on a peculiar Voltaic Condition of Iron, 135 



active by the current produced by F; for, the same rea- 

 sons why F turns inactive, should throw D into action. But 

 from many facts it appears, that a much stronger current is 

 required to change the inactive state into the active one, 

 than that required to render an ordinary wire inactive. The 

 fourtli fact will be accounted for, if we consider that in this 

 case a current passes from C to F, which added to that pro- 

 duced by F itself, becomes strong enough to call forth the 

 inactive state in F, though it is still too weak to render D 

 active; and probably only so on account of the absence of 

 two other opposite currents. As to the fifth case, E becomes 

 active, because in the moment of its immersion there are no 

 two opposite currents put into circulation ; the current pro- 

 duced by E is therefore too weak to excite in E the peculiar 

 state; and there are besides the two currents of C and F, 

 which would more than neutralize the current of E. Now the 

 current originated by F being continuous, and besides power- 

 ful, compared to that excited by an iron wire becoming in- 

 active, would of itself throw D into action, but its energy is 

 still increased by the two opposite currents produced at C 

 and E. About the sixth fact I say nothing, as its connexion 

 with the foregoing ones is sufficiently clear. 



I allow that the inference I have drawn from the facts stated 

 is rather hazardous, and in apparent contradiction to the gene- 

 rally established principle, that two equal but opposite cur- 

 rents annihilate each other, and that the circuit through 

 which such currents move, is exactly in the same state as if 

 no currents were passing through it. But 1 think that with- 

 out adopting my view of the subject, the facts spoken of re- 

 main quite unaccountable. Whatever cause, however, they 

 depend upon, in my opinion they deserve to be closely searched 

 into, as their minute investigation will, no doubt, lead to inter- 

 esting results. 



The last Number of the Bibliotheque Universelle contained 

 a paper of mine on the relation of iron to oxygen, which 

 happens to be full of most unhappy misprints. They will, no 

 doubt, be corrected in the forthcoming Number. I am very 

 anxious to know your opinion about the contents of the said 

 paper. 



Begging your pardon for having repeatedly intruded upon 

 you a badly written letter, I take the liberty of calling myself, 



Yours very truly. 



Bale, Dec. 26, 1836. ScHOENBElN. 



