328 Mr Connell on the Action of 



of four-inch plates ; and the tube N of the vessel A was connect- 

 ed with the negative pole |of the same battery ; the other two 

 tubes being connected with one another by a short copper-wire. 

 The same electric current thus traversed both solutions. Gas 

 slowly collected in all the tubes except the positive tube of the 

 vessel A, containing the alcoholic fluid ; and after an action of an 

 hour and three-quarters, the negative tube of A contained .3 of a 

 cubic inch, and the negative tube of B .35. 



The experiment was repeated, placing alcohol .802 with -^ 

 potash dissolved in A, and water with ^4*0 potash in solution in 

 B, the same galvanic power being employed. The gas in the 

 two negative tubes increased very uniformly, and in one hour 

 and fifty minutes, there was found in the negative tube of A .32, 

 and in that of B .34. Both gases were analyzed by the electric 

 spark, and were found to be hydrogen ; that from the alcohol 

 containing mixed with it, as I was fully prepared to expect from 

 the result of former experiments, from one-fifth to one-sixth of 

 common air, or rather of azote, derived from the alcoholic fluid, 

 a corresponding portion of hydrogen having doubtless been ab- 

 sorbed by the liquid. 



Thus, then, we see, that as nearly as possible the same quan- 

 tity of hydrogen was evolved by the agency of the same current, 

 whether the liquid acted on was water or alcohol ; and I there- 

 fore conclude, on the principles of the Volta-electrometer, that 

 in reality water was in both cases the subject of decomposition, 

 an equal portion of it being resolved into its elements in both 

 vessels. 



Similar results were obtained with alcohol, specific gravity .796 

 at 60° F., having in solution, in different trials, small quantities of 

 potash, of iodide of potassium, and of fused chloride of calcium. 

 These different solutions were always compared with water hold- 

 ing the same quantity of the same substance in solution, the al- 

 coholic solution being sometimes placed in the tubes of one of 

 the vessels of Fig. 5, and sometimes in the bent tube A of Fig. 6, 



