[ 55 1 
the Water, or (which makes the Pofture more 
agreeable) a Rod of Metal held therein. Another 
Wire having no Communication with any of the 
former, was let down from the before-mention'd 
Room, and down the Steps upon the Surry Shore : 
One Extremity of this Wire was held in the Hand 
of an Obferver handing upon thefe Steps, who dip- 
ped an iron Rod held in his other Hand into the 
Water : To the other Extremity of this Wire was 
faftened a fhort iron Rod, with which, when the elec- 
fied Phial was fufficiently charged, and the Signal 
given, the Gun-barrel was to be touched. 
The Gentlemen, by this Difpolition of the Ap- 
paratus , propofed to examine principally thefe three 
Queftions: Firft, whether or no the Obfervers (land- 
ing on each Side of the River would perceive the 
electrical Commotion, each putting an iron Rod 
into the Water? Secondly, Whether or no the 
Obfervers on both Sides of the River would feel 
the ele&rical Commotion, when the Obferver (land- 
ing upon the fVefhninJier Shore removed the iron 
Rod held in his Hand out of the Water? Thirdly, 
Whether or no the ele&ricai Power was perceptible 
to the Obfervers on both Sides of the River, if the 
Obferver upon the fVeJlminfter Shore dipped his 
Hand into a Pail of Water, which had no Commu- 
nication with the Water of the Thames. 
It was determined firft, upon proper Signals, to 
difcharge the ele&rified Phial in the manner before- 
mention'd, the Obfervers on each Side of the River 
holding the iron Rods in the Water, and this Ex- 
periment was to be repeated three times. This was 
attempted accordingly 5 and although the Obferver 
on 
