98 Mr. Napier on the unequal Decomposition of Electrolytes. 



a theory of electrolytic action, which seemed to agree with the 

 results of my every-day experience in electro-metallurgy, and 

 also with various experiments made on a small scale, in order 

 to test these views more fully. During these trials I was 

 favoured with a copy of the paper of the late Professor Da- 

 niell and Professor Miller on the decomposition of secondary 

 compounds, in which the non-transfer of the basic element is 

 observed, but the statement made at the same time that this 

 is not universal, some elements, such as potassium, sodium, 

 &c, being transferred in certain proportions. These state- 

 ments interfering with my views, induced me to investigate 

 the subject more closely. The paper now submitted to the 

 Society forms a portion of these investigations, the results of 

 which induce me to think it probable that the results ob- 

 tained by these gentlemen were due to what I term unmea- 

 surable endosmose rather than to electrolytic transfer ; and 

 that no basic element of an electrolyte is ever transferred by 

 electrolytic action, but that the base of an electrolyte which is 

 being decomposed is the medium or conductor of the elec- 

 tricity through the solution from electrode to electrode. And 

 the manner in which this takes place I conceive to be as 

 follows : — 



The double row represents a line of compound atoms form- 

 ing an electrolyte, a the acid or negative element of the elec- 

 trolyte, b the base or positive element of the electrolyte, cc the 

 wires or solid conductors of the electricity from the battery 

 to the decomposition cell; the last particles in contact with the 

 electrolyte may be viewed as the electrodes. The a b particles 

 are held together by their affinity for each other. 



Now let it be supposed that an equivalent of electricity 

 leaves the positive terminal of the battery and passes along the 

 solid particles of the conductor, that particle upon which the 

 electricity rests must be for the time in a higher state of ex- 

 citement than the other particles. When the electric current 

 comes to the last particle of the solid chain which is in contact 



