The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-08-17 00:00:00

1.4;o-n';O-f.titYgesi.ZYLi-

I said. "Every one can, if he choose, at the expense of a
few shillings, render his huuae absolutely safe with a perfect
system
.of lightning conductors." I will now show how this

can be done.

Ilut, first, what is lightning? It is, like thunder, ono of
the effects of electric discharge; It is not tile destructive
. .

discharge itself. The amount of misconception and error in
the public mind on the subject of electric storms is astonish-
ing. We read of the "electric fluid' being attracted by
this thing and by that—at one time by the lamp irons on the
ends of a railway carriage, at another time by the looking-
glasses, which are carefully removed; we hear of "ascend.
hag' lightning, its course is tr iced—it entered here and went
cut there, and "so off to the clouds overhead ;" "it struck
her face, pasatfl to her chest, and crossed over the region of
her heart •" it objects "to turn round sharp corners ;" and
soon. AM such statements are scientific absurdities.
Modern physicists know no such thing as the "electric
fluid " Electricity is no more matter than is heat, or light,
or stood. The laws of its transmission are simple and

roughly well known. Thunderstorms are but. gi,ittutie re-
petitions of drawing room experiments ; they are simple
eloctric,l phenomena, differing only in degree from the
ordimily spark exhibited by a lump of sugar. Ile re must
he two maa.es in opposite electrical states separated by a
non-cenductor. Two "thunder" clouds, or the earth and a
. . . .

thrinder cloud separaiied by the air, give these conditions.
When the lost-salty of the charges becomes too great for
the intervening nonconductor to prevent their rientralizir-
ticn by combination, or when its thickness, and there.
fore its resistance is sufficiegtly reduced by the charged
bodies approaching each other, we have discharge and
its effects—light, heat, mechanical energy, and sound,
or thunder and lightning and its nestructive effects. The
so-raffia "electric !NW' can no mere be sail to ascend
from the earth to the °load than to descend from the
cloud to the earth. The discharge invarially ...yews along
the line of least resistaece, and it Is I,o,lLitilll)ua and
butantaneous along the whole line. The line of least
resist ,nce may be made up of metals, bricks and mor-
tar. trees, or animal flesh. Whatever oilers the least
resistance will be the chosen path. The chief function
of a lightning conductor is to furnish this path. But it
baa a much higher and important function. It dissipates
the conditions which determine discharge. In fact, it
prevents lightning. This it does in virtue of the principle
of points. A pointed body directed towards an electrified
conductor reduces its charge, so that when a thunder-
don I passes over a lightning eonduc!or its charge Is silently,
quietly, and continuously neutralized. If a galvanometer
• were Inserted in this conductor at finch saline it would give
Indications of the presence of an electric current Telegraph
wires are invariably occupied with currents on such occasions.
The presence of a storm at Newfoundland was observed at
the extremity of the Atlantic cable in Ireland.
Hence the conditions that determine a perfect conductor
are that it shall expose in some prominent position of a
building a metallic point, and ti at it shall offer from this
point to the ground a path of little or no resistance. I say
that the ordinary galvanized iron wire known as No. 4,
which is 1-inen in diaomter, tipped with a gilded brass point
or cone, is amply sufficient for any dwellinghouse. It costs
about a penny per yard, and the brass cones would cost
about sixpence each. Thirty shillings would pay for all the
materials required for an ordinary house.
My reason for recommending this wire are these :—When
telegraph poles were first erected in this country they were
protected with lightning conductors. This practice was sub-
.. quently found lobs too expensive, and was abandoned.
Suck "earth wires," or conductors, were, however, found to
effect another and very important object, anti their use was
continued on stimuli, lines I have never known a case of a
pole so protected being damaged during a thunderstorm,
whereas scarcely a than ierstorm occurs without sonic un-
protected pales being injured. I remember, sear Bornsey, 20
unprotected poles being shattered by one discharge, and
upon the Basingstoke and Andover line 15 per cent.
were found to have been struck. The line was renewed and
earth wired, and not one single case of damage has occurred
though some years have elapsed. A pole was very
recently found in South Wales with eight inches of its top
ahattered—the earth wire only went so far ; the charge from
that point went harmlessly to earth through the wire. The
cross arms are frequently found damaged as far as the earth
wire, never beyond I could multiply instances ad infinit tem,
and as the wire used is gem :idly No. S (170 inch in
diameter), and sometimes even smaller, I thillir I am hilly
jualtled in saying that No 4 wire, which is twice as thick
and offers half the resistance, is amply sufficient for the pro.
tection of our houses. The precautions to be used in fixing
conductors as these :
--i • .

1. The conductor must be solid and continuous from its
gilded point to the ground.
2 Its connexion with the ground must be sound and good.
It may be colic eeted with the iron gas or water mains, or be
burled several feet deep In abed of coke, or be attached to
a mass ot metal in moist earth, or be carried down a well.
3. Each conductor, if there be more than one, should
make a separate earth If possible, and they should all be
connected together below the surface. The lead rooting
and all external muses of metal should be connected with
them.
4. All joints and connexions should tee soldered.
It is better that each chimney stack should have its own
conductor, awl they should be periodically examined to see
that their points remain intact, and that their metallic con-
tinuity is perfect. The custom is to fix them and then to
leave thorn to char en.
The precautions that are not necessary are these:-
1. It need not be copper.
2. It need not be insulated.
I. It neednot he carried externally to their disfigurement
In the eases of church spires, columns, and chimneys. I
never pass Tratalgarequare without regretting the dis-
figurement of Nelson's statue.
It is, however. better to carry the wire externally in the
cue of etwe Illughouses, lest it pass too near the lead gea
pipes, which, beteg good conductors and soft metal, might
he fused. The wire can go round a corner as well as through
It, hot acute angles are best avoided. The more direct the
course to the earth the better.
The area protected by a conductor Is said to be that whose
radius Is equal to twice the height of the conductor from the
ground: tent it is safer to take the Wins as equal to the
height of the cwductor. Thus, for small houses one con-
ductor is enough, but it is eater to attach one to each stack.
lilt project a yard above the stack it is sufficient, and it is
within reach for inspection. The stack pipes down the sides
of a house are convenient conduits for the wire, and there is
no reason why it should not be carried down to the grouted
Merle them, so as to be out of sight. It there be no con-
venient stack pipe, the wire can be run up and stapled to the
brickwork oratorio.
With you, for materials and 10e, for labour any intelligent
man can, with these directions and rrecautions, safely pro-
tect his house from the destructive effects of thunderstorms.
The effect of thunderstorms upon our telegraphs is not
very serious, though the Extensaon of such a network of wires,
130.100 miles in length, over the whole country would lead
one to expect considerable damage. All the telegeaphic
apparatus in the Postal Telegraph Department—and there are
s,aoo in use—are aupplied with llghtning protectors. The wires
themselves are excellent protectors. Accidents are dire either
to imperfect apparatus, careless c rhstruction, or neglect of
instructions. The per-centage of Instruments damaged is
very small. It was before the trarsfer of the telegrams to
the State 3 percent.; it is row acebiedly lets. The Postal
telegraph Department possesses about 3,000 station• of its
own ; scarcely half-a-dezea have been injured throughout
the whole of this severe season. At two or three stations
the wires were carelessly carried parallel to the lead gas
pipe. As sparks pursed from the wire to the pipe tte pipe
was feud and the gas lit. At Derider, some yews afro, not
only this happened, but over the gas pipe wss is lead water
pipe, which was trued by the gas, and the water which
escaped extinguished the dame.
During thunderstorms the wires are active. Every dis-
charge disturbs them by induction. FregneAt and power-
ful cements pervade them. Brilliant flashes are .deserved
shoot the apparatus, lint no injuries wear to the manipu-
lators, though shocks are sometimes felt. I have len ,wn ono
or two eletlcs knocked down, but principally by trtglit. If
there were any truth in the popular notion that metal attracts
lightning, telegraphists would lead bat a sorry life during
thunderstorms. During acre, at very severe thunderstonn
I was watching its effects in a large office. Not one clerk
left his post or alurkea his duty, area all appeared perfectly
Indifferent to the roar and fury of the elements outside.
In suggesting "putting grates to earth," I advise a tele-
graphist'. cure. An external system is better and cheaper,
though this plan would all an additional and material
security to the house
The grate must be taken out, and a pin tapped into the
back of It, to which must be welded the galvanized iron wire.
Separate wires should be carried from each grate straight
down the side of the fines, and united together at the ground
line and thence taken "to earth." The wire should not be
allowed to go near any lead gas pipes.
Mr. llyett's plan is an admirable one, and his pipe is an ex-
cellent conductor. The right angles are harmless it the
pipe Is carefully rounded at those places. Points and Blurts
edges are alone to be avoided.
SouthaMpton, Aug. Pt. W. 11. PREECE.

I have rot had the advontavo of se,ino tha It tter rot the
subject of liphtuifig O.tJU.LOLC 0.1.011 atidJar.A.l in your
edition of the 6th inst., but I perceive by the subsequent cor-
respondence that there must be many of your readers in
remote districts, out of the reach of pc, Passional aid, who
would like to know how to protect their houses simply sod
efficiently from lightniog at miaimton of co.t This they
may do si ithuat difficulty. Lot Issm to s tier similar leojett s
of ordinary galvanized No 8 wire. which is the wire commonly
used for telegraphic purposes, and is about an eight of an inch
diameter. The lour,trires are by MOani of a 'beteg* to be

twisted together Into a rope of sufficient length to reach
from the top of the highest ehimney to the ground, and to
extend 20ft. or 30ft. under ground. Thia rope may project a
few inches above the chimney, and the wires may be spread
out into forks and pointed, but these points are by no
means essential, as the lightning, if it aporoaches it at all,
will fly to it with unerring certiinty, whatever its form or
position : If, however, several chimneys rise the same height,
the conductor should be slightly raised above them, so as to
protect the whole. It may be fixed In any mousier or di-
rection, either within or without the house as found most
convenient, but if there be any leaden gutters or pipes
near Its path it is preferable that it should touch thorn.
When the conductor reaches the ground a little more care is
desirable. It it he busied for left, or lilt, in thoroughly wet
, groond, such as that afforded hs a drain Or well, it will he
' secure or, if it lee placed in full contact with any water-
pips or gun-pipe; but if damp earth be not obtainable, about
2011. or 30f1 of its length should be buried, either in a
straight or crooked direction, in ordinary soil at a depth of
two feet or more. The ooly remaining precaution is to
take care that this conductor never becomes severest
I at the bottom ither gy decay or wilful Injury. An ordinary
I house protected in the Inanoer deseribeel can nevr to in-
jered be lightning, but i: scut be understood that I have en.
deavtaied ti deserhie the sla.pl at arrangement possible
corsirtent with ellidency and not by any means the most
perfect system. For large or lofty buildings, and In all
cases where expense Is not an important consideration, and
where great security and permanency are desired It is better
tA resort to skilled advice an I to use copper condactors.
Mort modern houses of good construction are uninten-
tionally provided with efficient conductors ; the eases anl
rb,ges are covered with lead, and these communicate by
metal spouts with each other and with the ground, and
commonly also by cisterns and water pipes with the teen
resins of the town. buch houses are never injured by
lightning
• .

The ion
sing conductors are by no means esirential, though they
g Projecting pointed rods commonly used for light-
serve to protect neighbouring buildings, and tend to pre-
vent lightning by drawing off the Mild silently to the '
earth. I have is the recent storms had an opportunity of
watching the effect of a very short conductor projecting
only two inches through the masonry of an omainental
building which it NU desired to guard without dis-
figurement. The protection was most complete, although
at each stroke the lightning point became enveloped in iire.
When a house is surmounted by any projecting metal work,
the conductor may be connected with it, but need not be
carried above it. The metallic spike projecting out of a
metallic statue on the top of the Duke of York's column is
an absurdity, and ought to be removed.
Timid and nervous persons often desire to know the palest
positien they can occupy during a storm. A person reclining
on a sofa or bed at a distance from all the walls of the
room coulf scarcely suffer injury, even in a house struck
by lightning, but a most absolute security is obtained by
lying on an iron or brass bedstead of the form known as the
Arabian bedstead, in which the head is surrounded by an
iron erection supporting the curtains. A person lying or
sleeping within such a bedstead could not possibly receive
any direct injury from lightning, even if the house were to
be demolished, as his bedstead forms the most complete
lightning protector which could well be devised. A wooden
bedstead placed against the wall does not afford any special
Security. It may further console some to know that after
seeing the flash the danger Is past, the crash of the thunder,
however terrific it may appear, being perfectly harmless.—
. I am, etc., LATIMER CLARE.
London, Aug. 9.