from  Lightning  at  Pur  fleet.  2-69 
cramps  were  inferted,  paffed  fafely  by  the  charged  cy- 
linder, without  affording  even  the  leaft  luminous  effect  ; 
and  confequently  proved,  that  in  fuch  circumftances  the 
two  cramps  could  not  poflibly  be  ftruck,  becaufe  the 
charge  in  the  cylinder  remained  the  fame,  or  very  nearly 
lb,  after  the  model  had  paffed, 
ninth  observation.  But  in  the  feventeenth  experi- 
ment, the  pointed  conductor  was  fixed  in  its  place  upon 
the  model,  juft  like  that  at  Purfleet ; when  not  only  the 
point  was  ftruck,  as  the  model  paffed  the  cylinder ; but, 
at  the  fame  inftant,  a fmall  explofion  was  feen  between 
the  two  cramps  at  the  corner.  That  this  light  between 
the  cramps  arofe  from  a different  caufe  than  what  had 
been  fuggefted  by  the  fecond  Purfleet  committee,  ap- 
peared from  fome  circumftances  accompanying  that  ef- 
fect. For  example,  thefe  cramps  had  no  connection  with 
the  gutter  or  fpouts  next  them,  but  were  quite  feparate, 
and  at  the  diftance  of  fix  or  feven  inches  from  any  me- 
tallic communication.  And  it  is  well  known  to  philofo- 
phers,  that  lightning  always  paffes  where  it  meets  with 
the  leaft  refiftance ; they  alfo  know,  that  the  leaft  re- 
finance in  the  prefent  inftance  rauft  have  been  along  the 
conductor  at  the  top  to  the  hips,  gutters,  and  fpout,  and 
fo  on  to  the  wire  at  the  bottom  to  the  well. 
Mm2 
According 
