104 Mr Murray on the Paragrele or Protector from HaiL 



trical relation between the earth and the heavens. When I con- 

 sider the electric phenomena of the fires of St Elmo, St Barbe, 

 Castor and Pollux^ &c., I must conclude that the distance at which 

 points act on the source of the thunder-storm must be very great. 



The light that tips the spire, or gilds the mast of ships at sea, 

 are familiar examples, as well as the electric fires that occasion- 

 ally gleam on the umbrella at night during a thunder storm, 

 or those that are seen to fret the horse's mane. The altitude of 

 the storm cloud has been variously estimated, say ordinarily 

 from 8000 to 10,000 perpendicular feet. The fact remains certain 

 and incontrovertible, that conductors do control the power of 

 the lightning at this distance, and no doubt at distances still 

 more remote. Our aerial electroscopes, as those of Kinnersley and 

 others, become charged with electric matter at no great height, 

 and I have found that, in the case of the electric kite, an eleva- 

 tion of 100 perpendicular feet has always yielded me as mueh 

 electricity as I could safely manage. Prior to this happy appli- 

 cation of scientific truth, the only method of warding off the ef- 

 fects of hail consisted in dispersing the coming cloud by the 

 discharge of cannon from the alpine acclivity. In Italy and 

 Switzerland, at least, these destructive discharges of fragments 

 of ice, are the offspring and accompaniments of the thunder- 

 storm ; and this being the case, we have powerful and presump- 

 tive evidence in favour of paragreles ; that meteorological phe- 

 nomena are electrical admits of no doubt, and Beccaria, Saus- 

 sure, De Luc, Volta, &c. have incontestibly established the fact. 



It appears that paragreles were attempted in America, on the 

 principles of Dr Franklin, in the year 1819; and with boasted 

 success. They have passed from the New into the Old World, 

 and now prevail in France, Switzerland and Italy. The para- 

 grele in its first form, consisted of a pole crowned with a point of 

 brass. From this extremity proceeded a straw rope, with a small 

 cord composed of linen thread, passed through its centre, Bacca- 

 ria and Volta having proved their conducting character. The 

 description accompanying these remarks exhibits the paragrele 

 in its most improved form, and as it is now used in the Canton 

 de Vaud, the Bolagnaisc and Milanaise territories, &c., and re- 

 commended by Sig. Arioli) Professor of Natural Philosophy in 

 the University of Bologna. 



