m 
with an Account of the Fire of St Elmo. 
A conductor at the maintop-gallant-mast-head, can only be 
looked upon as an agent more powerful than the mast itself, but 
by no means calculated positively to draw within its own influ- 
ence, every portion of electric matter, which may have come first in 
contact, or in near appulse with any other point ; and although 
the mast-head is almost invariably the first to suffer, yet it is 
within my own' knowledge, though I was not actually present, 
that several men, in the act of withdrawing their washed clothes 
from the main riggings were killed and scorched by the descent 
of the electric fluid. 
It would be not only curious, but useful to ascertain, if possi- 
ble, the following circumstances. 1. How many ships have been 
struck with lightning, out of a given number in a given time ? 
2. What has been the loss of lives, the extent of damage, and the 
expence of repairs ? 3. How many of these ships were habitu- 
ally in the practice of using conductors ; and, 4. Did any of the 
ships, having them then in use, suffer from the effects of light- 
ning, and in what manner ? It is possible that some of your 
intelligent readers, whose central situation or official duties, af- 
ford the best opportunities of acquiring information, may have 
it in their power to render some illustration, replete with the 
deepest interest, and the most beneficial results. 
Among those who disapprove, or who are at least doubtful as 
to the expediency of adopting the ordinary metallic chain, I 
have no hesitation of being enrolled. The contact of electric 
fluid, under any circumstances, ought carefully to be avoided ; 
and no single conductor on board of a ship, with her top-gallant- 
yards across, can positively regulate or restrain the devious 
course it usually assumes. A ship in that situation, presents at 
least twenty-four distinct points between the jib and driver-boom 
ends, all more or less capable of exerting the power of attraction, 
and liable thereby to occasion a loss of lives ; neither does it fol- 
low, that the lightning is positively to fall on any one of those 
points in preference to another, in spite of the precaution of 
placing conductors at particular points for that particular purpose. 
In the month of July 1811, being then on board H. M. S. 
Kent of 74 guns, off Toulon, the main and mizen masts were 
shattered by lightning, from the truck downwards. Furling 
the maintop-gallant sails, the fluid deviating partially, killed one 
