from  Lightning  at  Purfleet. 
245 
New  Experiments  and  Obfervations  on  the  Nature  and  Ufe 
of  ConduBors , by  benjamin  wilson,  F.  R.  S.  of  the 
Imperial  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Peterfburg,  of  the 
Royal  Society  at  Upfal,  and  of  the  Academy  of  Injlitutes 
at  Bologna. 
THE  experiments  I propofe  to  give  an  account  of  in 
this  paper,  were  made  in  confequence  of  the  accident 
from  lightning,  which  happened  to  one  of  the  buildings 
belonging  to  his  Majefty’s  magazine  of  gun-powder  at 
Purfleet,  on  the  1 5 th  of  May  laft. 
Soon  after  that  event,  an  official  and  particular  ac- 
count having  been  fent  by  the  Board  of  Ordnance  to  the 
Royal  Society,  a committee  of  the  members  was  imme- 
diately appointed,  to  examine  the  damage  done  to  that 
building,  and  afterwards  to  make  a report  of  the  fame. 
When  that  report  was  laid  before  the  Society,  I 
thought  it  my  duty,  in  particular,  to  ftand  forth,  and 
offer  fome  objections  to  the  ufing  pointed  conductors  at 
Purfleet,  or  indeed  any  where  elfe. 
This  public  proceeding  was,  I apprehended,  the  more 
neceflary,  as  I had,  upon  a former  occafion,  in  the  year 
177  a,  declared  my  dijfent  from  the  report  then  made  by 
I i 2 the 
