134 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



the gun-barrel, larger conductors were af- 

 terwards more generally ufed. 



The fecond was the houfe of Mr Wil- 

 liam Mayne of the fame Province, He 

 hath provided a condu<5lor from the top 

 to the bottom of his chimney compofed 

 of iron rods of near half an inch diameter, 

 linked together by hooks, turned at their 

 ends, the loweft joint being in the ground 

 about three feet deep, clofs to the founda- 

 tion of his chimney ; and the higheft a- 

 bout fix inches above the top, terminating 

 in three brafs wires, with filver points. 

 The lightning pafTed in this canal, melt- 

 ed and diflipated the brafs wires with 

 their points, melted and burft the joints 

 of the rods, fo as to unhook and feparate 

 them ; but did no damage to the chimney, 

 except near the foundation, where fome 

 bricks were torn out, and fome bricks of 

 the hearth within forced up ; the earth al- 

 fo for eight or nine inches round the rod 

 was furrowed and torn up. This fmall 

 damage appeared to be occafioned by the 

 ground-rod's not entering the earth deep 

 enough, and being placed too near the 



foun- 



