy control and regulation of the same.
"I expect that this invention, when it becomes known, will be universally
adopted in preference to other form of tubes and that it will be the means of
obtaining results undreamed of before.
"Among others, it will enable the production of cheap radium substitutes in
any desired quantity and will be, in general, immediately more effective in the
smashing of atoms and the transmutation of matter. However, this tube will not
open up a way to utilize atomic or subatomic energy for power purposes."
"It will cheapen radium so," Dr. Tesla added, "that it will be
just a cheap - well, it will get down to $1 a pound, in any quantity."
Expressing ''annoyance" that some newspapers had indicated he would
"give a full description" of his atom-smashing tube at yesterday's
luncheon, Dr. Tesla said he was bound by financial obligations "involving
vast sums of money" against releasing this information.
"But it is not an experiment," he declared. "I have built,
demonstrated and used it. Only a little time will pass before I can give it to
the world."
A final discovery announced by Dr. Tesla involved a new method and apparatus for
further perfection of vacuum tubes.
"What may be accomplished by means of such vacua is a matter of conjecture,
but it is obvious that they will make possible the production of much more
intense effects in electron tubes." he said.
Before and during the luncheon, Dr. Tesla entertained his guests with colorful
personal reminiscences and observations including his opinions on dieting and
immortality.