The Edison–Lalande cell was a type of alkaline primary battery developed by Thomas Edison from an earlier design by Felix Lalande and Georges Chaperon.

[3] The cell could be replenished with fresh zinc and copper oxide plates and KOH solution for reuse.

The boat was originally fitted with 540 Lalande–Chaperon alkaline cells which used zinc and copper oxide electrodes with potassium hydroxide electrolyte, manufactured by Coumelin, Desmazures and Baillache.

[5] In this cell, the copper oxide depolarizer was pasted on the inside of a cast iron pot.

[6][7] The zinc anode dissolves (is oxidised) in the hydroxide solution to form zincate anions, consuming hydroxide ions in the process; electrons enter the external circuit: Half of the hydroxide ions are replenished by the hydration and reduction of the copper oxide cathode to copper metal by the electrons travelling in the external circuit: The overall reaction is: Applications for Lalande-type batteries included submarine power (see above), railway signalling.