to support it on the sides with three pillars of glass, or varnished wood. The pile, thus formed, was found to unite the effects of as many pairs of plates as might be employed. Previously to this, no other effect had been produced than what resulted from the energy of a single pair of plates. A pile of 50 pairs of plates, with as many corresponding pieces of wet cloth, was found to give a pretty smart shock, similar to an electric shock, every time that a communication was made between the top and bottom of the pile. It was found, however, that little or no shock was perceived, when the bands, or other parts applied, were not previously moistened. It was also ob. served that the effect was increased, when a larger surface was exposed to the action of the pile. If the communication were made by touching the pile with the tip of each finger merely, the effect was not perceived beyond the joint of the knuckle; but if a spoon, or other metallic substance, were grasped in moistened hands, the effect was felt up to the shoulder. If the communication be formed between any part of the face, particularly near the eyes, and another part of the body, a vivid flash of light is perceived before the eyes, corresponding with the shock. This phenomena may be more faintly observed, by placing a piece of silver, as a shilling, between the upper lip and the gum, and laying a piece of zinc at the same time upon the tongue : upon bringing the two metals in contact, a faint flash of light is perceived. It is singular, that this light is equally vivid in the dark with the strongest light, and whether the eyes be shut or open. Another variety of galvanic battery was also contrived by Volta. The pairs of plates were soldered to each end of a bit of wire, which were afterwards bent into an arch, so that the plates became parallel to each other. A number of glass cups were also provided, and filled with a solution of culinary salt. The glasses being arranged side by side, the metallic arcs were so placed, that the silver plate was immersed into one glass, and the zinc in another; and also that a silver and zinc plate of different arcs should be placed in each glass. This arrangement was found to be similar to the pile, the water in the cups being substituted for the disks of cloth. Soon after the discovery of the pile, in 1800, it was communicated by Volta himself to the Royal Society, London. The first experiments made in this country upon the Voltaic pile were made jointly by Messrs. Nicholson and Carlisle. After observing the phenomena already described by Volta, they observed an important fact, which had escaped the notice of that acute philosopher. When bringing the wire from the bottom of the pile, in contact with a drop of water at the top, they observed the disengagement of some gaseous substance, which had the smell of hydrogen. Supposing this effect to arise from the decomposition of the water, they caused the ends of two brass wires, coming from the two ends of the pile, to be immersed in water, so that a portion of that liquid might be exposed between the wires. A disengagement of gas immediately took place from one of the wires, while the other became as quickly tarnished, and oxydated. The former appearance took place at the silver end of the pile, the latter at the zine end. They ascertained, that the effect would not take place when the wires were placed far asunder, and that the effect diminished gradually with the distance. They observed, also, that when the tincture of litmus was used, instead of water, the liquid in the vicinity of the oxydated wire, being that connected with the zinc end, became red. When they made use of wire of platina, instead of brass, they observed that the wire from the zinc end of the pile, which, when of brass, became oxydated, now gave out bubbles of gas, which they found to be oxygen. In short, they determined that the gases evolved were oxygen and hy. drogen, and in proportions fit to constitute water. These discoveries established the chemical nature of the galvanic action in England; and they soon spread over all Europe. The above experiments were repeated by Mr. Cruikshank, of Woolwich. He employed a glass tube, filled with water, having a cork at each end, through which wires of silver were passed, the points of which were separated from each other by a stratum of the liquid. Upon the wires being communicated with the two ends of the piles, the same appearances took place which were observed by Messrs. Nicholson and Carlisle the silver wire, however, connected with the zinc end of the pile, became oxydated, the oxide forming a white cloud round the wire: he also, instead of water, introduced into the tube an infusion of Brazil wood. During the galvanic action, the colour in the vicinity of the wire of the zinc end be. came very pale, while that about the wire of the silver end of the pile appeared of a purple colour. When a metallic solu 1. tion was placed in the tube, Mr. Cruick- He next caused the galvanic current to It will be easily perceived, that there is the strictest analogy between the trough and the pile, in point of arrangement. See fig. 1. The pair of plates of zinc and silver, which, in the pile, are simply laid upon each other, are, in the trough, soldered together, and cemented into the grooves; and the cavity or cells formed by the spaces between each pair of plates, in the trough, being filled with a solution of salt or other appropriate liquid, stands in the stead of the pieces of moistened cloth, between the plates of the pile. Several powerful troughs were soon after constructed, the effects of which were strikingly evinced, in producing other phenomena, not as yet observed. Very small wires and foils of metal, being exposed in their circuit, were deflagrated with great brilliancy A number of galvanic experiments were made by Dr. Henry, of Manchester, in which he succeeded in decomposing the sulphuric and the nitric acids, and ammonia. Mr. Davy, professor of chemistry at the Royal Institution, made a number of experiments, the most particular of which were those, in which he ascertained, that the dissimilarity of metals was not absolutely essential to the galvanic process. He succeeded, first, in exciting this energy by means of one metal, the two sides of which were separated from each other. An oxydating liquid, such as an acid, was placed on one side of the plate, and a liquid, having a contrary effect, on the other. He afterwards produced an effect, though more faintly, by treating plates of charcoal in a similar way. Hence it would appear, from these results, that the dissi. milarity of the metals was only necessary to the furnishing two surfaces of different degrees of oxydability. Hitherto it was not generally admitted, that the fluids of galvanism and electricity were identical. Dr. Wallaston made a number of experiments, which seem to have completely settled this point. He sncceeded in decomposing water, by means of a current from the common electric machine. This effect, which had been performed with so much facility with the galvanic apparatus, was previously not known to be able to be produced by common electricity, and had hitherto appeared the most striking difference between the two principles. This ingenious experimentalist made a number of other experiments, tending to throw much light on the means of exciting and appreciating galvanic phenomena. He immersed each extremity of a piece of zinc and silver in dilute muriatic or sulphuric acid. The zinc, as would be expected, immediately caused the disengagement of hydrogen gas, while no appearance took place upon the silver. As soon, however, as the two metals were made to touch each other at the opposite extremities, bubbles of hydrogen were copiously given out by the silver wire, Any other metal, capable of being acted upon by the acid, being substituted for the zinc, produced with the silver a similar effeet. When gold was employed with silver, iron, or copper, in the dilute nitric acid, the same effect was produced; the gold being the same with the silver in the first experiment. He made similar experiments, using metallic solutions instead of the dilute acid. Instead, however, of silver or gold giving out hydrogen gas, on the contact being made, the metal in solution became reduced. Thus, when iron and silver were placed in a solution of copper, the iron immediately began to reduce the copper in solution, while the silver had not the slightest action. Upon bringing the two metals in contact, however, the silver became coated with copper. Dr. Wallaston attributes the curious phenomon, above described, to a change of states in the electricity of the metals; and in order to confirm this idea, he attempted the same by means of common electricity, in which he succeeded to his utmost satisfaction. He supposes, that the chemical affinities are so altered by the presence or absence of electricity, as to induce the anomalous appearances which took place in the above experiments. The silver wire became coated with copper, and at the same time appeared to have the power of decomposing water. The only mystery we observe in these experiments is the liberation of the hydrogen, in a situation where no oxygen is manifested, either in the form of gas, or in any other state. Nor does the new doctrine, lately advanced by Mr. Davy, throw much light on this subject. The zinc, in this experiment, is said to be positively electrified, and the copper or silver to be negative. That the zinc, on that account, attracts the oxygen of the water, and the silver the hydrogen. That the constituent parts of water are by the same law made to appear in situations where the decomposition did not take place, is very evident; hence it would appear that the hydrogen is carried by some means from the zinc to the silver; or that the oxygen passes from the silver to the zinc; or, according to Mr. Davy's hypothesis, the decomposition of the watertakes place between the metals, the oxygen passing inevitably to the zinc, and the hydrogen in a similar way to the silver. To the latter there are several objections, which will appear from the following experi ments. Let a tube of three feet in length be filled with dilute muriatic acid, and cork. ed at both ends, having a wire of zinc inserted in one end, and one of silver or platina in the other. The zinc will im. mediately begin to give out hydrogen, but no effect will be observed at the silver wire. Let a communication be established between the wires on the outside of the tube. The silver does not immediately give out bubbles, as was the case in the experiments of Dr. Wollaston, nor does that effect take place till a few se conds after the contact of the metals. Can we for a moment suppose that the slight negative and positive electricity produced by the contact of two small wires, which would not affect the most delicate electrometer, can have the pow er, the one of attracting oxygen, and the other hydrogen, at the distance of eighteen inches, reckoning from the middle of the tube? If the same tube be bent in the middle to an acute angle, like the letter V, according to Mr. Davy's hypothesis, the appearance of the hydrogen at the silver wire ought to take place as soon after the contact, as with the straight tube; but what is very singular, it will not take place at all. This experiment would seem to prove, that one of the constituents of the water is carried through the whole length of the tube; and that by some law which differs from those of electricity, since the angle of the tube appeared to interrupt its passage. The interruption is still greater, even with a shorter tube, when the tube is bent in different places, forming a sort of zig-zag. The idea that hydrogen is carried from the zinc to the copper-wire, is strongly favoured by another experiment. Take the glass tube A B, fig. 2, filled with dilute muriatic acid, having a cork at B, through which the wires, z and e are passed, z being a wire of zinc, and e a wire of platina, silver, or copper. So long as the wires remain unconnected at z, the platina-wire appears unchanged; but as soon as the contact is formed, bubbles of hydrogen are first seen at d; they then very slowly begin to appear in the lower parts of the wire; but what is singular, the moment they begin to appear atƒ, they are also seen at s, and some seconds are elapsed before any bubbles are seen at g. If the hydrogen in the last experiment were attracted by the negative state of the platina-wire, since the metal is the best conductor, it would seem, that the points would be the last part to have parted with its electricity; and, of course, the bubbles of hydrogen ought to. have appeared the last at that point, whicn is contrary to fact. It therefore appears more likely that the hydrogen has been held in combination by the electricity, the latter of which is taken by the nearest metallic conducter in the circuit, leaving the hydrogen in its gaseous form: the law, however, by which it moves along the liquid, does not appear to agree with any known properties of electricity, since the hydrogen is some seconds in reaching the point g. It will appear from the above experiments, that the galvanic phenomena are essentially promoted, by having two metallic surfaces so situated that one shall be oxydated, and that the other shall be situated as near it as possible, for the purpose of receiving its electricity. We have shewn, that the current is not only interrupted by distance, but that it is essential the passage should be a direct line. In Dr. Wollaston's experiments, when the wires were placed in a metallic solution, such as that of copper and silver, and the contact formed between the zinc and silver wires, no hydrogen was evolved by the latter, the contrary of which was the case with the dilute acid; but the metal in solution became reduced upon the silver. There does not appear any thing mysterious in the reduction of the metal, since the hydrogen does not appear, being employed in the deoxydation of the metal. A further proof that this is the case is, that no other metals can be reduced in this way but such as do not decompose water. This singular process enables us to account for several facts which have hitherto appeared anomalous. If a glass plate be smeared over with a solution of nitrate of silver, and a common pin be laid in the middle of the plate, beautiful ramifications of metallic silver will soon appear, as if vegetating from the pin. If the process be examined by a magnifying glass, the ramifications of silver may be fairly seen to grow from their ends. Though the more oxydable metal, the pin, may, in the first instance, have reduced a portion of silver, it does not account for the vegetative appearance which is afterwards observed. The pin cannot reduce the silver at so great a distance from itself, which is sometimes more than an inch In order to prove, that the agency of the oxydable metal was not essential to the reduction of the metal, the writer of this article covered one half of the plate with liquid nitrate of silver, and the other half with dilute muriatic acid, suffering the liquids to touch each other; a wire of zinc was laid in the dilute acid, and one of platina in the nitrate of silver. As soon as the opposite ends of the wires were brought in contact, beautiful ramifications of silver soon began to appear from the platina wire, but no gas was observed. If a solution of gold be used, instead of that of silver, the platina becomes speedily gilt. The experiment producing what is called the lead-tree cannot be accounted for in any other way it consists in filling a bottle with a solution of acetate of lead, in the upper part of which is suspended a piece of metallic zinc: in the course of a day or two, metallic lead is observed in shining filaments, suspended from the piece of zinc. The same difficulty occurs in this as in the last experiment: the filaments of lead constantly grow from the ends at a distance of many inches from the zinc. In order to prove that this experiment is similar to the last, that is, that the lead is reduced by the hydrogen, take a tube, A B, fig. 3, at one end of which tie a piece of bladder so tight that the tube may hold water; let a cork be inserted at A, through which the platina wire, P p, is passed; the tube being set upright in the zinc cup, D, containing dilute muriatic acid, and a connection formed at P, the platina soon becomes covered with brilliant crystals of metallic lead: hence it would appear, that the platina had the power of reducing the lead into its metallic state, or that some substance had been transmitted through the bladder adequate to that effect. If, instead of the acetate of lead, the tube be filled with dilute acid, upon the connection being formed at P, the platina becomes covered with bubbles of hydrogen: need we, therefore, hesitate in concluding, that the lead owes its reduction to the hydrogen? The method of whitening brass and copper, by boiling them with cream of tartar and tin, is a process of this kind; the cream of tartar, and the metallic tin, answering the purpose of the zinc and acetate of lead in the last experiment: a portion of the tin in solution is reduced upon the copper or brass, rendering it white by the hydrogen which is produced during the galvanic contact of the copper or brass with the tin. In all the experiments, the zinc wire is, during its contact with that of the platina, silver, &c. undergoing an increased oxydation, which is proportionate to the quantity of hydrogen evolved at the platina wire; since the oxygen of that and hydrogen, both of which are derived from the water, are disposed of in the oxydation of the zinc. The hydrogen passes from the zinc to the opposite wire, with the greatest facility, through a direct liquid communication, the shorter the better. It becomes much interrupted by having to turn sharp angles, or in passing through small apertures. It passes with more or less freedom through solid bodies, when moistened with water, but ⚫ does not pass at all, except when moisture is present. Having given an account of the effects resulting from a single galvanic combination, we will next give some account of the constructions of that compound apparatus, termed Galvanic, or, more properly, the Voltaic battery. The pile of Volta, of which we have already given a slight description, is at present so little used, that we shall direct our attention more particularly to the trough, as being more convenient for experiments than the pile, and at the same time less liable to be out of order. The wood of which the trough is formed should be the oldest and hardest mahogany, being less liable to warp than other kinds of wood. The sides of the trough must be dove-tailed together, and the bottom ought to be grooved into the eides, and fitted in with turpentine; perpendicular grooves must be made in the sides of the trough, for the reception of the plates, correspondent to which there must be grooves in the bottom. When the length of a trough is more than two feet, it becomes unwieldly; it should not even be that length, when the size of the plates would render it too heavy to be handed about. The distance between the plates should be about three-eighths of an inch; if they are nearer together, the acid employed is too soon exhausted, and, consequently, the power of the battery less lasting. The plates should be of copper and zinc. Though silver is stronger than copper, it is not so in proportion to the price. The zinc plates are best cut out of sheets of malleable zinc, as being cheap. er, less liable to break, and may be used much thinner. The copper may be employed so thin as six ounces to the square foot. The plates of copper, being made a little larger than the zinc, may be lapped over the edges of the latter, by which means they ht much closer to the zinc plate, without the labour of hammering the copper plates previously flat. The copper plates only require to be soldered to the upper edge of the zinc plate, since the other three edges are so secured with cement in the grooves as to preclude the necessity of soldering. The lapping over of the copper is sufficient to keep it close to the zinc plate till the plate is fastened in the trough. Previously to inserting the plates in the trough, the in side must be lined with a cement, formed of resin and bees-wax, or, what is cheaper, of six parts of resin and one of lime and oil. The plates, being previously warmed, are to be pressed down into the grooves before the cement becomes quite cold. After the plates have been inserted, in such order that all the zinc surfaces shall face one way and the copper the other, the cement must be more evenly adjusted with a hot iron which will reach to the bottom of the cells; the trough being laid first on one side and then on the other for that purpose. When the cementing process is finished, and the whole sufficiently cold, the trough must be dressed off, and varnished with copal varnish, where it can be had; but in lieu of that with common spirit varnish. When the varnish is dry, it must be polished with rotten-stone and water. In the above construction it is manifest that two of the surfaces are lost by being laid and soldered together. About two years ago the writer of this article had conceived the possibility of making use of both the surfaces of the copper and zinc plates at the same time. According ly he cemented into a trough, in the groove made for the plates of metal, plates of glass. The metal plates were formed by soldering together a plate of each, of copper and zinc, and then bending them till the plates became parallel to each other, leaving a space between the two surfaces a little wider than the thickness of the glass plates. The cells between the glass plates being filled with the proper liquid, each of the above compound plates were made to bestride one of the glass plates, in such order that a zinc and copper plate of two different compound plates, in succession to each other, may occupy each of the cells. All the surfaces are by this contrivance exposed to the action of the liquid, and might be considered double the pow er of a common trough, having the same number of plates. Little or no advantage was gained by this method. Though there are two surfaces of each metal in each of the cells, it will be evident, from several minor experiments already given, that two of the surfaces are so completely disconnected as to produce little or no effect. One of the zinc surfaces in this trough is facing the glass on one side the cell, and one of the copper surfaces is similarly situated on the other side. The trough, therefore, which is represented in figure 1, and which has been |