868 Researches in Magnetic Electricity. 
tual neutralizing influence of the individual magnets of a similar 
lar arrangement. This last, is by far the most important con- 
sideration. 'The following experiments, throwing light on this 
point, will be regarded as novel, and have an important bearing 
on the subject of magnetism itself. 
Take a piece of fine iron wire, carefully annealed, three or four 
inches in length, and touch it once with a common steel magnet. 
Being very soft, it yields readily to the inductive influence, and as 
its length is very great, compared with its breadth, if carefully 
handled, it will be found to retain sufficient power to hold more 
than its own weight. Hold it now by one end and snap the 
other with thumb and finger, and its magnetism will be instantly 
lost. The same quality of the iron which favored the extensive 
development of magnetism, favored also its neutralization on the 
disturbance of molecular forces. The transition here was so sud- 
den and decided, that I was led to try the influence of a magnet 
thus operated upon, in developing electricity. A long piece of 
iron wire, retaining considerable magnetic power, was suspended 
so as to vibrate freely in a spiral of copper wire. A smart rap 
upon the suspended iron wire, determined a strong galvanic cur- 
rent through the copper spiral, as indicated by the galvanometer. 
: Ss result, though readily anticipated, was nevertheless very stri- 
take a number of pieces of fine iron wire, and mag- 
etize then separately, so that each by itself will hold its own 
weight ; combine them now in a bundle, and instead of the ag- 
gregate lifting power of the elements, you scarcely realize the 
power of one of those elements, owing to the neutralizing influ- 
ence of the similar poles. It is the co-operating, neutralizing ef- 
fort of similar poles, that chiefly determines the superior value 
of the compound electro-magnet for magnetic electrical experi- 
ments. The fact that very fine steel wires answer almost as well 
for these magnets as wires of soft iron, strongly corroborates this 
last position. For the knowledge of this curious fact lam indebted 
to Mr. Daniel Davis, philosophical instrument maker, of Boston. 
A bundle of fine steel wires when wound, give a bright spark 
and strong shock, whereas the same amount of steel in a solid bar, 
produces a hardly perceptible augmentation. 
2. New Magnetic Electrical Machine, or Magneto-Electric 
papal convertible into an Electro-Magnetic E ngine.—In or- 
der that this machine may be readily comprehended, it will be 
