[ 384 ] 
L1V. On the Distribution of Electricity on Hollow Conductors 
in Electrolytes. By Alfred Tribe, F.Inst. C, Lecturer on 
Chemistry in Dulwich College*. 
THE point of view set out in my paper in the ' Proceedings 
of the Royal Society/ 1876, p. 310, would doubtless 
enable the general results of an examination into the distribu- 
tion of electricity on hollow conductors in electrolytes to be 
foreseen. An experimental treatment of the subject, however, 
was desirable in order to establish definitely any a priori con- 
clusion deduced either from analogy or general theoretical 
considerations. Experience in this case has verified the con- 
clusion that the closest analogy would be found to exist 
between the distribution of electricity on hollow conductors in 
electrolytic and in dielectric fields respectively. Other expe- 
riments to be described in this paper show that the analogy 
extends to cases where a conductor is enclosed in metal tubes 
and even in tubes of wire gauze. A few associated experi- 
ments are also described in this paper, the results of which 
may assist, when the subject is more developed, in determining 
between the different views which present themselves, as to 
the mode by which a metallic conductor becomes electrified 
when placed in a binary compound undergoing electrolysis, 
but not in metallic connexion with the electrodes. 
In the experiments to be described, an electrolytic cell was 
employed, 120 millim. broad, 128 deep, and 305 long, filled to 
within 8 millimetres with a 5-per-cent. solution of copper sul- 
phate, copper electrodes of the same area as the ends of the 
cell, and a current of one ampere flowing for six miuutes. 
The tubes or hollow conductors were in all cases placed 
lengthwise, midway between the electrodes and perpendicular 
to them, the bottom of the cell, and the surface of the electrolyte. 
Experiment. — A silver tube 100 millim. long, having an 
internal diameter of 10 millim., was placed within the field of 
action. The electrifications, in millimetres, counting from 
the opposite ends of the tube, on the outside and inside respec- 
tively, and also the respective zones of non-evident electrifi- 
cation (intermedial space), were as below: — 
— electrification. 
Intermedial 
space. 
+electrification. 
Outside of tube... 
Inside of tube . . . 
29 
6 
13 
74 
58 
20 
* Communicated by tbe Author. 
