66 MR. WILLIAM STUEGEON ON LIGHTNING 



much damaged by lightning, whilst on the coast of Africa, 

 and at a short distance from the Waterwitch, the latter ves- 

 sel having her pointed conductors in place at the time.* 



22. Case H. — H. M. ship Ceylon was struck by Ughtning 

 in the year 1838, whilst lying in Malta harbour, and at a 

 short distance from the Talavera, BelUrophon, and Hastings, 

 three line-of-battle ships, and fully rigged and equipped 

 with conductors. The Ceylon, as a receiving-ship, had only 

 a short pole above her fore-mast, whereas the other ships 

 being fully rigged, their masts and conductors were above 

 150 feet up into the air.f 



23. Case I. — In 1815, H. M. ship iVb?-_^e was severely 

 damaged by lightning ; whilst the Warrior, 74 guns, with a 

 pointed conductor, lying close to the Norge, received no 

 injury. Many other ships with conductors were in the same 

 harbour at the time ; they all escaped but the Norge, which 

 had no conductor.^ 



24. Case K.— On the 25th of March, 1840, H. M. ship 

 Powerful, of 84 guns, \7as struck by lightning whilst at 

 anchor at a short distance from the Asia, also an 84 gun 

 ship, and furnished with fixed conductors in her masts. 

 The Powerful had no conductors* || 



25. The four following cases show that lightning occa- 

 sionally falls into the sea close to tall-masted vessels, not- 

 withstanding their being armed with pointed conductors ; 

 which, according to the views of Franklin and his followers, 

 ought to prevent such vicinal explosions. 



26. Case L. — On the 21st of January, 1840, a discharge 

 of lightning fell into the sea so near to the Neptune, a small 

 revenue cutter at anchor in Ely Bay, as to cause the ves- 

 sel fairly to reel by the concussion.§ 



* Nautical Magazine — Harris on Thunder Storms, 

 ■f Ibid. J Ibid. |I Ibid. Also, Parliamentary Return of Sbipi 



struck by lightning. 



§ Harris on Thunder Storms. 



