spirals is collected by a metal spring which presses upon the axle and conveys the current onwards to the depositing solution; and all the opposite ends of wire are connected with an apparatus on the axle called a communicator or break, and this apparatus collects all the negative electricity of those ends and transmits it to another spring which conveys it to the plating vat. And thus, by quick rotation of the wheel, a rapid succession of electric impulses are generated, which are employed for plating purposes in the same manner as the ordinary voltaic current. The above machine is a very convenient source of electricity where a cheap motive power is at command, and where the quantity of electricity required is not very great.

The surface of silver deposited from the ordinary cyanide of silver and potassium plating solution has a frosted or snowwhite appearance, which in many cases has to be burnished and made bright by mechanical means. This, with articles of highly figured design, and also with the interior of certain articles that required to be made bright, was a great disadvantage, as the process of burnishing is tedious, and with the interiors of vessels also very awkward to perform. As with the difficulty in the early period of the electro-process in obtaining thick deposits of firm silver, a little circumstance was the cause of that difficulty being overcome, so was it with this obstacle, and it happened as follows:-In the process of copying figures for electro-typing by a mixture of wax and resin, the surface of the wax is covered with a film of phosphorus by means of a solution of phosphorus in bisulphide of carbon. It was observed by Mr. Millward, at Messrs. Elkington's establishment, that when these prepared wax moulds were put into the cyanide of silverplating solution for the purpose of receiving a coating of silver, other articles, such as spoons, forks, &c., which were being plated in the same vat, and especially those nearest to the waxmoulds, acquired a coating, more or less perfect, of bright silver, which occurred sometimes in patches, and sometimes extended all over the articles, instead of the ordinary snow-white deposit. This circumstance attracted attention, and induced Mr. Millward to try the effect of adding bisulphide of carbon alone to the plating liquid. Considerable success soon resulted; but at this juncture the secret escaped, and in consequence thereof a patent was taken out, March, 1847, by Mr. Millward and a person of the name of Lyons, who had acquired a knowledge of the secret, for producing bright deposited silver by means of bisulphide of carbon. This process has been constantly employed ever since, and is now in extensive use, and with its aid the silver is rendered very bright and the amount of burnishing required very considerably reduced, but it has the disadvantage of making the deposited silver much harder. Bright copper had been observed

about two years before bright silver, and occurred whenever a large number of phosphorized wax moulds were put into a solution of sulphate of copper to receive an electro-deposit of copper. Other substances possess the quality of imparting brightness to deposited silver, but none in so satisfactory or eminent a degree as bisulphide of carbon: among these may be mentioned bicarbonates of the alkalies, and many organic compounds, and it is probable that the brightness depends upon a gaseous body being dissolved in the plating liquid.

No important improvement in the electro-deposition of silver has since been made; and the process at present in use may be briefly described as follows:--A certain quantity of pure or virgin silver in a granulated state is taken, allowing about one ounce for each gallon of plating-solution required (the actual proportions, however, in use by manufacturers vary from a quarter of an ounce to two or three ounces of silver per gallon), a warm mixture of four parts of pure and strong nitric acid and one part of water, contained in a capacious vessel of glass or stoneware, is placed in a warm situation, where the air-fumes may readily escape without injuring persons or furniture; and small quantities of the silver are added, from time to time, as fast as it dissolves, care being taken not to add it in too large quantities at a time-otherwise waste will ensue until nearly all the silver is dissolved. It is advisable to employ a deficiency of the acid mixture in the first place, and to add more of it towards the end of the process, taking care not to add more than will dissolve all the silver, but rather to leave a little silver undissolved, even with the liquid quite hot; by this means, the presence of much free acid is avoided, and an after-loss of cyanide of potassium and escape of poisonous fumes of prussic acid prevented. Each ounce of silver requires nearly one and three-quarter ounces of strong nitric acid to dissolve it.

The solution of nitrate of silver obtained is now considerably diluted with distilled water in a capacious vessel of stoneware, and there is added to it, in portions at a time, with stirring, a solution of cyanide of potassium of moderate strength as long as a white precipitate or cloud, which is cyanide of silver, is produced; this precipitate is allowed to subside between each addition, and it is very particular that as the precipitate produced becomes less copious the cyanide of potassium solution should be added more sparingly and at longer intervals of time, and that on no account should that liquid be added after it fails to produce a precipitate. This point requires some care and experience, but may be known by the cyanide of potassium solution producing a transparent but slightly brown appearance where it passes into the white and cloudy liquid: this transparency is caused by its dissolving the suspended fine particles

of cyanide of silver; if by accident too much cyanide of potassium has been added, a cautious addition of dilute nitrate of silver solution (for which purpose a little should be reserved) in a similar manner, will bring it back to the neutral or proper point: the whole is then well stirred and allowed to subside until the supernatant liquid is quite clear. Each ounce of silver dissolved requires nearly half an ounce of cyanide of potassium of ordinary quality to precipitate it.

The supernatant liquid is then filtered through a calico bag, the sediment put into the bag, and the bag filled five or six times successively with spring water. A small quantity of hydrochloric acid is added to the filtered liquid to precipitate any dissolved silver (of which there is always more or less), in the form of chloride of silver: this is allowed to subside, the clear liquid is thrown away, and the sediment retained on account of its silver.

Now, the wet contents of the filter are transferred to a capacious vessel, and to it is added, with constant stirring, a strong solution of cyanide of potassium until it is all dissolved, a memorandum of how much cyanide of potassium is used being made, because the amount varies greatly in different cases and is dependent upon the quality of that substance. If the cyanide of potassium is of ordinary quality, each ounce of silver employed will require about two or two and a half ounces of cyanide of potassium to re-dissolve it; whatever the quantity required to re-dissolve the cyanide of silver may be, an equal additional amount should now be added to the mixture to constitute free cyanide, and sufficient water then added to dilute the solution to the proportion of one ounce of silver per gallon, other strength that may be desired: the solution now only requires to be filtered and it is ready for use.*

or any

In coating articles with silver by means of this liquid a voltaic battery is employed: the battery varies in its arrangement in different establishments and in different cases, but always contains dilute sulphuric acid and plates or bars of zinc. The battery most commonly used consists of a sheet of copper and a plate of amalgamated zinc immersed in a mixture of oil of vitriol and water contained in a large stoneware jar; the zinc plate is connected by a copper wire with the articles to be coated, and the sheet of copper is connected by another copper wire with a sheet of pure silver, which is hung in the platingsolution near the articles. In this arrangement the electricity is generated by the action of the acid and water upon the surface of the zinc, and passes from the zinc through that

* This process is illustrated in Plate V. fig. 2. See also explanation at the conclusion of article.