416 ON THUNDER STORMS. 



disperse themselves in every direction, and only become more 

 numerous where they find most employment and a soil best 

 adapted to the species of plant. My experiments have not, 

 however, been sufficiently varied, or numerous, to decide this 

 question, which I propose to make the subject of future inves- 

 tigation. 



I am, &c. 



T. A. KNIGHT. 

 Elton, Nov. 22, 1805. 



VIII. 



On Thunder Storjus. By Mr. Samuel Berey. 



Franklin's dis- 

 covery that 

 lightning and 

 electricity are 

 the same. 



To Mv. NCHOLSON. 



SIR, 



TEdge Lane, near Liverpool, August, 1805. 

 HE many thunder storms we have had this summer, have 

 brought to my mind a fevir remarks I was about to communi- 

 cate to you, nearly nine years ago, but something particular 

 at that time prevented me. As I have not seen them publish- 

 ed by any one else, I now trouble you with them. Should you 

 think them worthy of a place in your esteemed Journal, you 

 will oblige me by inserting them, with any corrections you 

 may be kind enough to make. 



I am, Sir, 



Your most obedient servant, 

 SAMUEL BEREY. 



Though the effects of thunder and lightning have been ob- 

 served by all ages, yet the cause of these phenomena was a 

 matter of conjecture, until Dr. Franklin's valuable experi- 

 ments were m.ade on lightning ; by which he proved beyond a 

 doubt, that lightning, and the electrical fluid, are precisely the 

 same, as he was enabled to charge jars, and to perfot-m experi- 

 ments by the electrical fluid drawn from the clouds, with as 

 great facility as by means of the electrical machine. 



Having proved the similarity of lightning, and the electri- 

 cal 



