508 Mr. R. Phillips on the Electricities of Steam. 



rtot blown oiit of the steam passages, it took about 8 seconds 

 from the time the steam was first turned on to make the gold- 

 leaf strike the conducting plate of the electrometer, the steam 

 being as nearly as possible of the same pressure at the jet in 

 both cases. These results were constantly obtained ; from 

 which I conclude, that water as well as steam is necessary to 

 render the' boiler positive. It is perhaps proper to remark, 

 that the elbow-piece used in this experiment was not made 

 for the purpose, but to receive an Armstrong's jet. Also I 

 have succeeded in producing the foregoing electrical effect 

 without the intervention of the elbow-piece. ii orff 



115. Water was placed in the condenser, and the Arhi- 

 strong's jet screwed into its place in the condenser; the 

 steam easily rendered the boiler positive, but this jet was by 

 no means a good exciter of this species of electricity. 1 have 

 also made the boiler positive with discharging passages of 

 lead, pewter, glass, cane, quill, and variously shaped brass 

 orifices ; the best was perhaps the cane, which was about \ 

 inch long. iuo:' 



" 116. The condenser was dried, and a piece of carie'oPa 

 length and size sufficient to fill about |rd of the bore of the 

 pipe of the condenser, which was about 8 inches long and 

 '55 inch diameter, was well soaked in a solution consisting of 

 1 hydrate of soda and 12 water, and placed in the pipe of the 

 condenser; then the brass jet was screwed into its place. It 

 was found the boiler could be made positive at the lower 

 |)ressures as easily as with pure water, although the fluid 

 which escaped felt strongly alkaline. The boiler could not 

 be rendered negative, but was neutral at the higher pressures, 

 as Dr. Faraday had previously discovered. 



117. The larger collector (46.) was held in the steam at 

 distances varying from 9 to 24< inches; it received a powerful 

 positive charge of the electricity of condensation; but this 

 effect soon ceased, being dependent, as before observed, on a 

 considerable quantity of moisture escaping with the steam. 

 The boiler was found to be neutral both before and after such 

 experiments. These experiments were made by discharging 

 the steam at various pressures from 6 to perhaps 20 lbs. on 

 the inch. It was necessary occasionally to renew the solution 

 of soda in the pores of the cane. "-? -jajw^q mn 



118. A cylindrical piece of cane divested of'tfs "SiKceoifs 

 covering, 6 inches long and /^ inch diameter, was soaked in 

 a concentrated aqueous solution of ammonia, and placed in 

 the pipe of the condenser. The boiler could be made posi- 

 tive as easily as with pure water. 



i 1 9. The last-mentioned piece of cane was dried and soaked 



