London Electrical Society. 69 



6th. Mr. Weekes's Electro-Meteorological Register for February 

 1 842 was then submitted to the Society *. 



May 17. — A note from Mr. Weekes was read, stating that, when 

 he commenced those experiments, during which insects had been 

 developed, he made similar arrangements, and placed tbem in va- 

 rious parts of his house, without allowing the voltaic current to pass 

 through them ; and in no case, by the strictest examination, could 

 he detect any appearance of the insect. 



A paper "On Lightning Conductors, and on the Lightning. Flash 

 which struck BrixtonChurch," by CharlesV.Walker,Esq.,Hon.Sec, 

 was next read. Having examined the steeple of this church, which was 

 struok by lightning on Sunday, April 24th, the author of the paper saw 

 in the damage done so good an illustration of the opinions delivered by 

 Dr. Faraday a few days previously at the Royal Institution, that he 

 was induced to survey more carefully the path, and report it to the 

 Society. We cannot, without drawings, enter into detail on the sub- 

 ject, but will condense the general conclusions which result from the 

 investigation. The steeple was surmounted by a copper cross, which 

 formed the first good conductor : the second was twenty feet from 

 this, and in passing along the interval the masonry about the cross 

 was shivered to pieces, and the cross itself was forced out of its 

 place : the third conducting series was twelve feet from the second : 

 here a second explosion occurred, and the base of a column three 

 feet in diameter was shattered and the column rent. How strange 

 it is that such occurrences as these are not better guarded against ! 

 If the " lateral discharge" is not well understood, the " disruptive" 

 is. The " lateral discharge" occurred in the belfry ; and Mr. Walker 

 showed how it was connected with that property of electricity which 

 induces it to take the widest as well as the shortest road. He ex- 

 plained that, when the fluid is passing along a most ample conductor, 

 some of it will enter vicinal conductors, developing light and heat. 

 The main object of the communication was to trace the connexion 

 between the experiments of the Royal Institution and the pheno- 

 mena illustrated by nature on a large scale. He then explained the 

 method of conveying the fluid safely and tranquilly into these vicinal 

 conductors, by forming metallic communications between them and 

 the lightning rod ; otherwise a lightning rod may become a most 

 dangerous enemy instead of a trustworthy protector. 



Extracts of Notes from the Rev. Mr. Lockey, Mr. Clarke and Mr. 

 Mayo were read, containing valuable additions to our present know- 

 ledge on Electrotype Manipulation. Mr. Lockey introduces black- 

 lead in his composition moulds, and Mr. Mayo flake-white. The 

 moulds with the latter were exhibited, and were superior to any we 

 have seen. A copper medal, with a silver surface for the design, by 

 Mr. Clarke.was exhibited. Mr. Weekes's Register was then read. 



June 21st. — " A Notice on Native Malleable Copper," by John 

 A. Phillips, Esq., of St. Austell, was read, in which the author states 

 that copper in this form, as well as arborescent and moss copper, is 

 produced by an action in principle the same as that artificially em- 



* The proceedings for April will be noticed in a future Number. 



