370 Prof. Faraday on Electric Conduction. 
of conduction proper—small indeed, but not so small as to pre- 
vent its being evident in certain forms of experiments: and beau- 
tiful and close as the electrolytic proofs have been carried, they 
are not by us considered as sufficient to show that the function 
of conduction proper is altogether absent from electrolytes. 
(Some account was then given of the experimeuts and argu- 
ments on both sides; and of the striking electrolytic fact, that if 
a current of electricity, however small, is sent through a circuit 
containing a couple of platina plates in dilute sulphuric acid, the 
plates are found thereby electrically polarized.) 
The inquiry as regards electrolytes takes on three forms. They 
may possess a degree of conduction proper at all times—or they 
may be absolutely destitute of conduction proper—or they may 
possess conduction proper up to a certain condition, governed 
either by requisite intensity for electrolyzation or by other cir- 
cumstances, but which, when that condition is acquired, changes 
into electrolytic conduction; and these three forms may be fur- 
ther varied by considerations dependent upon the physical state 
of the electrolyte, as whether it be solid or liquid, hot or cold, 
and whether it be pure or contain other substances mingled 
with it. 
From the time when the question was raised by myself, twenty 
years ago, to the present day, I have found it necessary to sus- 
pend my conclusions; for close as the facts have in certain cases 
been urged by those who believe they have always obtained de- 
composition results, when an electrolyte has performed the part 
of a conductor, and freely as I could have admitted the facts and 
the conclusions if there had been no opposing considerations, 
still, because there are such considerations, | am obliged to reserve 
my judgment. In the first place all bodies not electrolytic, even 
up to gases (Becquerel,) are admitted to possess conduction 
proper; @ priori, therefore, we have reason to expect that electro- 
lytes will possess it also. If from amongst different bodies we 
retain for consideration the class of electrolytes only, then thongh 
the amount of electricity of a given intensity which these can 
transmit electrolytically when they are fluid, is often almost in- 
finitely greater than that which they can convey onwards by 
conduction proper, when they are solid; still the conduction 1 
the latter cases is very evident. A piece of perfectly dry solid nitre, 
and of many other electrolytes, discharges a gold leaf electrometer 
very freely, and I believe by the power of conduction proper; 
and that being the case, I do not see that the assumption of the 
very highest condition of electrolytic conduction when the nitre 
is rendered fluid is any argument for the absolute disappearance 
of the conduction proper which belonged to the body in the 
solid state, though it may override the latter for the time an 
‘make it insensible. These considerations are, however, such as 
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