3^6 Proceedings relative to the Accident 
Such were the conductors that, in the month of June, 1777* 
feveral years after the Houfe of Induflry had been built, were 
erefled with the hope of guarding it from lightning. The iron 
ot which they were formed had in that time acquired a coat of 
ruft, fuch as might be expe&ed from four years expofu re to the 
air. On the 17th of June, 1781, after a fhowery forenoon, a 
heavy cloud having rifen from the S. W. brought on a levere 
thundei -florm, attended with iuch heavy hail and ram, that 
the court before the houfe was overflowed. At length, about 
three in the afternoon, when this florm had already lafled 15 
or 20 minutes, a tingle and very loud explofion was heard, like 
the report of a cannon, which exceedingly terrified all the 
] copi^ in tlie houie, and affected three of the paupers io much 
that they fainted. At the fame time a great light was per- 
ceived, which feemed, as they exprefled it, to come in at the 
windows, and ilill more at the doors of the rooms, like a flieet 
ot fire. Within one or two minutes, the fouth-eafl corner of 
the eaft flank of the building was obferved to be on fire, the 
flame burfling out at the bottom of the hip (fee g in fig. 3. 4. 
and 1 1.). By the brifk exertions of the people in the houfe, 
this fire was quickly extinguifhed ; and the court was fo over- 
flowed, that they procured fufficient water for that purpofe by 
means of a hole which they dug near the burning corner of the 
building. The florm, and efpecially the rain, continued fome 
time after the flroke, but not with luch violence as before. At 
the moment of the explofion it was nearly calm ; but the wind 
had been fouth-weflerly all day, and the fky was obferved to 
ne clearing in that quarter about the time of the accident. 
To come at the fire, in order to extinguifh it, the lead had 
been rolled off the bottom of the hip, and fome bricks thrown 
down, all of which were replaced when we arrived at Hecking- 
5 ham ; 
