12 THE LATE MB. WILLIAM STURGEON ON 



are two fundamental errors, fraught with great danger, in 

 this plan of conductors, the most palpable of which is that of 

 leading the lightning into the hull of the ship, and then 

 having to incur a heavy expense in endeavouring to get it 

 out again. The other is. that of having the conductors com- 

 pounded of many constituent pieces, although copper, of any 

 required dimensions and form, is always procurable. 



77. Although I am far from thinking that conductors let 

 into the masts are the best situated for protecting ships from 

 lightning, still, should that plan continue to be persevered in, 

 they ought not, under any consideration whatever, to proceed 

 downwards on the masts farther than the upper deck. With 

 conductors thus applied, there could be no apprehensions 

 entertained of explosions taking place below deck, nor of 

 chronometers being injured by the magnetizing influence of 

 lightning, which is also a consideration of importance. More- 

 over, as each individual mast would have an uninterrupted 

 conducting flat metallic rod throughout, there could be no 

 explosions in the circuit excepting such as might occur at the 

 juncture of the rods, at the heads of the lower and top-masts, 

 or at those other places where lightning might strike the mast 

 below the highest point. The examination of those parts, 

 and their repairs, if necessary, would require neither much 

 time nor skill to accomplish. 



78. I am not aware of the manner in which the wire-rope 

 conductors have been attached to the several men-of-war that 

 have been fitted up with them ; but it appears, by the official 

 report, that although they have answered the purpose exceed- 

 ingly well in some cases, they have entirely failed in others. 

 Commander Darley, of H. M. ship Electra, reports favour- 

 ably of these conductors, having observed their efficiency in 

 carrying off several discharges of lightning, whilst on the 

 West India station, in the year 1842. But, on board the 

 Hazard, where similar conductors were employed, they have 

 failed to protect the ship on two occasions, viz., May 1st and 



