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tity to run oft in ftreams, a great portion of the elec- 
tric matter runs off in, and is diflipated by, thefe 
ftreams ; and buildings are thereby preferved from 
damage. 
What happened to St. Bride’s cannot but give us 
fome appreheiftions for that moft noble edifice in its 
neighbourhood; I mean St. Paul’s. This is above 
an hundred foot higher than St. Bride’s, and there- 
fore more in the w iv of accident from thunder ftorms. 
Upon its mangnificent lanthorn is placed a crofs of 
metal, which is inferted into the ftone of the lan- 
thorn; and this is lupported by a truncated cone of 
brickwork, which arifes from the arches of ftone be- 
low. The cupola is covered with lead, which is 
continued to the fpouts of the fame material. Thefe 
bring down the water to the ftone gallery under the 
cupola, and end within about a foot of the ftone. 
From hence the water is conveyed a confiderable dift- 
ance, in a ftone trough or channel, to the leaden 
fpouts ; and thefe are carried down the building, and 
terminate, as I was informed upon inquiry, in the 
common fewer. By this arrangement the metallic 
communication is interrupted. In thunder ftorms 
during rain, the water carries oft' in its ftreams the 
electricity, as perfectly, as the moft compleat me- 
tallic communication would ; but when there is no 
rain, it is otherwifej and thefe interruptions are the 
great caufe of danger. To leffen which, as far as we 
can conclude at prefent, it would be expedient to 
make, by the means of feveral copper wires, ftnali 
rods, or pieces of lead, a metallic communication 
between the gilded crofs, and the lead of the cupola: 
and again, from the leaden fpouts of the ftone 
