Ãœber dieses Buch
CONTENTS
OF
VOLUME FIFTH.
POLITICAL PAPERS DURING AND AFTER THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION.
Page
An Account of Negotiations in London for effecting a
Reconciliation between Great Britain and the
American Colonies
Vindication and Offer from Congress to Parliament
Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, proposed
in General Congress
Correspondence and Interview with Lord Howe
Protest against the Equality of Voting in Congress
Sketch of Propositions for a Peace.
A Dialogue between Britain, France, Spain, Holland, Sax-
ony, and America
1
83
116
120
122
125
137
A Catechism relative to the English National Debt
Passports for Moravian Vessels, and for Captain Cook
Supplement to the Boston Independent Chronicle
Public Addresses to Dr. Franklin, and his Answers
Proposals for Consideration in the Convention for forming
the Constitution of the United States
Speech in the Convention; on the Subject of Salaries
Speech in the Committee of the Convention; on the Pro-
portion of Representation and Votes
Motion for Prayers in the Convention.
Speech in the Convention, at the Conclusion of its Delib-
A Comparison of the Conduct of the ancient Jews and of
the Antifederalists in the United States of America
Queries and Remarks respecting Alterations in the Consti-
tution of Pennsylvania
158
163
LETTERS AND PAPERS ON ELECTRICITY.
TO PETER COLLINSON. 28 March, 1747.
Introductory Letter
TO PETER COLLINSON. 11 July, 1747.
Wonderful Effects of Points. Positive and Nega-
tive Electricity. - Electrical Kiss. Counterfeit
Spider. Simple and commodious Electrical Ma-
chine
- -
To PETER COLLINSON. 1 September, 1747.
Observations on the Leyden Bottle, with Experi-
ments proving the different Electrical State of its
different Surfaces
To PETER COLLINSON.
1748.
Farther Experiments confirming the preceding Ob-
servations. Leyden Bottle analyzed. — Electri-
cal Battery. — Magical Picture. - Electrical Wheel
or Jack. Electrical Feast
-
TO PETER COLLINSON.
Observations and Suppositions towards forming a
new Hypothesis for explaining the several Phe-
nomena of Thunder-gusts
TO PETER COLLINSON. 27 July, 1750.
Accumulation of the Electrical Fire proved to be
in the electrified Glass. Effect of Lightning on
the Needle of Compasses
explained. - Gunpow-
der fired by the Electrical Flame
TO PETER COLLINSON. 29 July, 1750.
Introductory Letter to some additional Papers
Opinions and Conjectures concerning the Properties and
Effects of the Electrical Matter, and the Means of
preserving Buildings, Ships, &c. from Lightning,
196
211
223
226
arising from Experiments and Observations made
at Philadelphia, 1749.- Golden Fish. - Extrac-
tion of Effluvial Virtues by Electricity impracticable 227
Additional Experiments; proving that the Leyden Bot-
tle has no more Electrical Fire in it when charged,
than before; nor less when discharged; that, in
discharging, the Fire does not issue from the Wire
and the Coating at the same Time, as some have
thought, but that the Coating always receives what
is discharged by the Wire, or an equal Quantity;
the outer surface being always in a Negative State
of Electricity, when the inner Surface is in a Posi-
tive State
253
To JAMES BOWDOIN, AT BOSTON. 25 October, 1750.
Enclosing Papers on Electricity
To A FRIEND IN BOSTON. 25 December, 1750.
Account of an Accident while making an Electrical
Experiment
TO JAMES BOWDOIN. 5 September, 1751.
Introducing Mr. Kinnersley as a Lecturer on Elec-
tricity
To CADWALLADER COLDEN. 1751.
Unlimited Nature of the Electric Force
255
257
258
Queries and Answers referred to in the foregoing Letter.
-The Terms "Electric per se" and "Non-elec-
tric" improper.
improper. New Relation between Metals
and Water. Effects of Air in Electrical Experi-
ments. Experiment for discovering more of the
Qualities of the Electric Fluid.
JAMES BOWDOIN TO B. FRANKLIN. 21 Dec. 1751.
On the Causes of the crooked Direction of Light-
ning. Objections to the Hypothesis that the Sea
is the Source of Lightning. On the Swiftness of
the Electrical Fire
To JAMES BOWDOIN. 24 January, 1752.
Observations on the Subjects of the preceding Let-
ter. Reasons for supposing the Sea to be the
grand Source of Lightning. — Reasons for doubting
259
263
this Hypothesis.-Improvement in a Globe for
raising the Electric Fire
269
E. KINNERSLEY TO B. FRANKLIN. 3 February, 1752.
New Experiments. - Paradoxes inferred from them.
Difference in the Electricity of a Globe of Glass
charged, and a Globe of Sulphur.- Difficulty of
ascertaining which is positive and which negative
To E. KINNERSLEY. 2 March, 1752.
Probable Cause of the different Attractions and
Repulsions of the two Electrified Globes mentioned
in the preceding Letter
JAMES BOWDOIN TO B. FRANKLIN. 2 March, 1752.
Effect of Lightning on Captain Waddel's Compass,
and on the Dutch Church at New York .
JAMES BOWDOIN TO B. FRANKLIN. 16 March, 1752.
Remarks on Dr. Colden's Letter respecting the
Electricity of the Clouds
To E. KINNERSLEY. 16 March, 1752.
Reasons for supposing that the Glass Globe charges
positively, and the Sulphur negatively. Hint re-
specting a Leather Globe for Experiments when
travelling
To CADWALLADER COLDEN. 23 April, 1752.
273
275
276
279
280
Mistake, that only Metals and Water were Con-
ductors, rectified. Supposition of a Region of
Electric Fire above our Atmosphere. - Theorem
concerning Light. - Poke-weed a Cure for Cancers 283
M. DALIBARD'S Account of an Electrical Experiment at
ABBÉ MAZEAS TO STEPHEN HALES. 20 May, 1752.
Giving a further Account of the Electrical Experi-
ment at Marly
19 October, 1752.
Electrical Kite
293
295
W. WATSON TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY. 21 Dec. 1752.
Concerning the Electrical Experiments in England
upon Thunder-clouds
September, 1753.
Hypothesis of the Sea being the grand Source of
Lightning retracted. Positive, and sometimes
negative, Electricity of the Clouds discovered.
New Experiments and Conjectures in Support of
this Discovery. Observations recommended for
ascertaining the Direction of the Electric Fluid.—
Size of Rods for Conductors to Buildings. Ap-
pearance of a Thunder-cloud described .
To PETER COLLINSON. 23 November, 1753.
Notice of another Packet of Letters
300
314
Proposal of an Experiment to measure the Time taken
up by an Electric Spark in moving through any
given Space. By James Alexander, of New York 315
317
Answer to the Foregoing
Remarks on the Abbé Nollet's Letters to Benjamin
Franklin on Electricity. By David Colden, of
New York. 4 December, 1753
Electrical Experiments, with an Attempt to account for
their several Phenomena. Together with some
Observations on Thunder-clouds, in further Confirm-
ation of Mr. Franklin's Observations on the Posi- tive and Negative Electrical State of the Clouds. By John Canton. 6 December, 1753
To JAMES BOWDOIN. 13 December, 1753.
Concerning the Light emitted by Salt Water. -
The Abbé Nollet's Letters on Electricity
TO PETER COLLINSON. 18 April, 1754.
319
330
337
340
Additional Proofs of the Positive and Negative
State of Electricity in the Clouds. - New Method
of ascertaining it.
Experiments made in Pursuance of those made by Mr.
Canton, dated December 6th, 1753; with Explan-
ations, by Benjamin Franklin. 14 March, 1755 341
Turkey killed by Electricity. Effect of a Shock on
the Operator in making the Experiment
To JOHN LINING. 18 March, 1755.
Differences in the Qualities of Glass. -Account
VOL. V.
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346