t r 47 ] 
of fharp pointed conductors, fo immediately relat- 
ing to the queftion under confideration, that no 
apology will be neceftary for introducing it in this 
place. Dr. winthrop, having given a very cu- 
rious and exaCt account of a violent flafh of 
lightning, which fell upon and greatly damaged 
HOLLIS-HALL, ill NEW CAMBRIDGE, obferves, 
thatHARVARD-HALL, being furnifhed with pointed 
wires, which wires were at the diftance of one 
hundred and fixty feet from the chimney of Hollis- - 
hall, on which the lightning fell, efcaped unhurt, 
though the wires were feen by many to tranfmit 
a large quantity of it, which left vifible marks 
upon the bricks, where the wire hooked together. 
This gentleman alfo obferves, that a tree, handing 
at the diftance of fifty-two feet from a pointed wire, 
ereCted upon the fteeple of a meeting-houfe, as a 
conductor for the lightning, had been Itruck and 
fhivered ; but that the meeting-houfe remained 
uninjured ; and this, he fays, is the lead diftance 
from fuch a conductor, fo far as he knew, at 
which any thing had been (truck by lightning. It 
appears, therefore, I think, very clearly, from 
thefe inftances, that (harp pointed wires, inftead 
of inviting, and drawing down ftrokes of light- 
ning, ferve rather to prevent them, and that they 
extend their protecting influence to fome diftance 
around them, and ought therefore ever to be ufed, 
as the termination of the rods ereCted upon houfes, 
fteeples, magazines, mafts of fhips, &c. in fhort, 
on all occafions, where conductors for the light- 
ning may be thought neceftary. 
