Effects of Lightning. 321 



Art. XIX. — Effects of Lightning upon the packet ship New 

 York ; by Mr. Charles Rich, at the request of the editors.* 



Upon my first visit to Liverpool in May, 182T, the vessel in 

 which I arrived was moored in Prince's dock along side the 

 packet ship New York, Capt. Bennett. This ship I repeatedly 

 visited, and indeed was obliged to cross her deck to reach the 

 wharf. Having been informed that she had been injured by 

 lightning during her passage, I examined her several times, and 

 the following are the main facts that I remember. 



The ship sailed from New York in April, and on the third day 

 out, being the 19th, while in the Gulf Stream, in lat. 38° 9' N. 

 and Ion. 61° \7' W., was struck by lightning at about daylight 

 in the morning. The passengers being still in their berths, were 

 roused by a heavy report like that of a cannon close to their ears, 

 and the cabin was filled with a dense smoke smelling like sul- 

 phur. It had been broad daylight, but was now almost dark as 

 night. Rain fell in torrents — hail covered the deck ; the light- 

 ning and thunder were almost simultaneous ; the sea ran very 

 high, and the water being at 74° P. and the air at 48°, the copi- 

 ous evaporation produced pillars of condensed vapor reaching to 

 the clouds. The scene was one of terrific sublimity. Some 

 parts of the ship and spars were for a moment on fire, but were 

 quickly extinguished by the rain. 



The fluid first struck her main royal mast, burst asunder three 

 stout iron hoops with which it was bound, and shattered the 

 mast head and cap. It passed down the mainmast, one branch 

 entered a store-room and demolished the bulk heads and fittings ; 

 thence it went into the cabin, and conducted by a lead pipe 

 passed out through the ship's side between wind and water, 

 starting the ends of three five inch planks. During its progress 

 it burst open the harness casks, shivered to pieces the large 

 looking glass in the ladies' cabin, and being conducted by the 

 quicksilver on the back, it left the frame uninjured ; it overturned 

 the piano forte, split into several pieces the dining table, and by 

 its influence so highly magnetized the chronometer as to render 

 it during that passage not trust-worthy. Most of the watches 



* With-additional facts selected by the editors from the full account published in 

 Liverpool, May 12, 1827, and quoted in the New York Spectator, June 20, 1827. 

 Vol. XXXVII, No. 2.— July-October, 1839. ' • 41 



