ELECTRIC ENERGY WITHOUT WIRES 167 



and proper conditions of resonance maintained, the circuit 

 acts like an immense pendulum, storing indefinitely the energy 

 of the primary exciting impulses and impressing upon the 

 earth and its conducting atmosphere uniform harmonic 

 oscillations of intensities which, as actual tests have shown, 

 may be pushed so far as to surpass those attained in the 

 natural displays of static electricity. 



Simultaneousl}^ with these endeavors, the means of 

 individuahzation and isolation were gradually improved. 

 Great importance was attached to this, for it was found that 

 simple tuning was not sufficient to meet the vigorous practical 

 requirements. The fundamental idea of employing a number 

 of distinctive elements, co-operatively associated, for the 

 purpose of isolating energy transmitted, I trace directly to 

 m}' perusal of Spencer's clear and suggestive exposition of the 

 human nerve mechanism. The influence of this principle on 

 the transmission of inteUigence, and electrical energy in 

 general, cannot as 3^et be estimated, for the art is still in the 

 embryonic stage; but many thousands of simultaneous tele- 

 graphic and telephonic messages, through one single conduct- 

 ing channel, natural or artificial, and without serious mutual 

 interference, are certainly practicable, while millions are pos- 

 sible. On the other hand, any desired degree of individuali- 

 zation may be secured by the use of a great number of co- 

 operative elements and arbitrary variation of their distinctive 

 features and order of succession. For obvious reasons, the 

 principle will also be valuable in the extension of the distance 

 of transmission. 



Progress though of necessity slow was steady and sure, 

 for the objects aimed at were in a direction of my constant 

 study and exercise. It is, therefore, not astonishing that 

 before the end of 1899 I completed the task undertaken and 

 reached the results which I announced in my article in the 

 Century magazine of June, 1900, every word of which was 

 carefully weighed. 



Much has already been done towards making my system 

 commercially available, in the transmission of energy in small 

 amounts for specific purposes, as well as on an industrial scale. 

 The results attained bj^ me have made my scheme of intelli- 



