to benefit distant countries, proposed, 403.

Vulgar opinions, too much slighted, ii. 146.


W.

Waggons, number of, supplied by Franklin, on a military emergency, i. 131.

War, civil, whether it strengthens a country considered, ii. 399.
observations on, 435.
laws of, gradually humanized, ib.
humane article respecting, in a treaty between Prussia and America, ii. 449.
French, of 1757, its origin, iii. 274.

Warm rooms do not make people tender, or give colds, ii. 249.

Washington, early military talents of, i. 130.
Franklin's bequest to, 164.

Water, a perfect conductor of electricity, i. 201.
strongly electrified, rises in vapour, 204.
particles of, in rising, are attached to particles of air, 205.
and air, attract each other, 206.
exploded like gunpowder, by electricity, 358.
expansion of, when reduced to vapour, ib.
saturated with salt, precipitates the overplus, ii. 2.
will dissolve in air, ib.
expands when boiling, ib.
how supported in air, 45.
bubbles on the surface of, hypothesis respecting, 48.
agitated, does not produce heat, 49, 96.
supposed originally all salt, 91.
fresh, produce of distillation only, ib.
curious effects of oil on, 142.

Water-casks, how to dispose of, in leaky vessels, ii. 170.

Water-spouts, observations on, ii. 11.
whether they descend or ascend, 14, 23, 38.
various appearances of, 16.
winds blow from all points towards them, 21.
are whirlwinds at sea, ib.
effect of one on the coast of Guinea, 33.
account of one at Antigua, 34.
various instances of, 38.
Mr. Colden's observations on, 53.

Watson, Mr. William, letter by, on thunder-clouds, i. 427.

Waves, stilled by oil, ii. 144, 145, 148.
greasy water, 146.

Wax, when fluid will conduct electricity, i. 256.
may be electrised positively and negatively, 291.

Wealth, way to, iii. 453.
national, positions to be examined concerning, ii. 408.
but three ways of acquiring it, 410.

Webb, George, a companion of Franklin's, i. 72, 84, 86.

Wedderburn, Mr. remarks on his treatment of Franklin before the privy council, iii. 330, 332, notes; 550.

West, Mr. his conductor struck by lightning, i. 340.

Western colonies, plan for settling them, iii. 41.

Whatley, Mr. four letters to, iii. 543*.

Wheels, electrical, described, i. 196.

Whirlwinds, how formed, ii. 10.
observations on, 20.
a remarkable one at Rome, 24.
account of one in Maryland, 61.

Whistle, a story, iii. 480.

White, fittest colour for clothes in hot climates, ii. 109.

Will, extracts from Franklin's, i. 155.

Wilson, Mr. draws electricity from the clouds, i. 429.

Wind generated by fermentation, ii. 59.

Winds explained, ii. 8, 9, 48.
the explanation objected to, 50, 51.
observations on, by Mr. Colden, 52.
whether confined to, or generated in, clouds, 57.
raise the surface of the sea above its level, 188.
effect of, on sound, 337.

Winters, hard, causes of, ii. 68.

Winthrop, professor, letters from, i. 373, 382.

Wire conducts a great stroke of lightning, though destroyed itself, i. 282.

Wolfe, general, i. 136.

Women of Paris, singular saying respecting, as mothers, iii. 548*.

Wood, dry, will not conduct electricity, i. 172.
why does not feel so cold as metals, ii. 56.

Woods, not unhealthy to inhabit, ii. 130.

Woollen, why warmer than linen, ii. 57, 81.

Words, to modern songs, only a pretence for singing, ii. 348.

Wygate, an acquaintance of Franklin's, i. 66.

Wyndham, sir William, applies to Franklin to teach his sons swimming, i. 69.