Cases of Lightning Discharge. 
By С. E. V. THOMAS, A.M.I.C.E. 
Communicated by A. №. Ridley. 
The study of lightning phenomena is of great interest and 
importance, and as the conditions which obtain in Malaya are ex- 
tremely favourable for the observation of such phenomena, as re- 
gards the frequency and violence of thunder storms, it is some- 
what surprising to find that the accounts so far available are few. 
Those here given are of interest as being descriptive of unusual 
elfects. 
In well-marked cases of the destructive effect of lightning 
on trees, the tree struck is completely shattered. Such instances 
are familiar, probably because they are immediately apparent as 
the result of a severe storm; but the gradual decay and death 
of a number of trees in the vicinity of one struck, which would 
seem to be a frequent after-effect, is a form of damage which, as 
far as the writer can ascertain, has not previously been noted. 
‘The following account, from the diary of Mr. H. N. Ridley, 
Director of Gardens and Forests, S. S., describes such an effect, 
which occurred іп a coco-na: plantation in Singapore. 
. “May 8rd 1898. Visited Siglap and saw a place where, more 
than a month previously, a tree was struck by a tremendous 
flash. From this tree in a semicircle (there being none on the 
outer side) eleven more treesdied. The deaths appeared to radi- 
ate out from struck tree gradually. Three were still standing ; 
they bore young fruit and flowers, but the whole of the foliage 
looked as if burnt. One was still alive and putting up а fresh 
leaf. One, covered with fungi, had been dead some time, Why 
this progressive death? Inspector tells me he saw a similar 
case where, some time after the death of coco-nuts, some mango- 
steen trees withered away in like manner. : 
similar instance recently occurred in the Botanical Gar- 
dens, Singapore, and was brought to the writers notice by the 
