STRATA IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF LONDON. lU 



" all to pieces ; she had an iron sp'ndle at the main top- 



" gallantmast head, which probably directed the stroke.— 



*' This ship lay »ot more than the distance of two cables 



** length from ours, and in all probability we should have 



*' shared the same fate, but for the electrical chain, which 



** we had but just got up, and which conducted the light- 



*' ningxjver the side of the ship. But though we escaped the 



** lightning, the explosion shook us like an earthquake, the 



** chain at the same time appearing like a line of fire: a 



" centinel was in the action of charging his piece, and the 



" shock forced the musquet out of his hand, and broke the 



** ramrod.— Upon this occasion I cannot but earnestly re- 



** commend chains of the same kind t6 every ship, whatever 



** be her destination ; and I hope that the fate of the Dutch- 



** man will be a warning to all, who shall read this narra- 



** tive, against having a spindle at the mast head." 



Thus even chains have been found protectors, and if Rods recom- 



Drouer conductors were attached to the main topgallant- '"®"''ed for 



. ,, , .... , , , , ships instea* 



mast, running all down it with a joint at the place where the of chains. 



mast is jointed, it would always be in its place ; and I agaia 

 say, I am pretty confident, that vessels would be secured 

 from the injury they but too often sustain from lightning, 

 as well as houses. — The rod would not be in the way of any 

 of the rigging, and therefore I should think it would be a _ 

 duty the masters of vessels owe to their sailors, as well as to 

 the owners of the property they have on board, to be always 

 provided against danger. I am, dear sir. 



Your obedient servant, 

 Birmingham, B. COOK. 



Caroline Street, Dec. 27, 1811. 



VI. 



Observations on some of the Strata in the Neighbourhood of 

 London^ and on the Fossil Remains contained in them : by 

 James Parkinson, Esq,, Member of the Geological 

 Society, 



(Concluded from p. 52.) 



Strata interposed between the Clay and Chalk. 



JLT is almost impossible to speak with precision of the sub-gj^j^jj, beneath 

 jacent stratsi, which are situate between the clay and the the clay. 



chalk, 



