V. Electrolytic conduction in solids.—First example. hot glass

Abstract

Many years ago I projected an experiment to test the voltaic relations between different metals with glass substituted for the electrolytic liquid of an ordinary simple voltaic cell, and with so high a temperature that the glass would have conducting-power sufficient to allow induction through it to rule the difference of potentials between the two metals. Imperfect instrumental arrangements, and want of knowledge of the temperature at which glass would have sufficient conductivity to give satisfactory results, have hitherto prevented me from carrying out the proposed investigation. The quadrant electrometer has supplied the first of these deficiencies, and Mr. Perry’s recent experiments on the conductivity of glass at different temperatures the second. The investigation has now been resumed; and in a preliminary experiment I have already obtained a very decided result.