Note 5 — THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.

Footnote 5: (return) These experiments, the last which engaged Sir Humphry Davy's attention to any extent, were on the application of electrical combinations, for the purpose of preserving the copper sheathing of ships' bottoms. To this subject Sir Humphry gave much of his time, and personally inspected all the boats and vessels on which the trials were made. Although the theory upon which they were conducted proved eminently correct, no advantage could be ultimately taken of the plans which it suggested. The saving of the copper was wholly counterbalanced by an accumulation of shell-fish and sea-weed on the sheathing, which became sufficient, in a short time, to prevent the proper command of the ship at the helm.