8 Professor D. K Hughes [Feb. 29, 



Let us repeat this experiment by starting the molecule rapidly in 

 the first instance. The rod is now magnetised south as before. I 

 give one single sharp tap; the molecules run rapidly round, pass 

 through neutrality, breaking up its curve, and arrive at once to strong 

 north polarity. [Experiment shoivn.) 



A very extraordinary effect is shown if we produce this effect by 

 electricity ; it then almost appears as if electricity itself had inertia. 

 I take this bar of hard iron and magnetise it to a fixed degree. On 

 the passage of the current, you notice that the magnetism seems to be 

 increased as the needle increases its arc, but this is caused by the 

 deflection of the electric current in the bar. The current is now 

 obliged to travel in spirals, as my researches have proved to me that 

 electricity can only travel at right angles to the magnetic polar 

 direction of a molecule, consequently in all permanent magnets the 

 current must pass at right angles to the molecule, and its path will 

 be that of a spiral. Let us replace this bar by one from a similar 

 kind of iron well annealed. The molecules here are in a great state 

 of freedom. We now magnetise this rod to the same degree as in the 

 previous case; the electric current now, instead of being deflected, 

 completely rotates the molecules, and the needle returns to zero, all 

 traces of external magnetism having ceased. The electricity on 

 entering this bar should have been forced to follow a tortuous circular 

 route ; its momentum was, however, too great for the molecules, and 

 they elected to turn, allowing the electricity to pass in a straight line 

 through the bar. Thus, in the first instant, magnetism was the master 

 directing the course of the current ; in the last, it became its servant, 

 obeying by turning itself to allow a straight path to its electric 

 master. (Experiment shown.) 



Superposed Magnetism. 



It is well known that we can superpose a weak contrary polarity 

 upon an internal one of an opposite name. I have been enabled thus 

 to superpose twenty successive stratas of opposite polarities upon a 

 single rod, by simply diminishing the force at each reversal. I was 

 anxious to prepare a steel wire so that in its ordinary state it would 

 be neutral, but that in giving it a torsion to the right one polarity 

 would appear, whilst a torsion to the left would produce the opposite 

 polarity. This I have accomplished by taking ordinary soft steel 

 drill wire and magnetising it strongly whilst under a torsion to the 

 right, and more feebly with an opposite polarity when magnetised 

 under torsion to the left. 



The power of these wires, if properly prepared, is most remarkable, 

 being able to reverse their polarity under torsion, as if they were 

 completely saturated ; and they preserve this power indefinitely if 

 not touched by a magnet. It would be extremely difiicult to explain 

 the action of the rotative effects obtained in these wires under any 

 other theory than that which I have advanced; and the absolute 



