New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-12-23
VOL. /. so. a2O.

vast discovery he should have made ii he could
prove that the same process which carried pois
ture into the air, again 10 descend IN the form of
rain and dew, wa, also the agent which gave bir,a
10 the lightning. the aurora and the whole class OF
electrical phenomena which TIL then had been IN
accounted for He tel; an intense and instructive
conviction OF It's truth, but Tor some tine saw no
way OF trying the experiments BY which II was to
De established. At length he MT upsn yethod,
which ne carried through with complete success
The experiment was this he procured shallow
metallic vase containing quantity OF wairr- The
surtaee beng large, process OF evaporation wa,
continuity going on. He placed this upon an in
sulailng stool. and attached metallic chain u
OF the This chain conducted 10 a.
e.ectroscope. | may here explain that clec;r;-
scope /, instrument used 10 detect tie presence
OF minute quantities of electricity. 1t consists Of.
q rod passing into glass jar, al the other end OF
which are two slips OF gilt paper, the whole being
protected from the air by the Jar. Ii the slight
possible amount OF electricity pass through the
rod 20 the leaves, it being OF the same cha actcr
each strip. these Will Glyersc and thus the pre-
,ence OF the fluid may be detected. Nov | re-
quest your particular attention 70 tins beautiful cN-
pertinent. The vase. said Volta. represents the
Earth; The water IN it the liquids upon the Earhs
surface. Now II evaporation be the cause whereby
the atmosphere becomes changed positively. this
an suve Si:-;hat the evaporation OF the water IN
tic vase. carrying off the positive electricity MI.
cave the Negative IN the metal OF the vase. Thai
cannot escape tor the is insulated failing to
escape, 1t will pass along the chain the electro
-cope. the leaves OF which will diverge, and thus
can detect 1t, rr sence Thus the leave, became
f.N-tGleS-indicutors OF the presence OF eeclrici-
~ III the Vase Volta made the experiment, and
ae result Just what ne had anticipated. A.
the evaporation had proceeded sufficiently,
tlc leases diyerged and on testing It's quality, he
found that the electricity was negative. This was
discovery of the first order, and the first ~ heh
surrounded the name OF Volta with the celebrity
which was still farther increased By his invention
OF the Eolialc Pile.
Let me mere observe that the most ssgacious
Volta in fact wrong when he said that mere
evaporation was the source OF the positive rlecrl-
city Of the air. True the evaporation of the wa
ter ia m, experiment produced this effect, and 1t Is
also true that in qualified sense, evaporation /.
me main Instrument in maintaining the positively
electrical state OF the atmosphere. Experiments
conducted by more acute minds than Volta's have
since proved that if the water be perfectly pure
it be distilled and all matter held in solution by
i; be expelled, electricity will be evolved by
evaporation. The tuct is. that all water on the
Earlh's surface holds in solution various salts
earthly matter and the presence Of these PARTICLES
Is absolutely necessary the evolution of elcctri
city by evaporation. Volta was right in the main
tact, and his discovery evnces wonderful saga
city, and was of high order; and for Volta has
received deserved credit.
Concluded to morrow.