ELECTRICAL APPARATUS. 323 



The portion of the apparatus, which is peculiarly connected 

 with the generation of the electricity, is a series of bent tubes 

 with their attached jets. Each jet consists of a brass socket, 

 containing a cylindrical piece of partridge wood, with a cir- 

 c*ular hole or passage through it, | of an inch in diameter, 

 into which the steam is admitted through an aperture. The 

 peculiar shape of this aperture appears to derive its efficacy 

 from the tendency it gives the steam to spread out in the 

 form of a cup, on entering the wooden pipe, and by that 

 means to bring it and the particles of water, of which it is 

 the carrier, into very forcible collision with the rubbing sur- 

 face of the wood. 



The electricity produced by this engine is not so remarka- 

 ble for its high intensity, as for its enormous quantity. In 

 no case, antecedent to this, has the electricity of tension taken 

 so rapid a stride towards assimilating with galvanic electri- 

 city. Mr. Faraday's experiments on the identity of the 

 electricities had shown how small was the quantity obtained 

 from the best machines ; and had given good reason to 

 expect that chemical effects would be exalted when the 

 quantity could be increased. And such is the case here ; a 

 very remarkable experiment in illustration of this is, that 

 not only is gunpowder ignited by the passage of the spark, 

 but even paper and wood shavings will be inflamed when 

 placed in the course of the spark passing between two points 

 such an effect was never before produced with common 

 electricity. In like manner, chemical decompositions are 

 effected much more readily by means of the hydro-electric, 

 than by that from the common machine. 



