George Towler to Faraday   30 January 1850

Fye Bridge, Norwich, Jan 30, 1850.

Sir,

It is under the impression that the following communication is a matter of great scientific importance that induces me once again1 to address you upon a subject with which you are so intimately identified, and in which I take so deep an interest.

I have upon a former occasion taken the liberty of imparting my magnetic views to you, seeking the favour of your esteemed opinion thereon. In these views you must have at once discovered my incredulity in the hypothesis of the ‘two fluids,’ and consequently my dissent from the notions entertained regarding ‘terrestrial magnetism’.

In the course of investigation which I have pursued in reference to these phenomena, I met with every encouragement to continue to maintain these views, & at the same time to convince me of their mechanical origin - that they were due to motion, which motion was carried as per se, by that class of bodies called ‘magnetic’ which of course if not to be called perpetual, would be of great duration, terminating only with the existence of the metal supporting it.

To prove to you that magnetic bodies carry on a perpetual motion per se, is the object of the present paper.

That magnetic phenomena are due to matter, and that matter in motion, I conceive there can be no necessity for me to contend. In this I believe you readily acquiesce, and it is simply to the agency by which a permanent motion is sustained by bars of iron &c, that there is any occasion for me to explain.

In the first place I must draw your attention to the great fact, indeed I may call it the magnetic basis, it is this.

Magnetic bodies as far as the fluid particles in their interstices are concerned are non resisting mediums, that is fluid particles whilst in the interstices of such bodes lose by virtue of their locality, a large amount of their gravity, and at the same time a corresponding amount of their inertia. Which being the case such internal medium is readily acted on by minute external forces, such as those generated by slight disturbances of the surrounding atmosphere.

To prove this, it is simply necessary to remark what you have frequently observed, the causes and consequences of which, have as frequently escaped your well known penetration.

When a magnet attracts a distinct unmagnetized suspended needle, the needle as you are well aware, at the moment it is so attracted, has become a magnet, were this not the case the attraction would not have ensued. The pole of the needle remote from the magnet has magnetism induced in it, as well as that in conjunction, and the magnet has consequently generated a motion of the fluid particles through the interstices of the needle, for once there no motion there could be no magnetism there.

For the magnet to do this the resistance of the fluid in the interstices of the needle can be no greater than the pressure brought to bear upon it, consequent upon the disturbance of fluid about the magnet.

The pressure of the fluid in its circulation round the magnet is so minute, that it requires a very delicate indicator to appreciate it, from which some approximate idea may be formed of the amount of resistance which the particles taken as a medium pervading the metal can offer to the pressure positive, or negative, emanating from the magnet.

Incredible as this may at first sight appear, it is an indubitable fact supported on irrefragable testimony and is but the extension of a well known principle, steel and iron are well known conductors, but the extent to which they possess this power has never been conceived.

Magnetic motion is primarily derived from the impulse communicated in induction.

The continuation or durability of the motion is the direct consequence of the first impulse in connexion with the principle of non resistance.

When a short bar of iron is made to conduct it does two things. It augments the preexisting quantity of fluid in the space into which the fluid enters, on departing from the bar, and at the same time & in the same ratio decreases the preexisting quantity in a given space at the opposite extremity, from which the fluid it conducts is taken up.

The increment of fluid on the one extremity, and the decrement on the other, immediately open curves of communication on all sides between the poles of the bar, and not only between the poles but every point on the surface on each side of the neutral point, excepting those immediately abutting on that point in this communication kept up, for all points of the magnet either take in, or give out fluid, which as it issues from one side, is deflected over to a corresponding point on the other, where the magnet is taking in fluid.

In these curves lie the constant impulse. It may be urged that the pressure of such a motion in the surrounding atmosphere must be very small - undoubtedly it is, but at the same time, the resistance of the internal fluid of the bar is less. The absence of resistance is equivalent to a large amount of momentum.

The external pressure produces the internal fluxion & the internal fluxion reproduces the elements of the external pressure, each reciprocating the other. The internal motion causes the external disturbance, which generates a pressure, which pressure overcomes the inertia of the internal fluid, and thereby drives it out of the bar occasioning the external disturbance &c.

This hasty sketch is by far to[o] brief to do justice to so important a question, but it is amply sufficient to convince you, that this is a new reading of magnetic origin.

The evidences contributing to the support of this are universal, and require only to be entered upon to be confirmed.

I have allowed this matter to remain in abeyance for some length of time, which reflexion convinces me is unjustifiable, and I trust by a lucid explanation of this truly important end, to the promoters of physical research that their well known zeal in the persuit [sic] of science, will be the means of placing it in a sphere of utility, to which end I beg most respectfully to commend it to your valuable consideration.

Your obedient Servant | G. Towler


Magnetic motion may very aptly be described as that of a wheel or vortex of fluid, the segment of which b.c.d.

diagram

in each revolution it makes, passes through a vacuum a.e. by which it derives the impulse, by which its constant rotation is performed.

The magnet fulfills the office of an indestructible vacuum, in as far as it can never be destroyed by the ordinary operation of fluid particles, nor can a permanent equilibrium be formed between the external & internal medias, as the particles of the internal, are differently conditioned, being exempted from the gravity and resistance to motion which the external encounter.

When a motion of fluid is effected in the bar of iron a.e. and the fluid b.c.d is forced out in the direction a.e., the fluid b.c.d is forced out in the direction a.e., the fluid b.c.d is impelled to f., at the same time the fluid between g & a. enter into the bar, and take the place vacated by b.c.d. and the particles which were between e.f are now located between f & g.

In this motion the external presence upon b.c.d is a maximum at a. & a minimum at e. That there is no pressure upon it at e. and all the pressure that is found upon it is at a. acting in the direction a.e. For as the fluid at e. is progressing to f. it cannot press upon d. and the fluid g.a being in the act of entering into a, all its pressure must be upon b.c.d in the line a.e[.]

By this change of place of the media surrounding the magnet, no change is made as to the relative amount or direction of the pressure at a. for if this is once made to exceed that at e. there must be a constant motion through b.d. in the direction a.e provided the internal resistance is less than the external pressure.

As the motion at a & e takes place simultaneously the fluid g.a is disturbed at the same time, that the fluid e is, and consequently the fluid g-f at the same time as b.c.d, so that if the internal equilibrium is destroyed in the line or direction a.e the curve e.f.g.a is the direction of the external fluid resulting therefrom.

Repulsion is the consequence of the opposition of two or more rotating halos or atmospheres if I may be allowed the phrase, the currents of which are flowing in opposite directions. Fig 1. Attraction that of the conjunction of two or more rotating atmospheres, the currents of which flow in the same direction & the fluid which flows from one magnet, flows through the opposite one, and the two atmospheres more or less approximate & form themselves into one enlarged atmosphere regulated by time & distance - fig 2[.]

Polarity and its concomitants, are due to the operation of foreign or contingent forces operating upon these intrinsic forces of the magnet, these contingent forces having no connexion with or origin in magnetism.

The reason why light bodies are not moved by the action of fluid encompassing the magnet, is that the fluid which can either issue from or enter into feriginuous bodies, can pass through the interstices of bodies less dense without hindrance, and consequently they oppose no resistance to the fluid nor the fluid to them.

It is not the simple passage of the fluid from, or to a magnet which passes through a bar of iron, which produces magnetism; but the formation by a bar of iron of an atmosphere or envelope of media, differing in density from the media extending beyond it, and corresponding to that of the magnet which induces it.

diagram

The following propositions I believe to be fully established.

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1 When an unmagnetized suspended needle is disturbed & oscillates on the approach of a magnet, the magnet is the cause of the disturbance & oscillation.

2 Matter is a component part of motion that is, without matter, motion is a nonentity.

3. There is no state in which a body can be in, between rest and motion. That is if it ceases to move, it must come to rest, and if it be at rest, it cannot at the same time be in motion.

4 That the sensible motion of the suspended bar, is derived from the invisible, and insensible motion pertaining to, and existing about the magnet externally - which is a motion of particles or molecules of matter.

5 The external motion of fluid about the magnet is possessed of a force or pressure which generates motion through bars of iron & which are placed in connexion with them.

6 The resistance of a bar of iron placed in connexion with a magnet is less than the force of the magnet, that is the impulse of the magnet on the bar is greater than the resistance of the fluid in its interior.

7. And the external impulse of the magnet is greater than its own internal resistance.

8 There is no permanent magnetism where there are not opposite poles, That is when there is no positive there is no negative magnetism, & vice versa.

9 That these poles must essentially be within a given distance of each other. And that the intensity of the magnetism is in a ratio with their distance.

10. That they reciprocate and carry on a mutual action between each other. Each pole of the magnet is constantly magnetizing the other, in every respect the same as both magnetize all iron which is placed near them.

11 That the surrounding media enters in on all sides of one half and issues from all sides of the opposite half, except those points immediately surrounding the neutral line fig 3

diagram

It then describes curves round the body on all sides. fig 4.

13. These curves are the direct consequence of the mutual action of one pole on the other, that is of the increment of fluid at one, and the decrement at the other.

14. That the external circulation is productive of a maximum & minimum pressure upon the internal fluid.

15. That the maximum is different over one half and the minimum over the other half.

16 That these act conjointly and uniformly upon the internal fluid and thereby destroy the internal equilibrium.

17. When the internal equilibrium is destroyed the equilibrium of the external media is at the same time destroyed also. And an increment and decrement of the external media in relative proportion and opposite positions is effected which form the elements of the external pressure.

See Towler to Faraday, 22 April 1841, letter 1347, volume 3.

Please cite as “Faraday2258,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 29 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday2258