Experimental Researches in Electricity. 349 



feet long, connected with the discharging train, and these 

 deflections were in the same directions that would have 

 resulted from the transmission of a voltaic current under 

 similar circumstances ; i. e. the positively charged surface 

 of the electric battery, coincided with the positive end of 

 the voltaic apparatus, and the negative surface of the former 

 with the negative end of the latter. Varying considerably 

 the conditions of his experiments, Faraday found as the ge- 

 neral result, " that a current of common electricity, whether 

 transmitted through water or metal, or rarefied air, or by 

 means of points in common air, is still able to deflect the 

 needle ; the only requisite being, apparently, to allow time 

 for its action ; that it is, in fact, just as magnetic in every 

 respect as a voltaic current, and that in this character there- 

 fore, no distinction existed." 



From the magnetic, transition is made to the chemical 

 powers of ordinary electricity, and by a very ingenious and 

 delicate series of experiments, the ability of the current to 

 produce decomposition is very decisively and distinctly es- 

 tablished. The decomposing power of electricity of the 

 machine had been previously investigated by Dr. Wollaston, 

 and although he furnished the strongest evidence in favour 

 of this, his opinion was not received with confidence, because 

 it was discovered that one of his leading experiments was 

 erroneous. In this experiment, water was decomposed by 

 passing a current of ordinary electricity through very fine 

 wires, the points of which were guarded with glass coverings, 

 so that only a mere section of the wires was exposed and 

 immersed in the water ; but it was observed, that from each 

 pole or wire both oxygen and hydrogen were evolved ; a 

 violation of the well-established law of electric decomposi- 

 tion which proved, in the most decisive manner, that the 

 effect observed was not due to its operation. 



By employing paper moistened by various decomposable 

 solutions, and connected with the electrical machine 



