Answers made in Letters from Mr. Keely, to Questions asked of Him.
Light incident to any body that absorbs or reflects it does not press upon it. The radiometer of Professor Crookes’s invention is not operated by the pressure of light, but by corpuscular bombardment on the reflecting side of its vanes.
You have called my attention to the receding movement in the metal silver, which it assumes when the flow of an alternating current from an electro-magnet, in front, is thrown upon it. This does not prove that light presses upon it to induce that movement. It moves by inter-atomic bombardment of some 800 millions of corpuscular percussions a second; or, more truly, by inter-sympathetic vibrations. If a homogeneous disk of gold, silver and platina, in proper proportions, were made the medium of interference, the resultant action would be startling in showing up the movement of molecular antagonistic thirds. The movement would be very erratic and gyroscopic. If the same disk were used or an intermediate transmitter to a negative focalizer, or in other words a polar radiator only one of which is in existence, by a nodal wire of gold, silver and platina, the effect on the disk at the negative terminus would be to set into action the latent force held in its molecular embrace, and would cause it to sympathetically adhere to the focalizer, with a power that would make it practically inseparable.
Professor Fitzgerald’s lecture on electro-magnetic radiation shows that scientific men are beginning to realize, and that fairly, the truths appertaining to the new philosophy. The professor admits that electricity and magnetism are of differential character, and he is right. The progressive subdivision, induced on molecules by different orders of sympathetic vibration, and the resultant conditions evolved on the inter-molecule and inter-atom, by introductory etheric dispersion, prove that the magnetic flow of itself is a triple one, as is also the electric. Again, the professor says that electricity and magnetism would be essentially interchangeable if such a thing existed as magnetic conduction, adding: ‘It is in this difference that we must look for the difference between electricity and magnetism.’ Thus you see how plain it is that progressive scientists are approaching true science. The rotation of the magnetic needle, as produced in my researching experiments, proves conclusively that the interchange spoken of, in Professor Fitzgerald’s lecture, is a differentiated vibratory one, in which the dominant and enharmonic forces exchange compliments with each other, in a differential way; thus inducing rotation, in other words polarization and depolarization.
The transmission of sympathetic atomic vibration, through a triple nodal transmitter, induces an inter-atomic percussion, that results in triple atomic subdivision, not oscillating across the diameter of the atom, but accelerating to an infinite degree the atomic film that surrounds it and at the same time extending the vibratory range of the atom far enough to set free the gaseous atomic element.
Molecular Dissociation.
If our sight could reach into the remote depths of the interstitial spaces which exist between the molecular ranges, and observe their wonderful action, in their oscillating motion, to and from each other, as guided by the Infinite in their sphere of vibrating action—could we comprehend the astonishing velocity of their gaseous capsules, combined as it is with the accompanying acoustic force, we would be, as it were, paralyzed with amazement. But we would then only be bordering on the still more remote depths of the interstitial atomic realm, stretching far down towards the neutral depths of the inter-atomic; and again, still farther to the borders of its etheric neutral radiating centre.
If our earth were to be submitted to the force governing the rotative action of the molecule, in its gaseous envelope, and its oscillatory range of motion were in the same ratio to the differential magnitude of each, the force of the vibration induced by its atmospheric surrounding would, in a short time, disintegrate its full volume, precipitating it into a ring of impalpable inter-molecular dust, many thousands of miles in diameter. If brought face to face with such conditions we could better understand the mighty and sympathetic force which exists in the far remote domain of the molecular and atomic embrace.
The question arises, how and by what means are we able to measure the velocity of these capsules and the differential range of their vibratory action? Also, how can we prove beyond dispute the facts relating to their sympathetic government? By progressive disintegration; this is the only way; and it is accomplished by the proper exciters of vibratory focalization; the introductory acoustic impulses which negatize their molecular, inter-molecular, atomic and inter-atomic media of neutral attractions, towards their focalized centres of sympathetic aggregation.
I hold that the sympathetic neutral flow which exists in this remote region is the latent power that, under the disintegration of water, is liberated; showing immense volume and infinite pressure. The same condition of latent power exists in metallic masses and, paradoxical as it may seem, exerts its force, under the proper exciter, only in a negative attractive way, while in water in a positive one. In minerals under liberation this latent power seeks its medium of tenuous equilibrium, leaving behind an impalpable dust, that represents molecular dissociation.