"The plane in which the magnet moves is always parallel to the plane in which the observer supposes himself to be placed. If the plane of his chest is horizontal, the plane of the magnet's motion will be horizontal, but if he lie on either side of the horizontally-suspended magnet, his face being towards it, the plane of his chest will be vertical, and the magnet will tend to move in a vertical plane."
This very lucid comparison will be seen to apply perfectly to the direction of the rotations in Figs. 203 and 205.
The whole of this apparatus is made in the most elegant and finished manner by Messrs. Elliott, of 30, Strand; and by a modification of the latter arrangement (Fig. 206), the opposite rotations of the opposite poles of the magnets round the electrified wire, are shown in the most instructive manner. The apparatus (Fig. 206) was devised by the late Mr. Francis Watkins, and consists of two flat bar magnets doubly bent in the middle, and having agate cups fixed at the under part of the bend (by which they are supported) upon upright pointed wires, the latter being fixed upright on the wooden base of the apparatus, and the magnets turn round them as upon an axis.
Fig. 206.
a. Wire conveying the current of electricity. b b. The magnets balanced on points rotating round the wires.
Two circular boxwood cisterns, to contain quicksilver, are supported upon the stage or shelf above the base. A bent pointed wire is directed into the cup of each magnet, the ends of which dip into the mercury contained in the boxwood circular troughs on the stage. By using a battery to each magnet, and taking care that the currents of electricity flow precisely alike, they will then rotate in opposite directions.
Directly after the ingenious experiments of Faraday became known, a great number of electro-magnetic engine models were constructed, and many thought that the time was fast approaching when steam would be superseded by electricity; and really, to see the pretty electro-magnetic models work with such amazing rapidity, it might be supposed that if they were constructed on a larger scale, a great amount of hard work could be obtained from them. This idea, however, has been proved to be a fallacy, for reasons that will be presently explained. The figure on p. 216 displays two of these engines, one of which represents the rotation of electro-magnets within four fixed steel magnets, and the other the rotation of steel magnets by the fixed electro-magnets. The latter (No. 2) moves with such great velocity, that unless the strength of the battery is carefully adjusted, the connexions are soon destroyed. (Fig. 207.)
