Experiments with a New EliSricai oY Galvanic apparatus. t%y 



fpark was frequently vifible when the difchargc was made in the dark, and a gleam of light 

 was alfo, in fome inftances, feen about the middle of the column at the inftant of the cx- 

 plofion. The affiftants were of opinion that they heard the fpark. 



The extrication of the gafes was rapid and plentiful by means of this apparatus. When 

 copper wires were ufed for the broken circuit, with muriatic acid diluted with too parts of 

 water in the tube, no gas, nor the leaft circulation of the fluid was perceived, when the 

 diftancc of the wires was two inches. A fhort tube, with two copper wires very near each 

 other in common water, was made part of the circuit, and (hewed by the ufual phseflo- 

 mena, that the ftream of e!e£lricity was rapidly pafling. The wires in the muriatic acid 

 were then Aided within a third of an inch of each other. For the fake of brevity, I avoid 

 enumerating the effe£ls which took place during feveral hours, and fimply ftate ; that the 

 minus wire gave out fomc hydrogen during an hour, while the plus wire was corroded, 

 and exhibited no oxide ; but a depofition of copper was formed round the minus, or lower 

 wire, which began at its lower end : that no gas whatever appeared in this tube during 

 two hours, though the depofition was going on, and the fmall tube (hewed the continuance 

 of the electric ftream ; and that the depofition at the end of four hours formed a ramified 

 metallic vegetation, nine or ten times the bulk of the wire it furrounded. 



Ill this experiment it appeared, that the influence of elcdlricity increafing the oxidabi- 

 lity of the upper wire, and affording nafcent hydrogen from the lower, caufed the latter to 

 adt as the precipitant of a folution of one and the fame metal. 



We are in want of a meafure of the intenfity of the aftion of thefe machines. Will this 

 be derived from the quantities of water decompofed, or of gas extricated under like Circum- 

 ftances in given times ? Or from any change of temperature ? Or what other commenfuratc 

 incident ? — ^Mr. Carlifle has not found that the water in the tube, while under this agency, 

 did produce the flighteft cfTedt on a very fmall and delicate thermometer. 



X. 



Some Experiments and Obfervations on Galvanic EleBricity. By Mr. W. Cruickshank, 

 Woalwick. Communicated by the Author. 



I 



N fubjefting a number of fluids to the a£lion of galvanifm, feveral fafls have been 

 difcovered, which to me, at leaft, are peifeftly new, and which appear to throw fome light 

 on the nature and powers of this new influence. 



I (hall, therefore, without any further apology, give a brief detail of fome of the 

 moft important, hoping that they may prove acceptable to thofe who aie employed in the 

 fame purfuits. 



Bb2 IfhaU 



