vi INQUIRY AND INTERPRETATION 157 



It remained to establish the identity of the machine- 

 made electricity with lightning flash and thunder-clap, 

 and Franklin suggested a means of doing this by fixing 

 a pointed rod at the top of a high tower or steeple and 

 using it to draw down the lightning for the purpose of 

 comparing its effects directly with those produced by 

 electricity. Before Franklin could raise the money 

 for the erection of his pointed rod on a tower, Dalibard 

 had obtained electricity from the clouds by means of a 

 rod about forty feet long, fixed at the ground level upon 

 an insulated stand near Paris. He instructed an old 

 dragoon to try to obtain electric sparks by bringing a 

 brass wire fixed in a glass bottle near the rod when 

 thunderclouds were seen. 



After several days' waiting, a thunder-cloud appeared on 

 May 10, 1752. The dragoon approached the wire to the rod, 

 and there was a lively crackling of sparks. The flame and 

 sulphurous odour were evidently infernal. The terrified dragoon 

 dropped the wire and shouted to his neighbour to send for the 

 village priest. The latter was braver than the dragoon. He 

 began to experiment for himself, and drew sparks from the rod. 

 He communicated the results to Dalibard, who wrote, " Franklin's 

 idea ceases to be a conjecture. Here it has become a reality." 

 Prof. F. Cajori. 



While Franklin, not quite convinced, was still hoping 

 for the funds to place his rod at the top of a steeple in 

 Philadelphia, so as to get as high up as possible, the 

 happy idea occurred to him of using a kite for this 

 purpose. Electricity was to be conducted down from 

 the thundercloud by the twine attached to the kite, and 

 a silk ribbon tied to the end of the twine near the hand 

 was to prevent it from going any further. A key was 

 to be tied at the place where the twine and ribbon 

 joined, so as to form a metal conductor. 



In June, 1752, Franklin sent up his kite towards the 



