48 Prof, von BezolcPs Researches on the Electrical Discharge, 



arrows. The experiments with the blind-ending wire, as well 

 as the circumstance that the distance of the two branching-points 



Fig. 6. 



upon A exerted no decided influence, necessarily militated against 

 this view. To remove all doubt as to this, I made several breaks 

 in the wire, so as to form a succession of sparks. The knobs of 

 this second micrometer were here approached to within a distance 

 of from 0*01 to 0*03 millim. ; for I thought that in the case in 

 which the current rushes from both sides into the wire there 

 must be a place where both sets of waves meet. When the mi- 

 crometer is placed just at this point, the tension on both sides 

 must simultaneously reach the same height, and there is there- 

 fore no reason for the formation of a spark here, while one may 

 be expected in all other positions. 



The spark indeed failed to appear when the micrometer was in- 

 serted in the middle of the loop, and reappeared as soon as it was 

 moved by only a few decimeters on either side. It is thus proved 

 that the path of the current is represented by the perfect arrows ; 

 and, on the other hand, the small retardation which the electrical 

 discharge-current experiences by traversing a wire of a few dec'u 

 metres is made visible. 



I first of all sought the conditions under which this experi- 

 ment on retardation succeeds most strikingly. I found it best 



Fig. 7- 



i)i 



to use directly the discharge of a Ruhmkorff 's apparatus, on the 

 plan represented in fig. 7. The inducing current was produced 



