1]6 AHALYSIS OF THE GALVANIC TILE. 



constantly from the side on which it tends to accumulate, 

 to the other side, where it compensates the deficiency tend- 

 ing to recur. 



4. This circulation of the fluid produced by a proper as- 

 sociation of metals can exist in the same quantity, with 

 the same number of pairs of metals, without either chemi- 

 cal effects in the circuit, or the shock. 



5. For the production of these phenomena it is necessary, 

 that a liquid, being introduced between the two metals, a 



* calcination be produced on them. In this case, the electric 

 fluid circulating through the metals is modified, but its mo- 

 dification is different according to the liquid: with pure 

 water, there are chemical effects in the circuit, but no shock 

 is felt; the latter requires, that the circulation be produced 

 by an acid. 

 deduced from Such were the conclusions deduced from the experiments 

 experiments. re ] ate( j m tne p aper) which I delivered to the Royal Society 

 the 30th of May, 1808; but as this and a following paper 

 have not been admitted into the Phil. Transactions, I shall 

 resume here the same course of experiments and deductions, 

 but by more direct steps, being enabled to do so by the 

 progress of my researches from that time. For this pur- 

 pose I shall begin by explaining the reason of the plan 

 which I have followed in this inquiry from its beginning in 

 1800. 

 Raasonofthe If we consider a mounted pile without taking notice of 

 plan pursued. j ts extremities, we see a repeated association of three con- 

 stituent parts, two metals and wet cloth or paper; which I 

 shall name silver, zinc, and wet cloth, as they were in my 

 fundamental experiments. By considering this composition 

 of the pile, the leading circumstances for me were, first, 

 that its effects increase with the number of the repetitions of 

 the three constituent parts ; secondly, that the whole toge- 

 ther forms a conductive column. These circumstances con- 

 cur to point out some cause, which accumulates at the ex- 

 tremities of the pile the opposite effects produced in a cer- 

 tain ternary association of the component parts : but which 

 is that association? In reflecting on this question I was 

 convinced, that, till it was decided, the mode of action of 

 the pile would remain entirely unknown. 



The 





