246  Papers  relative  to  an  Accident 
the  committee,  who  had  recommended  fharp- pointed 
conductors  for  that  magazine,  to  be  fixed  ten  feet  higher 
than  the  refpe-ftive  buildings. 
But  not withft  a-ndin g I had  read  the  paper  alluded  to 
above,  I did  not  apprehend  that  my  duty  was  fully  clifi- 
charged,  without  trying  other  methods  of  having  fo 
ferious  and  interefting  a fubjeCt  farther  inquired  into. 
I had  the  fatisfaCtion,  foon  after,  to  meet  with  fuffi- 
cient  encouragement  to  induce  me  to  confider  of  fome 
experiments,  which  might  make  the  fubjeCt  in  difpute 
more  intelligible. 
The  plan  I conceived  to  be  the  moil  proper  for  this 
purpofe,  was  to  have  a fcene  reprefented  by  art,  as  nearly 
fimilar  as  might  be,  to  that  ivhich  wras  fo  lately  exhibited 
at  Purfleet  by  nature. 
To  carry  a defign  of  that  kind  into  execution,  it  was 
necefiary  that  attention  fliould  be  given  to  the  feveral 
circumftances  concerned  in  the  event  at  Purfleet. 
The  moft  material  of  thofe  circumftances  I appre- 
hended to  con  lift  in  having  a fubftitute  for  a thunder- 
cloud, as  it  is  vulgarly  called,  and  large  enough,  or  fuf- 
ficiently  long,  to  admit  of  being  charged  with  a confi- 
derable  quantity  of  the  matter  of  lightning  by  artificial 
means ; and  likewife,  that  this  fubftitute  fliould  admit  of 
being  eafily  moved,  and  with  any  velocity  the  experi- 
ment. 
