Viewing page 254 of 504

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

63 (p. 61. Continued.)
principal cause of all our winds, in doing which, he hopes to bring down the vapour and exalations again, but in a manner not at all satisfactory to me. He then goes on to shew, how the general phænomena of the weather and barometer arise from his System. "First, Why it generally rains in winter, while the wind is south, south-west, and westerly. Secondly, Why north-west winds are generally attended by showers in the beginning, and become more dry, as they are of longer continuance. Thirdly, Why north and north-east winds are generally dry. Fourthly, Why the east wind continues dry and dark for a considerable time together. Fifthly, Why squalls precede heavy and distinct showers; and why a calm ensues for some [[strikethrough]] time [[/strikethrough]] little time after they are pass'd. Sixthly, Why storms and high winds seldom happen in a serene sky without clouds. Seventhly, Why the vapours, in warm seasons, coalesce to form those distinct dense clouds, which produce thunder and heavy showers. Eightly, Why the barometer falls lowest in long continued rains, attended by winds; and why it rises highest in long continued fair weather; and why the intermidiate changes happen. Ninthly, Of land-breezes and sea-breezes,
[[right margin]] The quantity 88 [[insertion]] Oz [[/insertion]] at the Surface, loses in weight, at 20 Fathoms Deep. [[/margin]]
and water spouts." To all which his principles above may be easily apply'd, [[strikethrough]] together with [[/strikethrough]] and their appearing to me easily insufficient and inadequate for the effect, is the reason of my not pursuing him here throught all those stages.
From the Philos. Trans. Vol. 49. Part I. p. 300. for 1765.
No. I. I. [[underlined]] Electrical Experiments, made in pursuance of those by [[/underlined]] Mr. Canton, dated Decem. 3, 1753; [[underlined]] with Explanation by [[/underlined]] Mr. Benjamin Franklin, communicated by Mr. Peter Collinson, F.R.S.
[[right margin]] Two serpents are emblems of the joint actions of the Light & Spirit. [[/margin]]
Philadelphia, March 14th, 1755. Read Dec. 18, 1756. Principles. I. Electric Atmospheres, that flow round non-electric bodies, being brought near each other, do not really mix and unite into one atmosphere, but remain seperate, and repel each other. - This is plainly seen in suspending cork balls, and other bodies electrified.
II. An electric Atmosphere not only repels another electric atmosphere, but will also repel the electric matter contained in the substance of a body approaching it; and without joining on mixing with it, force it to other parts of the body, that contained
[[right margin]] Air or Spirit, what. [[/margin]]
it. -- This is shewn by some of the following experiments.
III. Bodies electrified negatively, or deprived of their natural quantity of electricity, repel each other, (or at least appear so to do, by a mutual receding) as well as those electrified positively, or which have electric atmospheres. - This is shewn by applying the negatively charged wire of a phial to the cork balls, suspended by silk threads, and by many other experiments.
Preparation. Fix a tassel of 15 or 20 threads, 3 inches long, at one end of a tin prime conductor; (mine is about 5 feet long, and 4 inches diameter), supported by silk lines. - Let the threads be a little damp but not wet.
     Experiment I. [[underlined]] Pass an excited glass tube near the other end of the prime conductor, so as to give it some sparks, and the threads will diverge. [[/underlined]] - Because each thread, as well as the prime conductor, has acquired an elastic atmosphere, which repels, and is repelled by, the prime conductor, the atmospheres of the other threads: if those several atmospheres would readily mix, the threads might unite, and hang in the middle of one atmosphere, common to them all. 
     [[underlined]] Rub the tube afresh, and approach the prime conductor therewith, crossways, near that end, but nigh enough to give sparks; and the threads will diverge a little more. [[/underlined]]
(Continued on p.65) Because

Transcription Notes:
fixed punctuation, spacing, and margins --megshu