» 
et 
Prof. Faraday on Electric Conduction. 371 
arise rather from the absence of the final and strict proof on the 
Opposite side, than from anything very positive in their own 
character; but it has occurred to me that the phenomena of 
static electricity will furnish us with many reasons of a positive 
nature, in favor of the possession by liquid electrolytes of the 
power of conduction proper. Some of these I will endeavor 
briefly to state, illustrating the subject by a reference to water, 
Which in its pure state has but a low degree of electrolytic con- 
duction. 
The ordinary phenomena of static charge and induction are 
well known. If an excited glass rod or other body be held near 
a light gilt sphere, suspended from the hand by a metal thread, 
the inductive action disturbs the disposition of the electricity in 
the sphere, and the latter is strongly attracted: if in place of the 
Sphere a soap bubble be employed, the same results occur. If a 
dish filled with pure distilled water be connected with the earth 
by a piece of moist bibulous paper, and a ball of excited shell-lac 
be suspended two or three inches above the middle of the water, 
—and if a plate of dry insulating gutta-percha, about eight 
inches long and two inches wide, have its end interposed be- 
tween the water and the shell-lac, it may then be withdrawn 
and examined, and will be found without charge, even though it 
may have touched the shell-lac; but if the end once touch the 
water under the lac (and it may be dipped in,) so as to bring 
away a film of it, charged with the electricity the water has ac- 
quired by the induction, it will be found to possess, as might be 
€xpected, a state contrary to that of the inductric shell-lac. 
In order to exclude any conducting body but water from what 
may be considered as a reference experiment, two calico globular 
bags with closé seams were repared ; and being wetted thor- 
oughly with distilled water, were then filled with air by means 
of a fine blow-pipe point; they were then attached to two sus- 
Pending bands of gutta-percha, by which they were well insula- 
ted, and being three inches in diameter, they formed, when placed 
IN contact, a double system six inches in length. A metallic 
ball, about four inches iu diameter, was connected with the elec- 
a machine to form an inductric vo 3 a al 
Plate was placed about nine inches off to form an i 
body ; Siete these, the associated water balls could be placed 
SO as to take part in the induction, and when the electric charge 
Was so low that the moist atmosphere caused no transmission of 
electricity, the balls could be introduced into position and brought 
away without having received any permanent charge. _ Under 
these circumstances if the associated balls were brought into the 
place of induction, were then separated, withdrawn, and exam- 
ined, they were found, the one charged positively and the other 
negatively, by electricity derived from themselves, and without 
