408 Mr. Snow Harris on the 'Electrical Discharge 



It is further stated, and it is a most imj)ortant fact, that a 

 seaman aloft on the cross trees, at the time, did not experience 

 any sensation whatever. 



31. No. 4. The Buzzard brigantine was struck by lightning 

 on the Coast of Africa in February 1838, and lost her top-gal- 

 lant and topmast, under precisely the same circumstances as 

 those of the Hyacinth, the lower mast being preserved by 

 the chain topsail sheet *. 



32. No. 5. The Fox revenue cutter was struck by lightning 

 in March 1818. The mast was furrowed and otherwise da- 

 maged in every part except where it was coppered; as appears 

 by a minute made at the time by the master masl-maker at 

 the Plymouth dock-yard. 



Now the copper usually placed about a cutter's mast is not 

 the 3^^nd part of an inc\i in thickness. In this case it re- 

 mained perfect. 



33. No. 6. The spire of a church at Kingsbridge in Devon- 

 shire was struck by lightning in June 1828, and fearfully 

 damaged. This case is particularly worthy of notice. 



The lightning fell on an iron spill, «, b, supporting the 

 weather-cock, about 7 feet in length and 

 1 inch in diameter. On this it produced no 

 visible effect, nor did ani/ damage arise to 

 the slone-ivot^k about the rod. It was not 

 until the rod ceased at the point b that the 

 masonry was rentf. 



34. No. 7. Extract from a letter from Lieut. 

 Sullivan, of H. M.S. " Beagle," addressed 

 to the Editor of the Annals of Electricity, 

 &c., &c., )elative to the protection afforded 

 by a continuous conductor attached to the 

 mast of H.M.S. Beagle. 



" Having considered your communica- 

 tion in the Annals of Electricity on marine 

 lightning conductors, containing observations on the stroke 

 of lightning v.hich fell on the masts of H.M.S. Beagle, 

 I think it fair, both to Mr. Harris and the naval service, to 

 describe the phainomena I witnessed on that occasion ; first 

 stating, that at the time of my joining the Beagle in 1831, pre- 

 viously to her leaving England, I had no acquaintance with 

 Mr. Harris, and certainly no bias in favour of the conductors 

 with which the ship was fitted. I may therefore claim to be 

 considered an impartial observer. 



* This case was given me by the commander Lieut. Fox. I \vas myself 

 on board the vessel on her arrival. The particulars are noted in her log. 



+ MS. letter with a drawing, dated July 11, 1828, from the Rev. 

 G. F. Wise, late Vicar of Kingsbridge. 



