One important advantage is realized in this respect by combining the ring and the network in the form of a reticulated ring having a diameter of from 1 to 11/2 meters. On cutting this ring at a given place and according to a certain radius we obtain the reticulated ribbon shown in the accompanying figure. The thickness of the wires is 2.5 mm., and their weight is 0.475 kilo. per meter. L, L, and L are the points at which the conducting cable is soldered. A reticulated ribbon of copper can be made in advance of any length whatever, and, according to local exigencies, it may be easily curved and given the form of a flat or cylindrical ring of varying width. Even though the ribbon has already been cut for a ring of given diameter, it may be still further enlarged by drawing it out and leaving a bit of the ring open, so as to thus obtain a nearly corresponding diminution in the resistance. Such a resistance may be still further diminished by rendering the ring higher, that is to say, by employing an annular cylindrical form. After assuring himself, by experiments on a small scale, that calculation and observation gave concordant results for the flat ring, the author made an experiment on a larger scale with the annular network. For practical reasons he employed for this purpose a copper wire 2.5 mm. in diameter, which may be expected to last as long as one of iron plate 2 mm. in thickness. Calculation showed that in a ribbon 160 mm. wide, meshes 40 mm. in breadth were advantageous and favorable as regards rigidity. A reticulated ribbon like this, 4 meters in length, was made and formed into a flat ring having an external diameter of 1.42 m. and an internal one of 1.10 m. The resistance of this ring was found to be W = 0.3485 (1/_k_), and that of a plate one meter square, W0 = 0.368 (1/_k_). As the conductivity of the earth is very variable, and as we cannot have an absolute guarantee that the ramming will be uniform, it seemed proper to make the measurements of the resistance by fixing the plate and the ring in succession to the lower surface of a small raft, in such a way that the contact with the water should correspond as well as possible to the suppositions made for the calculation. As a second ground conductor, a system of water pipes was used, and, after this, a lightning rod conductor, etc. Repeated and varied experiments gave, for the calculation of the values of the resistances, equations so concordant that the following results may be considered very approximate. The square plate had a resistance of 35.5 Siemens units, and the reticulated ring one of 32.5. From the first figure we deduce k = 1/91.12, that is to say, the specific conductivity of river-water is 1:91120000. Calculation, then, gives as the resistance of the earth in Siemens units: Calculated. Observed. Square plate. 33.5 33.5 Annular ring. 31.76 32.5