Acting upon this principle, Dr. Wollaston succeeded in producing a very close imitation of the chemical action of galvanism by common electricity; such, for example, as the decomposition of water, and other effects of oxidation and deoxidation.[60] In the prosecution of this train of research, he displays, in a very striking manner, that attention to minute arrangement which so remarkably characterised all his manipulations. I particularly allude to the expedients by which he reduced the extremity of a gold wire, in order to apportion the strength of the electric charge to the quantity of water submitted to its influence. [60] M. Bonijol of Geneva has lately succeeded in effecting the decomposition of _Potash_ and the _Chloride of Silver_ by ordinary electricity. His process consists in placing these substances in a very narrow glass tube, and in then passing a series of electric sparks from the ordinary machine through them. The electricity was conducted into the tube by means of two metallic wires fixed into the ends. When a quick succession of electric sparks had taken place for about five or ten minutes, the tube containing chloride of silver was found to contain reduced silver; and when potash had been submitted to the electric current, then the Potassium was seen to take fire as it was produced. The same philosopher has likewise contrived to decompose water by atmospheric electricity. The electricity, in this case, is collected from the atmosphere by means of a very fine point fixed at the extremity of an insulated rod; the latter is connected with the apparatus, in which the water is to be decomposed, by a metallic wire, of which the diameter does not exceed 1-50th of an inch. In this way the decomposition of the water proceeds in a continuous and rapid manner, although the atmospheric electricity be not strong. Stormy weather, it is said, is quite sufficient for the purpose.--_Bib. Univers._ 1830, p. 213. and _Royal Institution Journal_, No. 2. Although it is now very generally admitted, that the chemical agency of the fluids upon the metals employed is highly essential to the maintenance of Voltaic action, there still remains considerable doubt as to how far we are entitled to regard it as the first in the order of phenomena.