71 
Even in those cases, where lightning conductors have not 
extended continuously through the whole height of a build- 
ing, or where the lower extremity of the conductor has, 
from any cause, terminated abruptly at the base of the 
building, the severity of the stroke has been greatly miti- 
gated, the damage being limited, in many case, to the 
loosening of a few stones or bricks. 
The ever extending introduction of gas and water pipes 
into the inferior of buildings armed with lightning con- 
ductors has, however, greatly altered the character of the 
protection which they formerly afforded, and the conviction 
has been long forced upon me that, while buildings so armed 
are effectually protected from injury of the mechanical kind, 
they are more subject to damage by fire. 
The proximity of lightning conductors to gas and water 
mains, as an element of danger, has not yet, so far as I 
know, engaged the attention of electricians, and it was first 
brought under my notice at Oldham in 1861, by witnessing 
the effects of a lightning discharge from the end of a length 
of iron wire rope, which had been fixed near to the top of a 
tall factory chimney, for the purpose of supporting a long 
length of telegTaph wire. The chimney was provided with 
a copper lightning conductor terminating in the ground in 
the usual manner. In close proximity to the conductor, 
and parallel with it, the wire rope descended, from near the 
top of the chimney, for a distance of 100 feet, and was 
finally secured to an iron bolt inserted in the chimney 
about 10 feet from the ground. During a thunderstorm 
which occurred soon after the telegraph wire was fixed, the 
lightning descended the wire rope, and instead of discharging 
itself upon the neighbouring lightning conductor, darted 
