AND LIGHTNING CONDUCTOKS. 69 



does it invariably strike the nearest objects, as was sup- 

 posed by Franklin ; for in many cases it strikes trees 

 obliquely, which are surrounded by objects much, taller 

 than themselves, as well as the rigging and masts of ships 

 at a short distance above deck. 



36. In illustration of damage to ships by oblique dis- 

 charges, we may refer to Harris's " State of the Question 

 relating to the Protection of the British Navy from Light- 

 ning" in which work I find, that out of one hundred and 

 seventy-four cases of ships being struck by lightning, '' the 

 particulars of which have been ascertained," there are not 

 more than forty-four in which the topgallant-masts have 

 suffered; consequently, in the remaining one hundred and 

 thirty cases the lightning struck no higher than the top- 

 masts ; and as it is highly probable that in most of these 

 cases the topgallant-masts were standing, the lightning 

 must have approached the ships in oblique directions. 



37. The best and most obvious illustration of the effects 

 of an oblique discharge of hghtning that has come under 

 my own observation, was in the case of St. Michael's 

 Church, Liverpool, which was struck by lightning about 

 two o'clock on Tuesday morning, August 23, 1841. The 

 damage to the beautiful spire of this church was so great 

 on this occasion, as to require it to be taken down entirely ; 

 and when I heard that the scaffolding for that purpose was 

 completed, I proceeded from Manchester to Liverpool to 

 examine the effects of the lightning. On my arrival at the 

 top of the spire I first examined the metallic cross, and the 

 ball in which the lower end oP the shank of it was fixed, 

 and soon discovered, by the discoloration of the metal, 

 which was of bronze, richly gilded, that the electric fluid 

 had first struck the lower end of the shank . of the cross, 

 and that it had not touched the upper part of it at all. 

 The ball or cap, and cross together, were 9 feet 6 inches 

 high, and I estimated the cap, which was a hollow globe of 



