11 
Ordinary Meeting, October 17tb, 1876. 
E. W. Binney, F.KS., F.G.S., President, in the Chair. 
Mr. Baxendell drew attention to a paper On the pro- 
tection of buildings from lightning,” read by Prof. J. Clerk 
Maxwell at the late meeting of the British Association at 
Glasgow, and stated that the system of protection recom- 
mended by the Professor, and which he appears to have 
regarded as new, was suggested, and its adoption strongly 
advocated, nearly forty years ago by the late Mr. Sturgeon, 
whose many valuable contributions to electrical and mag- 
netical science seem to have been strangely overlooked by 
recent investigators and writers. The paper in which the 
system was first described was read before the London 
Electrical Society on the 7th of March, 1838, and an abstract 
of it was published in the 2nd vol. of the “Annals of Elec- 
tricity.” There is however one important difference 
between the two systems. Mr. Sturgeon considered it 
necessary that the copper sheathing or covering of a pro- 
tected room or powder magazine should be well connected 
with the ground; but Prof. Maxwell is reported to have 
stated that “ there would be no need of any earth connec- 
tion. They might even place a layer of asphalt between the 
copper floor and the ground, so as to insulate the building.” 
It is obvious, however, that if the magazine were struck by 
lightning a disruptive discharge through the layer of asphalt 
would in all probability take place, which might rupture 
the copper sheathing, and thus ignite the contents of the 
magazine ; but by the adoption of Mr. Sturgeon’s plan an 
accident of this kind could not occur. 
Peoceedixgs— Lit. & Phil. Soc.— Vol. XYI.—No. 2.— Session 1876-7. 
