)|S On iht Caufes of the Calvanlc Phtnomena- 



8. Of a netv Modt of conflruBlng a Pile. 



Afluming the tfuth of this conclufion it was eafy to conceive, that a pile much more 

 powerful than any hitherto conftrufted might be made, particularly fuppofing that the dc- 

 compofition of water was not cflential to the procefs, plates of zinc and filver, 1.2 inches 

 fquare, were faftened in pairs by refinous cement ; eighteen of thefe pairs were connefted to 

 each other by cement, and fo inclofed by it as to leave water-tight partitions open at one fide 

 only between each pair of plates. When muriatic acid was poured between the partitions 

 of this machine, the plates being perpendicular, it afted very powerfully ; its capability of 

 decompofing water and giving the fhock, being at leaft equal to that of a common pile of 

 feventy plates. Diluted nitrous acid made it a£t ftill more powerfully. When the parti- 

 tions were filled with water, its aftion was barely perceptible. Concentrated nitrous acid 

 was poured into them. In this cafe the firfl fhock was fo powerful as to benumb my fingers 

 for fomc feconds, and I did not dare to take another. I was almoll immediately obliged to 

 throw the pile into water to prevent it from being deftroyed, fo that there was no time to 

 afcertain its power of decompofing water. 



In a fecond experiment, with ftrong nitrous acid, I ufed only five pairs of plates, when the 

 fliock was full as powerful as from the common pile of thirty plate?. 



Three pairs of plates, with nitrous acid, gave a very fenfible (hock. 



I have procured (on account of the lofs of the filver when this fubftance is part of the 

 pile with nitrous acid) a number of plates of copper, iron, and zinc. They have not yet 

 been difpofed in the apparatus ; but I expeft by means of nitrous acid, to produce eiFefls 

 from them, equal to thofe of the ftrongeft eledlrical battery. 



II. 



On raijing Water by the Engine* of H, GooDWtu, Efq. through double or treble the Space 

 of the defcending Column, and on the proper Arrangement to make it require n Attendance. 

 By a Correjpondent. 



To Mr. NICHOLSON. 

 SIR, 



A, 



lFTER confiderlng various methods of raifing water with little trouble and expence, 

 I am decidedly of opinion that Mr. Goodwyn's engine will anfwer this purpofe the beft. It 

 is formed upon a very elegant principle, and operates by the affiftance of only a fmall 

 quantity of water : it may be made in various forms, either to raife the fluid above the 

 defcending column, or from below it to a level with the bottom ; and the height may be 



* Defcribed by the inventor, in this Journal IV. 163. 



doubled 



