chemical Agencies of Electricity . 21 
analogous results. When the compounds of the strong mineral 
acids with alkaline or alkaline-earthy bases, were introduced 
into one tube of glass, distilled water connected by amianthus 
being in another tube, both connected by wires of platina 
in the Voltaic arrangement, the base always passed into the 
distilled water when it was negative, and the acid when it 
was positive. 
The metals and the metallic oxides passed towardsr the 
negative surface like the alkalies, and collected round it. In a 
case in which solution of nitrate of silver was used on the 
positive side, and distilled water on the negative, silver ap- 
peared on the whole of the transmitting amianthus, so as to 
cover it with a thin metallic film. 
The time required for these transmissions (the quantity 
and intensity of the electricity, and other circumstances re- 
maining the same ) seemed to be in some proportion as the 
length of the intermediate volume of water. Thus when with 
the power of 100, sulphate of potash was on the negative side, 
and distilled water on the positive side, the distance between 
the wires being only an inch, sulphuric acid, in sufficient 
quantity to be very manifest, was found in the water in less 
than five minutes : but when the tubes were connected by an 
intermediate vessel of pure water, so as to make the circuit 
8 inches, 14 hours were required to produce the same effect. 
To ascertain whether the contact of the saline solution with, 
a metallic surface was necessary for the decomposition and 
transfer, I introduced purified water into two glass tubes ; a 
vessel containing solution of muriate of potash was connected 
with them respectively by amianthus ; and the arrangement 
was made in such a way, that the level of both the portions 
