308 On the Theories of the 
from the oxidizement of the more oxidahble 
metal; and whether it is not essential to the 
activity of the pile that one at least of the 
elements of the interposed fluids should be 
incapable of entering mto union with the 
negative metal. For example, ina pile com- 
posed of zinc, copper, and solution of muriate 
of soda, the oxygen of the water and the 
muriatic acid, both of which are negative as 
to their electrical state, are attracted by the 
zine, and have their electricities destroyed. 
But the hydrogen and alkali, having no- 
affinity for copper, except what arises from a 
difference of electrical habitude, deposit upon. 
that meta] a part of their electricity. The 
electromotive power of the plates now becomes 
efficient, and determines the current to one 
end of the apparatus, in the manner already 
described in a former part of this essay. 
Another series of Galvanic phenomena, the 
explanation of which is attended with some 
difficulty, are the decompositions that take 
place in imperfect conductors, forming an 
interrupted circuit between the two extremi- 
ties of the arrangement. When two wires, 
for example, which are inserted into the oppo- 
site ends of a tube containing distilled water, 
are connected with the extremities of the pile, 
the positive wire, if of an oxidable metal, 
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