Relations of the Physical and Chemical Forces. 69 



electric machines acting through the principle of the 

 indefinite quantitative relations of the magnetic and 

 electric forces. 



In viewing historically the development of the principle 

 of the indefinite quantitative relations of the physical and 

 chemical forces, it will be seen that, although the principle 

 is strictly correlated with, and holds good equally in each 

 of the several departments of science set forth in this 

 paper, yet, such is the slowness of growth of fundamental 

 generalisations, that the Archimedean principle of the 

 indefinite increase of mechanical force is the only one 

 which, up to the present time, has been universally 

 accepted ; while the principle of the incommensurable 

 relations of the molecular forces has not advanced, 

 academically, much beyond the evolutionary stage of the 

 principle of conservation, tacitly recognised in the ancient 

 civilisations of Egypt and Mexico. 



* The principle of the indefinite quantitative relations 

 of the molecular forces, as I have shown, is strictly 

 correlated with the same principle universally accepted 

 in regard to mechanical force. Exception has, however, 

 been taken to the demonstration which I have given of 

 the indefinite relations of the chemical forces in a 

 series of copper-sulphate cells, on the ground that the 

 polarisation of the electrodes, or back electro-motive 

 force, would limit the application of the principle to a 

 small number of cells. 



Although I might have contented myself with the 

 demonstration of the principle of indefinite electrolysis, by 

 the indefinitely large amount of electro-chemical effect 

 produced by powerful dynamo-electric machines, excited 



Note read before the Society, Feb. 4th, 1896. 



