106 Or. some Chemical Agencies of Electricifij. 



arranaement was made in such a way, that the level of both 

 llie portions of puritieU water was higher than the level of 

 the saline solution. 



In this case the saline matter was distant from each of 

 the wires at least two-thirds of an inch ; yei alkaline matter 

 soon appeared in one tube, and acid mailer in the other : 

 and in 16 hours moderately strong solutions of potash aJid 

 of muriatic acid had been formed. 



In this case of electrical transfer or attraction the acid 

 and alkaline matter seemed to be perfectly pure, and I am 

 inclined to believe that this is uniformly the case in all ex- 

 periments carefully made. One of the instances in which I 

 conceived acid most likely to be present, was in the transfer 

 of maonesia from sulphate of magnesia in the positive tube 

 to distilled water in the negative tube. I examined the case, 

 taking; care that the distilled water was never upon a lower 

 level than the saline solution: the process was continued for 

 some hours, till a considerable quantity of magnesia had ap- 

 peared. The connecting amianthus v>as removed, and nui- 

 riatic acid poured into the tube : the saturated solution did 

 pot precipitate solution of muriate of barytes. 



I endeavoured to ascertain the progress of the transfer, and 

 the course of the acid or alkaline matter in these decompo- 

 sitions, by using solutions of litnvus and turmeric, and papers 

 coloured by these substances ; and these trials led to the 

 know!edp:e of some singular and unexp.cctcd circumstances. 



Two tubes, one'containing distilled water, the other so- 

 lution of sulphate of potash,~were each connected by ami- 

 anthus with a small ounce measure filled with distilled water 

 tinged by litmus : the saiine solution was negatively elec- 

 trified ; and as it was natural to suppose that the sulphuric 

 acid in passino; through the water to the positive side would 

 redden the litmus in its course, some slips of moistened 

 paper tinged v.ith litmus were placed above and below the 

 pieces of amianthus-, directly in the circuit. The progress 

 of the experiment was minutely observed : the first effect of 

 reddening took place immediately above the positive sur- 

 face, where I had least expected it; the red tint slowly dif- 

 fused itself from the positive side to the middle of the vessel, 



but 



