VOL. LIV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. i35 



the lead, connected with them, broken into many parts ; each was moved from 

 its place ; some pieces were thrown down, and one large one projected 5 inches 

 over the stone, immediately under it. The whole stone, into which the spindle 

 was inserted, and on which it rested, was burst from the centre into a great 

 many pieces, and every piece removed from its place. Some of these were 

 thrown from the steeple. Several of the large masses of this stone, which still 

 cohered, were very much shivered. The centre of the stone, on and near 

 which the spindle rested, was beaten to powder, and a hole made through the 

 under part of the stone. That this stone in this condition should still support 

 the 7 courses above it, which weighed 4 tons, exclusive of the spindle, vane, 

 and their appurtenances ; and that the whole did not fall when struck with the 

 lightning, is in no small degree surprizing. From the bottom of the spindle to 

 the first course of stone, where the workmen had used iron cramps, the distance 

 was 5 feet 7 inches. These cramps were bedded in the stone. Part of the 

 lightning, from the bottom of the spindle through the hole just now men- 

 tioned, seized these cramps, and threw oft large scales of stones at their ends. 

 From these there were 3 courses of stone, in which there were no cramps ; 

 these suffered nothing. In edifices of this kind, for additional strength, the 

 builders employ bars of iron, connected together in such a manner as their exi- 

 gencies require ; and these, though they have no links, are denominated chains. 

 These are sometimes so adapted to the courses of stone as not to be visible, and 

 are perfectly concealed : at other times, they are in part visible, and in part 

 concealed. The first metal that occurred after the cramps before mentioned, 

 was a concealed chain, one foot above the base of the obelisk, and 2 feet above 

 the first cross chain. Here two stones were burst and shattered. In the course 

 of stone where the first cross chain was inserted, and the several stones con- 

 nected by iron cramps, many of the stones were much shattered. At the base 

 of the dome, near Q feet below the first cross chain, was a 2d. This chain was 

 a double cross connected at its ends with a circle of iron, which was bedded into 

 the whole course, and fastened by melted lead. Here the lightning made 

 great ravage, burst and threw off' the stones in which the iron circle was 

 bedded, and tore out part of the roof of the dome, threw off" two pieces of the 

 cornice and one of the vases, which was contiguous to it. These 2 pieces of 

 cornice weighed 1200 pounds. The courses of stone between the two chains, 

 except those just now mentioned, were not injured. 



To what is here said, I shall only add, that in no part the steeple was injured, 

 except where the stones were in contact or very near the iron and lead employed 

 in its building ; and the quantity of stone burst, spoiled, or so much damaged 

 as not fit to be used again, amounts, as I am informed by Mr. Stanes, a very 



