Mr. R. Phillips on Electricity and Steam, 493 



negative, but it is more likely that the steam was rendered 

 feebly positive from a cause which I now proceed to mention. 



51. The condenser and jet were arranged as in the experi- 

 ment (46.), and the smaller glass tube instead of being fastened 

 on with cork and India rubber stood before the jet as formerly 

 (42.). The steam being now turned on, the boiler and tube 

 became positive. When the wire-gauze was about 1 inch 

 from that end of the glass tube from which the steam was 

 escaping, it took a negative charge; but at the distance of 

 about a foot, the larger wire-gauze collector being employed, 

 the steam communicated a powerful positive charge to the 

 single-leaf electrometer. The electricity of the boiler and tube, 

 and the positive electricity of the steam, were much stronger 

 than the positive and negative electricities of the preceding 

 experiment with a tight joint between the tube and jet. The 

 negative charge was most probably given to the gauze by 

 the friction occasioned by the violent rush of steam and air 

 against it. 



52. The larger glass tube (44.) was put in the place of the 

 foregoing and carefully adjusted like the former tube, so that 

 the central line of the path of the steam should lie as nearly 

 as possible in the axis of the tube. The boiler and tube were 

 positive. A connexion existed between the tube and boiler, 

 for when the steam was passing and the leaves of the electro- 

 meter were greatly divergent, touching the boiler made them 

 collapse to a comparatively small amount. When the gauze 

 collector was held at about an inch from the end of the tube, 

 a positive charge was obtained, and at a distance of 9 inches 

 a powerful positive charge was still obtained; further experi- 

 ments in this direction were prevented by a wall. 



53. By means of India rubber, the end of the glass tube at 

 the brass jet was closed, which caused the electrical effects to 

 diminish to such an extent that the single-leaf electrometer 

 indicated but doubtful traces from either the tube or steam. 



54. A short glass tube, 14 inches long and of the same 

 bore as the preceding, was substituted for it. The tube was 

 always positive, and the boiler, except in one instance, neutral 

 or positive. The larger collector being held, from that end 

 of the tube from which the steam was escaping, at distances 

 varying from 1 inch to 2 feet 6 inches, gave always a powerful 

 positive charge. 



55. The glass tube was now removed and the larger col- 

 lector held in the steam at about 9 inches from the end of 

 the brass jet; the boiler, collector and electrometer being 

 electrically united. An abundance of positive electricity was 

 obtained, which would doubtless have been obtained at a 

 much greater distance. 



