1884.] On Electricity and its Present Applications. 
457 
particles of matter. Indeed it is quite possible, by means 
of electricity, to loose the molecular attraction of different 
kinds of matter for each other, and to reduce them to their 
elementary form, as was done in the notable case of Sir 
Humphry Davy’s discovery of the metallic bases of the 
alkalies and their allies. It seems to require the presence 
of gravitation — that is to say, the attractive force of a large 
mass of matter — to enable Electron to exert those chemical 
powers which constitute so important a part of his pro- 
perties. 
Thus, then, the Earth, in its rapid journey through the 
ethereal ocean of space, like the other innumerable orbs 
that are circulating there, so aCts upon that portion of ether 
that is sufficiently within the sphere of its gravitating in- 
fluence (or probably within a distance somewhat beyond the 
circuit of the atmosphere, or 45 miles) as to admit of che- 
mical — that is to say, molecular — combinations and aggre- 
gations of matter being brought into existence in such a 
condition as to be retained by the attractive power of the 
planet, and thus added as a permanent and continually aug- 
menting increment to its constitution. 
Speculating upon the possibility, or the probability of this 
hypothesis being true, it may be interesting to make an 
attempt to calculate the amount of increment that would 
thus be continually added to the mass of our Earth. 
The elements required for such a calculation are — 1st, the 
diameter of the Earth, with its atmosphere, or (say) the range 
at which its attractive power would counterbalance the 
dispersive power of electricity ; 2nd, the mean distance of 
the Earth from the Sun ; 3rd, the time of the Earth’s year, 
or revolution round the Sun ; and 4th, the proportion of 
matter that is contained in ether, — or, rather, the proportion 
of matter that can be wrested and precipitated from ether 
by the chemical and gravitative forces under the influence 
of which it is brought by the Earth’s passage through it. 
All these have been pretty exactly agreed upon by astro- 
nomers, except the last, although it is not improbable that 
even it too may be ascertained in time. But if it may be 
allowable to hazard an estimate of it, no one, I think, would 
say that, whatever may be the absolute proportion of matter 
in ether, one grain as the reducible portion of it,— that one 
grain to the cubic mile, that is to say one giain to the 
thousand millions of cubic feet, would be too laige a pro- 
portion to assign, and we will solve the pioblem upon this 
assumption. 
VOL. VI. (THIRD SERIES). 2 H 
