从其他许多方面考虑，发明一种更简单的设备来产生电流振荡是很有必要的。1856年，开尔文勋爵提出了电容器放电理论，但是实际生活中并未运用这一重要知识。我看到了它的潜在应用价值，开始利用这一原理进行感应式电机的研发。我的进展是如此之快，在1891年的一次讲座上，我展示了一只线圈能制造5英寸长的火花。当时，我坦白地将利用这种新方法传输电力会产生火花间隙损失这一缺陷告诉了在场的工程师们。随后的研究表明，无论介质是什么，空气、液体、水银蒸气、石油或是电子束，效果是相同的。这是自然规律，犹如机械能的转换也有类似的规律。我们可以让物体从一定高度垂直降落，也可以让它沿某一曲线滑落。就目前的情况而言，这一缺陷所造成的影响并不大。然而，幸运的是，这一缺陷不是致命的，当合理安排共振波时，电路的输电率有望达到85%。自从我最开始将自己的发明公诸于众起，它已被广泛应用，在许多领域掀起了一场革命，并且还有巨大的发展潜力。
1900年，我获得了1000英尺的强大放电，并制造了一场全球范围内的人工闪电。我不由得想起了在格兰大街的实验室里观察到第一个小火花时的情景，当时简直比我发现旋转磁场时还要激动。
IV.The Discovery of the Tesla Coil and Transformer
For a while Igave myself up entirely to the intense enjoyment of picturing machines and devising new forms.It was a mental state of happiness about as complete as Ihave ever known in life.Ideas came in an uninterrupted stream and the only difficulty Ihad was to hold them fast.The pieces of apparatus Iconceived were to me absolutely real and tangible in every detail，even to the minute marks and signs of wear.Idelighted in imagining the motors constantly running，for in this way they presented to mind"s eye a more fascinating sight.When natural inclination develops into a passionate desire，one advances towards his goal in seven-league boots.In less than two months Ievolved virtually all the types of motors and modifications of the system which are now identified with my name.It was，perhaps，providential that the necessities of existence commanded a temporary halt to this consuming activity of the mind.
Icame to Budapest prompted by a premature report concerning the telephone enterprise and，as irony of fate willed it，Ihad to accept a position as draftsman in the Central Telegraph Office of the Hungarian Government at a salary which Ideem it my privilege not to disclose！Fortunately，Isoon won the interest of the Inspector-in-Chief and was thereafter employed on calculations，designs and estimates in connection with new installations，until the Telephone Exchange was started，when Itook charge of the same.The knowledge and practical experience Igained in the course of this work was most valuable and the employment gave me ample opportunities for the exercise of my inventive faculties.Imade several improvements in the Central Station apparatus and perfected a telephone repeater or amplifier which was never patented or publicly described but would be creditable to me even today.In recognition of my efficient assistance the organizer of the undertaking，Mr.Puskas，upon disposing of his business in Budapest，offered me a position in Paris which Igladly accepted.
Inever can forget the deep impression that magic city produced on my mind.For several days after my arrival Iroamed thru the streets in utter bewilderment of the new spectacle.The attractions were many and irresistible，but，alas，the income was spent as soon as received.When Mr.Puskas asked me how Iwas getting along in the new sphere，Idescribed the situation accurately in the statement that "the last twenty-nine days of the month are the toughest！"Iled a rather strenuous life in what would now be termed "Rooseveltian fashion."Every morning，regardless of weather，Iwould go from the Boulevard St.Marcel，where Iresided，to a bathing house on the Seine，plunge into the water，loop the circuit twenty-seven times and then walk an hour to reach Ivry，where the Company"s factory was located.There Iwould have a woodchopper"s breakfast at half-past seven o"clock and then eagerly await the lunch hour，in the meanwhile cracking hard nuts for the Manager of the Works，Mr.Charles Batchellor，who was an intimate friend and assistant of Edison.Here Iwas thrown in contact with a few Americans who fairly fell in love with me because of my proficiency in billiards.To these men Iexplained my invention and one of them，Mr.D.Cunningham，Foreman of the Mechanical Department，offered to form a stock company.The proposal seemed to me comical in the extreme.Idid not have the faintest conception of what that meant except that it was an American way of doing things.Nothing came of it，however，and during the next few months Ihad to travel from one to another place in France and Germany to cure the ills of the power plants.On my return to Paris Isubmitted to one of the administrators of the Company，Mr.Rau，a plan for improving their dynamos and was given an opportunity.My success was complete and the delighted directors accorded me the privilege of developing automatic regulators which were much desired.
Shortly after there was some trouble with the lighting plant which had been installed at the new railroad station in Strassburg，Alsace.The wiring was defective and on the occasion of the opening ceremonies a large part of a wall was blown out thru a short-circuit right in the presence of old Emperor William I.The German Government refused to take the plant and the French Company was facing a serious loss.On account of my knowledge of the German language and past experience，Iwas entrusted with the difficult task of straightening out matters and early in 1883Iwent to Strassburg on that mission.
