Lightning Conductors in Ships. IST 



may be supposed to proceed, and another towards which it may 

 be considered as determined. 



Secondly, At the instant before which an explosion takes 

 place, the stream of electricity moving to restore the equilibrium 

 of natural disposition, seems by a wonderful influence to feel 

 its way, and mark out as it were, in advance, the course it is 

 about to follow ; which course is invariably determined through 

 the line or lines of least resistance between the points of ac- 

 tion. 



A few illustrations from experience of damage by lightning, 

 may serve to render these facts evident. 



(« ) The brig Belisle, of Liverpool, in November 1811, was 

 lying afloat, abreast of Mr Evan's yard, at Bideford, when a 

 vivid flash of lightning shivered her fore-top-mast and fore-mast, 

 tore up the forecastle deck, and struck a hole through her star- 

 board-side, starting several butts in the bends, whence it passed 

 into the sea. 



{h.) The French ship Coquin, at anchor in the bay of Naples, 

 was struck by lightning in the afternoon of Christmas day 1820. 

 The electric matter passed, in this case, close to the main hatch- 

 way, upon a spare anchor, and from thence through her bottom 

 a little below the water's edge on the larboard-side. The boats 

 of the squadron in Naples Bay, assisted to slip her cables 

 and run her ashore in the mole. 



(c.) The United States ship Amphion, Blone master, of 

 and thirteen days from New York, bound to Rio, was struck 

 by hghtning on the 21st of September 1822. Tiie lightning de- 

 scended by her mizen-mast, destroyed the compasses and cabin 

 furniture, splintered and tore to pieces the ceiling, bulk-heads, 

 and rudder trunks, shivered two hold beams, and passed out 

 through the quarter into the sea, tearing ofl'part of the sheath- 

 ing in its course *. 



(d.) His Majesty's frigate Palma, commanded by Captain 

 Worth, was struck by hghtning in 1814, in the harbour of 

 Carthagena, Spanish America. The fore-top-mast was knocked 

 over the side, the lightning guttered or scooped its way, two 

 inches deep, and one inch and a-half wide, under the hoops of 



• Extracted from the log of the brig Mirabiles, and given to Mr Lock ver, 

 Comptroller of the Customs at Plymouth. 



