2IO ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



Cmllar method, buildings might be pre- 

 ferved. 



Sq ufeful a propofal deferves to be ex- 

 amined: Variety of experiments rr\,\j give 

 hints for new improvements. For this 

 reafon the following obfervations are 

 communicated, though not fo compleat 

 as might be wiihed, being the refalt of 

 one trial only. 



It feldom thunders in this northern 

 clime. In June 1752, there Teemed to be 

 fome thunder at a diftance from Edin- 

 burgh ;► but, from the beginning of July 

 to the beginning of Ocflober, we had no- 

 thing almoft but continual rains. The 

 laft fummer -yvas uncommonly wa^m and 

 dry; and yet we had only a few claps of 

 thunder at Edinburgh, one evening : And 

 my attempts for making any of thofe ex- 

 perim.ents were entirely unfuccefsful till 

 Saturday's night September 15. when we 

 had a very great ftorm. 



I ufed a round iron-rod, two tenths of 



an inch diameter, about eleven feet long, 



fharpened at one end ; the other end was 



inferted into a glafs-tube j and that tube 



V flood 



