Referee's report by William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, on a paper 'Polarization of metallic surfaces in aqueous solutions. On a new method of obtaining electricity from mechanical force, and certain relations between electrostatic induction and the decomposition of water' by Cromwell Fleetwood Varley Recommended for publication in Philosophical Transactions, with modifications. The paper 'describes very new and very important phenomena'. Apologies for the delay in returning his report, as he was expecting to meet with the author to talk over the paper beforehand. Subject: Physics [Published in Philosophical Transactions, 1871]. 5 January 1871