356 EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS. 



steel magnet, using a delicate thermo- electrical apparatus 

 placed at his disposal by Mr. Gassiot. 



To eliminate the effects of magneto-electrical currents, the 

 author then made similar experiments with non-magnetic 

 metals and with silico-borate of lead, substituted for the iron 

 keepers, but no thermic effects were developed. 



He then tried the magnetic metals nickel and cobalt, and 

 obtained thermic effects with both, and in proportion to their 

 magnetic intensity. 



Some questions of theory suggested by the above experi- 

 ments, and relating to the rationale of the action of what are 

 termed ' the imponderables ' and to terrestrial magnetism, are 

 then briefly discussed, and the author concludes by stating 

 that he considers his experiments prove satisfactorily that 

 whenever a bar of iron or other magnetic metal is magnetised, 

 its temperature is raised. 



ON THE ELECTRO-CHEMICAL POLARITY OF GASES. 



Phil. Trans. R. S. Received January 7. Read April i, 1852. 



THE different effects of electricity upon gases and liquids has 

 long been a subject of interest to physical enquirers. There 

 are, as far as I am aware, no experiments which show any 

 analogy in the electrisation of gases to those effects now com- 

 monly comprehended under the term electrolysis. Whether 

 gases at all conduct electricity, properly speaking, or whether 

 its transmission is not always by the disruptive discharge, the 

 discharge by convection, or something closely analogous, is 

 perhaps a doubtful question,* but I feel strongly convinced 

 that gases do not conduct in any similar manner to metals or 

 electrolytes. 



In a paper published in the year 1 849! I have shown that 



* See M. Edmond Becquerel's experiments and one by myself by which I 

 detected a slight transmission of electricity between two highly ignited platinum 

 wires in close proximity and in the vacuum of a good air-pump. Notices, R. /.,. 

 Feb. 3, 1854. See note to p. 344. 



t Phil. Trans., 1849, P- 55- 



