1870.] Physics. 289 



sumes a brilliant polish if required. The method employed for the 

 deposition of nickel was treated of at a meeting of the French Aca- 

 demy. The company alluded to have established a branch manu- 

 factory at Paris, under the management of M. Gaiffe. 



M. Gaiffe calls attention to the fact that the presence of even the 

 smallest quantity of potassa, or soda, or alkaline earths in the bath 

 containing the nickelizing preparation is injurious to effect a pro- 

 perly-adhesive coating of the metal. The use of perfectly pure 

 double chloride of nickel and ammonium, or of perfectly pure sul- 

 phate of nickel and ammonium, and, moreover, of pure nickel as 

 one of the electrodes, is required. By these means the nickel is made 

 to adhere regularly and strongly, and only requires polishing after 

 the metal, coated over, is taken from the bath. On the other hand, 

 M. Becquerel now states that he has purposely repeated some of 

 his former experiments, with the express view of ascertaining whether 

 the statement made by M. Gaiffe, concerning the injurious action of 

 the presence of potassa, be correct or not. The result of experi- 

 ments is that the presence of potassa is not at all injurious to, and in 

 no wise affects, the deposition of nickel, since the double sulphate of 

 nickel and potassa can be applied, as well as the double sulphate of 

 nickel and ammonia; but if the positive electrode is not made of 

 nickel, it is necessary to add free ammonia, in order to saturate the 

 sulphuric acid, which is set free. 



M. Scoutetten states that the accidental striking of lightning on 

 the house of a vineyard proprietor caused the rupture of several 

 large hogsheads containing wine, which found its way into a cavity 

 existing in the cellar of the house. The owner imagined his wine 

 lost and spoiled, but found, to his astonishment, that the wine, in- 

 stead of having been deteriorated, had become better than it was 

 before. This accidental occurrence having come to the knowledge of 

 General Marey-Mouge, caused M. Scoutetten to be consulted, and a 

 series of experiments instituted with various kinds of wine, of inferior 

 as well as medium quality. A series of experiments, made on the 

 large scale, and with various sources of electricity, led to the result 

 that electricity, under whatever form applied (whether as a regular 

 current, or a succession of discharges accompanied by sparks), im- 

 prove wine, rendering it mellow and mature. As to the mode of 

 action of this agent, the author thinks that the bitartrate of potassa 

 present in wine is decomposed, the potassa set free saturates the acids 

 of the wine, and the free tartaric acid, reacting upon the fatty matters 

 present, favours the formation of the ethers which constitute the 

 bouquet of the wine. Moreover a small quantity of water is decom- 

 posed, and the oxygen thereof reacts upon some of the constituents 

 of the wine, thereby forming new compounds which are peculiar to 

 old wines. 



