The current induced in the receiving spiral by the inducing one is practically instantaneous; but on the interposition of a metal plate the induced current which, as before described, is set up by the plate itself has a perceptible duration depending upon the nature and mass of metal thus interposed. Copper and zinc produce in this manner an induced current of greater length than metals of lower conductivity, with the exception of iron, which gives an induced current of extremely short duration. It will therefore be seen that in endeavoring to ascertain what I term the specific inductive resistance of different metals by the means described, notice must be taken of and allowance made for two points. First, that the metal plate not only cuts off, but itself radiates; and secondly, that the duration of the induced currents radiated by the plates varies with each different metal under experiment.

This explains the fact before pointed out that the apparent percentage of inductive radiant energy intercepted by metal plates varies with the speed of the reversals; for in the case of copper the induced current set up by such a plate has so long a duration that if the speed of the reverser is at all rapid the induced current has not time to exhaust itself before the galvanometer is reversed, and thus the current being on the opposite side of the galvanometer tends to produce a lower deflection. If the speed of the reverser be further increased, the greater part of the induced current is received on the opposite terminal of the galvanometer, so that a negative result is obtained.

We know that it was the strong analogies which exist between electricity and magnetism that led experimentalists to seek for proofs that would identify them as one and the same thing, and it was the result of Professor Oersted's experiment to which I have already referred that first identified them.

Probably the time is not far distant when it will be possible to demonstrate clearly that heat and electricity are as closely allied; then, knowing the great analogies existing between heat and light, may we not find that heat, light, and electricity are modifications of the same force or property, susceptible under varying conditions of producing the phenomena now designated by those terms? For instance, friction will first produce electricity, then heat, and lastly light.

As is well known, heat and light are reflected by metals; I was therefore anxious to learn whether electricity could be reflected in the same way. In order to ascertain this, spiral B was placed in this position, which you will observe is parallel to the lines of force emitted by spiral A. In this position no induced current is set up therein, so the galvanometer is not affected; but when this plate of metal is placed at this angle it intercepts the lines of force, which cause it to radiate, and the secondary lines of force are intercepted and converted into induced currents by spiral B to the power indicated by the galvanometer. Thus the phenomenon of reflection appears to be produced in a somewhat similar manner to reflection of heat and light. The whole arrangement of this experiment is as shown on the sheet before you numbered 5, which I need not, I think, more fully explain to you than by saying that the secondary lines of force are represented by the dotted lines.

Supported in this wooden frame marked C is a spiral similar in construction to the one marked B, but in this case the copper wire is 0.044 inch in diameter, silk-covered, and consists of 365 turns, with a total length of 605 yards; its resistance is 10.2 ohms, the whole is inclosed between two thick sheets of card paper. The two ends of the spiral are attached to two terminals placed one on either side of the frame, a wire from one of the terminals is connected to one pole of a battery of 25 Leclanche cells, the other pole being connected with one terminal of a reverser, the second terminal of which is connected to the other terminal of the spiral.

Now, if this very small spiral which is in circuit with the galvanometer and a reverser be placed parallel to the center of spiral C, a very large deflection will be seen on the galvanometer scale; this will gradually diminish as the smaller spiral is passed slowly over the face of the larger, until on nearing the edge of the latter the smaller spiral will cease to be affected by the inductive lines of force from spiral C, and consequently the galvanometer indicates no deflection. But if this smaller spiral be placed at a different angle to the larger one, it is, as you observe by the deflection of the galvanometer, again affected. This experiment is analogous to the one illustrated by diagram 6, which represents the result of an experiment made to ascertain the relative strength of capability or producing inductive effects of different parts of a straight electro-magnet.

A, Fig. 1, represents the iron core, PP the primary coil, connected at pleasure to one Grove cell, B, by means of the key, K; S, a small secondary coil free to move along the primary coil while in circuit with the galvanometer, G. The relative strength of any particular spot can be obtained by moving the coil, S, exactly over the required position. The small secondary coil is only cut at right angles when it is placed in the center of the magnet, and as it is moved toward either pole so the lines of force cut it more and more obliquely. From this it would appear that the results obtained are not purely dependent upon the strength of the portion of the magnet over which the secondary coil is placed, but principally upon the angle at which the lines of force cut the coil so placed. It does not follow, therefore, that the center of the magnet is its strongest part, as the results of the experiments at first sight appear to show.

It was while engaged on those experiments that I discovered that a telephone was affected when not in any way connected with the spiral, but simply placed so that the lines of force proceeding from the spiral impinged upon the iron diaphragm of the telephone. Please to bear in mind that the direction of the lines of force emitted from the spiral is such that, starting from any point on one of its faces, a circle is described extending to a similar point on the opposite side. The diameter of the circles described decreases from infinity as the points from which they start recede from the center toward the circumference. From points near the circumference these circles or curves are very small. To illustrate this to you, the reverser now in circuit with spiral C will be replaced by a simple make and break arrangement, consisting on a small electro-magnet fixed between the prongs of a tuning-fork, and so connected that electro-magnet influences the arms of the fork, causing them to vibrate to a certain pitch. The apparatus is placed in a distant room to prevent the sound being heard here, as I wish to make it inductively audible to you. For that purpose I have here a light spiral which is in circuit with this telephone.