100 On Lightning Conductors generally. 



In buildings having more than one spire, as is the case with 

 the Wesley Church, therefore, each should be protected by a se- 

 parate conductor, as itdoes notfollow that the loftiest onewould 

 influence the discharge, for buildings have often been struck 

 in one place when there was a conductor not far from the 

 spot struck ; and in cases of ships, the foremast has been 

 struck when a lightning chain was employed at the main- 

 mast. Under Sir S. Harris 5 arrangement, each mast is sepa- 

 rately protected ; so should it be with buildings having 

 separate spires. The notion of keeping the conductors insu- 

 lated from the building has been refuted, as it has been 

 shown that the building itself conveys a large amount of fluid, 

 and the use of the conductor is to assist, or give a continuous 

 line of action ; it should, therefore, be secured against the 

 masonry, and not placed at any distance from the building, for 

 it cannot be supposed that the fluid travelling with irresistible 

 force and great rapidity, will leave a sufficient sized rod whether 

 solid or hollow, or be diverted by an insignificant piece of 

 glass, pitch, earthenware, or other insulating matter. 



The external conductor of the Wesley Church, from the 

 top of the spire to its termination in the ground, is composed 

 of copper tubes one inch outside diameter, the metal of which 

 is one -eighth of an inch thick. They are in about six feet 

 lengths, joined together by screw-joints, over solid copper 

 plugs, each six inches in length, the whole being securely 

 fixed to the stonework by strong wrought iron wall hooks. 



From the top of the spire to the level of the ground, the 

 conductor measures one hundred and eighty feet ; it is then 

 continued to a depth of about three feet under ground, and 

 further, in a nearly horizontal position, to a distance of about 

 twelve feet from the Avails of the tower, thus conveying the 

 fluid quite clear of the edifice. 



Above the apex of the spire the conductor is continued to 

 a height of two feet six inches, by a solid copper rod three- 

 quarters of an inch in diameter. Three forks, each nine 

 inches long, branch from near the top, and at their junction 

 with the rod are united by a solid copper ball, the whole of 

 which above the termination of the spire is gilt, which 

 renders it less visible, and does not interfere with the general 

 proportions of the building. 



The iron tie rods inside the spire being exposed to the 

 electric fluid through the open dormers, it was consi- 

 dered necessary to attach a copper conductor to the same. 

 From the ends of each of the iron rods and bars a copper 



