[ 2 g 9 ] 
XLIV. A Letter from Mr. Franklin to Mr . 
Peter Collinfon, F. R. S . concerning the 
Effe&s of Lightning. 
5 I R, Philadelphia, June 20, 1751. 
Read ^ Nov. i^TTN Captain Waddel’s account * * of the 
6 effects of lightning on his ihip, I 
could not but take notice of the large comazants (as 
lie calls them) that fettled on the fpintles at the top- 
maft-heads, and burnt like very large torches before 
the ftroke. 
According to. my opinion, the eledrical fire was 
then drawing off, as by points, from the cloud ; the 
largenefs of the flame betokening the great quantity 
of electricity in the clouds. And had there been a 
good wire-communication from the fpintle-heads to 
the fea, that could have conducted more freely than 
tarred ropes, or maffs of turpentine-wood, I ima- 
gine, there would either have been no ftroke, or, if 
a ftroke, the wire would have conduded it all into 
the fea without damage to the fliip. 
His compafles loft the virtue of the loadftone, or 
the poles reverfed, the north point turning to the 
fcuth. By eledricity we have here frequently given 
polarity to needles, and reverfed it at pleafure. Mr. 
Wilfon tried it with too fmall a force. A fliock from 
four large glafs jars, fent thro’ a fine fewing needle, 
gives it polarity ; and it will traverfe when laid on 
water. 
O o If 
# 
* Phil, Tranf. N. 492, p. ur. 
