66 
REPORT—1854. 
tliat it takes place even at the low temperature of 180°, 212° and 260° Falir. He 
also ftmnd that cotton and flax fibres, when prepared as above and (lien submitted to 
the influence of steam of three lbs. pressure, were destroyed. 
On the apparently Mechanical Action accompanying Electric Transfer. 
By Andrew Crosse. 
The author found, by electrifying a sovereign positively in close contact with » 
piece of carbonate of lime, under nitric acid diluted with fifty times its quantity of 
water, that a portion of the milled edge of the coin was struck off in pieces, some of 
which were large enough to retain the milled edge upon them distinctly. The voluic 
action was kept up for fifty hours ; and at the expiration of that time the coin hod 
iost three grains in weight; and a ground glass rod that used to keep the coin in con* 
toct with the limestone was permanently gilded ; and this took place at the positive 
e ' ".h 0 weight of the portions removed from the coin exactly corresponded with 
he deficiency. The solution being tested contained nitrate of lime, but uo gold i t 
copper. He likewise found, on repeating this experiment with sulphuric acid, similarly 
diluted the voltaic action being kept up for ninety hours—that six grains of 
were removed from the edge of the coin; and the pieces broken off weighed the >»nif. 
i A tn P .°t gains being placed on the edges of the jar containing the dilute acid, ar J 
Halt an inch above its surface, am! in a line with the electric current, had its to*" 
part covered with crystals of sulphate of lime, each one of which was at rigid nu;‘ ' 
to the electric current. The friction of the carbonic acid gas, liberated from that part 
m contact with the coin, was apparently the mechanical cause o v.t 
removat of the edges. The author stated that ho had tried various experiments tot" 
SITS? 0 ”!" 1 * Voltaic electricity upon different substances, which in his opinion 
P ie effects of the mechanical action accompanying electric transfer. 
On the Decomposition of Magnesian Limestone at Brodsicorth. 
By J. A. Davies. 
° n Collodion Photographs of the Moons Surface. By Dr. Edwards. 
the j°>»mcncemont of the present year, the Liverpool Photographic Society, 
A * ? ng 4 ie . !/ n l ,ortnnc e of tiiis object, and the interest felt in it by the ‘ 
Hartmmof.f Ir • lllst \ ncotin fr requested Mr. J. A. Forrest, its Secretary, Mr - 
SSZtf*" , ‘! Ver l'Oil Observatory, and the author, to act as a committee M 
tlu> nfJ* ° llo gruph9 of the moon by the Liverpool telescope, and to lav them ^ 
,r:r nM ^ of thc This Committee have produced aji- 
nrcsen' reS w 4 variable WWCCM, and some of the most perfect copies 
mounting a JVV Un $‘ ^l' e telescope is furnished with an excellent eq ^ 
lias a for^'l I C J° cl / Work mol *on of great firmnesa and steadiness. The o J ^ 
=£?*£** * a,,0Ut l2 * 4cc L and a small camera-box being substitutedfj ^ 
oJdiWvmi! * aS received upon the ground glass, nr prepared Hate, i ,, 
be about p;«,h» n » r ' n,,,c h fruitless labour, the chemical focus was dl ? C 0 .-fT- 
corrected *“ i,,eh h ^ d llia » of the visual one, thc glass 
nearly cninmA*** 9 ?' ,n . ro *P <?cl to its actinic focus. This we have since f . 
with the 0 Yiwf n W f if t i" ? °f f° C1 ’ the several lenses is duly a . 
once accnrw^ir* 5 * ° f roft ' ssor Phillips ami other labourers iu the same held- ^ ^ 
at first 'difficult C0l,rBe answers for all subsequent experimen • ,. c 
to Si mSrfS. deC tf e Whether wont of sharpness of outline observed ™ , 
Aave been obfaMlwS? ° r ,m P erfect ,bcusi »g» and the . ,no8t f^J^additio" 
to the elock mnif. “V % continual motion of Mr. Hartnup'a steady hand m ^ 
piece of good *V 8 °) e ,vas kt, j't on ihe finder with a . ,nlCI ™ iut f n tii« 
field without nrn»«.h»^i whlc . h * ie couIf l maintain the position of a given po 
Sir bdif2Eu # T ial ! on ' A " d > when the nrnon is 
accurately^ 5 ^ **“ above the only mode of following her 
The author described the chemicals used. 
