96 Mr. H. W tide's Experimental Researches 



current from the 10-inch intensity-armature through the coil, 

 so perfect was now the communication between the conductors 

 through the electrolyte., that not the smallest spark could be ob- 

 obtained on making and breaking contact between the ends 

 C and D. 



155. A phenomenon already observed, on a small scale, by 

 De la Rive* when engaged in transmitting the alternating cur- 

 rents from a magneto-electric machine through dilute sulphuric 

 acid by means of platinum electrodes, was here reproduced in a 

 most remarkable manner. When the coils were immersed in 

 the tub of fresh or salt water, or in dilute sulphuric acid, it was 

 observed that not a single bubble of gas arose to the surface of 

 the liquids, no matter for how long a time the powerful alter- 

 nating currents from the 5- and 10-inch intensity-armatures 

 were transmitted. 



156. That these currents were capable of producing energetic 

 electrochemical effects, simultaneously with the non-appearance 

 of gas in the tub, was proved by introducing into the circuit at 

 N a pair of large platinum plates plunged in a glass vessel con- 

 taining dilute sulphuric acid, when an abundant liberation of 

 the mixed gases from each of the plates occurred, while at the 

 same time no gas was liberated from the coils in the tub. Hence 

 it seemed as though the alternating current could be transmitted 

 through the same kind of liquid, either with or without electro- 

 lyzation, by simply varying the arrangement of the electrodes. 



157. When, however, the direct current from any of the 

 armatures was transmitted through the double coil, the passage 

 of the current was in all cases accompanied by the liberation of 

 hydrogen from the liquid in which the coil was immersed. 



158. That the absence of any appearance of electrolyzation of 

 water in the tub, when the alternating currents of the 5- and 

 10-inch intensity-armatures were transmitted through the coils, 

 was due to the recombination of the electrolytic products formed 

 by each alternation of the current, was made evident in the fol- 

 lowing manner. 



159. The double coil of twin conductors was immersed in the 

 tub of salt water, and the ends C, D (fig. 14) were connected by 

 means of a short piece of the thin iron wire. One of the other 

 ends, A, was connected directly with the zinc of the single 

 Grove's cell, while contact with the other end, B, and the pla- 

 tinum was established at N by means of another short piece 

 of iron wire somewhat thicker than that which joined the 

 ends C, D. 



160. When the current from the Grove's cell was transmitted 

 through the coil, the thin wire at C D, after a few moments, gra- 



* Comptes Rendus, 1837, vol. iv. p. 83/. 



