from the Report of the Committee , &c. 803 
loud explofion. A third, and equally decifive, proof is 
furnilhed by Mr. nairne’s own experiments, though 
feemingly made with a contrary view. For when the 
double or interrupted conductor was ufed, and the fecond 
conductor fixed down by fcrews at about three inches 
diftance from the firft, the point prefented to the con- 
trary end of the fecond conductor was found to receive 
a ftrong and loud explofion, with a white light at the dif- 
tance of at lealt three inches. 
If we compare this experiment with another, very 
common one, exhibited at the fame time by Mr. nairne, 
the companion will, perhaps, lead us to the difccvery of 
a principle upon which electrical explofions very fre- 
quently depend. Though the point, in the circumftances 
above defcribed, received fo ftrong an explofion, yet 
when it was prefented direCtly to the prime conductor, it 
received no explofion whatever at any diftance, unlefs a 
fucceflion of weak fparks, at the diftance of about a 
quarter of an inch, can be called fo. To what mult this 
difference be attributed ? Plainly to the different quantity 
of eleCtric fluid accumulated on the prime conductor in 
the one and the other cafe. Where the point is prefented 
to the prime conductor, from the time the machine be- 
gins to work, the property which is attributed to them, 
and which, in fome cafes, they really poffefs, of ftealing 
5 G 1 away 
