76^ 



MK. WILLIAM STURGEON ON LIGHTNIXG 



The boatswain's mate was " blinded at the moment by the 

 intense light, and knocked down on the deck." * " Below 

 deck, whilst the lightning was traversing the branch con- 

 ductors, every one in the ship was stunned and amazed by 

 the noise and concussion of the explosion."! "Some of 

 the branch conductors at the points of contact with the 

 iron knees were blackened, and the copper bands which 

 covered the exterior ends of the through bolts were started, 

 and the copper sheathing laid over them was bulged out- 

 wards." if 



45. The doctrine which sets forth that " these conductors, 

 by rendering the whole mass, together with the masts, so 

 uniformly conducting in every part, that a discharge of 

 electric matter falling on the mast would thereby lose its 

 explosive form of action constituting lightning; and being 

 converted into a comparatively quiescent current, traversing 

 capacious metallic conductors, would become dispersed upon 

 the sea without intermediate explosion or damage," — seems 

 not to be sustainable by experience ; since in no well 

 authenticated occurrence of lightning striking ships fur- 

 nished with this plan of conductors, have the points either 

 warded off the blow, or prevented explosion and damage. 



46. Pointed conductors, however, being those in general 

 esteem, and now employed to an unprecedented extent, both 

 at sea and on shore, a just knowledge of their absolute capa- 

 bilities in influencing electric clouds and the intervening air, 

 has become of more importance at this time than at any 

 former period of their history. 



47. To infer that, because a pointed wire, at the distance 

 of a few inches, would neutralize the electric charge of a 

 small metallic body, a similar influence would be exerted on 

 a distant cloud, required a fertility of conception and an 



♦ Harris's "Remarkable Examples," &c. 



t Nautical Standard, &c. 



J Harris's " Remarkable Examples," &c. 



