VOL. XLV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 477 



sion of the electric effluvia excited, and which visibly runs off from the end of 

 the prime coiiductor in a stream, and as they are in like manner carried off from 

 all bodies hung to it, those effluvia which run off from the end of the syphon, 

 being strongly attracted by the water, carry so much of it along with them, as 

 to make it run in a constant stream. 



That the attraction between the water and electric effluvia is sufficient to pro- 

 duce this effect, might be proved by a variety of experiments; but he only ob- 

 serves, that to this attraction it is owing that silk lines and glass tubes (which, 

 from their imbibing so very small a quantity of these effluvia, are generally made 

 use of as supports in many of the electrical experiments) on only being wetted, 

 become strong conductors: and that if an excited tube be held over a vessel of 

 water, the water is found to imbibe a very considerable quantity of this electric 

 matter;, and, on the approach of a finger, or any other non-electric body, the 

 water is perceived to rise towards it; and when the finger is brought so near the 

 surface as to draw off the effluvia, they carry several particles of the water along 

 with them towards the finger, in a direction directly contrary to that of gravity; 

 and therefore may well be supposed, when acting in the same direction, to have 

 an influence sufficient to produce a stream, as in the experiment. 



And that this current of the electric effluvia is the true cause why the water 

 runs in a stream from the end of the syphon, is further evident, in that whatever 

 tends to increase or diminish the current of the effluvia, produces the same effect 

 on the water. He has already observed, that when the effluvia are strongly ex- 

 cited, they are seen to pass off from the end of the prime conductor in luminous 

 rays; and the same may be observed with respect to those which pass with the 

 water from the end of the syphon ; but when any non-electric body is brought 

 under the syphon, as, by its attraction, the current of the effluvia is increased, 

 go these luminous rays are also extended to a greater length. Again, when the 

 motion of the machine is stopped, the current of the electric effluvia is stopped, 

 and the water immediately ceases to run in a stream, notwithstanding its being 

 strongly impregnated with the electrical effluvia. 



And that the water is strongly impregnated, will not only appear from the drops 

 being sooner divided into small particles, than they would be if they had not 

 been electrified, but from those particles being separated to a greater distance 

 from each other, by the repulsive property of the electric effluvia ; and when any 

 of the water is received into a dry glass vessel, on the approach of a finger towards 

 its surface, a spark issues from it in the same manner as from water electrified 

 by an excited tube; or when any non-electrical body is brought under the syphon, 

 by whose attraction the effluvia may be drawn off, the water immediately accom- 

 panies it in a stream. '*« 



Exper. 2. If the vessel of water with the syphon in it be suspended by any 



