464 
The Source of Electric Energy. 
[August, 
turn, resist disturbance to their normal conditions, and there 
is thus a struggle between two opposed energies, of which 
the strongest must conquer. If restoration of normal con- 
ditions be produced inwardly, no result appears; if out- 
wardly, a flow of eleCtric force is the apparent result. 
In the case of a conductor of galvanic electricity the con- 
ditions are really similar to those existing in static conductors. 
The flow of the current is here preceded by an induCtive 
aCtion in both directions, whose result is the appearance of 
free positive electricity on one pole and negative on the 
other. This induCtive aCtion rapidly increases as the energy 
of chemical aCtion becomes more declared. Finally, the 
polarisation is so vigorous as to overcome the resistance of 
the dieleCtric medium, and the two electricities become 
neutralised in this medium, with the production of a con- 
centrated local energy by their combination, vigorous enough 
to yield heat and light. Or if the resistance be too great for 
this, particles are torn bodily off from the poles, and con- 
veyed across the intervening space, the energy which they 
carry becoming partly converted into heat in the passage. 
The eleCtric current here produced is not confined to solid 
conductors. It also passes through liquids, — either that 
concerned in the chemical aCtion, or other liquids introduced 
at intervals in the current. And its passage through these 
liquids is accomplished in a mode which it is usual to con- 
sider as peculiar, and essentially different from its method of 
passage through solids. If, however, the hypothesis which 
I have here presented is a correct one, the method of elec- 
tric conduction is the same in all cases, and there is nothing 
peculiar in electrolytic conduction. The electrolyte is made 
up of compound molecules. Conduction in it is undoubtedly 
preceded by induction, as elsewhere. The motive relations 
of its molecules are disturbed, one of the constituents of the 
compound becoming positive, the other negative. If, as in 
static electricity, the influencing cause be removed, these 
disturbed conditions re-combine in the molecule, its weakened 
chemical coherence is restored, and no change results. If, 
on the contrary, eleCtric energy be produced, the disturbed 
conditions re-combine outwardly, the polar elements of each 
two adjacent molecules combining, with a neutralisation of 
their opposite electricities. In this case, then, the flow of 
the eleCtric current is accompanied by a chemical disinte- 
gration and reintegration, which extends in lines from the 
point of chemical aCtion to the conducting poles. No energy 
actually passes. The energy emitted by the chemical aCtion 
is employed in neutralising the opposite electricity of the 
