For which war did Faraday refuse to help develop chemical weapons?

Michael Faraday refused to help develop chemical weapons for the Crimean War.

The Crimean War was fought from 1853 to 1856, chiefly between Russia and an alliance including Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire and Sardinia. During the conflict, the British government asked Faraday to advise on producing chemical weapons. He declined, citing ethical objections to using his scientific knowledge in that way.

The decision stands out because Faraday regularly undertook practical investigations for government and industry. His public-service work included advice on lighthouses, ship corrosion, mine explosions and optical glass. His refusal was therefore not a general rejection of applied science; it was a principled rejection of a particular military use.

The Crimean War should not be confused with the later Franco-Prussian War or Boer War. Faraday’s refusal belongs specifically to the British wartime request during the Crimean conflict.