Experiments and Observations Tending to Illustrate the Nature and Properties of Electricity. William Watson

Fire I was capable, whilst an Assistant near the End of the Poker held in his Hand a Spoon, in which were the warm Spirits. Thus the Thread communicated the Electricity to the Poker, and the Spirit was fired at the other End. It must be observ'd in this Experiment, that the Spoon with the Spirit must not touch the Poker; if it does, the Electricity without any flashing is communicated to the Spoon, and to the Assistant in whose Hand it is held, and so is lost in the Floor.

      By these Means, I fired several Times not only the ætherial Liquor or Phlogiston of Frobenius and rectified Spirit of Wine, but even common proof Spirit. These Experiments, as I before observ'd, were made last Friday Night, the Air being perfectly dry. Sunday proved wet and Monday somewhat warm, so that the Air was full of Vapour; Wind South-West and cloudy. Under these Disadvantages, on Monday Night I attempted again my Experiments; they succeeded, but with infinitely more Labour than the preceeding, because of the Unfitness of the Evening for such Trials. Your Candour will not permit you to think my Minuteness trivial, with Regard to the Circumstances of the Weather, who know, how many Things must concur to make these Experiments succeed. I shall wait with Impatience for a proper Opportunity to have these Experiments repeated in your Presence, and am, with the utmost Respect,

Sir, your most obedient,

humble Servant,

W. Watson.

Aldersgate-Street,

March 27. 1746.

      TO THEROYAL SOCIETY

      Gentlemen,

      I lately acquainted you, that I had been able to fire Spirit of Wine, Phlogiston of Frobenius, and common proof Spirit, by the Power of Electricity. Since which (till Yesterday) we have had but one very dry fine Day; viz. Monday, April 15. Wind E. N. E.; when about four o'Clock in the Afternoon, I got my Apparatus ready, and fired the Spirit of Wine four Times from the Poker as before, three Times from the Finger of a Person electrified, standing upon a Cake of Wax, and once from the Finger of a second Person standing upon Wax, communicating with the first by means of a walking Cane held between their Arms extended. The horizontal Distance in this Case between the glass Tube and the Spirit was at least ten Feet.

      You all know, that there is the repulsive Power of Electricity, as well as the attractive; inasmuch as you are able, when a Feather or such-like light Substance is replete with Electricity, to drive it about a Room, which Way you please. This repulsive Power continues, until either the Tube loses its excited Force, or the Feather attracts the Moisture from the Air, or comes near to some non-electric Substance; if so, the Feather is attracted by, and its Electricity lost in, whatever Non-Electric it comes near. In electrified Bodies, you see a perpetual Endeavour to get rid of their Electricity. This induced me to make the following Experiment. I placed a Man upon a Cake of Wax, who held in one of his Hands a Spoon with the warm Spirits, and in the other a Poker with the Thread. I rubbed the Tube amongst the Thread, and electrified him as before. I then ordered a Person not electrified to bring his Finger near the Middle of the Spoon; upon which, the Flash from the Spoon and Spirit was violent enough to fire the Spirit. This Experiment I then repeated three Times. In this Method, the Person by whose Finger the Spirit of Wine is fired, feels the Stroke much more violent, than when the electrical Fire goes from him to the Spoon. This Method for the Sake of Distinction, we will call the repulsive Power of Electricity.