LiglUmng-Condudors in Ships. S09 



without fusing the conductor. In the instance of the church 

 struck by lightning at Kingsbridge, a short time since, it was 

 observed, that the flash which rent the steeple passed over a 

 bell-wire, of about two-tenths of an inch diameter, without fus- 

 ing it. In the case of the Plymouth church, the conductor was 

 not fur3ed, it was only disjointed. In the Transactions of the 

 Royal Society for 1770, there is an instance of a bell-wire ha- 

 vino- conveyed a charge with safety, which knocked down a 

 chimney, and did other damage ; and in the same valuable 

 work for 1772, there is an instance of a bell-wire having resisted 

 fusion in all the doubled or twisted portions. A house was 

 struck at Tenterden, and the whole flash fell upon a bar of iron, 

 three-fourths of an inch square, but produced no effect on it *. 

 Mr Calendrini was eye-witness to a flash of lightning which 

 struck a bell-mre, and was safely transmitted by it f ; more- 

 over, we never find that the vane spindles of ships become fused 

 by hghtning. It is very remarkable, when the conditions are 

 favourable, how very small a quantity of metal is equivalent to 

 transmit heavy electrical accumulations. In the great experi- 

 ment of the French philosopher M. de Romas, an account of 

 which will be found in Priestley's History of Electricity, the 

 electric matter of a thunder cloud was effectually discharged 

 over a small wire, wove in the string of a kite, and which be- 

 came sensible by insulating the string. In this case the electric 

 lire " assumed the shape of a spindle eight inches long and five 

 inches in diameter:" another time, " streams of fire, which ap- 

 peared to be an inch thick and ten feet long,'' were observed to 

 dart into the ground witli a crashing noise, similar to thunder 

 when very near. 



30. Andrew Crosse, Esq. of Broomfields, near Taunton, a 

 gentleman of high scientific attainment, has employed a very 

 extensive atmospheric apparatus, from which similar effects have 

 been witnessed. During the passage of a thunder-cloud, a full 

 dense stream of sparks passes to the receiving ball; which at 

 every flash of lightning is changed to an explosive stream, ac- 

 companied by a peculiar noise ; and it has been well observed 

 by Mr Singer, " that during this display of electric power, so 



• Transactions of the Royal Society. " f H'i'l- 



I 



