20 THE LATE MR. WILLIAM STURGEON ON 



every joint. Nor does a full flow of water through them 

 appear to render sufficient assistance to prevent their being 

 damaged, for, in this case, the rain was falling in torrents 

 during the whole time that lightning was in the neighbour- 

 hood of the church, and the pipe must have been conveying 

 a copious stream at the time it was damaged. It is probable, 

 indeed, that the presence of a stream of water would increase 

 the danger ; because of a sudden production of steam by ex- 

 plosions at the joinings of the lengths. 



It is worthy of remark, also, that this iron pipe is com- 

 paratively new, for the church has not been finished more 

 than about three years. I have some of the fragments in 

 my possession at this time, and I find they are painted black 

 outside, and are perfectly sound on the inner side. I observe, 

 also, that the lengths have been painted before being fitted 

 into each other ; so that they are insulated from one another 

 by a coat or two of paint in addition to cement. 



This circumst nee is, I believe, the first of the kind that 

 has been noticed, but it is too important to allow of its 

 omission in this place. The rule which has, for a whole 

 century, guided lightning-rod manufacturers, to avail them- 

 selves of every portion of metal that may happen to be con- 

 veniently attached to the building can no longer be depended 

 on for protection ; for, unless every portion of metal thus 

 employed, were securely and perfectly united, explosions 

 might take place on the roof, or against the walls, which 

 would be productive of serious damage. 



The spire, and other portions of St. Chad's Church (95), 

 as has been the case with many others, suffered by explo- 

 sions from metal to metal ; and if a second discharge of light- 

 ning had passed along the broken water-pipe before the 

 damage occasioned by the first had been repaired, the ex- 

 plosions at these interruptions in the circuit would probably 

 have displaced large portions of masonry from the tower, as 



