98 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1771« 



supplies them with hot water for their tea. This water evaporates in the night, 

 moistens the air of the room, and absorbs the noxious particles of the sea coal. 

 The Chinese sea coal may give some insight into the formation, qualities, uses, 

 and nature of this singular fossil; but this would require a separate paper. All 

 we shall here observe is, that, as far as we can judge from the samples we have 

 seen, it seems for the most part to be a stone dissolved by the waters, and im- 

 pregnated with sulphur. Its hurtful qualities proceed from a mixture of anti- 

 mony, copper, iron, &c. The best coal, and that which burns fiercest, is 

 glossy, hard, and brittle. The Chinese are very fond of that sort that flies and 

 snaps in the fire, to burn in their forges, because it contains a great deal of salt- 

 petre. When the flame is blue, it is very fierce, but it is too dangerous, as the 

 sulphur is too predominant. 



IX. Of a Remarkable Thunder Storm. By the Rev. j^nthony tVilliamSy Rector 

 of St. Keverne in Cornwall, p. 7 1 • 

 For several days before the thunder storm which fell on St, Keverne spire and 

 church, on Sunday the 18th day of February 1770, the wind was very hard at 

 N. and N. w. accompanied with violent showers of hail, which had done some 

 damage to the roof of the church, and many houses in the church town. On 

 the Sunday morning above-mentioned, the wind being at n. w. from 5 o'clock 

 during almost the whole day the wind was excessive hard; and about 6, were 

 some few faint flashes of lightning. The weather being so bad, prevented many 

 people from coming to church, which probably was a happy circumstance; for, 

 about a quarter after 1 1 o'clock, while Mr. W. was in the latter part of the 

 Litany service, there was a very fierce flash of lightning, followed at the distance 

 of about 4 or 5 seconds by the loudest thunder he remembers ever to have heard; 

 but which did no damage, nor seemed in the least to disturb any of the congre- 

 gation, though at the same time the roof of the church was rifling, and the hail 

 made a noise terrible to be heard. In half a minute after this, the whole con- 

 gregation, except 5 or 6 persons, were at once struck out of their senses. Mr. 

 W. received the shock so suddenly as not to remember he either heard the 

 thunder or saw the lightning; the first thing that he recollected with any degree 

 of certainty was, that he found himself in the vicarage seat, which is very near 

 the desk, without either gown or surplice, bearing in his arms as he then 

 thought a dead sister, and God knows it was a miracle that she was not so; he 

 perceived a very strong sulphureous smell, almost suffocating, and a great heat. 

 At this time the confusion among the congregation was inconceivable, some 

 running out of the church for safety, and returning into it again, for the stones 

 from the roof were falling on their heads both in and out of the church; some 

 on their knees, imploring the divine assistance, giving themselves up to certain 



