576 THE INTELLECTUAL RISE IN ELECTRICITY. 



to be a compound of water particles (non-electric) and salt 

 particles (electric per se), which, rubbing together, pro- 

 duce electrical fire, which collects on the surface and is 

 luminous at night. It is also assumed that because the 

 surface is electrified the particles of water are repelled, and 

 these, rising, carry with them the electrical fire and form 

 clouds which retain their electrified state until an oppor- 

 tunity arises for them to communicate their fire to other 

 bodies. 



This is obviously pure supposition, although a remark- 

 ably bold and dexterous one, as we shall see by following it 

 a little further. 



The electrified cloud is swept over the land by the wind. 

 It encounters a mountain which, being less electrified, 

 attracts it. The electrical fire at once leaves the mass of 

 vapor, with a sudden flash and report, while the particles 

 of water instantly coalesce and fall in rain. If a succes- 

 sion of such clouds become 'dammed by a mountain ridge, 

 then the first cloud, after yielding its own fire to the peaks, 

 takes the fire of the second cloud, and thus the fire passes 

 from cloud to cloud as far back as they may extend. Like 

 effects occur when an electrified cloud, rising from the sea, 

 meets a non-electrified cloud rising from the land the 

 particles of the first cloud open on losing their fire, the 

 particles of the second close on receiving it, and then fol- 

 lows a concussion, a flash and downpour. 



Such is the bridge which Franklin built. It may be 

 asked wherein it differed from the equally ideal structures 

 which Winkler and Freke had reared. In this; that it led 

 somewhere. All three suppositions were far wide of the 

 truth all three frail and imperfect; but two of them were 

 mere piers jutting out into an unknown gulf, while the 

 third spanned it, at least long enough for some knowledge 

 to be gained of the new land beyond. 



Now Franklin moves forward beyond all the world, and 

 the result is best given in his own quaint words: 



u As electrified clouds pass over a country, high hills 



