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- Proceedings ? the British scat. Al 
any being insulated, forms an atmosphere around each particle of 
' vapor: which surcharge of electricity not only suspends the va- 
por by its lightness, but also repels the ‘neighboring particles of va- 
por, and prevents the formation of rain ; and on the removal (by 
any cause,) of the electricity including the vaporous particles, 
the repulsion is removed, and the particles of vapor then attract 
each other, and form rain. Another cause of the formation of 
rain he believes to be the pressure of gravitation: thus if a oe 
begins to form, the accumulation of vapor is on every side, 
goed from, above, and clouds are often seen piled to a great 
ily diapered. through the whole mass; would become of 
the’ same density as the mass, and would take its level according 
to its density in the atmosphere, if not prevented by the space 
being occupied, and would therefore press e vapor below it; 
and although the repulsion of the particles of vapor be sufficient 
to prevent the formation of rain at the edges and thinnest parts 
of the cloud, the pressure at the greatest depths of the cloud may 
be sufficient to overcome the repulsion and form rain. Concus- 
sions, he conceives, such as those of thunder, would aid the pro- 
cess, and cause heavy rain. He entered into proof of these po- 
sitions in the papers. They account in his opinion, for the fact 
observed by Prof. Phillips, that more rain is received in gauges 
near the ground than in those higher up. He conceives a test of 
this theory may be had by raising conductors to clouds by the 
aid of balloons, discharging their electricity: and thus he thinks 
rain might be produced exactly when needed. His views re- 
specting the cause of the Aurora and of magnetism are conse- 
quences of his theory of vapor and rain. ‘The particles of vapor 
~ most expanded on rising from the earth, would carry with them 
a greater quantity of electricity, and would be buoyed up by the 
electricity to a greater height in the air than that which rises ina 
less expanded state. 'Thns, in the tropics, through the action of 
a vertical sun, vapor would rise to a great height with a great 
accumulation of electricity: this vapor, carried by the superior 
trade winds toward the poles on each side, there would be a con- 
stant circulation of electricity, a continual rising of vapor, -espe- 
cially in the tropics, carrying a great accumulation of Wercte A 
to the coldest parts of the earth, — the ibe: tic es- 
Vol. x11, No. 1.—April-June, 1841. 
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