Young's theory had not criticized before, as if it was founded only on the analogy between the surface layer of a liquid and an elastic plate, Moutier proves that the theory of partial attractions can explain all capillary phenomena without possible hypotheses about the existence of an elastic plate on the surface of a liquid. In the same volume there is a letter from Van der Mensdrugghe, who hotly disputes Moutier's opinion that the concept of tension, if any, exists, at the very least, uselessly. Understanding that this does not exclude the validity of Laplace's theory, and having mentioned Lamarle's attempt[1] to explain tension precisely on the basis of this theory, Mensbrugghe points to the works of Quincke, Ludtge and many others. "So numerous questions,” writes Mensbrugghe, “considered, if not resolved, by these scientists, sufficiently proved the greatest benefit of this view, which will not hesitate to be accepted in physics courses.” I bring an excerpt from this controversy, as a characteristic of those opinions that have been expressed about this subject recently. In the same edition of Almeida we meet an attempt made by Duclaux[2] to implement the idea expressed by Mensbrugghe is to base the elementary method on the principle of surface adhesion of a liquid. A similar elementary theory presented in the Grashoff's textbook.
The above brief overview of some of the most important works concerning capillary phenomena, clearly reveals two directions in it, which not
