220 ON SOME ELECTRICAL AND ELECTROCHEMICAL PHENOMENA^ 



on the circulation of lelectricity through its whole length! or 

 in other words, on the tiansniission of electricity from wire 

 to wire through water. 

 The existence I have already stated, that the chemical changes pro- 

 andncgativ^ duced in finids by voltaic electricity, at every interruption 

 point at each of the metallic circuit, are no proofs of the existence of a 

 IrfTbeTircult P<^ittve and a negative point at each of those interruptions ; 

 not proved. so long as we have wo evidence, that the chemical effects are 

 produced by opposite electrical stales, and not by the pe- 

 culiar modifications of a current. We have no such proof; 

 nor have we yet electrometrical demonstration, thai the op- 

 posite extremities of every wire in an interrupted voiiaic 

 circuit are oppositely electrified, though Mr. Davy has very 

 Mr. deLuc*s recently said " it would be easy to show thi*." Mr. de 

 ^^" Luc's analysis* is the only instance of an accurate exauiina- 



tion of the electrical st^te of the wires, compared with ihtir 

 chemical effects ; his conclusions are however strikingly 

 opposed to tiiose of electrical energy ; they have been long 

 published, and are not yet controverted. 



Let us suppose however for a moment, thai the opposite 

 electrical states are essential to the chemical effects. Can 

 Irrciuction an we have recourse to induction to explain them ? Certainly 

 sEsproper j^^t unless bv induction we mean communicated electricity, 



circulation of electricity, or current of electricity ; for these 

 alone express what we see and demonstrate in the ex» 

 periment; and are indeed employed (certainly incau* 

 tioasly) by the same philosophers who speak of electric 

 energy. 



If induction be strained to express these ternw, it cannot 

 possibly be applied to the opposite series of phenomena, 

 viz. those produced by approximation only ; where no cur- 

 rent is produqed, but merely a temporary disturbance of the 

 electrical equilibrium effected. 



Hence 1 think it fair to conclude, that induction, far 

 from an electrical law, is a term ill suited to express any 

 electrical action ; a term which it would be contradictory 

 and absurd, to apply to all the varieties of this influence ; 

 pnd which is in any case objectionable, as involving the as- 

 sumption of a principle of actioa not proved to exist. 



* See Journal, vol. XXVI, pp. 113 and 241. 



The 



ac»a>. 



