Lightning Conductors to Powder Magazines. 441 



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of its high conducting power possesses the singular property of deter- 

 mining to itself a larger portion of a charge of electricity than any 

 other metal, we cannot hut feel the opinion that the lightning impinged 

 directly upon it, without touching the Britannia in any way, notwith- 

 standing its presenting the most elevated points, to be better calculated 

 to explain the circumstances of the case than any other. Of course 

 we state this as our opinion, with the qualification that if Dr. 

 O'Shaughnessy can assure us that besides "knowing" of this case, 

 he actually saw the spear head after it had been fused, we can consider 

 it no longer tenable, as such testimony would be fatal to it ; but until 

 some such unexceptionable testimony can be produced as to the fusion, 

 we must, on the grounds above specified, continue to maintain our 

 doubts as to the charge having ever impinged on the spear head at all. 

 The necessity for having undoubted facts on which to base conclusions 

 which involve interests so varied and extensive as those linked with 

 the present discussion, will, we feel assured, plead our excuse for 

 dwelling at so much length on some of the details of a single case. 

 We may state, that it would be well if authenticated information relative 

 to the accident to St. Andrew's Church could be collected and made 

 public. From the little we know of it, we believe a more striking- 

 instance of the beneficial effects of conductors, could scarcely be cited, 

 but as our information is but meagre, we do not at present feel warrant- 

 ed in attempting to discuss it. 



Note by the Editor. — Regarding one point brought forward by our 

 correspondent, namely, the distance from that part of Dr. R. O'Shaugh- 

 nessy's house which (while in the occupation of Dr. Goodeve) in 1837 

 was struck by lightning, from the conductor attached to the house of the 

 Secretary of the Asiatic Society, then in the possession of Mr. Trower, 

 Professor O'Shaughnessy has since (10th September, 1840,) acknow- 

 ledged his error, nearly one month after it had become generally known 

 to others. Thus we ourselves on 13th of August, the very day the error 

 was published, measured the distance, and found it to be above 60 feet 

 instead of 20, and three days after we received the communication 

 which we have given at length from another party who had also it 

 would seem been measuring. 



The discrepancy between the actual condition of the spear and the 

 representation of it by Professor O'Shaughnessy is another point upon 

 which we think the Professor is called to explain. 



