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conneiledj where there is at prefent no fuch con- 
nexion, prevent the ereXing a confiderable part of 
‘the apparatus,^ wdaich otherwife we fliould jud^e ab- 
Iblutely neceffary. ^ 
_ We are of opinion that, caterh paribm, all build- 
ings upon the fame level are liable to be injured by 
lightning in proportion to their height : and that 
the danger is increaled by crofles, weather- cocks, or 
pieces of metal, in any form, placed upon or near 
their tops, unlefs there i*i a compleat metallic com- 
munication from thefe to the bottom of the building, 
which metal fhould terminate either in water, or 
moid; ground. 
^ In St. Paul’s church, the objefls of aur more par- 
ticular attention were the dome and its lantbern, and 
the two towers at the weft end. The roof over the 
body of the church, being compleatly covered with 
lead, will, we conceive, prevent mifchief thereto 
from lightning j and the more fo, as the lead on the 
roof joins to that of the feveral leaden fpouts, which 
come down the Tides of the building, and terminate 
in the ground at a confiderable depth. For our more 
certain information, one of thefe Ipouts was examined; 
and it was found to defcend perpendicularly about 
three feet under the furface of the earth : and then, 
after being laid about feven feet in an inclined di- 
reXion, it ended in a brick drain, which communi- 
cates with the fewer. Thefe circumftances induce 
us to conclude, that what has been juft now defcribcd 
is a fufficient metallic communication between the 
roof of the church and the ground. 
No part of this whole fabric feems to be in fo 
dangerous a fttuation of being injured by lightning, as 
Y 2 the 
