Excerpt from The New Physics

The reduction of the two systems of units alone, the electrostatic system and the electromagnetic system, to one common system in terms of length and time introduces us to a new era in Physics. It is difficult to dismiss the thought that we are one step nearer to a satisfactory understanding of the nature of electricity and its intimate connection with the aether of space.

Since this work was prepared the scientific world has been profoundly stirred by the announce ment of the results obtained during the total eclipse of the sun of May 29, 1919. For the first time in the history of eclipse observations, beginning with the eclipse of June 8, 1918, efforts have been made to verify the predictions made by Prof. Einstein that rays of light from the stars, passing close to the sun on their way to the earth, would suffer a certain very small deflection. These recent observations seem to agree with the prediction of Dr. Einstein, and at the least they have focused the attention of the scientific world upon the fundamental basis of the Einstein theory. This theory has sometimes been called The Relativity Theory of Gravitation, and some reference to it seems to be required in these prefatory remarks in order that this theory and that proposed in these pages may not seem to be conflicting. At first thought it seems as if there is only room for one theory of gravitation, and, if the Einstein theory is receiving confirmation, it may seem to follow that the theory given within these pages is brought into question. It is for the purpose of 'showing that this is not at all the case that refer ence to this matter is made here.

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