132 The Rev. J. W. MacGaule^^'s Reply to Dr. Ritchie. 



around it, neither shock nor spark can be obtained, — will any 

 one deny this except Dr. Ritchie? I believe not. 



He tells us my fourth position — "The real power of the bat- 

 tery is not increased, but diminished by the electro-magnetic, 

 or rather electro-galvanic helix," — was known long since, 

 and that Sir Humphry Davy was well acquainted with it. Sir 

 Humphry Davy knew that the shorter the wire connecting the 

 poles of an ordinary galvanic battery the better the effect, but 

 that the great power we may obtain by means of the long "doire 

 of the helix and a battery is not the increased poxver of the 

 battery, as others of high celebrity long after his time have 

 supposed, is what he neither contemplated nor examined. My 

 paper does not consider the simple wire connecting the poles, 

 or an ordinary battery, but the peculiar and seemingly ano- 

 malous action of a peculiar arrangement of wire in great 

 length, and possessing very peculiar properties. 



Dr. Ritchie concludes by saying, " that the only thing nexxi 

 in my paper is 2ifact which is not correct, of which any one 

 who possesses a magneto-electric machine may easily satisfy 

 himself." In the name of common sense, what induces Dr. 

 Ritchie to talk of a magneto- electric machine on this occa- 

 sion ! This mistake seems to have run through his mind 

 the whole time he was criticizing and so severely condemning 

 me, and what is worse, to have been uncorrected for many 

 months: not a word about such a machine, nor a single ex- 

 periment made with it, is found in my entire papers. I make 

 experiments with one apparatus, he tries the same experiments 

 with a very different and inappropriate apparatus ; and then, 

 forsooth, because his results are different from mine, he most 

 kindly remarks that my only new fact is a false one. Is not 

 this hitter'^. — is it not uncalled for'^. The circumstance he 

 denies was noticed by several when I experimented in the 

 Theatre of the Royal Dublin Society, and from whatever 

 cause it may have arisen, was undoubtedly worthy of attention. 

 I trust that when Dr. Ritchie next honours me with " re- 

 marks," if they are not ushered in by a more kindly prelude, 

 they will at least be substantiated by facts, and sustained by 

 more conclusive reasoning. 



Your obedient Servant, 

 79, Marlbro'. street, Dublin, JaMES WiLLlAM MacGaulEY. 



January 9, 1837. 



