278 Mr. C. Binks on Electricity, 



one such at least, namely, that of radiation, as far as that is 

 developed in these experiments, the analogy between them 

 appears to be complete. 



164. Reasoning upon the facts derived from experiment 

 and by analogy, it thus appears that there is evidence for be- 

 lieving that this divergence extends within the space bounded 

 by the two plates ; but we have no experimental evidence 

 that it extends in any other direction besides that thus deter- 

 mined by the position of the conducting plate. It becomes a 

 matter of importance to determine this point, that is, whether 

 the electrical condition of the liquid is the same in every direc- 

 tion around the zinc point, as it is in the direction of the cop- 

 per plate ; or whether the direction of its influence is determined 

 solely by the position of the copper ; and is entirely restricted 

 to the mass of liquid interposed between it and the zinc, a 

 question which appears to me to be finally determined by the 

 investigations in sections 8 and 9. 



165. 2nd inference. That in the fact of this divergence, or 

 this diffusion of tlie electrical influence over a space progress- 

 ively increasing with the distance, we have afforded the means 

 of explaining the decrease in amount of action which follows 

 an increase in the relative distance of the two elementary plates, 

 on a principle much more probably true than that to which 

 this phsenomenon has generally been hitherto referred. It 

 has generally been considered that this decrease is owing to 

 the inferior conducting power of the greater mass of liquid 

 interposed between the two plates. 



166. 3rd inference. From the above results we must con- 

 clude, that the extent of this divergence is affected, in a cer- 

 tain degree, by the particular strength of the acid mixture in 

 which it takes place; for although every condition except that 

 of the strength of the acid was maintained uniform in the two 

 sets of experiments above, yet the dimensions of the plates, 

 and the positions at which they are needed to produce the 

 same effect, are different in each. The amount of this differ- 

 ence is not great, nor can it be expected to be great ; but it 

 is sufficiently marked to indicate that such an effect does re- 

 sult from a difference in the particular strength of the mix- 

 ture. But whether its immediate influence be due to the 

 greater or less activity of the generating agents, or to the 

 greater or less density of the acid mixture, or to whatever 

 other cause, does not for the present appear. 



167. 4th inference. That the amount of voltaic action at 

 certain points within such arrangements undergoes a pecu- 

 liar change, which, in the present state of our knowledge of 

 its operations generally, is equally unexpected and inexpli- 



