ON THE TOLTAIC BATTRRY* Q 



increaie i« uniform, however variable the action of the bat- 

 teries may be. 



The trottfi^ fof Wedgwood ware have the partitiotif, The contlnu- 

 which form their cells, at u j^reater distuncc from each other, acUon depends 

 thmi thut of the gUss partitions in the wooden trough ; they more on the 

 ofcourHe require uiorL* ucid to exeite a ^^iven H"''"*'*y ®^ Jiie ofVhe * 

 plates; and it has been Haid, that this circumstance promotes celli. 

 the contiiiuaucf of their Hctioii. The results of my experi- 

 ments Hpeak u different language. The continuance of 

 the action i» influeirccd much more by the nature and 

 fltrenglh of the acid mixture ; and 1 have not obnerved, thut 

 in any case the separation >of the partitiong to a greater dig- 

 tance than ^ths of an inch is attended with any advantage 

 in this rcMpcct. 



At the commencement of the preceding experiments, a Glatt pnrtUU 

 glass partitioned battery, of 50 pairs of four-inch plates, **"*^ **"*'^3'- 

 was iilU'd with the Hanie acid mixture as that employed in 

 the troughs of W«'d^wood ware. Its action was greatly 

 inferior, in consequence of the oxidatid state of the plates 

 from forujer operations; but the continutince of its action 

 appeared precisely similar, and ut the conclusion of the ex- 

 periments the eftects were so nearly alike, os to admit of no 

 perceptible distinction* At tl>e iirst contact 9 inches <»( 

 wire were ignited, and by allowing an interval of live mi- 

 nutes a Kinular ettcct was produced by u second contact; a f^attrrie* r©» 

 circumstance which proves, that the voltaic battery requires, *!"''« ^^"»« w 

 like the electrical machine, time to ptoduce its full effect, fJn^fSct'. 

 This fact, OH indicated by the sensation produced on the 

 animal organs by a Beries of 6oO small plates, >va» noticed 

 many ye«r» ago by Dr. Wilkinson. 



The preceding arc part only of a series of inquiries on 

 this subject, which have long occupied my attention, and 

 which 1 purpobc to dctud in future numbers of the Journal; 

 anxious only, that iu experimental science assertions be sup- 

 ported by accurate experiments; and that, in the progress, 

 of pliilohophical dibcovery, the merit of the iirst lalK>urerf 

 be not fofgotten amidst (he ^chieveinents of their successors* 



Wo. 3, Princes Street^ Cuviudish Sauure, 



