Faraday to William Scoresby1   c7 March 18512

Royal Institution

My dear Scoresby

I have applied to Mr. Brande as clerk of the Irons at the Mint who tells me that they have not measured plates of metal - for though they gauge them they do it to weight & not to measure.

I have applied to Brockedon3 who says he will if possible supply me with a piece of measured plate that I may send it to you by post - but I do not know when[.]

I have applied to Cowper & De la Rue both of whom refer me to Mr Whitworth4 Engineer of Manchester who has perfect gauges &c &c &c[.]

They say he would supply such a thing instantly but I do not know him - perhaps you will write to him yourself[.]

I could find no change in the absolute bulk of Iron bismuth or other bodies under intense magnetic power[.] See Par 27525 of recent Experimental researches a copy of which I am just setting aside for you. It is quite a volume6 or I would send it by post[.]

I suppose you remember Joules results in the Phil Mag for 1848 or 18497. I think he makes out iron to become larger & narrower but cannot remember[.]

Ever Very Truly Yours | M. Faraday

Revd Dr. Scoresby | &c &c &c

1
William Scoresby (1789-1857, DNB). Retired clergyman who lived in Torquay. Worked on magnetism.
2
Dated on the basis that this is the reply to letter 2391.
3
William Brockedon (1785-1854, DNB). Painter, author and inventor.
4
Joseph Whitworth (1803-1887, DNB). Mechanical engineer in Manchester.
5
Faraday (1851c), ERE25, 2752.
6
Faraday (1851b, c, d, e), ERE24, 25, 26 and 27.
7
Joule (1847).

Bibliography

FARADAY, Michael (1851c): “Experimental Researches in Electricity. - Twenty-fifth Series. On the magnetic and diamagnetic condition of bodies”, Phil. Trans., 141: 7-28.

JOULE, James Prescott (1847): “On the Effects of Magnetism upon the Dimensions of Iron and Steel Bars”, Phil. Mag., 30: 76-87, 225-41.

Please cite as “Faraday2392,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday2392