110 Hare’s New Galvanic Apparatus, Theory, &c. 
the most vivid ignition which I ever saw was induced. I 
should <se it imprudent to repeat the experiment without 
glasses, as my eyes, though unusually strong, were affected 
for foney-aivine hours afterwards. If the intensi nsity of the 
light did not produce an optical deception, by its distressing 
influence upon the organs of vision, the charcoal assumed 
a . ——— as if in a state approaching to fusion. 
That charcoal should be thus softened, without being de- 
sone by the oxygen of the atmosphere, will not appear 
strange, the power of galvanism in reversing chemical 
affinities i is remembered ; and were it otherwise, the air 
have no access, first, because of the excessive rare- 
faction, and in the next plac e as I suspect on account of 
the volatilization of the carbon forming about it a cireum- 
ambient atmosphere. This last mentioned impression _ 
from observing, that when the experiment was performe 
in vacuo, there was a lively scintillation, as if the peso in 
ate acted asa aeppeetes of combustion on the 
ews of plana (No: 16) was fused into a globule on 
being connected with the positive pole, and brought into 
contact with a piece of pure hydrate of potash, situated: on 
a silver tray in connexion with the other pole. The potash 
became red hot, and was deflagrated rapidly with a ‘deine 
having the rosy ‘hue of potassuretted hydrogen 
The great apparatus of the Royal Institution, in projectile 
Trai was from six to eight times more potent than mine. 
crs was two $Opinend, 2 mine only about a swenty-fith ‘part 
as 
A steel wire of about one tenth of an inch in diameter, 
affixed to the negative pole, was passed up through the axis 
of an open necked inverted bell glass, filled with water. A 
platina wire, No. 16, attached to a positive pole being pass- 
wire became incandescent fora space of some inches ene 
oie biparehee of the water. 
a 
