in Magnetism and Electricity. 93 



d actors upon each other acted in conjunction with the normal 

 inductive action of the earth to promote an increase of discharge 

 from the electromotors above that observed when the naked or 

 the tape-covered conductors were extended separately in the 

 canal (114, 115, 128). On the other hand, when the tape- 

 covered threefold conductors were extended separately in the 

 canal (tig. 13), the inductive influence of each conductor upon 

 itself acted in opposition to the normal action of the earth, so as 

 to diminish the amount of discharge from the electromotor below 

 what was observed when the same conductors were extended in 

 straight lines, or arranged in the form of the letter N. 



140. Reverting to the fact that when contact was made be- 

 tween the 5- and 10-inch intensity- armatures and the conduc- 

 tors extended separately in the canal, the heating and melting 

 of wires at N indicated the passage of a powerful current into 

 the earth (114, 123): — A question of great importance now 

 arose as to whether this current was transmitted in consequence 

 of a physical conductivity of the terrestrial bed, or by the elec- 

 trolyzation of the liquid in contact with the conductors. Hitherto 

 electricians have been content to affirm that the earth absorbs or 

 drinks up the electricity transmitted from the electromotors. 

 Matteucci had indeed found that when the electrodes were 

 plunged into the soil impregnated with sulphate of copper or 

 sea-water, the quantity of electricity discharged from the elec- 

 tromotor was increased ; but, beyond this fact, no experiments 

 have yet been recorded with the view of establishing the abso- 

 lute dependence of the transmission of the current into the earth 

 upon the electrochemical properties of the liquids incorporated 

 with it. 



141. One important step towards the establishment of this 

 dependence was the diminution of the earth's resistance observed 

 when the tension of the current transmitted along the conduc- 

 tors was increased (114, 115) — a result entirely in accordance 

 with what is observed in the electrolyzation of water in insulated 

 vessels. Moreover we have also seen that though the discharge 

 of the current into the earth from the extended naked conduc- 

 tors was distinct from, as well as less in amount than, the dis- 

 charge between the twin conductors extended in the same liquid, 

 yet it was of the same kind and in the same direction in the one 

 case as in the other. The difference, then, between the discharge 

 of the conductors into the earth and into each other being one 

 of degree only, it seemed to me that some advantage might be 

 derived from the study of the action of the naked and tape- 

 covered conductors upon each other when coiled and immersed 



