Singular Vbanomc?wn-^Count RumforJ. 9^ 



plates piled, on each other, and the fecond, the number of 

 the plates, and their fuperpoiition : the firft increafes with 

 the fize of the plates without increafing by their number - r 

 the fecond increafes with the number without fenfibly in- 

 creating by the diameter of each of them, at leaft, fo far as 

 has been tried. 



Ci It is not proved that the galvanic, effects are the fame as 

 thofe of electricity, notwithstanding the identity hitherto ad- 

 mitted bv very eminent philofophers between thefe two fluids. 

 It even appears that the more experiments and difcoveries 

 are multiplied, the more this pretended identity difappears, 

 or, at lealt, is weakened. The piles of large plates which in- 

 flame iron give no effe&, or almoft none, with the mod fen- 

 fible electrometers, when the upper plate of zinc is taken 

 from the lower plates by means of filk firings, as is done 

 with the eleetrophorus. We obtained nothing by applying 

 the electrometer of Saufiure. We tried to produce, by a 

 ftrons electrical apparatus, the chemical effects produced by 

 galvanifm; viz. the folution of metallic oxides; the preci- 

 pitation of their folutions ; and the decompofition of acids ;^ 

 but the attempt was not fuccefsful." 



A SINGULAR PHENOMENON. 



A very curious phenomenon was obferved on the 24th of 

 May, after a florin, in the neighbourhood of Raftadt. A 

 Hub, which had been left in the open air during the rain, 

 having become filled with rain water, there were obferved on 

 the furface of it a great many moleculae, fimilar to fulphur in 

 a ftate of fuiion, which made it be prefumed that the water 

 mult be ftrongly impregnated with fulphureous matter, and, 

 consequently, be very inflammable. On trial this was actu- 

 ally found to be the cafe : a flick immerfed in it readily in- 

 flamed when brought near a very weak fire. 



During this fulphureous rain, a heavy ftorm of hail ravaged 

 a part of the fame countrv fituated beyond the fmall river*; 

 Kunfig and Schutter. The hail-nones were of the fize of an egg. 



COUNT RUMFORD. 



In the biographical ffcetch of this gentleman, inferred in 

 our laft number, we mentioned his having founded a bien- 

 nial premium of the value of 60I. to be adjudged by the 

 Roval Socictv of London to the author (redding in Europe) 

 of the moft ufeful difcovery refpecling heat or light. 



We take the prefent opportunity of mentioning another 

 circumftance, of which we were then ignorant, but which 

 ought to be generally known. The Count has alfo founded 

 a fike premium of equal value for fimilar difcoveries made 

 in America, to be adjudged by the American Acadeinv of 

 •8 Arts 



