Lightning Conductors to Powder Magazines. 495 



Lastly. — The negative evidence against the fusion, afforded 

 by the fact, that neither Capt. Fitz-Gerald nor Mr. Barnes 

 have in any way publicly confirmed Dr. O'Shaughnessy's 

 statement, though they are both in Calcutta, and could have 

 been appealed to. 



The object which Dr. O'Shaughnessy had in view in 

 stating that the spear head of Britannia was fused, cannot 

 of course in any way affect the fact itself; and although we 

 were fully aware that fusion of conductors takes place gene- 

 rally only at the points of entrance or issue of the electric 

 discharge, that formed no just reason why we should pass 

 over in silence a statement brought forward by him for our 

 acceptance as a scientific fact i« the electrical history of 

 Calcutta, while we had the strong grounds, just detailed, for 

 doubting its correctness. Dr. O'Shaughnessy is urging on 

 Government the adoption of a plan, the expediency of which 

 is denied by nearly every one — the efficiency of which is 

 doubted by most ; it is therefore of the utmost importance 

 that its claims should be sifted and discussed, and that the 

 true value of the foundation on which his plan has been 

 constructed should be ascertained. A regard for the inter- 

 ests of science, for the good of the community, demands that 

 this should be done, and we consider the determination of 

 the correctness of his observations to be a most essential 

 step in the process. For this reason, as we originally stated, 

 we have dwelt longer on the case of the Government House, 

 than we otherwise would have done. Our intention is not 

 " to carp" at Dr. O'Shaughnessy's statements, but to ascer- 

 tain their scientific value ; and if in our manner of doing so 

 there has been any thing uncourteous, we regret it sin- 

 cerely, and will gladly correct it to the utmost of our power, 

 provided only no sacrifice of impartiality be required of us. 



We dissent entirely from the concluding paragraph of 

 Dr. O'Shaughnessy's reply, and instead of joining with him 

 in recommending the adoption of his plan, either in the 



