PROPOSAL FOR THE FORMATION OF A STEAM COMPANY. 
225: 
that a metallic conductor in the form of a 
globe contains just as much electricity when 
hollow as is it does when solid. It therefore 
appears that the electric fluid resides chiefly 
in the surface of the body ; and hence we 
may conclude, that the active electricity with 
which the earth is charged, is almost wholly 
diffused throughout the external crust com- 
posing the earth’s surface. We shall have 
occasion to notice this peculiarity when we 
come to treat of the earth’s motion on her 
axis. 
5. Transference. — ^We have seen, that 
if a body be filled or charged with electricity, 
and an empty body brought in contact with 
it, the redundant fluid will be transferred 
from the one body to the other ; and that 
there is a continual tendency in the two 
bodies to effect this transference is evinced 
by their attraction for each other ; and if the 
two bodies are allowed* to come in contact 
with the earth, the whole charge will be 
drawn off into the earth, which is the great 
conductor and reservoir of electricity. 
6. Induction. — ^The reader will find an ex- 
planation of this law in a future number. 
It is absolutely necessary before entering 
upon the following theory, that clear and 
correct ideas of the sciences of electricity and 
of the galvanic circle, should be formed in 
the mind of the reader; and if he is somewhat 
acquainted with chemistry, he will be able to 
draw deductions for himself from this know- 
ledge, which are not adverted to in this short 
treatise ; in short the whole circle of the 
physical sciences lend their aidand support to 
the hypothesis that follows, and had our own 
knowledge extended farther, we should un- 
doubtedly have been enabled to furnish argu- 
ments still more convincing than those that 
have been adduced ; but we are satisfied that 
the fundamental principle of our theory is 
correct, that the arguments advanced (and 
they are but a small number compared with 
the vast body that might be collected by a 
more intimate and extended knowledge of 
the electro-chemical operations of nature in 
her own vast laboratoi’y) , must carry con- 
viction home to every philosophic mind. In 
the leading r principles of theory, we find that 
they conform very closely to those of Sir 
Isaac Newton, and we point to this feature 
with no small satisfaction. Newton explain- 
ed the effects with precision, but he failed in 
not tracing the cause of motion to the all- 
pervading power of electricity : this defect 
must be considered as arising from the 
circumstance of electricity being almost 
wholly unknown as a science in the days 
of Newton, otherwise it could not have 
escaped the search of his powerful and dis- 
criminating mind. The materials from 
which he drew his deduction were few and 
scanty, compared with the stores that have 
since been opened to our view by the labori- 
ous researches of scientific men, but he 
made the most of his meagre stock, and 
found his way to the Temple of Science by 
intricate and narrow paths, with a certain- 
ty and precision most wonderful ; he opened 
the way, and enabled us to proceed with 
some degree of confidence ; and we humbly 
presume, that in the following theory we 
have advanced one step in the path of 
science. 
It is further necessary that a slight ac- 
quaintance with astronomy should be ob- 
tained in order to understand this theory 
correctly. It will be sufficient for this pur- 
pose to know that the sun is fixed in the 
centre of the solar system ; that he revolves 
on his axis in twenty five days ; that he is 
more than a million times larger than the 
earth, and that there is evidenee of his being 
composed of the most active elements ; that 
he is surrounded by planets which appear to 
be of a nature similar to this earth ; that 
these planets revolve round the sun in a 
circular orbit, forming their yeai^s and sea- 
sons, and also turn on their axis forming 
days and nights, and that some of these 
planets have also smaller “bodies, called 
moons or satellites, revolving round these 
somewhat in the same manner. — Mechanics' 
Magazine, 1835. 
(To he continued.) 
THE INDIA REVIEW. 
Calcutta: September 1, 1836. 
PROPOSAL FOR THE ESTABLISH- 
MENT OF A CALCUTTA COMPANY 
FOR STEAM NAVIGATION. 
Various attempts have been made to esta- 
blish communication by steam navigation 
between Calcutta and England, but, we 
regret to say, without effect ; while at 
so small a settlement as the Isle of France 
there is every prospect of vessels steaming 
between that place and the Cape as well 
as Bombay. Now, what is the cause of 
the failure of these attempts, at the capital 
of India, to attain such a desirable object ? 
The failure appears to us to have arisen 
from the circumstances of calling upon the 
people here to subscribe for such an object, 
without holding out the promise of ulterior 
gain for the amount of their subscriptions. 
The mere prospect of seeing one steamer 
and a passage expected within a given time is 
not sufficient to induce persons to come for- 
ward with the required pecuniary contribu- 
tions. The great object of the commercial com- 
munity here, if it desires to compete with. 
