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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, 'An account of some experiments touching the electricity and light produced on the attrition of several bodies' by Francis Hauksbee

Reference number: CLP/18i/94

Date: 1705

Description

Hauksbee writes: 'According to the commands of the Society, I have made the following experiments. I caus´d a piece of wood to be turn´d into the form of a short cylinder, it being about four inches diameter, and three in length. This being fixt on an axis, I melted in a ladle about a pound and half of the best sealing-wax I could procure, and when it was fluid. I plung´d the wooden cylinder into it, where I kept it moving round till it had go a coat of it about half an inch thick on its surface.'

Subject: Physics

Published in Philosophical Transactions as 'An account of some experiments, touching the electricity and light producible on the attrition of several bodies'.

Reference number
CLP/18i/94
Earliest possible date
1705
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
2 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Francis Hauksbee

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Citation

Francis Hauksbee, Paper, 'An account of some experiments touching the electricity and light produced on the attrition of several bodies' by Francis Hauksbee, 1705, CLP/18i/94, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_18i_94/paper-an-account-of-some-experiments-touching-the-electricity-and-light-produced-on-the-attrition-of-several-bodies-by-francis-hauksbee, accessed on 14 November 2025

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_18i_94/paper-an-account-of-some-experiments-touching-the-electricity-and-light-produced-on-the-attrition-of-several-bodies-by-francis-hauksbee

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  • Classified Papers

    The 'Classified Papers' of the Royal Society are papers from British and international natural philosophers and scholars categorised according to subject areas.

    Dates: 1592 - 1741

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