434 AiyNUAL REGISTER, 1818. 



ject, liis treatise on electricity 

 seems to stand first, in which he 

 endeavours to establish some new 

 principles respecting the electric 

 fluid. In this piece he attempts 

 to prove the existence, and to 

 explain the effect, of what he 

 calls the returning stroke, namely 

 an action induced at a consider- 

 able distance from the principal 

 discharge, depending upon the 

 tendency of the fluid to equalize 

 itself in all bodies. Since the 

 publication of this hypothesis, 

 some accidents from lightning 

 have occurred, which seem the 

 best accounted for by it, and 

 which indeed cannot be easily 

 explained upon any other prin- 

 ciple. In this treatise, the great 

 object of practical utility is not 

 neglected : the best method of 

 preserving buildings from the 

 effects of lightning is minutely 

 considered, and exact directions 

 are laid down for accomplishing 

 this purpose. 



Another object of great prac- 

 tical utility was, the means of pre- 

 serving buildings from fire. This 

 object he endeavoured to accom- 

 plish by pi'actising the simple and 

 well known expedient, that com- 

 bustion can never take place 

 where the air is excluded. To 

 illustrate this principle, and at 

 the same time to bring the fact 

 to the test of very ample expe- 

 riment, he caused to be erected 

 a wooden house rendered fire- 

 proof, and after filling the lower 

 chamber with a collection of very 

 inflammable materials, he set fire 

 to it. The result was, that during 

 the burning, a number of persons 

 of distinction who were present 

 in the upper apartment, sat with- 

 out any inconvenience in the 



same. An account of these ex- 

 periments was published in the 

 Phil. Trans, for 1778, 



Another object which engross- 

 ed a considerable shai'e of Lord 

 Stanhope's attention, was, the em- 

 ployment of steam for the pro- 

 pulsion of vessels. For a period 

 of 20 years he continued his ex- 

 periments, and is said to have 

 spent large sums of money in 

 jirosecuting them. In the mean- 

 time, Mr. Fulton had the same 

 objects in view ; and although it 

 is known, that they both, at one 

 period, frequently conversed on 

 the topic of steam-vessels, it is 

 probable that no documents exist 

 which can decide on the share 

 which each of them had in this 

 curious invention. 



His Lordship also published a 

 pamphlet on the means of pre- 

 venting frauds on the gold coin ; 

 and afterwards, on bank-notes ; 

 in both cases proceeding upon 

 the obvious principle of employ- 

 ing very skilful workmen, whose 

 performances could not be imi- 

 tated by those who engage in 

 attempts at forgery. He is further 

 well known for having suggested 

 some important improvements in 

 the construction of the printing 

 press, by which a single stroke 

 upon the center of the machine, 

 is rendered equal to one of double 

 the force at each end. 



Lord Stanhope died in Decem- 

 ber 181f5, in the 64th year of his 

 age, exhibiting in the last scene 

 of his life an uncommon degree 

 of philosophical resignation. 



BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF PROF. 

 SMITH AND MR. CRANCH. 



C/irefien Smith was born in th6 



year 



