30 



investigations, docs not Electricity, with the conclusion- 

 derived from the new facts described, become a much 

 simpler and a more understandable * i.m what we 



have hitherto been accustomed to think it is ? 



I may state that I have in the coarse of these experin 

 among other thin as one iu-m iS cwt. of antimony ; 



and to test conclusions, I constructed an 1 Furnace 



which has 0,000 elements, and of which a o>j>\ from a 

 photograph is annrxol. The heater, which occupies the 

 interior of the cylindrical arrangement of elements, is a 

 slow combustion stove of particular construction. In the 

 centre it is fed by a continuous tube charged with coke from 

 the top ; this opens at the end into a fire-box or b; ; 

 closed at the bottom by bars, and on these bars arc placed 

 a cone which causes an outward distribution of the fuel as 

 it descends from the supply-chamber. Around tin's supply- 

 chamber there is a concentric casing filled with sand, which 

 retains the heat for many hours after the fire has burnt 

 out, and prevents the heating and cooling from taking place 

 too rapidly. Outside this last casing, there is a 

 another casing concentric with it, and between tho 

 three spiral flues. The heat and products from the 

 fire ascend by these flues, and at the top of the casing 

 there are three apertures by which the products of combus- 

 tion arc delivered in a common up-take which leads to the 

 chimney. 



In this way, and by the help of regulating flues, the 

 exterior casing is very equally heated ; a sufficient tem- 

 perature is easily maintained, and this without any risk 

 of overheating the elements. The inner faces of the 

 thcrmo-clements arc in close proximity to this heated 

 ;LJ, although not electrically connected with it. Thus 

 the requisite heat is supplied to the couples, and each row 

 being connected together by binding screws, for convenience, 

 the total number of elements can be arranged row by 

 row, either in one circuit or multiple arc as desired. The 



