ELECTRO-CHEMISTRY. 7 



tubes took place. From some difficulty, which I 

 could not explain, I failed to obtain, though every 

 effort was made on my part, those tubes which 

 contain no lead in their composition, and which 

 resist fusibility while exposed to an intense heat. 

 Having, however, partially succeeded in my first 

 experiment, I persisted in operating with such tubes 

 as I could procure, unsuitable though they were, re- 

 solved either to verify my views on electro-chemistry, 

 or prove them fallacious ; and it was not until after 

 years of toil and failure, I at last obtained a positive 

 result, which proves that there is a latent electricity 

 existing in bodies as well as a latent heat. 



6. At the close of 1856, I procured one of those 

 German glass tubes that contain no lead in their com- 

 position, and into which I poured a small portion of 

 nitric acid; but as another tube was required, I substi- 

 tuted a tube of iron, into which I introduced a few 

 grains of caustic potash. Both tubes were hermeti- 

 cally sealed, and contained platina wires which were 

 not joined together externally as is represented in 

 Fig. 1., but were kept apart from each other, and 

 made to project beyond the tray, through two small 

 perforations in one of its sides, as is represented in 

 Fig. 2. 



