412 Mr. Snow Harris on the Electrical Discharge 



by lightning on the west coast of Erris, and seriously damaged, 

 it appears that the electric matter in passing down the main 

 hatchway passed between a man and a boy. Neither were 

 hurt ; the latter experienced a shock only. It also passed close 

 to another man lying across a hammock about the same spot, 

 who jumped up and thought his neck handkerchief was on 

 fire ; the latter experienced a temporary effect only in his 

 right arm. 



41. All these cases evidently show, that no damage occurs 

 from a shock of lightning out of its direct path. It maj', how- 

 ever, divide in the absence of an^^ good conducting course, 

 and branch out into a variety of other courses (as already ob- 

 served) and seize either wholly or partially upon bodies which 

 happen to lie in certain points, as clearly shown in all these 

 cases, and in the partial fusion of the leaf-gold given in ex- 

 periment 2, p. 124, of my last communication. 



We may also expect to find an exjmnsive effect of greater 

 or less force in the vicinity of a discharge o^free electricity 

 under the form of a dense spark, in a had conducting interval\ 

 as observed by Dr. Priestley, " the air being suddenly dis- 

 placed gives a concussion to all the bodies which happen to 

 be near it." 



42. It is clear therefore that in all cases where injury or death 

 has occurred, as in those before given in the Mignomne, Rod- 

 ney, &c., it has been the result of the passage of the electric 

 agency, either wholly or partially, through the animal body, 

 and not from the result of any lateral explosioii of electricity, 

 such as described by Mr. Sturgeon. If, as he says, such ex- 

 plosions in all cases of proximity to the primitive charge ne- 

 cessarily arise, such proximity to the passage of a dense 

 shock of lightning would be in all cases fatal, which is evi- 

 dently not the case. 



43. I have now to consider briefly a few instances of the 

 power of metallic bodies to transmit heavy discharges of 

 lightning. 



In the case above quoted of the Hyacinth, we observe, as 

 already remarked, that a flash of lightning which shivered 

 the top-mast and top-gallant mast passed over a small iron 

 chain and copper tube without fusing either. A similar 

 I'esult ensued in the second instance of the Hyacinth being 

 struck by lightning; also in the case of the Athol and Buz- 

 zard, and Snake, and in a great variety of others too nu- 

 merous to detail here. 



In the case of the Fox, No. 5, it is seen that the shock of 

 lightning which damaged the mast, was conducted without 

 fusion or damage by sheet copper of JgUd of an in ch in 



