100 Prof. Faraday on Electric Conduction. 



general view unreservedly*. De la Rive, I think, admits that 

 a very little may perhaps pass by conduction proper, but that elec- 

 trolytic conduction is the function of electrolytes f. Matteucci has 

 at one time admitted a little conduction proper, but at present, 

 I believe, denies that any degree exists. On the other hand, 

 Despretz J, Leon Foucault§, Masson||, and myself, have always 

 admitted the possibility that electrolytes possess a certain amount 

 of conduction proper — small indeed, but not so small as to pre- 

 vent its being evident in certain forms of experiments ; and 

 beautiful and close as the electrolytic proofs have been carried, 

 they are not by us considered as sufficient to show that the 

 function of conduction proper is altogether absent from electro- 

 lytes. 



[Some account was then given of the experiments and argu- 

 ments on both sides ; and of the striking electrolytic fact, that 

 if a current of electricity, however small, is sent through a 

 circuit containing a couple of platina plates in dilute sulphuric 

 acid, the plates are found thereby electrically polarized.] 



The inquiry as regards electrolytes takes on three forms. 

 They may possess a degree of conduction proper at all times ; 

 or they may be absolutely destitute of conduction proper ; or 

 they may possess conduction proper up to a certain condition, 

 governed either by requisite intensity for electrolyzation, or by 

 other circumstances, but which, when that condition is acquired, 

 changes into electrolytic conduction ,: and these three forms may 

 be further varied by considerations dependent upon the physical 

 state of the electrolyte, as whether it be solid or liquid, hot or 

 cold, and whether it be pure or contain other substances mingled 

 with it. 



From the time when the question was raised by myself, twenty 

 years ago, to the present day, I have found it necessary to sus- 

 pend my conclusions ; for close as the facts have in certain cases 

 been urged by those who believe they have always obtained de- 

 composition results when an electrolyte has perfoi-med the part 

 of a conductor, and freely as I could have admitted the facts and 

 the conclusions if there had been no opposing considerations, 

 still, because there are such considerations, I am obliged to 

 reserve my judgement. In the first place, all bodies not electro- 

 lytic, even up to gases (Becquerel), are admitted to possess con- 

 duction proper ; a priori, therefore, we have reason to expect 

 that electrolytes will possess it also. If from amongst different 



* Phil. Mag. viii. 465. t Bibl. de Geneve, xxvi. 134, 144 ; xxvii. 177- 

 X Comptes Rendus, xxxviii. 897- 



§ Comptes Rendus, xxxvii. 580; or Bibl. de Geneve, xxiv. 263; xxv. 

 ISO; xxvi. 126. 

 II Prize Essay, Haarlem Trans, xi. 78. 



