134 Geo. Fras. Firzaeraup. On Wave Disturbances in the Ether. 
which Professor Maxwell never assumes to be propagated in time, and the other 
the effect of the wave on arriving at the point. 
Now, if we consider the case of any system of perfect conductors and non-con- 
ductors, moveable or fixed, and charged in any way, and carrying any currents, the 
interactions of the various parts may be worked out, either upon the hypothesis of 
direct action at a distance, or upon Professor Maxwell’s hypothesis of action 
through a medium. In the former method there is, however, no account taken of 
the non-conductor, nor are any variables representing it in any way involved ; 
and yet, if we are dealing with perfect conductors, such a system would be, as 
regards energy, perfectly conservative, and so cannot be such as would give rise to 
a disturbance propagated throughout space in time like light. 
I conclude from this that the origination of such disturbances is not a phenomenon 
of electric currents such as we have to deal with, but is connected with the relations 
of matter and ether, and this is probably an atomic interaction, as spectroscopic 
phenomena also seem to show and will be explained only when some workable 
hypothesis as to the nature of this interaction has been sufficiently investigated. 
If direct action, at a distance, and Professor Maxwell’s hypothesis of action 
through a medium, lead to the same results, as has been, I believe rightly, just 
now assumed, then we may assert a very general theorem concerning the displace- 
ment currents which Professor Maxwell assumes in the non-conductor, and one 
which I have not yet succeeded in proving directly—namely :— that however these 
may be produced by any system of fixed or moveable conductors charged in any 
way, and discharging themselves amongst one another, they never will be so dis- 
tributed as to originate wave disturbances propagated through space outside the 
system. 
r 
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