[ 6 + ] 
fame Circumftances. One of the Obfervers, taking 
the Wire in his Hand without having any Commu- 
nication either with any of the other Gentlemen or 
the Water of the River, felt the Shock in his Feet. 
It was then thought proper to make right Explo- 
ftons without any other Alteration in the Apparatus 
than that the Obfervers at B , fhould ftand in the 
Meadow at fome Diftance from the Water, without 
having any Communication therewith other than 
that furni fhed by the Ground. This was accordingly 
done, and the Stroke felt little if at all lefs than 
thofe laft- mention'd. But the electrical Strokes be- 
ing felt fmartly at the Diftance of at leaft 20 Feet 
from the Water occafion'd a very perplexing Diffi- 
culty, as it was impollible by this Experiment to 
determine with any Certainty, whether or no the 
eleCtrical Circuit was formed throughout the Wind- 
ings of the River, or much fhorter by the Ground 
of the Meadows. The Experiment plainly fhewed 
that the Meadow-Ground with the Grafs thereon 
conducted the Electricity better than Stone ; as ic 
mult be remember'd, that the Obfervers upon the 
Stone Steps upon the Weftminfter Shore felt not in 
the leaft degree the eleCtrical Commotion, when their 
iron Rod was not in the Water, and themfelves flood 
upon the dry Stone Steps. But this EffeCl was fuppofed 
to be owing to the Meadow Ground here being en- 
compafted on two Sides by the New River , and on 
the other by a wet Ditch, by both which it was 
generally well moiften'd. To folve therefore this 
Difficulty a Series of Experiments were executed, of 
which hereafter. 
The Gentlemen then determin’d to examine whe- 
ther the eleCtrical Commotions were perceptible 
. from 
