96 On the Formation of Hail. 
quate to account for the phenomenon of hail; because, if it 
owed its origin to electricity, it would be a natural and ordinary 
production, and might be expected as frequently as rain; 
whereas, the quantity of hail is not more, on an average, than 
~ 1-100dth part the quantity of rain.” However applicable this 
observation may be to Becearia’s theory, it is perfectly inappli- 
cable to mine, for it might certainly be admitted, that the elec- 
tric fluid occasionally generated hail by causing an expansion in 
the air, without inferring as a matter of course, that it could not 
xist without producing it. He observes, that ‘ authentic ac- 
counts sufficiently testify the destruction occasioned by hail; a 
me mentions hail-stones which fell in Italy 100 Ibs. i 
weight; and that Dr. Halley records some storms in which iy 
were thirteen or fourteen inches in circumference, and weighed 
from five ounces to half a pound. However ex aggerated some 
of these accounts may be,” he says, “ it is certainly true, that 
hail-stones attain a much greater size than drops of rain are ever 
known to do; but that the central part of every hail-stone ori- 
ginates in a drop of rain, is,” he observes, ** too obvious to re- 
quire proof.” 
That the centres were originally drops of water is certainly 
evident, and perfectly agreeable to my theory; but the immense 
size which hail-stones occasonally attain, malted it, 1 think, im- 
probable that they are generated by the tedious process assumed 
in the common theory; because, if they acquired their magni- 
tude by accidental accumulations in their descent round the 
nuclei of drops of frozen rain, it could only be by the gradual 
aaeelens of condensed particles of vapour, as hail-stones can- 
not, like drops of rain, combine, if their surfaces are accidentally 
brought in contact, a circumstance which is sufficiently proved 
by inspection: for, if it were $0, instead of the central parts only 
resembling drops of frozen rain, there would be as many of 
these icy nuclei, as there were hail-stones combined. It is 
worthy of remark also, that although they are incapable of com- 
bining like drops of rain, they are nevertheless found to surpass 
them in size ; and again, though they descend with much greater 
velocity than flakes of snow, “and are cons equently deprived of 
—_ opportunities of increasing by adhesions in their descent, 
yet they are known to exceed them wonderfully in weight. 
I am willing to allow that the accounts recorded by Mezeray 
and others may be exaggerated, but those mentioned by Dr. 
Halley ought to be received without hesitation, for it is well 
known that sheep have been killed by contusions from hail-stones; 
and many of your readers may remember, that a few years back, 
the French journals were filled with accounts of subscriptions 
for 
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