183. As shown in the illustration, the wet cell storage batteries are connected in what configuration

The batteries are connected positive to negative in a single chain, with only the first positive and last negative terminal connected externally, which defines a series configuration. This arrangement forces current through each battery sequentially, unlike parallel connections which bond terminals and provide multiple paths, or compound configurations which combine series strings in parallel branches. The diagram illustrates a single, continuous path for current, confirming the series arrangement.