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CL Some Suggeflions concerning the prevent- 
ing the Mi) chiefs ) which happen to Ships 
and their Mafls by Lightning ; being the 
Subfiance of a Letter to the late Right 
Honourable George Lord Anfon, firfl 
Lord of the Admiralty, and F. R. S. by 
William Watfon, M. D . F. R. S. 
My Lord, 
Read Dec. 16, yt. S' I am well apprized of your Lord- 
1762,. fhip’s attention to the public fer- 
vice, more particularly to what relates to that depart- 
ment, over which you prelide, I cannot omit trans- 
mitting to your Lordfhip fome obfervations, which 
occurred to me upon what lately happened to the 
Harriot packet, in her paffage to New York. We 
are informed, “ that this veffel was ftruck with light- 
ning, which fplit the main maft, main top maft, and 
main top gallant maft in pieces, ripped up the part- 
ners of the main maft, broke down the bulk-head •. 
between the fteerage and the hold, tore off the locks 
from the cabbin doors, burnt the tarpaulin off the 
main hatches, made Several holes between the coom- 
ings of the hatches and the deck, rendered all the 
compaffes ufelefs, broke one of the beams between ■, 
decks, ftove the boat, wounded one of the men 
very much, and the reft were ftunned for fome time. 
Moft of the rigging was burnt off the maft head. 
The whole caufed fuch a fmoke in the Ihip* that, 
taking 
