S64 Royal Society, 



" Explanation of the Phsenomena of Intermitting Springs." By 

 W. L. Wharton, Esq. Communicated by James F. W. Johnston, 

 Esq., M.A., F.R.S. L. & Ed. 



The author, considering the generally received explanation of in- 

 termitting springs, founded on the operation of a simple syphon, as 

 being insufficient to account for the phsenomena, inasmuch as the 

 water which has risen above the lower side of the bend of the 

 syphon will merely trickle down its longer leg, and be expended 

 before it can fill the whole area of that part of the syphon, has pro- 

 posed the following hypothesis for the solution of the difficulty. 

 He conceives that the stream, while falling obliquely down the long 

 leg of the syphon, is broken into drops, and carries along with it 

 numerous air-bubbles, which, if the lower end of the tube have an 

 abrupt bend upwards, will be impelled forwards, and escape at the 

 open part ; thus occasioning a rarefaction of the remaining air in 

 the tube sufficient to ensure its fall operation as a syphon. A model 

 is described, which the author constructed for the purpose of illus- 

 trating and corroborating his views. 



Jan. 25. — A paper was in part read, entitled, *' Fourth Letter 

 on Voltaic Combinations." Addressed to Michael Faraday, Esq., 

 D.C.L., F.R.S., by John Frederic DanieU, Esq., F.R.S. 



Feb. 1. — The reading of a paper, entitled " Fourth Letter on 

 Voltaic Combinations, with reference to the mutual relations of 

 the generating and conducting surfaces ;" addressed to Michael 

 Faraday, Esq., D.C.L., F.R.S., &c. By John Frederic Daniell, Esq., 

 F.R.S., Professor of Chemistry in King's College, London, was re- 

 sumed and concluded. 



In this communication the author describes a series of experiments, 

 made for the purpose of determining the distribution of the voltaic 

 force from its source in the generating metal, as indicated by the de- 

 position of reduced copper in the constant battery ; and, considering 

 that the voltaic combination most perfect in theory would be one 

 formed by a solid sphere, or point, of the generating metal, sur- 

 rounded by a hollow sphere of the conducting metal, with an inter- 

 vening liquid electrolyte, he constructed an apparatus making as near 

 an approximation as possible to these conditions. It consisted of 

 two hollow brass hemispheres, applied to each other by exterior 

 flanges, and rendered water-tight by an intervening collar of leather. 

 In the centre of the hollow sphere thus formed, a ball of amalgamated 

 zinc was suspended by a well-varnished copper wire, connected with 

 one of the cups of a galvanometer, and was contained in a mem- 

 branous bag holding the acid solution ; the whole being introduced 

 through a short tube in the top of the upper hemisphere, and the 

 remaining space being filled with a saturated solution of sulphate of 

 copper. The galvanic circuit was completed by wires establishing 

 connexions between either hemisphere and the other cup of the galva- 

 nometer. For measuring the forces developed, sometimes the ordi- 

 xiaxy magnetic, but in the greater number of instances the calorific 

 galvanometer of De la Rive was employed ; the indications given by 

 these instruments were noted, on the completion of the circuit, in 

 various ways ; and the deposition of copper in the hemispheres was 



