Dr. Hare on a recent ^^Speculation" by Faraday. 605 



phaenomena of electricity would be inexplicable. This disin- 

 clination to the admission of an imponderable electrical cause 

 has been the more remarkable, as his researches have not 

 only proved the existence of prodigious electrical power in 

 metals, but likewise that it is evolved during chemico-electric 

 reaction, in equivalent proportion to the quantity of ponder- 

 able matter decomposed or combined. 



According to his researches, a grain of water by electrolytic 

 reaction with four grains of zinc, evolves as much electricity 

 as would charge fifteen millions of square feet of coated glass. 

 But in addition to the proofs of the existence of electrical 

 powers in metals thus furnished, it is demonstrated that this 

 power must be inseparably associated with metals, by the well- 

 known fact, that in the magneto-electric machine, an appara- 

 tus which we owe to his genius and the mechanical ingenuity 

 of Pixii and Saxton, a coil of wire being subjected to the in- 

 ductive influence of a magnet, is capable of furnishing, within 

 the circuit which it forms, all the phaenomena of an electrical 

 current, whether of ignition, shock or electrolysis. 



The existence in metals of an enormous calorific pov/er 

 must be evident from the heat evolved by mere hammering. 

 It is well known, that by a skilful application of the hammer, 

 a piece of iron may be ignited. To what other cause than 

 their inherent calorific power can the ignition of metals by a 

 discjliarge of statical electricity be ascribed ? 



It follows that the existence of an immense, calorific and 

 electrical power is undeniable. The materiality of these 

 powers, or of their cause, is all that has been questionable. 

 But, according to the speculations of Faraday, all the powers 

 of matter are material ; not only the calorific and electrical 

 powers are thus to be considered, but likewise the powers of 

 cohesion, chemical affinity, inertia and gravitation, while <)fall 

 these material powers only the latter can be ponderable I ! ! 



Thus a disinclination on the part of this distinguished in- 

 vestigator to admit the existence of one or two imponderable 

 principles, has led him into speculations involving the existence 

 of a much greater number. But if the calorific and electrical 

 powers of matter be material, and if such enormous quantities 

 exist in potassium, as well as in zinc and all otheV metals, so 

 much ol the reasoning in question as is founded on the va- 

 cuity of the space between the metallic atoms, is really ground- 

 less. 



Although the space occupied by the hydrated oxide of po- 

 tassium comprises 2800 ponderable atoms, while that occupied 

 by an equal mass of the metal comprises only 430, there may 

 be in the latter proportionably as much more of the material 



