LIFE IN THE INFRA- WORLD 27 



attraction is the same fraction of the electrostatic 

 repulsion as the speed of the bodies is of the speed 

 of light. Now the speed of electrons, although of 

 the same order of magnitude as the speed of the 

 earth, is, as a rule, about a hundred times greater, 

 and has been known to attain a value one-third the 

 velocity of light. This would reduce the repulsion 

 of two electrons moving abreast to two-thirds of their 

 repulsion when standing still. 



3. An interesting question arises as to what con- 

 ;ies the charge of an electron, and what condi- 

 tions determine its size. We know that the facts of 

 electricity are fully accounted for by the existence 

 of electrons of constant mass and charge. The ex- 

 planation of the esoteric nature of electric charges is 

 thus pushed a stage further back. It is not really 

 accomplished, any more than mass is explained by 

 the atomic theory. This hi no way detracts from 

 the usefulness of both theories ; but I am convinced 

 that the human mind will not rest satisfied by the 

 adjournment of a fundamental question of 

 this kind. 



The present work does not profess to account t'<>r 

 the essential nature of electric charges. On the 

 contrary, it shows that no explanation need be 

 looked for on a scale of infinite smallnoss. When 

 we get down to the electrons, we are confronted with 

 precisely the same problem, just as the atom con- 

 fronts us again with the problem of mi 



