Advantage of elevated pointed Conductors, 835 
OBSERVATION I. 
From the three firft experiments it appears, that our 
artificial cloud ftrikes at difiances greater as the termina- 
tion of the conductor is more blunted, or as it terminates 
with the largeft ball ; and that the ftriking diftance is lefs 
as the end of the conductor tends more to a point; and 
in the fourth experiment, that when the end of the con- 
ductor is pointed, the point is not ftruck at any diftance 
whatever; but continues luminous to a certain diftance, 
carrying off filently the electricity of our artificial cloud. 
It feems from thefe experiments, that pointed con- 
ductors are to be preferred before thofe terminating with 
a large ball, the pointed one depriving the cloud filently 
of its eleCtric fire ; whereas the ball receives the eleCtric 
fire in a ftrong fpark. And in the fifth experiment, 
where a point projects but one tenth of an inch from a 
ball of four inches diameter, neither the ball, or point 
projecting from it, is ftruck at any diftance. This feems 
to fhew the utility of a pointed rod, even if it projects 
but a^fmall diftance above the higheft part of a building. 
The fixth experiment fhews, that a point within the 
furface of a ball does not prevent the ball being ftruck. 
The feventh and eighth experiments likewife fhew, that 
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