Experiments and Observations Tending to Illustrate the Nature and Properties of Electricity: In One Letter to Martin Folkes, Esq; President, and Two to the Royal SocietyWatson, William, Sir
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Experiments and Observations Tending to Illustrate the Nature and Properties of Electricity: In One Letter to Martin Folkes, Esq; President, and Two to the Royal Society
Watson, William, Sir
Electricity -- Early works to 1850
I HAVE heretofore mentioned, how considerably perfectly dry Air conduces
to the Success of these Experiments; but we have been lately informed by
an Extract of a Letter, that _Abbé Nolet_ was of Opinion, that they
would succeed in wet Weather, provided the Tubes were made of Glass,
tinged blue with Zaffer. I have procured Tubes of this Sort, but, after
giving them many candid Trials, I cannot think them equal to their
Recommendation. I first tried one of them in a smart Shower of Rain
after a dry Day, when the Drops were large, and the Spirit fired three
Times in about four Minutes; the same Effect succeeded, under the same
Circumstances, from the white one; but after three or four Hours
raining, when the Air was perfectly wet, I never could make it succeed.
And to illustrate this Matter further, I have been able when the Weather
has been very dry, with once rubbing my Hand down this blue Tube, and
applying it to the End of an Iron Rod six Feet long, to throw off
several Pieces of Leaf-Silver lying upon a Card at the other End of this
Rod, whereas I never have been able to throw it off by any Means in very
wet Weather. Besides, I am of Opinion, that after the Electrical Fire is
gone from the Tube, the Tube has no Share in the conducting of it; my
Sentiments on that Head I laid before you in a former Paper: For if the
Silk Lines are wetted, they diffuse all the Electricity, and the same
Effects happen when the Air is wet, be your Glass of what Colour it
will. It may not be improper here to observe, that Zaffer, which is used
by the Glass-makers and Enamellers, is made of Cobalt or Mundick
calcin'd after the subliming the Flowers. This being reduced to a very
fine Powder, and mixt with twice or thrice its own Weight of finely
powdered Flints, is moisten'd with Water and put up in Barrels, in which
it soon runs into a hard Mass and is call'd Zaffer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Experiments and Observations Tending to Illustrate the Nature and Properties of Electricity: In One Letter to Martin Folkes, Esq; President, and Two to the Royal Society — John Shaqi
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