Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. 
101 
ELECTRICITY OF THE CLOUDS. 
Many hypotheses have been advanced to account for the electri¬ 
cal state of the atmosphere. The one which seems to us to furn¬ 
ish the most complete and satisfactory explanation of all the phe¬ 
nomena is that of Peltier, which refers them all to the inductive ac¬ 
tion of the earth being itself in a permanent state of negative ex¬ 
citement. On this hypothesis certainly we can readily explain 
what is known to be true—that some clouds are highly charged 
with electricity, while others are in the natural state. That those 
positively charged are generally in the lower atmosphere, while 
those negatively electrified are for the most part lound higher up. 
We can readily understand, also, on this hypothesis, how clouds may 
be re-supplied with electricity, a fact made evident by the great num¬ 
ber of discharges from the same cloud in its passage over the earth. 
We shall not enter upon this explanation; but assuming that clouds 
may be highly charged with electricity, we can easily account for 
the ordinary phenomena of lightning on the principle of induction 
as already explained. 
This inductive action and explosive discharges take place, not 
only between clouds, but between the earth and clouds highly 
charged with electricity. The places on the earth where dischar¬ 
ges will most likely occur will be determined by the conductive 
character of the material and the other conditions before mention¬ 
ed. 
The destructive effects of lightning are due to the tremendous 
repulsive energy imparted to the particles of the body through 
which the discharge takes place, and these will depend upon the 
quantity and tension of the charge, and the nature of the body 
through which the discharge, in its transmission to or from the 
earth, passes. If the body be a good conductor, of sufficient size, 
and well connected with the ground, the fluid will pass harmlessly 
to the earth; but if it be of such a nature as to present obstruction 
to the passage of the fluid, its destructive energy will be expended 
on the body itself. If the fluid in its passage leap from one object 
to another, these effects, as the theory would lead us to infer, are 
greatest at the points of disruption. 
Sometimes, however, these effects are produced not only where 
the discharge occurs, but miles away, by what is called the return 
