from the Report of the Committee , See. 8 1 1 
rounded ends will; and, fecondly, their incapacity to 
draw away more than a certain quantity of electricity 
without an explofion. 
The firft quality enables them, when electricity is ac- 
cumulated gradually, or when they are brought gra- 
dually towards the electrified body, to fteal away the 
fluid by little and little, till there is not enough left to 
give an explofion. And hence, in common experiments, 
the point, placed at a greater diftance than the ball, will 
prevent the eleCtricity from exploding, as it otherwife 
would do, upon the latter. But if we combine this qua- 
lity with the fecond, the fuperior propenfity to admit, 
with the incapacity in certain circumftances of difeharg- 
ing fllently, it will be evident, a priori , that the pheno- 
mena muft in fuch cafes be reverfed, juft as they appear 
to be in Mr. Wilson’s experiments; that the point muft 
ftrike at a greater diftance, and the rounded end at a 
lefler. 
What puts this matter beyond a doubt is, that when 
the double or interrupted conductor is ufed, the experi- 
ment may be fo managed, as that the ball fhall receive 
an explofion at a greater diftance than the point, or the 
point at a greater diftance than the ball, at the pleafure 
of the operator. If care be taken, at the beginning of 
the experiment, to fet the fecond conductor at the greateft 
5 H 2 diftance 
