Influence of atmospheric Moisture on an electric Column. 363 
In this rich portion of the globe, the inhabitants of which were 
civilized and learned when Europe could scarcely boast of a few 
market towns, traditions are lost, recollections effaced, and we 
can only grope our way through ‘heaps of ruins. And whence 
comes this difference in the destiny of India and China? The 
one country has been able to insulate itself and to maintain its 
independence ; while the other, on all sides accessible to naviga- 
tors and to Asiatic conquerors, has only changed masters since 
the days of Alexander, and striven without effect against the 
tyranny and cupidity of its conquerors. 
It results from all that I have said, that the climate of China 
has given birth to its institutions, and its geographical situation 
to its independence ; that the influence of the climate is the pri- 
mary cause; its isolation the preserving principle of its manners, 
laws, usages ; and that we ought to refer to their combined ef- 
fects the duration of the empire, and the longevity of its institu- 
tions, of which it offers the only example. ' 
LXXVI. Influence of atmospheric Moisture on an electric 
Column composed of Discs of Zine and Silver. By Mr. 
Tuomas How .py, of Hereford, 
Hereford, May 17, 1814. 
Srrs,— Aurnoven the experiments described in my former 
communication * fully demonstrated the influence of atmospherie 
moisture on the action of an electric column; yet, as the actual 
passage of the electric fluid over its exterior surface from the 
zine extremity of the column to its opposite, was rather inferred 
from those experiments than directly proved by them, I must 
request you to insert (if this does not arrive too late) in the next 
number of your Journal the following experiments, which deci- 
sively establish that fact. 
Experiment 1.—The positive extremity of the column was 
insulated, and the negative was made to communicate with the 
ground. The eap of a gold-leaf electrometer being brought in 
contact with the surface of the glass tube near to ‘the positive 
extremity of the column, was left in that position for about two 
minutes; the leaves of the electrometer attained in that time 
a divergence of ! of an inch; the electrometer being withdrawn, 
the leaves still kept their divergence ; 3 their electricity was po- 
sitive, 
Exp. 2.—The cap of the electrometer was placed in contact 
with the glass tube at an equal distance from each extremity of 
the column. The leaves gradually opened to the same extent 
as in Experiment 1. with the same kind of electricity; the elec- 
* Page 241 of this volume, 
trometer 
