1. Note on certain Vibrations produced by Electricity

Extract

“In the course of last summer (1858) I became acquainted with a phenomenon described by Mr Gore in the Philosophical Magazine for June (Supplement, p. 519), of the following nature:—A metal cylinder, supported on two metallic rods or rails, the latter being in connection respectively with the poles of a battery, revolves in either direction, at will, under the action of an electric current copious in quantity. Also continuous rotation of a light copper ball, supported on two circular metallic rails, takes place in either direction at pleasure, depending on the first impulse. It appeared to me very probable that this interesting fact might be applied to explain what is still obscure in the experiment on heated metals, generally known as the “Trevelyan Experiment,” described by Mr Trevelyan, in the “Edinburgh Transactions,” vol. xii., where there is also a paper by myself on the same subject.