Phenomena of the Capillary Electroscope. 



85 



fundamental part of the phenomena, the inferences to be drawn from 

 it are probably less important. Chemical action is a constant con- 

 comitant in the case ; it always took place, 1st, by electrolysis, 2nd, by 

 contact of liberated ions ; and, 3rd, occasionally by contact of the 

 original liquids. It sometimes occurs at the meniscus previous to the 

 passage of the current. As also, by the influence of the current, acids 

 and bases are liberated at the contact surfaces, and as in the foregoing- 

 numerous experiments with the double and single meniscus appa- 

 ratuses, the kind of solutions in mutual contact have been found to 

 largely influence the phenomena of the lines, &c, so the layers of new 

 compounds formed by electro- chemical action probably also have 

 similar effects. 



From the results of the experiments with the meniscus apparatuses 

 it also appears that the lines may be produced with almost every 

 possible chemical combination of electrolytes ; for instance, where the 

 current goes from concentrated to dilute solution, whether from acid 

 salt to acid (as in Experiments Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 

 15, 19, 21, 23, 25, 28, 29, 35, 36, and 38) ; one acid to another (Expe- 

 riments Nos. 37 and 41) ; one alkaline salt to another (Experiment 

 No. 17) ; an acid salt to a neutral one (Experiments Nos. 4, 13, and 

 .22) ; a neutral salt to an alkaline one (Experiments Nos. 5 and 44) ; 

 an alkaline salt to a neutral one (Experiments Nos. 16 and 20) ; one 

 neutral salt to another (Experiments Nos. 40 and 42) ; or from an 

 alkaline salt to an alkali (Experiment No. 43) ; but not so readily from 

 a strong solution of an acid to the same diluted (Experiments Nos. 24, 

 27, 32, 33, 34, and 39) ; nor from a strong one of an alkaline salt to 

 the same diluted (Experiments Nos. 26, 30, and 31). A possible rela- 

 tion of the apparent movement of the mass of the liquid to the 

 chemical composition of the two liquids has been already indicated 

 (see p. 68). 



" Phenomena of the Capillary Electroscope." By G. Gore, 

 LL.D., F.R.S. Received November 23, 1880. Read 

 January 6, 1881. 



In a communication "On the Capillary Electroscope" ("Proc. 

 Roy. Soc," vol. 30, p. 32), I have described various details neces- 

 sary to be attended to in the construction and use of a modified 

 form of that apparatus, and I now give an account of an investigation 

 I have made of the phenomena of the movements of the mercury in 

 such instruments. A research I formerly made, " On the Movements 

 of Liquid Metals and Electrolytes in the Voltaic Circuit" ("Proc. 

 Roy. Soc," vol. 10, p. 235), throws additional light upon the 

 subject. Some of the phenomena arising out of this research have, 



