478 Further Experiments [October 



at a future time be blamed did I not, once for all, take 

 the very best means of bringing them before the notice of 

 the scientific world. Accordingly I forwarded an account of 

 my experiments to the Royal Society on June 15, 1871, and 

 addressed myself to the two secretaries of the Royal Society, 

 Professor Sharpey and Professor Stokes, inviting them to 

 my house to meet Mr. Home, at the same time asking them 

 to be prepared for negative results, and to come a second, 

 or, if necessary, a third time, before forming a judgment. 



Dr. Sharpey politely declined the invitation. 



Professor Stokes replied that he thought there was a 

 fallacy in my apparatus, and concluded by saying — 



" The facts you mentioned in the paper were certainly at first sight very 

 strange, but still possible modes of explanation occurred to me which were 

 not precluded by what I read in the paper. If I have time when I go to 

 London I will endeavour to call at your house. I don't want to meet anyone; 

 my object being to scrutinise the apparatus, not to witness the effects." 



To this I replied on June 20th ; the following extracts 

 are taken from my answer : — 



" I am now fitting up apparatus in which contact is made through water 

 only, in such a way that transmission of mechanical movement to the board 

 is impossible ; and I am also arranging an experiment in which Mr. Home 

 will not touch the apparatus at all. This will only work when the power is 

 very strong ; but last night I tried an experiment of this kind, and obtained a 

 considerable increase of tension on the spring balance when Mr. Home's 

 hands were three inches off. With him the power is so great that I can work 

 with large and crude materials, and measure the force in pounds. But I 

 propose to make a delicate apparatus, with a mirror and reflected ray of light, 

 to show fractions of grains. Then I hope to find this force is not confined to 

 a few, but is, like the magnetic state, universal. The subject shall have a 

 1 most scrupulously searching physical scrutiny,' and whatever results I obtain 

 shall be published. I consider it my duty to send first to the Royal Society, 

 for by so doing I deliberately stake my reputation on the truth of what I send. 

 But will the Society (or the Committee*) accept my facts as facts, or will they 

 require vouchers for my integrity ? If my statements of fact are taken as 

 correct, and only my interpretation or arrangements of apparatus objected to, 

 then it would seem to be right to give me an opportunity of answering these 

 objections before finally deciding. The other supposition — that my fads are 

 incorrect — I cannot admit the discussion of till I am definitely assured that 

 such is entertained. 



" Mr. Home is coming here on Wednesday and Friday evenings; if you can 

 come on either or both occasions at 8 p.m., I shall be glad to see you, or if you 

 only wish to scrutinise the apparatus, I will be here at any time you like to 

 name." 



On the 28th of June another paper was sent to the Royal 

 Society. Two days after, Professor Stokes wrote a letter, 

 from which I quote : — 



" As I was otherwise engaged so as not to be able conveniently to go to 

 your house, I may as well mention the possible sources of error which occurred 

 to me with reference to your first apparatus. I don't suppose they all exist ; 



* Alluding to a rumoured rejection of my paper by the Committee of the 

 Royal Society. 



