VOL. LXVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. 6l 



which, being constructed in some measure different from what are commonly 

 sold in shops, will no doubt give an unsettled idea of my narration, by expres- 

 sing the same intensity of electricity under different degrees from the others. 

 In order to this, therefore, it must be observed, that when the kite is raised, I 

 generally connect with the end of its string a small cylindrical conductor, 9 

 inches long and 1 inch diameter, made of pasteboard covered with tin foil ; with 

 this I connect the quadrant electrometer, which shows me exactly the state, 

 increase, and decrease of electricity. The apparatus being thus disposed, I have 

 observed, that when the electrometer is at 10°, a little bran presented to the 

 conductor will be attracted by it at the distance of about six-tenths of an inch ; 

 when the electrometer is at 20°, the bran will be attracted at the distance of J4- 

 inch ; when at 30°, it will be attracted at the distance of 2^ inches ; and when 

 at 35°, it will be attracted at the distance of 3 inches. The experiment is as 

 follows : 



Oct. the 18th, after having rained a great deal in the morning and night before, 

 the weather got a little clear in the afternoon, the clouds appearing separated and 

 pretty well defined ; the wind was west, and rather strong, and the atmosphere 

 in a temperate degree of heat. In these circumstances, at 3 o'clock in the 

 afternoon, Mr. C. raised a small electrical kite, which measured 3 feet 9 inches 

 in length, and 3 feet in breadth, giving to it 36o feet of wired string. The 

 angle that the string, or rather the cord of the incurvated string, generally made 

 with the horizon, was near 60", and in consequence the kite's perpendicular 

 height was about 3 10 feet. After the end of the string had been insulated with 

 a silk lace, and a leathern ball covered with tin foil had been hanged to it, he 

 tried the power and quality of the electricity, and found it positive and pretty 

 strong ; in a little time a small cloud passing over, the electricity increased a 

 little ; but the cloud being gone, it decreased again to its former degree. The 

 string of the kite now was fastened by the silk lace to a post in the yard of the 

 house where he lived which is situated near Islington ; and he was amusing him- 

 self and some other persons with charging 1 coated phials, and giving several 

 shocks with them. While so doing, the electricity, still positive, began to de- 

 crease ; and in 2 or 3 minutes time it was so weak, that it could be hardly 

 perceived with a very sensible electrometer, made with 2 cork balls after Mr. 

 Canton's manner. Seeing at the same time, that a large and black cloud was 

 approaching the zenith, which no doubt caused the decrease of electricity, 

 indicating imminent rain, he introduced the end of a string through a window 

 in a first-floor room, in which he fastened it by the silk lace to an old chair; the 

 quadrant electrometer was fixed on the same window, and was connected by a 

 wire with the string of the kite. Being now \ of an hour after 3 o'clock, the 

 electricity was absolutely unperceivable : however, in 2 or 3 minutes time it began 



