Wilhelm Wien

“ While Hertz's mechanics is obviously aimed at presenting the electromagnetic equations as consequences, the relation is directly reversed here. With respect to logical form, the electromagnetically founded mechanics of course cannot compare itself to Hertz's one, just because the system of Maxwell's differential equations has found no precise-critical treatment at all, but it has, as it seems to me, a very remarkable advantage, namely (as it was shown) that it transcends ordinary mechanics, which therefore is only to be described as a first approximation. ”

“ The inertia of matter, which represents the second independent definition of matter besides gravitation, can be derived without further hypotheses from the concept of electromagnetic inertia, which is already employed many times.
We think of the electric elementary quantum as an electrified point. The forces and polarizations emanating from such a moving point, were derived by Heaviside. ”

“ By that, the mass defined by inertia would only be constant at small velocities, and would increase with increasing velocity. Since inertia as well as gravitation emerging from the body, is proportional to the number of quanta composing the body, it follows, that the mass defined by inertia must be proportional to the one specified by gravitation. If a body with mass , is attracted by a body of mass up to a distance of , then the electromagnetic energy store of gravitation is diminished by the amount , where denotes the gravitational constant. ”

“ All forces are to be reduced to the known electromagnetic ones, i.e., to tensions in the aether in the sense of Maxwell, although the concept taken from the theory of elasticity is hardly still meaningful here. ”

“ The actual foundation would be formed by the electric and magnetic polarization in free aether, connected with each other by Maxwell's differential equations. As to how these equations can be derived best from the facts, is a question with which we don't have to deal with at this place. ”

“ This condition is fulfilled, when the dimensions of the space, in which the energy comes essentially into consideration, are sufficiently small. Because the terms to be neglected all contain the linear dimensions in a higher power. Though may not be too great and the absolute velocity not too small.
When this neglect is allowed, then we can put for the change of kinetic energy
where denotes the electric force. ”

“ The statement, that matter as well as electricity is formed atomistically, is equivalent according to the view held by us.
The aether itself is to be viewed as stationary according to Lorentz. Spatial changes can only occur with respect to electric quanta, and to speak about a motion of the aether would make no sense by the principles followed here. ”