MSO Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



The energetic effect determined by both these arrangements evi- 

 dently depends on the circumstance that the heated portions of the 

 liquid tend to maintain themselves at its surface, leaving the lower 

 parts at a less-elevated temperature ; and if Faraday's experiment 

 in a U-tube did not give any decisive result, it was because, in con- 

 sequence of the disposition of the apparatus, the liquid about the 

 electrodes did not present a sufficiently great difference of tempe- 

 perature. 



By making use of magnetic helices, of which the wire would 

 be constituted by copper tubes in which currents of cold water 

 and of superheated steam circulate, it might perhaps be possible 

 to obtain, in consequence of the preceding reactions, magnetic 

 effects which would explain the magnetic state of the terrestrial 

 globe by attributing it to the inequality of temperature of the seas. 



II. If the electrolyte be constituted by the smoky flame of a 

 paraffine taper, and if the current from a pile of 40 Leclanche 

 elements, or of 30 elements with bichromate of potash, be passed 

 through the name, a copious arborescent deposit of carbon is 

 observed to form at first at the extremity of the negative wire, 

 constituting an agglomeration of branches tending to rise in the 

 direction of the name, and to reach the positive wire. A few 

 moments after, carbonaceous threads, slightly curved, are depo- 

 sited upon this, and likewise tend to rise with the flame; and 

 if these two deposits be brought near to one another by bend- 

 ing their ramifications a little, a series of bright sparks are seen 

 to be exchanged between the extremities of the ramifications, re- 

 sembling points of electric light. 



III. When for the short wire which connects the anvil of the 

 interrupter of a Euhnikorff coil with its condenser a long wire 

 is substituted wound parallel with another wire upon a second 

 coil, at the instant the extremities of the second insulated w T ire 

 are placed a short distance from one another, a pretty large spark 

 is observed, w 7 hich can only proceed from the discharge of the con- 

 denser ; for it can be produced with short wires not w r ound in a 

 spiral. It is not affected by a magnetic core placed in the second 

 coil ; and the inducing current of the induction-apparatus does not 

 pass into the second coil. On the other hand, it is augmented with 

 the size of the condenser, and depends on the nature of its insula- 

 ting plates : the most energetic effects are obtained when these 

 plates are of mica. This spark has acquired sufficient tension- to 

 traverse a stratum of air of some millimetres, even when to pro- 

 duce it only a single Bunsen element of the medium model, a coil 

 of average size, and a secondary wire of 10 metres were employed. 

 — Comjptes Renclus de VAcademie des Sciences, Jan. 8, 1877, pp. 83-85. 



Dr. J. Christian Poggendorff. 



It is with sincere regret we have to announce the death of our 

 old and highly esteemed friend Professor Poggendorff, which took 

 place on the 24th ultimo, a few days after the completion of his 

 80th year.— W. F. 



