5S Mr. C. Binks on Electricity, 



the hypothesis, that the development of the electricity, in the 

 present case, is due to the occurrence of a physical change in 

 the condition of the water itself; water is a compound of two 

 measures of hydrogen and one of oxygen. The oxygen being 

 distributed over the whole surface of the zinc, and there com- 

 bining, it might be presumed that the hydrogen would appear 

 on an extent of surface corresponding to its combining volume, 

 or on a surface of twice the area of that occupied by the other. 

 Or the presumption might be, that the surfaces required would 

 correspond to the difference between the bulks of the metallic 

 zinc expended, and of the liberated hydrogen; or between 

 the bulks of the oxide of zinc produced and of the hydrogen ; 

 which latter differences are immense, though not beyond the 

 reach of experiment. 



16. But an appeal to experiment at once decides the ques- 

 tion, and shows that the relation is none of those just pre- 

 sumed, nor of any other that could have been determined by 

 any a priori reasoning. It is found that the relation between 

 the two surfaces upon which the constituents of the water re- 

 spectively operate or appear, is as one to thirty-two ; or di- 

 rectly as the volumes of one quantity by weight of oxygen, 

 and two quantities by weight of hydrogen. 



1 7. So soon as this unexpected relation had been found by 

 actual experiment, it became a matter of interest to inquire 

 whether or not it were an instance of the operation of some 

 general law hitherto unknown, or a mere accidental coinci- 

 dence. It would have been premature to anticipate the na- 

 ture of that law on the indications of one instance merely ; 

 and it has consequently become the object of the experiments 

 contained in the third part of this paper to examine into as 

 many instances of voltaic action, in connection with the phy- 

 sical and chemical characters of the products resulting from 

 that action, as may be necessary to determine the nature and 

 extent of that law thus suspected to exist. 



18. And respecting this part of the present inquiry I may 

 be permitted to add, that whether it be considered with regard 

 to its immediate object, or to the novelty and range of the ex- 

 periments to which it necessarily leads, to the number of cu- 

 rious relations it serves to detect, or to its bearing upon some 

 others of the collateral sciences, particularly upon chemistry, 

 I know of few others connected with electricity in which an 

 experimentalist can feel a greater interest. 



19. The following experiments were begun in the pursuit 

 of these three general objects ; but it is almost needless to re- 

 mark that others have arisen as the inquiry has proceeded, 

 but which will best appear in the order of their occurrence. 



