nd with equal readiness, notwithstanding that the places
of their appearance were four feet apart from each other. Finally, a piece
of string, seventy feet long, was used. It was insulated in the air by
suspenders of silk, so that the electricity passed through its entire
length: decomposition took place exactly as in former cases, alkali and
acid appearing at the two extremities in their proper places.

456. Experiments were then made both with sulphate of soda and iodide of
potassium, to ascertain if any diminution of decomposing effect was
produced by such great extension as those just described of the moist
conductor or body under decomposition; but whether the contact of the
decomposing point connected with the discharging train was made with
turmeric paper touching the prime conductor, or with other turmeric paper
connected with it through the seventy feet of string, the spot of alkali
for an equal number of turns of the machine had equal intensity of colour.
The same results occurred at the other decomposing wire, whether the salt
or the iodide were used; and it was fully proved that this great extension
of the distance between the poles produced no effect whatever on the amount
of decomposition, provided the same _quantity_ of electricity were passed
in both cases (377.).

457. The negative point of the discharging train, the turmeric paper, and
the string were then removed; the positive point was left resting upon the
litmus paper, and the latter touched by a piece of moistened string held in
the hand. A few turns of the machine evolved acid at the positive point as
freely as before.

458. The end of the moistened string, instead of being held in the hand,
was suspended by glass in the air. On working the machine the electricity
proceeded from the conductor through the wire point to the litmus paper,
and thence away by the intervention of the string to the air, so that there
was (as in the last experiment) but one metallic pole; still acid was
evolved there as freely as in any former case.

459. When any of these experiments were repeated with electricity from the
negative conductor, corresponding effects were produced whether one or two
decomposing wires were used. The results were always constant, considered
in relation to the _direction_ of the electric current.

460. These experiments were varied so as to include the action of only one
metallic pole, but that not the pole connected with the machine. Turm